waterfowl & wetlands - winter 2013

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FEATURES:- WOOD DUCK NEST BOX MAINTANENCE

- BIG LAKE DUCK CALLS

FEATURES:- WOOD DUCK NEST BOX MAINTANENCE

- BIG LAKE DUCK CALLS

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WinTer issue

DEParTMENTs

The DireCTor’s DeskSC Public Waterfowl Hunting-Are The Glory Days Gone

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in The neWs

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on The Cover:WiLDLife phoTographer CoLin knighT naiLeD ThisshoT of green-Wing TeaL LanDing, anD TherefLeCTions make iT TWiCe as BeauTifuL!

WaTerfoWL sCienCeBLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS, A SUCCESS STORY

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WooD DuCk nesTing programImportant Tips For Wood Duck Nest Box Maintanence

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Drought Monitors - North america & canadaslim chance remains For Farm Bill in 112th congress

proDuCT & ouTfiTTer revieWsAgridrain - Inlet Water Control StructureDecoy FloatstandRemington Anniversary 700 CDL 375 H&HDuck Comander - Blind Bag

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ChapTer neWsFundraising On Track To Finish Well

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south carolina Harvest and Hunter activity Trends31

by Doug Gardner.com

Camp LeopoLD upDaTe4

CorporaTe sponsors19Camp WooDie upDaTe - YOUTH HUNT22

Dog Training - CONDITIONED RETRIEVE PART 136The sporTing Chef - DUCKY SANDWICH38

feaTures

Big Lake DuCk CaLLs maDe in souTh CaroLina42Chasing The afriCan Dream32

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Board of DirectorsPresident

James H. WalkerSenior Vice President

Philip L. Horn, Jr.Secretary/Treasurer

John W. Williamson, III

Gary W. DietrichDelbert E. EggertMarshall J. Collins, JrStan LuthiLou Tocci

Charles C. Rountree IIIAllen BellJohn StroudJohn N. McCarter

SOUTH CAROLINAWATERFOWLASSOCIATION

Direct all SCWA and magazine inquiries to:9833 Old River RoadPinewood, S.C. 29125

(803) 452-6001 Fax: (803) 452-6032www.scwa.org

Waterfowl & Wetlands Magazine is the of fi cialquar ter ly publication of the South Carolina Wa ter fowlAssociation. SCWA is a state-wide, non-profit, wa ter -fowl and wet land con ser va tion or ga ni za tion based inRimini, SC. All money raised by SCWA is spent withinSouth Carolina on wa ter fowl and wetland ed u ca tion,man age ment and research pro grams, and leg is la tiveed u ca tion. All donations to SCWA beyond the retailvalue of the mer chan dise acquired are fully taxdeductible un der section 501 (c) (3) of the InternalRevenue Service Code.

Executive Director / Head BiologistDavid J. Wielicki

Chapter DevelopmentMac Bagnal

Data EntryThomasyne Hipp

Fundraising & Communications CoordinatorJennifer McNeely

Camp DirectorEd Paul

Calling all School Board Members,Superintendents & Principals

Camp Leopold is receiving great reviews from students, teach-ers and administrators who are attending one day and multiple dayschool year natural resource conservation field trips and camps. Everyschool that has attended Camp Leopold in its inaugural year has com-mitted to come back next year! One hundred percent of school admin-istrators who have toured the SCWA Wildlife Education Center to learnabout the Camp Leopold curriculum have booked their school toattend this top quality youth conservation education program.

It is SCWA's goal for every South Carolina school to learn aboutCamp Leopold and to sign their third through seventh grade studentsup for a Camp Leopold conservation education experience. You canhelp to spread the word by sharing Camp Leopold (www.wildlifeed-center.org) with school administrators and educators in your area.

If you know a school administrator or school Board member inyour area who would like to learn more about Camp Leopold pleaseemail their contact information or encourage them to give me a call.Sincerely,Ed PaulSCWA Director of Education ProgramsOffice: 803-452-6001Cell: 803-600-8977Email: [email protected] us out on Facebook under “Camp Leopold”

Camp Leopold “Camp Leopold Excitement”

Queries for story and photo submissions should besent directly to the editor. Photos must be released bythe pho tog ra pher prior to publication. SCWA assumesno re spon si bil i ty for unsolicited material.

he South Carolina Duck season is in full swing andhunting reports are coming in across the state. As Iwrite this article on December 20th, thus far we have

experienced average Fall and Winter temperatures but very dryconditions across most of the state. This has reduced theamount of available habitat especially in naturally floodedbeaver ponds, Carolina bays and river flood plain wetlands.

The quality of hunting on many of South Carolina'sprivate and state owned duck impoundments has been good toexcellent yet public land duck hunters across most of the statehave complained about poor hunting and overcrowded huntingconditions. One of the most common questions I am asked is"How do we improve the quality of public duck hunting inSouth Carolina?" As with most questions there is a simpleanswer and it is wrong. The quality of duck hunting on publiclands depends on many factors that differ greatly from year toyear.Waterfowl Populations

Continental waterfowl populations rise and fall basedon the abundance and quality of wetlands and upland nestinghabitat during the Spring and Summer nesting season. In dryyears duck production declines and in wet years duck produc-tion increases. The bottom line is abundant wetlands through-out the nesting and brood rearing season coupled with abun-dant upland nesting cover equals large duck populations in thefall flight. More ducks adds up to more ducks over the decoysfor public and private land hunters and less ducks equals fewerducks over the decoys. This year overall duck numbers wereup but the population of our number one duck in the harvest,the wood duck, is down. This was the result of dry conditionsduring the wood duck breeding and brood rearing season in thesoutheast and east coast states which reduced wood duck pro-duction.Fall and Winter Weather

Weather affects the migration and wintering patternsof ducks and geese. Waterfowl migrate south each fall andwinter in order to find suitable food, water and cover necessaryto survive the wintering period while also preparing their bod-ies for the spring migration and nesting season. During a wetfall and winter, South Carolina has the capacity to winter moreducks and geese due to increased available wetland habitat.The wintering waterfowl carrying capacity of these wetlandsalso depends on their abundance of available waterfowl food.A good example of this is Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie.When these lakes had over 40,000 acres of hydrilla in the1990's they wintered over 100,000 ringneck, wigeon, gadwalland canvasback ducks. When the hydrilla was eliminated theopen water areas on the lakes held less than 5,000 ducks.

The colder it gets up north the more mallards andblack ducks we have wintering in South Carolina. However, if

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THE DIrEcTor’s DEsK BY DaVID J. wIELIcKI, scwa EXEcUTIVE DIrEcTor

South Carolina Public Waterfowl Hunting Are the Glory Days Gone for Good

T it gets too cold we lose wood ducks, ringnecks and other duckspecies that leave the state to winter farther south.Disturbance

Once waterfowl arrive in South Carolina they seekareas that have the most abundant food and cover and the leastamount of human disturbance. The choice of food type willdepend on the species of duck or goose. In January of eachyear the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the SouthCarolina Department of Natural Resources conduct a winterwaterfowl survey. Each year without fail the vast majority ofducks that are counted from the survey airplanes will be foundon privately owned and managed waterfowl impoundmentsand on state and federal wildlife refuges and managementareas. The state areas and federal refuges have good habitatand no disturbance while the private impoundments have thehighest abundance of food per acre and are hunted an averageof once per week. There are over 100,000 acres of privatelymanaged duck ponds in South Carolina. The private and gov-ernment owned waterfowl impoundments provide more foodand much less disturbance than public hunting areas. The endresult is these areas winter most of the ducks in South Carolina.Public Duck Hunting

The public tidal wetlands, lakes and reservoirs inSouth Carolina still provide an abundance of natural food andcover for wintering ducks. In the glory days these areas pro-vided good to great public duck hunting, so what has changed?Duck Populations

Up until the early 1980's, South Carolina wintered upto 150,000 mallards across the state, now we are lucky to win-ter 10% of that number. Mallards have adapted to winteringfarther north where they feed in dry grain fields and roost onopen water areas in large lakes and rivers that freeze only dur-ing the most extreme winter weather conditions. The only wayto change this behavior is to eliminate the abundance of wastegrain in agricultural fields. This is not going tohappen. Mallards like flooded timber and in the old dayswhen public bottomland hardwood areas like the Sparkleberryswamp on the upper end of Lake Marion would flood the mal-lards would flock to these areas providing great public duckhunting. The good old days of public land mallard hunting inSouth Carolina are gone and unfortunately they are not comingback.

On the bright side, wood duck populations haveincreased dramatically since the early 1980's. Wood ducksprefer to eat acorns in flooded timber. As a result, when abun-dant water floods areas like the Sparkleberry swamp publichunters enjoy excellent wood duck hunting. This year dryconditions have kept the Sparkleberry swamp and many other

Continued on page 24...

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Waterfowl Science

any South Carolina hunters this fallwill have a surprise as they enterthe field this coming duck sea-son. A strange new duck will be

passing through the decoys that they mayhave rarely seen, or just heard storiesabout around campfires from their huntingbuddies. This strange new duck is knownas a black bellied whistling duck(Dendrocygna autumnalis) a resident ofthe neo-tropics which is the regionaround the Gulf of Mexico and SouthAmerica. This duck has recently beenpopping up in many nest boxesaround the state, most recently atKinloch Plantation in Georgetown,South Carolina. The frequency ofthese surprise visitors to nestboxes has increased tremen-dously as the black belliedwhistling duck expands itshome range north as thepopulation grows.

The black belliedwhistling duck is a cavitynester, meaning they nestin holes created by woodpeckers, cavities createdas a cypress or tupelo treeages, or a man made nestbox. You can identifythem in the field as hav-ing a long neck, pink legs,a black belly, a red bill,and a large white patchon the back of the wing.This duck gets its appropri-ate name from its distinctiveblack belly and for having a callthat sounds like a high pitchedrepetitive whistle. The black belliedwhistling duck feeds primarily on aquaticvegetation, grains, seeds, andmollusks. The South Carolina WaterfowlAssociation is very excited to be observingand tracking this striking ducks expansionnorth. This provides hunters and sportsmana chance to harvest a unique duck they nor-mally would never see. The state of SouthCarolina allows you to harvest one black bel-lied whistling duck per day.

So this fall I wish you the best of luckand hopefully God will grant you a chance toharvest one of these magnificent birds.

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks - a Success Story

MAdam Bedard - Waterfowl Biologist

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$10 Woodie Membership(up to 16 years of age) Pin & decal

$25 Regular Membership SCWA magazine & decal

$50 Contributing MembershipSCWA magazine, decal & hat pin.

$100 Donor MembershipSCWA magazine, donor decal, hat & hat pin$250 Sponsor MembershipSCWA sponsor gift, hat, hat pin, magazine, sponsor decal, local chapter banquets couples ticket, &invitation to local sponsor events.

Amount Enclosed: $__________________ __Visa __ MasterCard __American Express__Discover(#____________________________________) Expiration Date____

________________________________________________________________Name________________________________________________________________Address

________________________________________________________________City, State, Zip

________________________________________________________________County Telephone (Home) (Work)

$10 Woodie Membership$25 Regular Membership $50 Contributing Membership

Please sign me up as a member!it’s easy to join!

for more information call us at (803) 452-6001 or check out our website at www.scwa.org.

$100 Donor Membership$250 Sponsor Membership

You are a member of SCWA, but how about some of your buddies?

You know SCWA is a quality organization, your recommendation is the best advertisingwe have. So, pass this membership application to a buddy and help grow SCWA along

with perpetuating our waterfowl heritage.Just fill out the membership form below and mail it to: SCWA, 9833 Old River Rd. Pinewood, SC 29125

Now Recruiting!SCWA would like to start a few new chapters around the state. If you would like to

start a chapter in your area please call me. We currently have 27 active chapters and wecould use a few more to help with our conservation efforts.

We are currently recruiting new volunteers for our local chapter committees to servein various positions including the following:

Chapter ChairmanBanquet ChairmanSponsor Chairman

Ticket/Membership ChairmanWood Duck Chairman

Youth ChairmanIf you are interested in participating on your local SCWA committee please contact

the local chairman or me. If you would like to start a new chapter, please feel free to contactme as well.

Mac Bagnal803-452-6001803-938-3145

[email protected]

e have 8 more Chapter Fund Raising ban-quets left in this fiscal year. Each event looks

promising thanks to the dedicated efforts of hard work-ing volunteers. Our fundraisers have been successfuland have met our budget due to the hard work and ded-icated efforts of our volunteers, sponsors, and every-one who took part in each event. Donated items thatcome from you, the sponsors, and members of thisassociation have played a huge role in the success ofthis fundraising season! Remember, all of the pro-ceeds from each fund raising banquet stay in SouthCarolina to support waterfowl and wetland conserva-tion programs in addition to our youth Camp Woodieand Camp Leopold education programs.

The SCWA “Barnwell” chapter event which washeld on December 8th was the largest fundraiser everat the chapter level. The chapter had 65 sponsors, over70 items donated to the live and silent auctions and400 people in attendance. My hat is off to CarltonWall and the entire committee for their continued sup-port of our education and conservation programs.Their banquet net was over $50,000.00.

We are always interested in your ideas for othertypes of donations that can be used for our fundraisingefforts. Please email your ideas [email protected]. Remember, all donations are taxdeductible, so let’s dig deep and help raise money forthe wonderful programs that will not only benefit peo-ple today, but for generations to come!

Please feel free to get involved in your local chap-ter and help us perpetuate our waterfowl heritage. Ifyou are interested, please call me at 803-452-6001.Thanks again for all of the hard work put forth by ourcommittee members, sponsors, donors and everyonewho helps us here at SCWA.Thanks,Mac Bagnal


Fundraising on Track to Finish Well! SCWA Chapter News

For further information, please cal l Mac Bagnal , Chapter Developement Director at (803) 452-6001 ext .108 or Jennifer McNeely, Coordinator ext .109 or vis i t our web s ite at www.scwa.org

SCWA Industry Sponsors

Agridrain www.agridrain.com 800-232-4742Cypress Knee Chufa www.cypruskneechufa.com 252-539-4434Proline www.prolineboots.com 800-334-4612Remington www.remington.com 336-548-8560Shady Grove Kennels www.shadygrovekennels.com 803-892-5797Sportsman’s Warehouse www.sportmanswarehouse.com 803-731-3000Hevi-Shot www.hevishot.com 541- 367-3522Columbia Sportswear www.columbia.comFederal Premium www.federalpremium.com

2012 – 2013 Chapter Events As of January 7, 2013

08/10/12 Midlands Conservation Dinner – Seawell’s Banquet Center08/25/12 Berkeley Poker Run08/25/12 Goose Creek Conservation Dinner – Immaculate Conception Church08/25/12 Summerville Conservation Dinner – Dorchester Senior Center09/20/12 Greater Piedmont Conservation Dinner - Baxter Hood Center09/21/12 Anderson Conservation Dinner – Anderson Civic Center10/05/12 Spartanburg Conservation Dinner – CCC Family Room10/12/12 Francis Marion Conservation Dinner - SiMT Building10/13/12 Clarendon Conservation Dinner - The Cypress Center10/13/12 Kingstree Conservation Dinner – Williamsburg Country Recreational Dept.10/20/12 Berkeley Conservation Dinner - Shrine Club10/25/12 Laurens Conservation Dinner - Lakeside Country Club11/01/12 Georgetown Conservation Dinner - National Guard Armory11/16/12 “Fowl” 1st Season Kick Off Dinner & Auction - SCWA Wildlife Ed. Center11/29/12 Greenville Conservation Dinner - St. George Greek Orthodox11/30/12 Horry Conservation Dinner – The Boathouse12/05/12 Charleston Conservation Dinner – Alhambra Hall12/07/12 “Fowl” 2nd Season Kick Off Dinner & Auction - SCWA Wildlife Ed Center12/08/12 Barnwell Conservation Dinner - National Guard Armory01/10/13 Black Creek Conservation Dinner – Prestwood Country Club01/18/13 Sumter Conservation Dinner – The American Legion01/19/13 Walterboro Conservation Dinner - National Guard Armory01/26/13 Orangeburg Conservation Dinner - The Garden Room02/01/13 Newberry Conservation Dinner - Newberry Shrine Club02/08/13 CSRA Conservation Dinner - TBA02/15-16 Sportsman’s Ball - Duck Shuck - Omar Shrine Center in Mt Pleasant03/01/13 Pee Dee / Marlboro Conservation Dinner - Community Center

TBDBeaufort Conservation DinnerGreenwood Conservation DinnerFour Holes Conservation DinnerGreater Wateree Conservation Dinner

CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT BY DIRECTOR MAC BAGNAL

W


CHAPTER EVENTS

Chapter Hunts

Anderson Chapter Hunt Horry Chapter Hunt

Sumter Chapter Hunt Walterboro Chapter Hunt


Im Memory ofHenry Faison

I am very sad to report that my good friend, HenryFaison, passed away unexpectedly on November 30, 2012.Henry was a true friend, hunting companion and mentor. Mostpeople knew him as one of the leading shopping center andindustrial real estate developers in the Southeast. For many of usin the wildlife profession we knew him as one of the leadingwildlife habitat developers in the Southeast.

Henry's passion for wildlife came from spending hisyouth and adult life hunting quail and ducks in South Carolina.He was a true Sportsman who enjoyed hunting ducks and quailbut derived even more pleasure from developing wildlife habitatand encouraging others to do the same. Since 2003, Henry dedi-cated his efforts to restoring quail and waterfowl habitat at MtPleasant Plantation near Andrews, South Carolina. He workedclosely with SCWA on waterfowl projects and with the TallTimbers Research Center on quail habitat restoration. Of all thepeople I have ever worked with on habitat development, HenryFaison challenged me more than anyone else to do my best. Ienjoyed working with him on waterfowl projects because Iknew he would follow through to develop the best habitat possi-ble. Even though I was the waterfowl expert, I always learnedsomething of value from Henry during every project. He had anincredible mind and work ethic, and he expected the best fromhimself and from everyone he worked with.

Henry would often invite me to hunt with him at MtPleasant and always wanted me to bring my son Tony. On all ofthese hunts I never saw him shoot a bird. He was always moreconcerned about his guests having a good time and about sharing wildlife management techniques with other gueststo encourage them to create habitat. He turned Mt. Pleasant plantation into a top quality quail and waterfowl habi-tat research and demonstration area and he worked tirelessly to share his success with other wildlife managers andlandowners. In 2009, he started the successful South Carolina Quail Project with the Tall Timbers Research Center.This effort has created thousands of acres of wild quail habitat across South Carolina and is bringing back our wildquail hunting heritage.

Henry cared deeply about SCWA and our wildlife education programs. He knew the future of our wildliferesources depended on passing on our wildlife heritage to the next generation. He was a major financial supporterof SCWA's Camp Woodie and Camp Leopold education programs. He was also someone I could turn to for soundadvice and encouragement. He never expected anything in return for his contributions, only that we give 110 per-cent to achieving SCWA's mission.

I will never forget when Henry invited my son, Tony, and I to hunt quail at Mt. Pleasant when Tony was 12years old. Henry drove the quail wagon and there were two other hunters with us. Henry informed us that two peo-ple would shoot each covey rise and we would take turns shooting. Tony and I were up first. After watching a beau-tiful point, Henry's good friend and Plantation manager, Nat Ruth, flushed the first covey which flew back over thewagon. I had coached Tony on safety and he did not shoot. Henry told us to shoot the next covey rise. The next cov-ey flushed to my side and I shot one bird while Tony did not shoot. Henry looked at my son and exclaimed "in allmy years of quail hunting you are one of the safest quail hunters I have ever seen and for that reason you will shooton every covey rise". Henry Faison made my son feel like the best quail hunter in the world that day. He made aspecial effort to make him feel important just as I saw him do with so many people regardless of their age, finan-cial or social status.

Henry Faison loved his family, his fellow man and his country. He was a man of integrity and action whocrammed 200 hundred years of living into 78 years of life. His was a life well lived, a life that made this world a bet-ter place for his fellow man and our wildlife resources. Everyone at SCWA will greatly miss Henry Faison. Theentire SCWA family wishes to extend our condolences to his wife Carolyn and the entire family.

by David J. Wielicki


Wood Duck Nesting Program

he 2012 duck season is in full swing and asmost of you have waterfowl on the brain, it’sa good of a time as any to begin makingpreparations to ensure success and produc-

tivity for the 2013 season. Mature female wood duckswill begin nesting at the end of January, meaning that itis critical that each nest box is properly maintainedbefore hand, as hens will not nest in a box that hasunsuccessful nests from prior years or other debris.Many other woodland creatures and birds may havetaken refuge in the nest box and packed it full of debris(the main culprit being squirrels), in turn making it unin-habitable for wood ducks. These nest boxes providehabitat for various other organisms, including screechowls, black bellied whistling ducks, bats, songbirdsincluding the Carolina wren, and even the occasional

snake.There are several important factors that must be

addressed when caring for your nest boxes. First andforemost, is the box itself habitable for wood ducks?Look for cracked or rotten wood that could allow forprecipitation to seep into the box. If you encounter awasp or dirt gobber nest, be sure to remove it (careful-ly). All previous nesting debris should be removed and2-3 inches of cedar shavings should be added to thebox. Next, make sure the predator guard is still intactand in good working condition. Predator guards thatare severely bent or have any large holes or gaps in themshould be promptly replaced, to prevent any predatorsfrom accessing the box. It is also important to check the4” x 4” post the nest box is mounted to. Ensure that it isplanted firmly in the ground, tilted slightly forward,and that the wood is not rotten. Lastly, it is essential toclear any shrubbery or overhanging limbs growingaround your nest box. These can provide alternativeroutes for predators looking to access the nest. If youhave nest boxes that require maintenance, you can con-tact the South Carolina Waterfowl Association at 803-600-8979. If you are interested in checking your ownboxes, be sure to record the productivity of each box. Inaddition, here is a list of tools and supplies that arerequired for nest box maintenance:-Gloves-Wasp Spray-Ladder-Boat (if applicable)-Hammer and nails-Extra 4”x4” posts, nest boxes, and guards (if necessary)-Cedar shavings-Weedeater, chainsaw, and/or loppers to clear limbs andshrubbery-Pen and paper to record productivity

Remember that these nest boxes are a critical ele-ment for nesting wood ducks. Properly maintainingyour nest boxes will ensure the ongoing success of theSouth Carolina Waterfowl Association's Nest BoxProgram, and more importantly, ensure the longevity ofthis awesome species of waterfowl for generation aftergeneration.

Important Tips for Wood Duck Nest Box Maintenance

T Joe Gonzalez & Adam Bedard - Wildlife Biologists

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$21,000 - $30,000Defender Services, Inc.$10,000 - $20,999SCANABlanchard Machinery Co.C. N. Brown Plastics & Chemicals,Inc.Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.Super Sod$5,000 - $9,999Coastal Plains InsuranceNorth Shore at Lake MarionRemington Arms Company, Inc.Sportsman’s Warehouse$2,500 - $4,999AAA Well Drilling, Inc.Adam JacksonDick’s Sporting GoodsEnterprise Car SalesFripp Island Golf & Beach ResortNewkirk Environmental, Inc.Nucor Steel – DarlingtonNumzaan SafarisPelican CleanersPiggly Wiggly of SumterShi-Awela SafarisTerry AnthonyTideland Utilities, Inc.Waste Management, Inc.$1,000 - $2,499Billy’s Lawn and GardenBoone Hall PlantationBuck’s Building Supply, LLCCarolina Fresh Farms – MountPleasantCarolina Fresh Farms – Rock HillCarrol JoseyCharles R. SnowCMA Financial ServicesCoastal Pond SolutionsD & S Heating & CoolingDorchester Logistics, Inc.Duraclean Systems, Inc.Eat More TeesExit RealtyFirst Citizens Bank - SummertonGeorge O. BrittleGreg MyersGuns-N-ThingsJ. C. Witherspoon, Jr., Inc.J. M. LawhonKent Porth Nature PhotographyL & S FarmsLinda BushMartin MariettaMattress ExpressMcLain & Lee, LLCNucor Steel - BerkeleyNucor Steel Cooper River PlantPort Royal Gun & PawnPrincipal Financial GroupProgress Energy - Robinson PlantProthro ChevroletReal Art - Helen Bone

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Corporate Sponsors as of 12/31/12

Corporate Sponsors

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For over 30 years, Doug and Mary Sonnier have been helping huntersenjoy some of the nation’s finest waterfowling. From this experience hasgrown Doug’s Hunting Lodge, a full-service camp that’s sure to satisfyeven the most seasoned hunter. Spanning thousands of acres of primehabitat, Doug’s prairies and marshflats are strategically spread through-out the heart of America’s greatest wintering grounds. When the birdsmove, Doug’s hunters move with them, led by the best guide staff in theState of Louisiana. Whether it’s a fun hunt with family and friends or acorporate excursion with big business on the line, Doug’s Hunting Lodgecan make your next outing your most exciting and memorable. Hundredsof serious wingshooters throughout the nation make their annual pilgrim-ages here to experience some of the world’s best hunting and hospitality.We hope you’ll join us.

337-536-7902 or 1-800-888-0960 email: [email protected] website: www.dougshuntinglodge.com


CAMP WOODIe YOuTH HuNTCAMP WOODIE ED PAUL - CAMP DIRECTOR

For more information on Camp Woodie call the office at (803) 452-6001 or visit our website at www.scwa.org.South Carolina Waterfowl Association please reserve space at Camp Woodie for:

Camper’s name __________________________________male _____female_____ age Birth date

Week of Choice ___________________________________ Parent’s Name

Address City

State/zip Phone EMail________________________________________Payment type (circle one):Check MC Visa Amex Discover Name on Card________________________________credit card # expiration date

Mail this form to: SCWA Camp Woodie, 9833 Old River Road, Pinewood, SC 29125 Fax: (803) 452-6032 PH: (803) 452-6001 web site: www.scwa.org

ur favorite time of the year of course is CampWoodie time (June-August), but if you wereto ask the advanced campers from the pastsummer they would probably tell you “coldCamp Woodie time”! This cold weather time

means that Duck season is here, and the opportunity forthem to come back and test their new found skills from thepast summer has arrived.

We hosted 30 campers paired with parents/chaperoneson December 1st which is the first of three youth hunts to beheld at the wildlife education center for 2012/13. We had anincredible hunt harvesting 130 birds consisting of 12 differ-ent species! Each camper either bagged their limit of birdsor their limit of spent shells in the process. Looking at thenumbers it was apparent that our campers didn’t just hangup their gear or stop practicing after the summer, but contin-ued to excel with their skills in the field and becominggreater outdoors men and women!

We all have favorite times of the year, but conductingthese youth hunts each year reminds me of when I was acamper and how the Camp Woodie youth hunt was myfavorite time every year. I can remember sitting around thecampfire listening to everyone talk about their experiencesin the field of the present fall, and getting fired up aboutwhat we were all going to do the next morning. We wouldall reluctantly go to the bunk house after being pushed byour elders to try and get some sleep. We would all lay therecounting down the minutes until legal shooting time beingmany hours away. We were like 2 liter coca cola bottles thatwere shaken up for hours and we were then expected to har-ness all our energy and excitement. Finally after playingevery single scenario of the next morning’s hunt in our

heads we would get somemuch needed sleep!Before you would know itthe lights were on and itwas time to get ready for theblind! Some still consider meto be a young man, but manwhat I would give to be able to go with just a little sleepand pop right up right out of bed feeling well rested andeager for the day. As we get older our bodies just don’tfunction the way they use to. Campers you will soonknow what I mean and I pray that each of you are blessedwith all the favorite times in the world that it takes to seeit!

Campers who made it out for the 2012 Decemberhunt, we just want to thank you for coming out and con-gratulate each of you on a successful experience. As forthose campers scheduled to come to the hunts in Februaryget ready for an action packed time because as the weath-er decreases and the fall progresses more and more newbirds are migrating south and stopping by to check outCamp Woodie! Will you be ready???

We also want to say thank you to all of our volunteerguides/ staff members/ and SCWA members who makethese hunts possible.

Remember, we had more campers than ever last sum-mer and don’t expect the growth to stop there! If you signup and pay in full by the 1st of March 2013 then you willreceive the $50 discount! Just go to www.wildlifeedcen-ter.org to sign up today. Check us out on Facebook under“Camp Woodie” and “Camp Leopold”See you all again soon! - Ed

O


HOME VISIT SPECIALThe program works like this: a person

or family serves as a host to their friends andtheir kids that are interested in learning moreabout Camp Woodie. I will come to the hosthouse to explain the activities and goalsbehind Camp Woodie. All questions will beanswered and a slide show will be presented.Contact Camp Woodie.803-452-6001

Week 1 - June 2 - June 6 - Level 1 - CoedWeek 2 - June 9 - June 13 - Level 1 - CoedWeek 3 - June 16 - June 20 - Level 2 - CoedWeek 4 - June 23 - June 27 - Level 1 - CoedWeek 5 - June 30 - July 4 - Level 1 - CoedWeek 6 - July 7 - July 11 - Level 2 - CoedWeek 7 - July 14 - July 18 - Level 1 - CoedWeek 8 - July 21 - July 25 - Level 1 - CoedWeek 9 - July 28 - August 1 - Level 2 - CoedWeek 10 - August 4 -August 8 Level 1 - CoedLevel 1 - $420 - Level 2 - $575 - All Weeks are Co-ed!

CAMP DATeS 2013


public bottomland hardwood areas from flooding.Waterfowl Impoundments

Unlike most states, for over 200 years South Carolinahas provided thousands of acres of privately managed water-fowl impoundments for wintering waterfowl. Almost all ofthese were in coastal areas in the form of 140,000 acres of tidaldiked rice fields that were managed for rice production in the18th and 19th century. In the early 1900's when rice productionceased as a profitable agricultural enterprise, these fields weresold to wealthy individuals who managed them for waterfowlhunting. To this day over 70,000 acres of these historic ricefields are planted in grain or managed to produce natural water-fowl food plants such as widgeon grass, panic grass and wildmillet. The fields are then flooded to provide food and coverfor wintering waterfowl. Since the 1970's thousands of addi-tional acres of waterfowl impoundments have been built acrossthe state. Management techniques have also improved result-ing in increased amounts of food produced per acre therebyincreasing the number of ducks these areas can winter eachyear.

On the positive side waterfowl impoundments providevaluable habitat for wintering waterfowl. Without a doubt these

private and publicly managed impoundment habitats greatlyincrease the number of ducks and geese that choose to winter inthe state. In addition they provide hunting opportunity for thou-sands of South Carolina duck hunters. On the negative side,on days when these impoundments are not being hunted, thenumber of ducks potentially available for public duck huntersto hunt dramatically decreases. It is important to emphasizethat without these managed waterfowl impoundments winter-ing duck numbers in South Carolina would decline dramatical-ly and this would have a negative effect on public duck hunting.Baiting

Let's face it, in the good old days of public duck hunt-ing many people baited public wetlands with corn. This pro-vided an improved food source to attract ducks to use publicwetlands. Increased fines and law enforcement intensity havegreatly reduced the amount of baiting on public lands. As abiologist many hunters will ask me this question, "Why is itlegal to hunt a private or state duck pond that is planted withcorn and flooded so the ducks can feed on it, when as a publicland duck hunter I am not allowed to bait waterfowl on publicwetlands?" The answer most biologists will give is"Landowners and government agencies are allowed to floodstanding agricultural crops in order to encourage privatelandowners and government agencies to provide habitat forwintering waterfowl." The next question that follows thisanswer is "What will it hurt if I throw out some corn on publicwater as long as I and other duck hunters don't shoot over thelegal limit of waterfowl?" I don't have a reasonable answer forthat question. If there are any waterfowl biologists who do Iwould love to hear from you.Disturbance

In the good old days of the 40's, 50's and 60's therewere fewer waterfowl hunters and fisherman in SouthCarolina. Very few people had outboard motors and no onehad mud motors or air boats. To hunt the public waters of manyareas of the state you had to wade in or paddle or row your boatto your hunting spot. This greatly reduced the amount of dis-turbance to ducks and geese on public water hunting areas.The end result was more ducks and geese would use these areasresulting in better hunting.

Over the past 20 years the rise of the mud motor hasallowed people to access shallow water areas. This has allowedpublic hunters to scout areas they normally had to scout on footor by paddling a boat. The scouting process on public waters isintense and starts up to two weeks before the opening of eachseason. On Lake Marion you can hear the boat traffic the weekprior to the season as hunters motor to every spot on the lakeover and over again trying to find ducks. The end result isthousands of waterfowl are harassed off of public water areasand pushed onto refuges or private duck impoundments thathave more food and less disturbance.Solutions

I grew up duck hunting public water along theTennessee river in North Alabama in the 1970's. We workedhard to find ducks and we hunted hard. In an average year, I

Public Hunting,continued from page 5...


would hunt 30 days and harvest 50 to 75 ducks. The majorityof the ducks we shot were mallards. In those days if you put inyour time and learned how to hunt you would have good suc-cess. I am a passionate duck hunter and I am blessed with theopportunity to hunt in Canada each year with my family andfriends and to enjoy great private waterfowl impoundmenthunting in South Carolina. However, it troubles me greatly thatyoung duck hunters who do not have access to private duckponds have a hard time having a successful public water duckhunt.

The future of our waterfowl resources depends onrecruiting the next generation of passionate waterfowl hunters.SCWA's development of Camp Woodie and our youth water-fowl hunting program is making a difference in recruiting newwaterfowl hunters. In addition, private duck pond owners takethousands of kids hunting each season. However, withoutquality public hunting opportunities we will begin to losewaterfowl hunters. It is important to remember, hunters repre-sent 5% of the population but account for over 90% of the mon-ey spent on wildlife conservation. The future of waterfowlconservation depends on maintaining a critical mass of water-fowl hunters.State and Federal Managed Waterfowl Areas

One way to improve public duck hunting is to continueto improve the management of state and federal waterfowlmanagement areas and to develop new public duck huntingareas. To accomplish this more funding is needed on the stateand federal level. This will remain a difficult task in the fore-seeable future as we continue to face tough economic condi-tions along with tight state and federal budgets. Several statemanaged waterfowl areas could host more public land duckhunters if funding was available to run the hunts.Wood Duck Nest Box Programs

SCWA and SCDNR have done an outstanding job ofbuilding, distributing, installing and maintaining thousands ofwood duck nest boxes. SCWA has distributed and installedover 21,000 wood duck nest boxes since 1987. These nest box-es have hatched over 850,000 wood ducks. Both of these pro-grams should be maintained and expanded to increase localwood duck populations that provide quality hunting opportuni-ties for public and private land hunters.Traditional Access Areas

Another possible way to improve public land duckhunting would be to designate certain public waters as tradi-tional access areas. In these areas SCDNR could restrict the useof any type of boat motor and require hunters and fisherman toaccess these areas by foot, row boat or canoe from November 1through the end of waterfowl season. This would greatlyreduce disturbance to waterfowl and would bring back qualitypublic hunting to many areas. This would reduce access butwould improve the quality of hunting at a low cost to SCDNR.A great way to start this effort would be to designate coastal,midland and upstate pilot project areas.Public Wetland Habitat Improvements

We need more aquatic vegetation and moist soil vege-

tation to attract ducks to our public waters. When Lake Marionand Moultrie had hydrilla public hunting was excellent.Hydrilla is on the federal noxious weed list which means stateand federal agencies will not allow it to thrive in our lakes.However, more effort must be directed to enhancing nativeaquatic vegetation on our lakes. Many prime shallow waterwaterfowl habitat areas on the Santee Cooper lakes are chokedwith saw grass. These areas can be sprayed by helicopters toeliminate saw grass and encourage the growth of moist soil andother wetland vegetation that is beneficial to waterfowl. Morefunding is needed for this effort.Hunter Ethics

Another challenge to the quality of public duck huntingis hunter ethics. Many duck hunters on public waters set up tooclose to other hunters or shoot ducks that are way out of range.Tempers often flare and unsportsmanlike conduct is all toooften exhibited. Sportsman like conduct among all duckhunters will go a long way toward improving public land duckhunting.

Improving the quality of public hunting in SouthCarolina will not be an easy task. However, we all need to doour part improve the situation. SCWA looks forward to contin-uing to work with all South Carolina waterfowl hunters to helpensure the future of our waterfowl hunting heritage.


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WAgri Drain’s Inlet Water Level Control Structure makes

managing the water in your wetland EASY! Each Inlet Water LevelControl Structure comes with stoplog boards that allow for thecapability to obtain inch-by-inch water level control.

The Inlet Water Level Control Structure is designed to beinstalled on the upstream side of the berm so the water enters thestructure before it enters the pipe. The structure is manufactured inheights from 2’ through 6’. They are manufactured with a rubbercoupler installed on the downstream side of the structure, whichcan connect to a 4” through 24” diameter outlet pipe.

All standard Inlet Water Level Control Structures are man-ufactured of rugged ½” PVC, stainless steel screws, anodized alu-minum corner extrusions and come with a 5-year warranty.

To learn more about the Inlet Water Level ControlStructure, or to place your order, contact your local Agri Draindealer or call Agri Drain Corporation at 1-800-232-4742 and ask forcustomer service.Agri Drain Corporation1462 340th StreetAdair, IA 50002Ph: (800) 232-4742Fax: (800)[email protected]

Agri Drain Inlet Water Level Control Structure

Every seasoned duck hunter knows that life-like motion is the key to drawing in even the wariest of birds.Spinning wing decoys revolutionized the world of duck hunting, but until now they have been somewhat limited intheir application. Enter the FLOATSTAND™.

The FLOATSTAND™ is an affordable and effective floating platform, designed to support your spinning wingdecoy in a variety of water depths and hunting situations. No more frustrations commonly associated with the “robopole”. From flooded fields and green timber, to lakes, rivers, sloughs, potholes and bays, the FLOATSTAND™ allowsyou to put your spinning wing decoy absolutely anywhere. In addition to its versatility, the FLOATSTAND™ consis-tently adds life-like motion to your spread. Even the slightest bit of wind or current moves the platform, creating ripplesthat “liven” the rest of your decoys. On a calm day, use the FLOATSTAND™ as a jerk string rig to create impressivemovement with your spinning wing decoy amongst yourentire spread. No other duck hunting item can add asmuch motion without having a battery or some type ofmotorized system.

The FLOATSTAND™ Patent Pending design issimple to use and built for stability, even in rough condi-tions. The FLOATSTAND™ is lightweight, extremelydurable, and quickly disassembles to one-fourth its setupsize for convenient transportation. Each FLOATSTAND™comes with four (4) Flambeau® Storm Front Mallarddecoys providing the necessary buoyancy to float yourspinning wing decoy. If you have ever been frustratedwith the limitations of the “robo pole” or are just lookingto add more motion to your spread, you need a FLOAT-STAND™.For more information, please visit our website atwww.floatstand.com and be sure to watch our YouTubevideo.

DeCOY POTeNTIAL uNLeASHeD: SuccessfulDuck Hunting with the FLOATSTAND™


Madison, NC – Remington Arms Company, LLC, (“Remington”) proudly announces a rifledesigned specifically to celebrate one of the most versatile magnum cartridges in history – the 375H&H.

Often the choice for African safaris and an Alaskan guide favorite, the 375 H&H magnum isrepeatedly referred to as one of the most useful all-around cartridges for hunting large and danger-ous game. New for 2012, The Model 700 CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary rifle is classically-styledfor big-game hunting. The rifle has a traditional straight-comb, American walnut satin-finish stockwith right-handed cheek piece. Adding to the classic look of this handsome stock are generous cutcheckering, black fore-end tip and grip cap.

The clean, magnum contour, 22-inch rifle-sighted barrel features a matte finish and comesequipped with New England Custom Gun rear adjustable sight and hooded front sight providingrugged, dependability for close-range hunting scenarios or as a back-up option for a scope. Otherfeatures include all steel bottom metal, hinged floorplate with three round capacity, recoil-softeningSuperCellTM recoil pad, receiver drilled and tapped for scope mounts and rear swivel stud withfront barrel band.

The Model 700 CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary rifle has all of the legendary performancefeatures of the Model 700 CDL platform. The “three rings of steel” design delivers unparalleledstrength while the solid-steel cylindrical receiver design provides a solid bedding area and consis-tent shot placement. The X-Mark Pro® trigger, with its mirror-like surfaces and adjustable pullweight, provides an ultra crisp feel and no creep.

The Model 700 CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary rifle is available at a suggested retail price of$1450.For additional information on the Model 700 CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary rifle and otherRemington products, please visit our web site at www.remington.com .

About Remington Arms Company, LLCRemington Arms Company, LLC, (“Remington”) headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunt-ing and shooting sports markets, as well as solutions to the military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York,the Company is one of the nation's oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms andammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S. andin over 55 foreign countries. More information about the Company can be found at www.remington.com.

The Centennial of the 375 H&H Magnum– The Model 700TM CDL

375 H&H 100th Anniversary Rifle

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NEWS


Drought Monitors

Negotiations to address the looming“fiscal cliff” are currently consuming all theoxygen in Washington, DC. As a result, itappears that the best hope of passing the2012 Farm Bill in this Congress is to incor-porate it into a larger legislative packagethat addresses taxes and entitlements,according to the Wildlife ManagementInstitute.

Leaders of the Senate Agriculture,Nutrition and Forestry Committee and theHouse Agriculture Committee have beenmeeting to work out differences in the ver-sions of the Farm Bill that were passed inthe Senate and by the House AgricultureCommittee. The Senate version cuts approx-imately $23 billion in spending over thenext decade while the House version cutsjust over $35 billion. Spending for conserva-tion programs is similar in both versions atapproximately $6 billion.

The objective of the Congressionalagriculture leaders is to work out an agree-

ment on a single, final version of the FarmBill that will generate majority support inboth House and Senate and could be incorpo-rated as part of the cost savings measures inlegislation to address the fiscal cliff.However, adoption of an end-of-the-year fis-cal package is by no means a given at thispoint and the addition of agricultural pro-grams appears even more uncertain.

If no agreement is reached on taxesand entitlements and the 2012 Farm Bill isnot passed as stand-alone legislation, one ofthe few options available would be to imple-ment a short-term extension of farm pro-grams and start over again with the processof developing a new five-year bill during the113th Congress. Many Senators andCongressmen are on record as being stronglyopposed to starting the farm bill processagain from the beginning, but time is grow-ing short. (pmr)Article provided by Wildlife ManagementInstitute

Slim Chance Remains For FarmBill in 112th Congress


The United States Fish and WildlifeService has published its annual report onthe preliminary estimates of waterfowl har-vest and hunter activity for the AtlanticFlyway for the 2010 and 2011 waterfowl sea-sons. Estimated duck harvest in theAtlantic Flyway fell from 1,857,500 in 2010 to1,672,900 in 2011. Goose harvest in theAtlantic Flyway fell from 832,800 in 2010 to580,400 in 2011. The estimated number ofactive waterfowl hunters in the AtlanticFlyway fell from 236,300 in 2010 to 232,500 in2011.

In South Carolina the duck harvestdeclined from an estimated number of247,000 in 2010 to 216,100 in 2011. The esti-mated number of active waterfowl huntersdeclined slightly from 21,700 in 2010 to21,300 in 2011. The wood duck still remainsthe number one duck harvested in South

Carolina representing 41% of the ducks har-vested in 2011. The average number ofducks harvested per hunter was 10.5 ducksin 2011.

Total estimated duck harvest in theUnited States rose from 14,867,200 in 2010 to15,931,200 in 2011. Total goose harvestremained approximately the same at around3.5 million geese. The total estimated num-ber of active waterfowl hunters in the UnitedStates increased from 1,132,200 to 1,150,900.

The number of immature ducks har-vested per adult duck harvested across theUnited States rose from 1.53 immature/adultin 2010 to 1.85 immature ducks per adultduck harvested in 2011. The 2011 nestingseason was very successful as evidenced bythe increase in the number of young ducks inthe harvest.

South Carolina Waterfowl Harvest and Hunter Activity Trends

OPeRATIONGAMe THIeF

DO YOUR PART TO PROTECT SOUTH CAROLINA’S NATURAL RESOURCES.

Report Violators . . .

1-800-922-5431OR DIAL* OR # OGT


o you need to do this atall? It’s a rare dog that willbreeze through the forcefetch. I’ve put hundreds of

dogs on the bench and can count onone hand the ones that completed thelessons in two weeks. Most take amonth, the average is six weeks andthen there is the occasional super softtempered dog or knot head that takesover two months of training. If youhave a gun dog that reliably fetchesand brings birds back and you onlyuse that dog for hunting, then youdon’t need to condition the retrieve. Ifyou don’t mind if the pup drops hisbirds at your feet or close then youdon’t have to train the pup to notrelease until you give the command todrop.

On the other hand, if you want areliable retriever that always fetchesand holds his birds, comes to you, sitsand delivers to hand, then you mustgo through the force fetch condition-ing. If you will run your gun dog inhunt test or field trials, the force fetchis mandatory so that the dog will fetchbirds no matter how old, smelly andused they are, and with the price ofbirds going up along with everythingelse, your dog will be fetching old,nasty birds on the second day of a 2-day event. If you have a dog thatmight swim all the way out to yourbird and then refuse to pick it up(hunting or testing) then you will needto go and fetch your duck and dealwith the ribbing you’ll get from yourbuddies.

When should you start the condi-tioned retrieve with your pup? Eachpup matures differently so you have toread your pup to decide when to startthe process. Some have more naturalretrieving drive. These are the pupsthat always have to have something intheir mouth, a bumper, a bird, or evena stick, or they are not happy. These areeasiest to condition the fetch. All pupsborn at Just Ducky Kennel are intro-duced to birds at five or six weeks andare fetching bumpers and birds beforethey leave here at ten – twelve weeksof age. Each time a pup picks up any-

thing in hismouth I tellhim, “GoodFetch” tostart condi-tioning thepup to whatthe word,“Fetch”means. I liketo introducethe pup tothe trainingbench at thesame time aspuppykinder-garten, about4-5 months of age. (The training benchis not required, it just makes the jobeasier on your back.) This is complete-ly positive training to get the pup usedto taking items and holding them,gradually learning to carry and notdrop, but to sit and deliver to hand.

What if you have a soft dog, withlow prey drive, can you still put himthrough this process? Yes, but you willneed to be patient and be prepared todo a lot of repetitions throughout thelessons. The most important lessonyou need to engrain into your brain isthat you don’t move to the next stepuntil the dog completely understandsthe one you are teaching. So, if youhave a soft tempered dog you will putthe pup on the bench every day andgently pry the mouth open and put asmall bumper or pvc pipe (1” piece ofpipe with 2 ‘t’ joints on each end tomake a dumbbell) in, stroke the pup’sneck and shoulder and tell him, “GoodFetch”. You will encourage the pup tocarry the item by softly cupping yourhand under his chin and guiding himup and down the bench, not puttingany pressure on the item but beingready to stop him from spitting it out. Idon’t use the command, Hold, anymore because Fetch means Fetch until Iask the pup to Drop. Do this threetimes a day if possible, always keepingeverything positive and keep the puphappy to comply. Only when the puphappily goes to the bench and will take

items on his own will you move to thenext step. This could take one week orfour and if you will set a good founda-tion here the rest of the lessons will goeasier.

The next step is the ear pinch. Thistakes some dexterity on your part. Putone of the fingers of one hand throughthe collar and hold the ear with thesame hand. The reason you want yourhand through the collar is so that youcan control the dogs’ head and directhis mouth to the items you want himto fetch, rather than your hand. Pinchthe ear leather between your thumband forefinger, applying pressure untilthe pup opens his mouth to take thepvc pipe. If the pup won’t open hismouth, pry the mouth open with thesame hand holding the pvc pipe andplace the pvc in the pups’ mouth andimmediately release the pressure onthe ear. I told you this takes some dex-terity! With enough repetitions the pupwill learn that ear pinch means Fetch.Do not move on until the pup willfetch different items: pvc, soft bumper,hard bumper, wooden dowel, andsmall water bottle, with minimal earpinch pressure.

When the pup will take the itemsat sit, carry them and sit to deliver tohand, now it’s time to have the pupfetch while walking. Again loopingyour hand through the collar andholding the ear, lead the pup, using earpressure, and hold the pvc pipe in

DOG TRAINING

Conditioned Retrieve (Force Fetch) Notes Part 1

DARTICLE & PHOTOS BY PAMELA O. KADLEC


• Dogs in training and dogs being tested at field trials and hunt tests.

• Private sittings at your place, at a hunt test, or in Edgefield, SC, (Birds provided)

• Gun dog portraits. • Pet and wildlife photography. • Great gift idea for all gun dog owners.• Call for your appointment today.• Shipping free on all orders.

GUN DOG PHOTOGRAPHYPAMELA O. KADLEC

Just Ducky Kennel & Spaniel Training Academy Edgefield, SC 29824

803- 637-2007 • cell 803-341-0541 www.boykinspaniel.com • www.justducky.photoreflect.com

front of pups’ nose, letting off the pressure as soon as hetakes the pvc pipe in his mouth. Tell him, “Good Fetch”.Repeat and mix in the other bumpers, wood dowel and plas-tic water bottle. If the pup drops the time re-apply the pres-sure until he fetches again. When pup will fetch each itemfrom your hand then it’s time for the next big step – pupfetching items off the bench without your hand holdingthem.

Now, you will loop your hand through the collar, holdthe ear and pinch while you lead the pup to the pvc pipelying on the bench. Force his head down if needed to gethim to reach for the pvc pipe. If the pup gives you a lot ofattitude and doesn’t seem to get the idea, put your handnear the pvc and if that doesn’t work, pick it up and offer it

to him. Go back to theprevious step and whenpup will reach for theitems, try again. Eachtime the pup opens hismouth and takes theitem, tell him, “GoodFetch”. Repeat this exer-cise until pup will fetchdifferent bumpers andthe pvc without any earpressure. Don’t rush anyof these steps. Let thedog dictate how manylessons and how long

this all takes. The more you take your time and really estab-lish each step, the more reliable a retriever the pup will be.

I haven’t mentioned birds yet because I don’t force birdsuntil the dog is solid on his retrieves. I will put a pigeon, aduck and a quail in the pups’ mouth during this process butI don’t Force the birds until he will Fetch everything else andI know he understands what Fetch means. I will also stillthrow birds for the dog out in the yard, away from the forcefetch area and praise the heck out of him when he picks uphis birds. These are ‘happy’ throws, no steady, no pressure,just fun fetching birds. If he doesn’t fetch I pick up the birdand put the dog in his kennel. Same exercise with bumpers.Some dogs will refuse to fetch anything and others will con-tinue to want to play. The dogs that want to play I use thetime after to release the pressure and let the pup have fun.For now, if the pup fetches but then drops the bumperbefore delivering to hand, he only gets one throw and then Iput him up without any corrections.

Remember one of the rules of dog training. Never give acommand you can’t enforce. If you tell the pup to Fetch andhe refuses then you are obligated to get the collar, pinch theear and make him fetch. If you do this too early in theprocess it will take you much longer to complete the condi-tioning. Once the pup will fetch all items off the bench(including birds) without any ear pressure it’s time to moveto the yard. Put a long line on the pup so you have control.Toss the bumper a few feet away on the ground and com-mand to Fetch. Do not repeat the command. If the pup hesi-tates, immediately put your hand in the collar and pinch the

ear. Repeat until pup will fetch the bumper without pres-sure. Next, toss a bird down and repeat the exercise.Alternate between the bumper and the bird until pup willfetch either one without ear pressure. This might take onelesson or ten. If pup doesn’t seem to get the idea, go back toan earlier step in the training and refresh his memory. Whenyou can get the pup to go a few feet to fetch, lengthen out thethrows and then get someone to throw for you so you canextend the distances. You may have to lead the dog to thebumpers/birds at first, until he is fully conditioned to Fetchon command.

The thing to keep in mind is that you are conditioningthe dog to Fetch on command. If you take it one step at atime and not move forward until you know pup is condi-tioned to each phase then the process will go smoothly. Thisis most important with the soft tempered dog or one withlow prey drive. Keep the lessons as positive as possible andbe patient.

The next article I will explain how to transition from theear pinch to the electronic training collar to fully conditionyour retriever to Fetch. For some dogs you can get all theconditioning you need with the ear pinch. The use of the e-collar makes ‘reaching out’ much easier than having topinch the ear for corrections, particularly in water.

Best afield,Pam

Just Ducky Kennel is on [email protected]


Ducky Sandwich

Scott Leysath is The Sporting ChefAmerica’s Premier Wild Game Chef

THE SPORTING CHEF By SCOTT LEySATH

Scott's Tv show, HuntFishCook can be seen on Comcast Sports Southeast(CSS) every Sunday AM andnationwide on The Sportsman Channel. He also appears each week on Ducks unlimited Tv on OLN.Check out his website, SportingChef.com, for more information and great fish and game recipes.

below will enhance, not dis-guise, the natural flavor of thecooked meat. I prefer to grillthe breast fillets over smokycoals, but a hot skillet willwork as well in a pinch.

Marinated Wood DuckPitaUnless you really like a soggypita sandwich, save some ofthe tzatziki sauce for later.It’ll keep in the refrigeratorfor a couple of weeks. After several unsuccessful attempts at stuffing apita pocket (they split apart easily), I learned long ago that it’s much eas-ier to wrap the pita around the stuffing and keep it intact with a strip offoil or waxed paper.4 servings8 wood duck breast fillets, skin removed4 pita bread4 leaves Romaine lettuce4 slices tomatothinly sliced red onionsMarinade1/2 cup red wine vinegar1/4 cup lemon juice3 cloves garlic, minced1 tsp dried oregano1 tsp dried thyme1/2 cup olive oilkosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. While whisk-ing, add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Season to taste with salt andpepper.Tzatziki Sauce1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced1/2 teaspoon sea salt8 ounces of Greek plain yogurt1/2 lemon, juice and zest2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped1 clove garlic, mincedkosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To draw excess water out of the diced cucumber, place in a colan-der, sprinkle salt over and let drain for 1 hour. Place cucumber andremaining ingredients except kosher salt and pepper in a food processor.Pulse to blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.1. Place duck breasts in a zipper lock bag and pour marinade over.Press air out of the bag, seal and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours. Drain andlet rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Duck can be grilled over amedium-hot grill or pan-seared in a hot skillet, but preferably not pastmedium-rare.2. Slice cooked breast fillets into 2 or 3 pieces. For each pita, place breadon a flat surface fill with lettuce, tomato, onion and duck. Spoon a dol-lop of tzatziki sauce over meat. Fold pita over and secure at the bottomwith foil or waxed paper.

When it comes to cooking waterfowl, try substituting ducks andgeese for recipes tailored for domestic meats. If it’s good with beef, pork,poultry or lamb, it should be just as delicious with mallard, specklebellygoose or merganser. Ok, maybe not merganser. As long as game meathas been handled properly and cooking times are adjusted to compensatefor the lower fat content as compared to domestic meats, there’s no reasonwhy your next meat dish can’t include wood duck.

Waterfowl breasts can be ground, mixed with ground beef or porkand used for meatballs, burgers, tacos and spaghetti sauce. Oh sure,bacon-wrapped “poppers” taste great, but there are literally thousands ofother ways to cook a duck. Think about your favorite beef or chickenrecipes, the ones you make at home or order in a restaurant most often.Now, consider how you can adjust the recipe to work with waterfowl.Depending on the bird, you might have to lightly pound the breast fillets ifthe recipe calls for quick-cooking. Slice it thin and add to any stir-fryrecipe. Legs and thighs can be slowly simmered until the meat falls offand can be used for tacos, soups and stews. The recipe door is wide open.

Wood ducks have always been a personal favorite, both in the fieldand at the dinner table. The breast fillets are mild and tender, provided thatyou don’t overcook them. When cooked until crispy, the skin is deliciousand the legs can be fall-off-the-bone tender when braised. The marinade

ugh McLaurin is a successful farmerand a resident of Elloree. McLaurindecided to create and market a brandof custom duck calls, naming themBig Lake calls. Peanuts and cotton are

his cash crops, but he has been calling a new tunesince he came up with an easy to blow duck callthat has been winning over new fans.

His calls are named for the Big Lake locatedin the Santee swamp off the Wateree River.McLaurin remembers fond outings with hisgrandfather and father to this mystical andsecluded destination, where plenty of mallardscongregated each winter. His idea to make a duckcall that will not stick or freeze up has nowbecome a reality, and waterfowlers who demand asuperior duck call are seeking out a Big Lake call.McLaurin himself finished third in the S.C. StateDuck Calling Contest held at the Winyah BayHeritage Festival in January 2011, blowing his BigLake Force competition call. A few days later wegreeted the dawn in a beaver slew associated withhis Big Lake pond. “I saw one hundred woodducks in here the other day, but you never knowwhat to expect.” McLaurin said. “I also saw ablack duck, and while the woodies will pitch intothick cover, a mallard-type duck will head for thesmall opening.”

Stationed near the pothole, the squeal ofwood ducks was met with McLaurin’s PerfectWoodie call and the birds started moving.Swinging the gun on the first few birds in theswamp did not result in ashot, but eventually theshotgun bellowed enoughto collect my limit of threewood ducks. “I shot awood duck here with mygrandson not too longago,” McLaurin said. It wasevident that these customcalls are made under thecare of a gentleman farmerthat loves duck hunting.

Wood ducks arecommon in the bottom-lands of the Lowcountryand the only call they makeis a whistle and a squeal.While woodies do notcome to the caller as readi-

ly as big ducks, it makes sense that the better youcan duplicate their sounds, the more likely thatthey will fly near enough for a passing shot. ThePerfect Woodie calls were new last year, and whilethey are almost half the size of regular duck calls,they squeal really well.

An old hunting buddy used to tell me –When you hear that squeal, you know the deal!Meaning, get your gun off of your shoulder andbe ready to shoot the woodies!

The Perfect Timber duck call is becomingknown for its ease of use when being blown, andfor the fact that the reeds will not stick even whenwet and cold. The Perfect Timber call comes witheither a single-reed or a double-reed and can betuned for a loud volume or a medium volume.‘Made in South Carolina to be used anywhere inthe world’ is the Big Lake motto, and Colletonianscan shop for these calls in the sporting goods sec-tion at Wesbury hardware.

The war cry for those that already useMcLaurin’s calls is that they Big Lake’d the ducksthey were hunting. Nothing sounds better toMcLaurin than hearing such good reports. “Duckcalling and duck hunting has been a passion forme,” said McLaurin. “Calling and outwittingducks with a duck call led to the novel idea of hav-ing my own duck call, which has now resulted ina product to share with all waterfowlers.” Formore information, visit the Internet atwww.BigLakeDuckCalls.com.

HBig Lake Duck Calls made in S.C.

by Jeff Dennis

waterfowl & wetlands - winter 2013

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