Waterfowl & Wetlands - Winter 2013

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FEATURES:

- WOOD OOD D UCK UCK N EST EST B OX OX M AINTANENCE AINTANENCE - BIG IG L AKE AKE D UCK UCK C ALLS ALLS

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

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ChapTer neWs Fundraising On Track To Finish Well

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WaTerfoWL sCienCe BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS, A SUCCESS STORY

WooD DuCk nesTing program Important Tips For Wood Duck Nest Box Maintanence

19 CorporaTe sponsors

22 Camp WooDie upDaTe - YOUTH HUNT 26

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Camp LeopoLD upDaTe

proDuCT & ouTfiTTer revieWs Agridrain - Inlet Water Control Structure Decoy Floatstand Remington Anniversary 700 CDL 375 H&H Duck Comander - Blind Bag

by Doug Gardner.com

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36 Dog Training - CONDITIONED RETRIEVE PART 1

38 The sporTing Chef - DUCKY SANDWICH in The neWs

30 Drought Monitors - North america & canada

slim chance remains For Farm Bill in 112th congress

31 south carolina Harvest and Hunter activity Trends

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Chasing The afriCan Dream

Big Lake DuCk CaLLs maDe in souTh CaroLina

on The Cover:

W iLDLife phoTographer C oLin k nighT naiLeD This shoT of g reen - Wing TeaL LanDing , anD The refLeCTions make iT TWiCe as BeauTifuL !

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Camp Leopold

“Camp Leopold Excitement”

Calling all School Board Members, Superintendents & Principals

Camp Leopold is receiving great reviews from students, teachers and administrators who are attending one day and multiple day school year natural resource conservation field trips and camps. Every school that has attended Camp Leopold in its inaugural year has committed to come back next year! One hundred percent of school administrators who have toured the SCWA Wildlife Education Center to learn about the Camp Leopold curriculum have booked their school to attend this top quality youth conservation education program.

It is SCWA's goal for every South Carolina school to learn about Camp Leopold and to sign their third through seventh grade students up for a Camp Leopold conservation education experience. You can help to spread the word by sharing Camp Leopold (www.wildlifeedcenter.org) with school administrators and educators in your area.

If you know a school administrator or school Board member in your area who would like to learn more about Camp Leopold please email their contact information or encourage them to give me a call.

Sincerely, Ed Paul SCWA Director of Education Programs Office: 803-452-6001 Cell: 803-600-8977 Email: epaul@scwa.org Check us out on Facebook under “Camp Leopold”

SOUTH CAROLINA WATERFOWL ASSOCIATION Board of Directors President James H. Walker Senior Vice President Philip L. Horn, Jr. Secretary/Treasurer John W. Williamson, III

Gary W. Dietrich Delbert E. Eggert Marshall J. Collins, Jr Stan Luthi Lou Tocci

Charles C. Rountree III Allen Bell John Stroud John N. McCarter

Executive Director / Head Biologist David J. Wielicki Chapter Development Mac Bagnal Data Entry Thomasyne Hipp

Fundraising & Communications Coordinator Jennifer McNeely Camp Director Ed Paul

Waterfowl & Wetlands Magazine is the official quarterly publication of the South Carolina Waterfowl Association. SCWA is a state-wide, non-profit, waterfowl and wetland conservation organization based in Rimini, SC. All money raised by SCWA is spent within South Carolina on waterfowl and wetland education, management and research programs, and legislative education. All donations to SCWA beyond the retail value of the merchandise acquired are fully tax deductible under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

Direct all SCWA and magazine inquiries to: 9833 Old River Road Pinewood, S.C. 29125 (803) 452-6001 Fax: (803) 452-6032 www.scwa.org

Queries for story and photo submissions should be sent directly to the editor. Photos must be released by the photographer prior to publication. SCWA assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.

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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

he South Carolina Duck season is in full swing and hunting reports are coming in across the state. As I write this article on December 20th, thus far we have experienced average Fall and Winter temperatures but very dry conditions across most of the state. This has reduced the amount of available habitat especially in naturally flooded beaver ponds, Carolina bays and river flood plain wetlands.

The quality of hunting on many of South Carolina's private and state owned duck impoundments has been good to excellent yet public land duck hunters across most of the state have complained about poor hunting and overcrowded hunting conditions. One of the most common questions I am asked is "How do we improve the quality of public duck hunting in South Carolina?" As with most questions there is a simple answer and it is wrong. The quality of duck hunting on public lands depends on many factors that differ greatly from year to year.

Waterfowl Populations Continental waterfowl populations rise and fall based on the abundance and quality of wetlands and upland nesting habitat during the Spring and Summer nesting season. In dry years duck production declines and in wet years duck production increases. The bottom line is abundant wetlands throughout the nesting and brood rearing season coupled with abundant upland nesting cover equals large duck populations in the fall flight. More ducks adds up to more ducks over the decoys for public and private land hunters and less ducks equals fewer ducks over the decoys. This year overall duck numbers were up but the population of our number one duck in the harvest, the wood duck, is down. This was the result of dry conditions during the wood duck breeding and brood rearing season in the southeast and east coast states which reduced wood duck production.

Fall and Winter Weather Weather affects the migration and wintering patterns of ducks and geese. Waterfowl migrate south each fall and winter in order to find suitable food, water and cover necessary to survive the wintering period while also preparing their bodies for the spring migration and nesting season. During a wet fall and winter, South Carolina has the capacity to winter more ducks and geese due to increased available wetland habitat.

The wintering waterfowl carrying capacity of these wetlands also 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 the 1990's they wintered over 100,000 ringneck, wigeon, gadwall and canvasback ducks. When the hydrilla was eliminated the open water areas on the lakes held less than 5,000 ducks.

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

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

Disturbance Once waterfowl arrive in South Carolina they seek areas that have the most abundant food and cover and the least amount of human disturbance. The choice of food type will depend on the species of duck or goose. In January of each year the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources conduct a winter waterfowl survey. Each year without fail the vast majority of ducks that are counted from the survey airplanes will be found on privately owned and managed waterfowl impoundments and on state and federal wildlife refuges and management areas. The state areas and federal refuges have good habitat and no disturbance while the private impoundments have the highest abundance of food per acre and are hunted an average of once per week. There are over 100,000 acres of privately managed duck ponds in South Carolina. The private and government owned waterfowl impoundments provide more food and much less disturbance than public hunting areas. The end result is these areas winter most of the ducks in South Carolina.

Public Duck Hunting The public tidal wetlands, lakes and reservoirs in South Carolina still provide an abundance of natural food and cover for wintering ducks. In the glory days these areas provided good to great public duck hunting, so what has changed?

Duck Populations Up until the early 1980's, South Carolina wintered up to 150,000 mallards across the state, now we are lucky to winter 10% of that number. Mallards have adapted to wintering farther north where they feed in dry grain fields and roost on open water areas in large lakes and rivers that freeze only during the most extreme winter weather conditions. The only way to change this behavior is to eliminate the abundance of waste grain in agricultural fields. This is not going to happen. Mallards like flooded timber and in the old days when public bottomland hardwood areas like the Sparkleberry swamp on the upper end of Lake Marion would flood the mallards would flock to these areas providing great public duck hunting. The good old days of public land mallard hunting in South Carolina are gone and unfortunately they are not coming back.

On the bright side, wood duck populations have increased dramatically since the early 1980's. Wood ducks prefer to eat acorns in flooded timber. As a result, when abundant water floods areas like the Sparkleberry swamp public hunters enjoy excellent wood duck hunting. This year dry conditions have kept the Sparkleberry swamp and many other wETLaNDs

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Adam Bedard - Waterfowl Biologist

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks - a Success Story

Waterfowl

Science

any South Carolina hunters this fall will have a surprise as they enter the field this coming duck season. A strange new duck will be passing through the decoys that they may have rarely seen, or just heard stories about around campfires from their hunting buddies. This strange new duck is known as a black bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) a resident of the neo-tropics which is the region around the Gulf of Mexico and South America. This duck has recently been popping up in many nest boxes around the state, most recently at Kinloch Plantation in Georgetown, South Carolina. The frequency of these surprise visitors to nest boxes has increased tremendously as the black bellied whistling duck expands its home range north as the population grows.

The black bellied whistling duck is a cavity nester, meaning they nest in holes created by wood peckers, cavities created as a cypress or tupelo tree ages, or a man made nest box. You can identify them in the field as having a long neck, pink legs, a black belly, a red bill, and a large white patch on the back of the wing.

This duck gets its appropriate name from its distinctive black belly and for having a call that sounds like a high pitched repetitive whistle. The black bellied whistling duck feeds primarily on aquatic vegetation, grains, seeds, and mollusks. The South Carolina Waterfowl Association is very excited to be observing and tracking this striking ducks expansion north. This provides hunters and sportsman a chance to harvest a unique duck they normally would never see. The state of South Carolina allows you to harvest one black bellied whistling duck per day.

So this fall I wish you the best of luck and hopefully God will grant you a chance to harvest one of these magnificent birds.

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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 we could use a few more to help with our conservation efforts.

We are currently recruiting new volunteers for our local chapter committees to serve in various positions including the following: Chapter Chairman Banquet Chairman Sponsor Chairman Ticket/Membership Chairman Wood Duck Chairman Youth Chairman If 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 contact me as well.

Mac Bagnal 803-452-6001 803-938-3145 mbagnal@scwa.org

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 advertising we 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

it’s easy to join!

Please sign me up as a member!

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

________________________________________________________________ Name ________________________________________________________________ Address

$25 Regular Membership SCWA magazine & decal

________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip

$50 Contributing Membership SCWA magazine, decal & hat pin.

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

________________________________________________________________ County Telephone (Home) (Work)

$10 Woodie Membership $100 Donor Membership $25 Regular Membership $250 Sponsor Membership $50 Contributing Membership Amount Enclosed: $__________________

for more information call us at (803)

__Visa __ MasterCard __American Express__Discover

452-6001 or check out our website at www.scwa.org.

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(#____________________________________) Expiration Date____

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SCWA Chapter News CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT

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BY DIRECTOR MAC BAGNAL

Fundraising on Track to Finish Well!

e have 8 more Chapter Fund Raising banquets left in this fiscal year. Each event looks promising thanks to the dedicated efforts of hard working volunteers. Our fundraisers have been successful and have met our budget due to the hard work and dedicated efforts of our volunteers, sponsors, and everyone who took part in each event. Donated items that come from you, the sponsors, and members of this association have played a huge role in the success of this fundraising season! Remember, all of the proceeds from each fund raising banquet stay in South Carolina to support waterfowl and wetland conservation programs in addition to our youth Camp Woodie and Camp Leopold education programs.

The SCWA “Barnwell” chapter event which was held on December 8th was the largest fundraiser ever at the chapter level. The chapter had 65 sponsors, over 70 items donated to the live and silent auctions and 400 people in attendance. My hat is off to Carlton Wall and the entire committee for their continued support of our education and conservation programs.

Their banquet net was over $50,000.00.

2012 – 2013 Chapter Events As of January 7, 2013 08/10/12 08/25/12 08/25/12 08/25/12 09/20/12 09/21/12 10/05/12 10/12/12 10/13/12 10/13/12 10/20/12 10/25/12 11/01/12 11/16/12 11/29/12 11/30/12 12/05/12 12/07/12 12/08/12 01/10/13 01/18/13 01/19/13 01/26/13 02/01/13 02/08/13 02/15-16 03/01/13

We are always interested in your ideas for other types of donations that can be used for our fundraising efforts.

Please email your ideas to mbagnal@scwa.org. Remember, all donations are tax deductible, so let’s dig deep and help raise money for the wonderful programs that will not only benefit people today, but for generations to come!

Please feel free to get involved in your local chapter and help us perpetuate our waterfowl heritage. If you are interested, please call me at 803-452-6001.

Thanks again for all of the hard work put forth by our committee members, sponsors, donors and everyone who helps us here at SCWA. Thanks, Mac Bagnal SCWA Industry Sponsors

Agridrain Cypress Knee Chufa Proline Remington Shady Grove Kennels Sportsman’s Warehouse Hevi-Shot Columbia Sportswear Federal Premium

www.agridrain.com www.cypruskneechufa.com www.prolineboots.com www.remington.com www.shadygrovekennels.com www.sportmanswarehouse.com www.hevishot.com www.columbia.com www.federalpremium.com

800-232-4742 252-539-4434 800-334-4612 336-548-8560 803-892-5797 803-731-3000 541- 367-3522

Midlands Conservation Dinner – Seawell’s Banquet Center Berkeley Poker Run Goose Creek Conservation Dinner – Immaculate Conception Church Summerville Conservation Dinner – Dorchester Senior Center Greater Piedmont Conservation Dinner - Baxter Hood Center Anderson Conservation Dinner – Anderson Civic Center Spartanburg Conservation Dinner – CCC Family Room Francis Marion Conservation Dinner - SiMT Building Clarendon Conservation Dinner - The Cypress Center Kingstree Conservation Dinner – Williamsburg Country Recreational Dept.

Berkeley Conservation Dinner - Shrine Club Laurens Conservation Dinner - Lakeside Country Club Georgetown Conservation Dinner - National Guard Armory “Fowl” 1st Season Kick Off Dinner & Auction - SCWA Wildlife Ed. Center Greenville Conservation Dinner - St. George Greek Orthodox Horry Conservation Dinner – The Boathouse Charleston Conservation Dinner – Alhambra Hall “Fowl” 2nd Season Kick Off Dinner & Auction - SCWA Wildlife Ed Center Barnwell Conservation Dinner - National Guard Armory Black Creek Conservation Dinner – Prestwood Country Club Sumter Conservation Dinner – The American Legion Walterboro Conservation Dinner - National Guard Armory Orangeburg Conservation Dinner - The Garden Room Newberry Conservation Dinner - Newberry Shrine Club CSRA Conservation Dinner - TBA Sportsman’s Ball - Duck Shuck - Omar Shrine Center in Mt Pleasant Pee Dee / Marlboro Conservation Dinner - Community Center TBD Beaufort Conservation Dinner Greenwood Conservation Dinner Four Holes Conservation Dinner Greater Wateree Conservation Dinner

For further information, please call Mac Bagnal, Chapter Developement Director at (803) 452-6001 ext.108 or Jennifer McNeely, Coordina tor ex t.109 o r visit our web site at www.scwa.org waTErFowL 10 1 wETLaNDs

Chapter Hunts

CHAPTER EVENTS

Anderson Chapter Hunt

Horry Chapter Hunt

Sumter Chapter Hunt

Walterboro Chapter Hunt

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Im Memory of Henry Faison

I am very sad to report that my good friend, Henry Faison, passed away unexpectedly on November 30, 2012.

Henry was a true friend, hunting companion and mentor. Most people knew him as one of the leading shopping center and industrial real estate developers in the Southeast. For many of us in the wildlife profession we knew him as one of the leading wildlife habitat developers in the Southeast.

Henry's passion for wildlife came from spending his youth and adult life hunting quail and ducks in South Carolina.

He was a true Sportsman who enjoyed hunting ducks and quail but derived even more pleasure from developing wildlife habitat and encouraging others to do the same. Since 2003, Henry dedicated his efforts to restoring quail and waterfowl habitat at Mt Pleasant Plantation near Andrews, South Carolina. He worked closely with SCWA on waterfowl projects and with the Tall Timbers Research Center on quail habitat restoration. Of all the people I have ever worked with on habitat development, Henry Faison challenged me more than anyone else to do my best. I enjoyed working with him on waterfowl projects because I knew he would follow through to develop the best habitat possible. Even though I was the waterfowl expert, I always learned something of value from Henry during every project. He had an incredible mind and work ethic, and he expected the best from himself and from everyone he worked with.

Henry would often invite me to hunt with him at Mt Pleasant and always wanted me to bring my son Tony. On all of these hunts I never saw him shoot a bird. He was always more concerned about his guests having a good time and about sharing wildlife management techniques with other guests to encourage them to create habitat. He turned Mt. Pleasant plantation into a top quality quail and waterfowl habitat research and demonstration area and he worked tirelessly to share his success with other wildlife managers and landowners. 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 wild quail hunting heritage.

Henry cared deeply about SCWA and our wildlife education programs. He knew the future of our wildlife resources depended on passing on our wildlife heritage to the next generation. He was a major financial supporter of SCWA's Camp Woodie and Camp Leopold education programs. He was also someone I could turn to for sound advice and encouragement. He never expected anything in return for his contributions, only that we give 110 percent 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 12 years old. Henry drove the quail wagon and there were two other hunters with us. Henry informed us that two people would shoot each covey rise and we would take turns shooting. Tony and I were up first. After watching a beautiful point, Henry's good friend and Plantation manager, Nat Ruth, flushed the first covey which flew back over the wagon. I had coached Tony on safety and he did not shoot. Henry told us to shoot the next covey rise. The next covey flushed to my side and I shot one bird while Tony did not shoot. Henry looked at my son and exclaimed "in all my years of quail hunting you are one of the safest quail hunters I have ever seen and for that reason you will shoot on every covey rise". Henry Faison made my son feel like the best quail hunter in the world that day. He made a special effort to make him feel important just as I saw him do with so many people regardless of their age, financial or social status.

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

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Wood Duck Nesting Program

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Important Tips for Wood Duck Nest Box Maintenance Joe Gonzalez & Adam Bedard - Wildlife Biologists

he 2012 duck season is in full swing and as most of you have waterfowl on the brain, it’s a good of a time as any to begin making preparations to ensure success and productivity for the 2013 season. Mature female wood ducks will begin nesting at the end of January, meaning that it is critical that each nest box is properly maintained before hand, as hens will not nest in a box that has unsuccessful nests from prior years or other debris.

Many other woodland creatures and birds may have taken refuge in the nest box and packed it full of debris (the main culprit being squirrels), in turn making it uninhabitable for wood ducks. These nest boxes provide habitat for various other organisms, including screech owls, black bellied whistling ducks, bats, songbirds including the Carolina wren, and even the occasional

snake.

There are several important factors that must be addressed when caring for your nest boxes. First and foremost, is the box itself habitable for wood ducks?

Look for cracked or rotten wood that could allow for precipitation to seep into the box. If you encounter a wasp or dirt gobber nest, be sure to remove it (carefully). All previous nesting debris should be removed and 2-3 inches of cedar shavings should be added to the box. Next, make sure the predator guard is still intact and in good working condition. Predator guards that are severely bent or have any large holes or gaps in them should be promptly replaced, to prevent any predators from accessing the box. It is also important to check the 4” x 4” post the nest box is mounted to. Ensure that it is planted firmly in the ground, tilted slightly forward, and that the wood is not rotten. Lastly, it is essential to clear any shrubbery or overhanging limbs growing around your nest box. These can provide alternative routes for predators looking to access the nest. If you have nest boxes that require maintenance, you can contact the South Carolina Waterfowl Association at 803600-8979. If you are interested in checking your own boxes, be sure to record the productivity of each box. In addition, here is a list of tools and supplies that are required 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 and shrubbery -Pen and paper to record productivity Remember that these nest boxes are a critical element for nesting wood ducks. Properly maintaining your nest boxes will ensure the ongoing success of the South Carolina Waterfowl Association's Nest Box Program, and more importantly, ensure the longevity of this awesome species of waterfowl for generation after generation.

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Carolina WaterFowler Guide Service

Duck Hunt Central North Carolina

Ronoake Rapids Lake Morning and Afternoon Hunts Mon., -Wed., -Thurs.

Sharon Harris Lake Morning and Afternoon Hunts Tues.,-Fri.,-Sat.

$150 Per Person –

( Min. Four People, Max. Ten People) Breakfast served in the Blind

Call Darrell McAuly Office-910-423-8853 Home-910-486-0241 Mobile-910-263-3499

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION! Where The Central & Mississippi Flyways End, and the Gulf of Mexico Begins! $300

Experience the Best Duck Hunting in Louisiana, ”Private Marsh Hunting, No Pressure, 2 per Blind”. Fees include Lodging, 3 Meals a day (You Know how Good That Cajun Food is), Guided Boat Transportation to and from the Blinds, Decoys, Pirogues. Caring of Game, Gun Cleaning Equipment, Rods and Reels for PM Fishing and fully Equipped Dog Kennels!

per Person, per Day! 3 Day Hunt

Milton “Pete” J. Pitre, Jr. 4349 Bayouside Drive, Houma,LA 70363

Cell: 985.637.2404, Eves: 985.594.7476, Day: 985.594.9936, Lodge: 985.594.2681 waTErFowL 18

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$10,000 - $20,999 SCANA Blanchard Machinery Co. C. N. Brown Plastics & Chemicals, Inc. Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. Super Sod $5,000 - $9,999 Coastal Plains Insurance North Shore at Lake Marion Remington Arms Company, Inc. Sportsman’s Warehouse

$2,500 - $4,999 AAA Well Drilling, Inc. Adam Jackson Dick’s Sporting Goods Enterprise Car Sales Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort Newkirk Environmental, Inc. Nucor Steel – Darlington Numzaan Safaris Pelican Cleaners Piggly Wiggly of Sumter Shi-Awela Safaris Terry Anthony Tideland Utilities, Inc. Waste Management, Inc.

$1,000 - $2,499 Billy’s Lawn and Garden Boone Hall Plantation Buck’s Building Supply, LLC Carolina Fresh Farms – Mount Pleasant Carolina Fresh Farms – Rock Hill Carrol Josey Charles R. Snow CMA Financial Services Coastal Pond Solutions D & S Heating & Cooling Dorchester Logistics, Inc. Duraclean Systems, Inc. Eat More Tees Exit Realty First Citizens Bank - Summerton George O. Brittle Greg Myers Guns-N-Things J. C. Witherspoon, Jr., Inc. J. M. Lawhon Kent Porth Nature Photography L & S Farms Linda Bush Martin Marietta Mattress Express McLain & Lee, LLC Nucor Steel - Berkeley Nucor Steel Cooper River Plant Port Royal Gun & Pawn Principal Financial Group Progress Energy - Robinson Plant Prothro Chevrolet Real Art - Helen Bone

Rhodia, Inc. Shady Grove Kennels Steelwater Gun Safes Tideland Utilities The WM Powell Co./Starflo Corp.

Todd Muckenfuss Trash Gurl Tyler Brothers Weeks Department Store Window World of the Upstate

$500 - $999 A & S Auto Sales Absolute Home Services Ag South Farm Credit Ag South of Summerville Alveron Cookers American Forest Management Anderson Brothers Bank Atlantic Game & Tackle ATP Gun Shop B & B Body Shop Bank of Clarendon - Manning Black River Hunt Club Bobby Martin Carlton Wall Carolina Air, Inc. Carolina Orthopedic Specialists Carolina Paint & Body Carolina Pole, Inc. Carter Construction Charles Crocker Charles McFadden Charleston Rubber & Gasket Circle M Farms Coastal Electric Cooperative Conway Auto Parts Crossroads Archery Darrell J. McAuly David Harrelson David Stanley Dilmar Oil Co., Inc. Doc's Gun Exchange Donald Sweat Dorchester Tractor Eastern Electric Eastern Sales Co. Estes Specialized Fantastic Floors Farmers & Merchants Bank of S.C. Farmers Telephone Coop.

First Citizens Bank - Beaufort First Citizens Bank - Greenville First National Bank of S.C. Frank Feltham Franklin Gandy Fred Holseberg Gene Craig General Shale Brick Glasscock Co, Inc. Glenn A. Durant Goose Creek Heating & Air Gregg Senn Grice Hunt H & D Supply Haier America Refrigerators Co., LTD Harry’s Equipment Center Hemingway Wood Forest Products waTErFowL 19

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Hill Plumbing & Electric Co., Inc. Holcim, Inc. Jason Dandridge Jennifer Mixon Jeremy Wall Jesse & Jennifer Weeks Jim Hudson Lexus Jordan Scrap Metal Judy’s Electric, LLC KELPRO King Feed LLC LAD Corporation of West Columbia LaFarge Cement Lamar Kennedy Landscapes by MEW Larry Avins Libby Williams Limehouse & Sons, Inc. Lonnie W. Sweat Manning IGA Mark Ward Master Buick GMC McCutcheon's Welding Metal Technician, Inc. Michael Knight Micky Finn’s Mid Carolina Pipe & Maintenance Mitch Johnson Construction Co., Inc. Norman Wilcox Ol’ Rev’s Shooting Preserve Palmetto Rural Telephone Co-op, Inc Palmetto Site Prep Pigweed Plantation Rance Boozer Ray Clepper Boating Renn Tech Graphics Republic Services Richard M. Unger Riverbend Sportsman’s Resort Robert Bowers Robert E. Mead Rocks Pond, Inc. Rodney Muckenfuss Russell Hightower Ryan Martin SAFE Federal Credit Union - Manning Schmoyer & Co., LLC, CPA’s Silver Lakes Plantation Southern Welders Supply Sparrow & Kennedy Tractor Steven C. Gamble The Alpine Restaurant The Tobacco Market Thomas Auto & Towing Tommy Addison Triangle Construction Co. Tronco's Catering, Inc. Truck Toyz Unlimited Electric Co. W. P. Law, Inc. Waste-Pro

W W W. D o u g g a r D n e r . C o m

$21,000 - $30,000 Defender Services, Inc.

Corporate Sponsors

Corporate Sponsors as of

12/31/12

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For over 30 years, Doug and Mary Sonnier have been helping hunters enjoy some of the nation’s finest waterfowling. From this experience has grown Doug’s Hunting Lodge, a full-service camp that’s sure to satisfy even the most seasoned hunter. Spanning thousands of acres of prime habitat, Doug’s prairies and marshflats are strategically spread throughout the heart of America’s greatest wintering grounds. When the birds move, Doug’s hunters move with them, led by the best guide staff in the State of Louisiana. Whether it’s a fun hunt with family and friends or a corporate excursion with big business on the line, Doug’s Hunting Lodge can make your next outing your most exciting and memorable. Hundreds of serious wingshooters throughout the nation make their annual pilgrimages 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: dougs@net-connect.net website: www.dougshuntinglodge.com

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C AMP W OODIe Y OuTH H uNT

ED PAUL - CAMP DIRECTOR

CAMP WOODIE

ur favorite time of the year of course is Camp Woodie time (June-August), but if you were to ask the advanced campers from the past summer they would probably tell you “cold Camp Woodie time”! This cold weather time means that Duck season is here, and the opportunity for them to come back and test their new found skills from the past summer has arrived.

We hosted 30 campers paired with parents/chaperones on December 1st which is the first of three youth hunts to be held at the wildlife education center for 2012/13. We had an incredible hunt harvesting 130 birds consisting of 12 different species! Each camper either bagged their limit of birds or their limit of spent shells in the process. Looking at the numbers it was apparent that our campers didn’t just hang up their gear or stop practicing after the summer, but continued to excel with their skills in the field and becoming greater outdoors men and women!

We all have favorite times of the year, but conducting these youth hunts each year reminds me of when I was a camper and how the Camp Woodie youth hunt was my favorite time every year. I can remember sitting around the campfire listening to everyone talk about their experiences in the field of the present fall, and getting fired up about what we were all going to do the next morning. We would all reluctantly go to the bunk house after being pushed by our elders to try and get some sleep. We would all lay there counting down the minutes until legal shooting time being many hours away. We were like 2 liter coca cola bottles that were shaken up for hours and we were then expected to harness all our energy and excitement. Finally after playing every single scenario of the next morning’s hunt in our

heads we would get some much needed sleep!

Before you would know it the lights were on and it was time to get ready for the blind! Some still consider me to be a young man, but man what I would give to be able to go with just a little sleep and pop right up right out of bed feeling well rested and eager for the day. As we get older our bodies just don’t function the way they use to. Campers you will soon know what I mean and I pray that each of you are blessed with all the favorite times in the world that it takes to see it!

Campers who made it out for the 2012 December hunt, we just want to thank you for coming out and congratulate each of you on a successful experience. As for those campers scheduled to come to the hunts in February get ready for an action packed time because as the weather decreases and the fall progresses more and more new birds are migrating south and stopping by to check out Camp Woodie! Will you be ready???

We also want to say thank you to all of our volunteer guides/ staff members/ and SCWA members who make these hunts possible.

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

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 Week of Choice ___________________________________ Parent’s Name Address

State/zip

Payment type (circle one):

Check

MC

Visa

Amex

Phone

Discover

Birth date

City

EMail________________________________________

expiration date Name on Card________________________________credit card # 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 waTErFowL 22 wETLaNDs

CAMP DATeS 2013

Week 1 - June 2 - June 6 Week 2 - June 9 - June 13 Week 3 - June 16 - June 20 Week 4 - June 23 - June 27 Week 5 - June 30 - July 4 Week 6 - July 7 - July 11 Week 7 - July 14 - July 18 Week 8 - July 21 - July 25 Week 9 - July 28 - August 1 Week 10 - August 4 -August 8 Level 1 - $420 - Level 2 - $575 - All H OME V ISIT S PECIAL

The program works like this: a person or family serves as a host to their friends and their kids that are interested in learning more about Camp Woodie. I will come to the host house to explain the activities and goals behind Camp Woodie. All questions will be answered and a slide show will be presented.

Contact Camp Woodie.

803-452-6001

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Level 1 - Coed Level 1 - Coed Level 2 - Coed Level 1 - Coed Level 1 - Coed Level 2 - Coed Level 1 - Coed Level 1 - Coed Level 2 - Coed Level 1 - Coed Weeks are Co-ed!

Public Hunting,

continued from page 5...

public bottomland hardwood areas from flooding.

Waterfowl Impoundments Unlike most states, for over 200 years South Carolina has provided thousands of acres of privately managed waterfowl impoundments for wintering waterfowl. Almost all of these were in coastal areas in the form of 140,000 acres of tidal diked rice fields that were managed for rice production in the 18th and 19th century. In the early 1900's when rice production ceased as a profitable agricultural enterprise, these fields were sold to wealthy individuals who managed them for waterfowl hunting. To this day over 70,000 acres of these historic rice fields are planted in grain or managed to produce natural waterfowl food plants such as widgeon grass, panic grass and wild millet. The fields are then flooded to provide food and cover for wintering waterfowl. Since the 1970's thousands of additional acres of waterfowl impoundments have been built across the state. Management techniques have also improved resulting in increased amounts of food produced per acre thereby increasing the number of ducks these areas can winter each year.

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

private and publicly managed impoundment habitats greatly increase the number of ducks and geese that choose to winter in the state. In addition they provide hunting opportunity for thousands of South Carolina duck hunters. On the negative side, on days when these impoundments are not being hunted, the number of ducks potentially available for public duck hunters to hunt dramatically decreases. It is important to emphasize that without these managed waterfowl impoundments wintering duck numbers in South Carolina would decline dramatically and this would have a negative effect on public duck hunting.

Baiting Let's face it, in the good old days of public duck hunting many people baited public wetlands with corn. This provided an improved food source to attract ducks to use public wetlands. Increased fines and law enforcement intensity have greatly reduced the amount of baiting on public lands. As a biologist many hunters will ask me this question, "Why is it legal to hunt a private or state duck pond that is planted with corn and flooded so the ducks can feed on it, when as a public land duck hunter I am not allowed to bait waterfowl on public wetlands?" The answer most biologists will give is "Landowners and government agencies are allowed to flood standing agricultural crops in order to encourage private landowners and government agencies to provide habitat for wintering waterfowl." The next question that follows this answer is "What will it hurt if I throw out some corn on public water as long as I and other duck hunters don't shoot over the legal limit of waterfowl?" I don't have a reasonable answer for that question. If there are any waterfowl biologists who do I would love to hear from you.

Disturbance In the good old days of the 40's, 50's and 60's there were fewer waterfowl hunters and fisherman in South Carolina. Very few people had outboard motors and no one had mud motors or air boats. To hunt the public waters of many areas of the state you had to wade in or paddle or row your boat to your hunting spot. This greatly reduced the amount of disturbance to ducks and geese on public water hunting areas.

The end result was more ducks and geese would use these areas resulting in better hunting.

Over the past 20 years the rise of the mud motor has allowed people to access shallow water areas. This has allowed public hunters to scout areas they normally had to scout on foot or by paddling a boat. The scouting process on public waters is intense and starts up to two weeks before the opening of each season. On Lake Marion you can hear the boat traffic the week prior to the season as hunters motor to every spot on the lake over and over again trying to find ducks. The end result is thousands of waterfowl are harassed off of public water areas and pushed onto refuges or private duck impoundments that have more food and less disturbance.

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

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would hunt 30 days and harvest 50 to 75 ducks. The majority of the ducks we shot were mallards. In those days if you put in your time and learned how to hunt you would have good success. I am a passionate duck hunter and I am blessed with the opportunity to hunt in Canada each year with my family and friends and to enjoy great private waterfowl impoundment hunting in South Carolina. However, it troubles me greatly that young duck hunters who do not have access to private duck ponds have a hard time having a successful public water duck hunt.

The future of our waterfowl resources depends on recruiting the next generation of passionate waterfowl hunters.

SCWA's development of Camp Woodie and our youth waterfowl hunting program is making a difference in recruiting new waterfowl hunters. In addition, private duck pond owners take thousands of kids hunting each season. However, without quality public hunting opportunities we will begin to lose waterfowl hunters. It is important to remember, hunters represent 5% of the population but account for over 90% of the money spent on wildlife conservation. The future of waterfowl conservation depends on maintaining a critical mass of waterfowl hunters.

State and Federal Managed Waterfowl Areas One way to improve public duck hunting is to continue to improve the management of state and federal waterfowl management areas and to develop new public duck hunting areas. To accomplish this more funding is needed on the state and federal level. This will remain a difficult task in the foreseeable future as we continue to face tough economic conditions along with tight state and federal budgets. Several state managed waterfowl areas could host more public land duck hunters if funding was available to run the hunts.

Wood Duck Nest Box Programs SCWA and SCDNR have done an outstanding job of building, distributing, installing and maintaining thousands of wood duck nest boxes. SCWA has distributed and installed over 21,000 wood duck nest boxes since 1987. These nest boxes have hatched over 850,000 wood ducks. Both of these programs should be maintained and expanded to increase local wood duck populations that provide quality hunting opportunities for public and private land hunters.

Traditional Access Areas Another possible way to improve public land duck hunting would be to designate certain public waters as traditional access areas. In these areas SCDNR could restrict the use of any type of boat motor and require hunters and fisherman to access these areas by foot, row boat or canoe from November 1 through the end of waterfowl season. This would greatly reduce disturbance to waterfowl and would bring back quality public hunting to many areas. This would reduce access but would 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 Marion and Moultrie had hydrilla public hunting was excellent.

Hydrilla is on the federal noxious weed list which means state and federal agencies will not allow it to thrive in our lakes.

However, more effort must be directed to enhancing native aquatic vegetation on our lakes. Many prime shallow water waterfowl habitat areas on the Santee Cooper lakes are choked with saw grass. These areas can be sprayed by helicopters to eliminate saw grass and encourage the growth of moist soil and other wetland vegetation that is beneficial to waterfowl. More funding is needed for this effort.

Hunter Ethics Another challenge to the quality of public duck hunting is hunter ethics. Many duck hunters on public waters set up too close to other hunters or shoot ducks that are way out of range.

Tempers often flare and unsportsmanlike conduct is all too often exhibited. Sportsman like conduct among all duck hunters will go a long way toward improving public land duck hunting.

Improving the quality of public hunting in South Carolina will not be an easy task. However, we all need to do our part improve the situation. SCWA looks forward to continuing to work with all South Carolina waterfowl hunters to help ensure the future of our waterfowl hunting heritage.

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The Inlet Water Level Control Structure is designed to be installed on the upstream side of the berm so the water enters the structure before it enters the pipe. The structure is manufactured in heights from 2’ through 6’. They are manufactured with a rubber coupler installed on the downstream side of the structure, which can connect to a 4” through 24” diameter outlet pipe.

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DeCOY POTeNTIAL uNLeASHeD: Successful Duck Hunting with the FLOATSTAND™

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 in their application. Enter the FLOATSTAND™.

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

The FLOATSTAND™ Patent Pending design is simple to use and built for stability, even in rough conditions. The FLOATSTAND™ is lightweight, extremely durable, and quickly disassembles to one-fourth its setup size for convenient transportation. Each FLOATSTAND™ comes with four (4) Flambeau® Storm Front Mallard decoys providing the necessary buoyancy to float your spinning wing decoy. If you have ever been frustrated with the limitations of the “robo pole” or are just looking to add more motion to your spread, you need a FLOATSTAND™.

For more information, please visit our website at www.floatstand.com and be sure to watch our YouTube video. waTErFowL 26 wETLaNDs

The Centennial of the 375 H&H Magnum– The Model 700TM CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary Rifle Madison, NC – Remington Arms Company, LLC, (“Remington”) proudly announces a rifle designed specifically to celebrate one of the most versatile magnum cartridges in history – the 375 H&H. Often the choice for African safaris and an Alaskan guide favorite, the 375 H&H magnum is repeatedly referred to as one of the most useful all-around cartridges for hunting large and dangerous game. New for 2012, The Model 700 CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary rifle is classically-styled for big-game hunting. The rifle has a traditional straight-comb, American walnut satin-finish stock with right-handed cheek piece. Adding to the classic look of this handsome stock are generous cut checkering, black fore-end tip and grip cap.

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

The Model 700 CDL 375 H&H 100th Anniversary rifle has all of the legendary performance features of the Model 700 CDL platform. The “three rings of steel” design delivers unparalleled strength while the solid-steel cylindrical receiver design provides a solid bedding area and consistent shot placement. The X-Mark Pro® trigger, with its mirror-like surfaces and adjustable pull weight, 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 other Remington products, please visit our web site at www.remington.com .

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NEWS

Drought Monitors

Slim Chance Remains For Farm Bill in 112th Congress

Negotiations to address the looming “fiscal cliff� are currently consuming all the oxygen in Washington, DC. As a result, it appears that the best hope of passing the 2012 Farm Bill in this Congress is to incorporate it into a larger legislative package that addresses taxes and entitlements, according to the Wildlife Management Institute.

Leaders of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and the House Agriculture Committee have been meeting to work out differences in the versions of the Farm Bill that were passed in the Senate and by the House Agriculture Committee. The Senate version cuts approximately $23 billion in spending over the next decade while the House version cuts just over $35 billion. Spending for conservation programs is similar in both versions at approximately $6 billion.

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

ment on a single, final version of the Farm Bill that will generate majority support in both House and Senate and could be incorporated as part of the cost savings measures in legislation to address the fiscal cliff.

However, adoption of an end-of-the-year fiscal package is by no means a given at this point and the addition of agricultural programs appears even more uncertain.

If no agreement is reached on taxes and entitlements and the 2012 Farm Bill is not passed as stand-alone legislation, one of the few options available would be to implement a short-term extension of farm programs and start over again with the process of developing a new five-year bill during the 113th Congress. Many Senators and Congressmen are on record as being strongly opposed to starting the farm bill process again from the beginning, but time is growing short. (pmr) Article provided by Wildlife Management Institute

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South Carolina Waterfowl Harvest and Hunter Activity Trends

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has published its annual report on the preliminary estimates of waterfowl harvest and hunter activity for the Atlantic Flyway for the 2010 and 2011 waterfowl seasons. Estimated duck harvest in the Atlantic Flyway fell from 1,857,500 in 2010 to 1,672,900 in 2011. Goose harvest in the Atlantic Flyway fell from 832,800 in 2010 to 580,400 in 2011. The estimated number of active waterfowl hunters in the Atlantic Flyway fell from 236,300 in 2010 to 232,500 in 2011.

In South Carolina the duck harvest declined from an estimated number of 247,000 in 2010 to 216,100 in 2011. The estimated number of active waterfowl hunters declined slightly from 21,700 in 2010 to 21,300 in 2011. The wood duck still remains the number one duck harvested in South

OPeRATION GAMe THIeF

Carolina representing 41% of the ducks harvested in 2011. The average number of ducks harvested per hunter was 10.5 ducks in 2011.

Total estimated duck harvest in the United States rose from 14,867,200 in 2010 to 15,931,200 in 2011. Total goose harvest remained approximately the same at around 3.5 million geese. The total estimated number of active waterfowl hunters in the United States increased from 1,132,200 to 1,150,900.

The number of immature ducks harvested per adult duck harvested across the United States rose from 1.53 immature/adult in 2010 to 1.85 immature ducks per adult duck harvested in 2011. The 2011 nesting season was very successful as evidenced by the increase in the number of young ducks in the harvest.

Rep ort Violators. ..

1-800-922-5431

*

OR DIAL

OR

# OGT

DO YOUR PART TO PROTECT SOUTH CAROLINA’S NATURAL RESOURCES. waTErFowL 31 6 wETLaNDs

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D

Conditioned Retrieve (Force Fetch) Notes Part 1 DOG TRAINING

o you need to do this at all? It’s a rare dog that will breeze through the force fetch. I’ve put hundreds of dogs on the bench and can count on one hand the ones that completed the lessons in two weeks. Most take a month, the average is six weeks and then there is the occasional super soft tempered dog or knot head that takes over two months of training. If you have a gun dog that reliably fetches and brings birds back and you only use that dog for hunting, then you don’t need to condition the retrieve. If you don’t mind if the pup drops his birds at your feet or close then you don’t have to train the pup to not release until you give the command to drop.

On the other hand, if you want a reliable retriever that always fetches and holds his birds, comes to you, sits and delivers to hand, then you must go through the force fetch conditioning. If you will run your gun dog in hunt test or field trials, the force fetch is mandatory so that the dog will fetch birds no matter how old, smelly and used they are, and with the price of birds going up along with everything else, your dog will be fetching old, nasty birds on the second day of a 2day event. If you have a dog that might swim all the way out to your bird and then refuse to pick it up (hunting or testing) then you will need to go and fetch your duck and deal with the ribbing you’ll get from your buddies.

When should you start the conditioned retrieve with your pup? Each pup matures differently so you have to read your pup to decide when to start the process. Some have more natural retrieving drive. These are the pups that always have to have something in their mouth, a bumper, a bird, or even a stick, or they are not happy. These are easiest to condition the fetch. All pups born at Just Ducky Kennel are introduced to birds at five or six weeks and are fetching bumpers and birds before they leave here at ten – twelve weeks of age. Each time a pup picks up any-

ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY PAMELA O. KADLEC

thing in his mouth I tell him, “Good Fetch” to start conditioning the pup to what the word, “Fetch” means. I like to introduce the pup to the training bench at the same time as puppy kindergarten, about 4-5 months of age. (The training bench is not required, it just makes the job easier on your back.) This is completely positive training to get the pup used to taking items and holding them, gradually learning to carry and not drop, but to sit and deliver to hand.

What if you have a soft dog, with low prey drive, can you still put him through this process? Yes, but you will need to be patient and be prepared to do a lot of repetitions throughout the lessons. The most important lesson you need to engrain into your brain is that you don’t move to the next step until the dog completely understands the one you are teaching. So, if you have a soft tempered dog you will put the pup on the bench every day and gently pry the mouth open and put a small bumper or pvc pipe (1” piece of pipe with 2 ‘t’ joints on each end to make a dumbbell) in, stroke the pup’s neck and shoulder and tell him, “Good Fetch”. You will encourage the pup to carry the item by softly cupping your hand under his chin and guiding him up and down the bench, not putting any pressure on the item but being ready to stop him from spitting it out. I don’t use the command, Hold, any more because Fetch means Fetch until I ask the pup to Drop. Do this three times a day if possible, always keeping everything positive and keep the pup happy to comply. Only when the pup happily goes to the bench and will take waTErFowL 36 6 wETLaNDs

items on his own will you move to the next step. This could take one week or four and if you will set a good foundation here the rest of the lessons will go easier.

The next step is the ear pinch. This takes some dexterity on your part. Put one of the fingers of one hand through the collar and hold the ear with the same hand. The reason you want your hand through the collar is so that you can control the dogs’ head and direct his mouth to the items you want him to fetch, rather than your hand. Pinch the ear leather between your thumb and forefinger, applying pressure until the pup opens his mouth to take the pvc pipe. If the pup won’t open his mouth, pry the mouth open with the same hand holding the pvc pipe and place the pvc in the pups’ mouth and immediately release the pressure on the ear. I told you this takes some dexterity! With enough repetitions the pup will learn that ear pinch means Fetch.

Do not move on until the pup will fetch different items: pvc, soft bumper, hard bumper, wooden dowel, and small water bottle, with minimal ear pinch pressure.

When the pup will take the items at sit, carry them and sit to deliver to hand, now it’s time to have the pup fetch while walking. Again looping your hand through the collar and holding the ear, lead the pup, using ear pressure, and hold the pvc pipe in

front of pups’ nose, letting off the pressure as soon as he takes the pvc pipe in his mouth. Tell him, “Good Fetch”.

Repeat and mix in the other bumpers, wood dowel and plastic water bottle. If the pup drops the time re-apply the pressure until he fetches again. When pup will fetch each item from your hand then it’s time for the next big step – pup fetching items off the bench without your hand holding them.

Now, you will loop your hand through the collar, hold the ear and pinch while you lead the pup to the pvc pipe lying on the bench. Force his head down if needed to get him to reach for the pvc pipe. If the pup gives you a lot of attitude and doesn’t seem to get the idea, put your hand near the pvc and if that doesn’t work, pick it up and offer it to him. Go back to the previous step and when pup will reach for the items, try again. Each time the pup opens his mouth and takes the item, tell him, “Good Fetch”. Repeat this exercise until pup will fetch different bumpers and the pvc without any ear pressure. Don’t rush any of these steps. Let the dog dictate how many lessons and how long this all takes. The more you take your time and really establish each step, the more reliable a retriever the pup will be.

I haven’t mentioned birds yet because I don’t force birds until the dog is solid on his retrieves. I will put a pigeon, a duck and a quail in the pups’ mouth during this process but I don’t Force the birds until he will Fetch everything else and I know he understands what Fetch means. I will also still throw birds for the dog out in the yard, away from the force fetch area and praise the heck out of him when he picks up his birds. These are ‘happy’ throws, no steady, no pressure, just fun fetching birds. If he doesn’t fetch I pick up the bird and put the dog in his kennel. Same exercise with bumpers.

Some dogs will refuse to fetch anything and others will continue to want to play. The dogs that want to play I use the time after to release the pressure and let the pup have fun.

For now, if the pup fetches but then drops the bumper before delivering to hand, he only gets one throw and then I put him up without any corrections.

Remember one of the rules of dog training. Never give a command you can’t enforce. If you tell the pup to Fetch and he refuses then you are obligated to get the collar, pinch the ear and make him fetch. If you do this too early in the process it will take you much longer to complete the conditioning. Once the pup will fetch all items off the bench (including birds) without any ear pressure it’s time to move to the yard. Put a long line on the pup so you have control.

Toss the bumper a few feet away on the ground and command to Fetch. Do not repeat the command. If the pup hesitates, immediately put your hand in the collar and pinch the

ear. Repeat until pup will fetch the bumper without pressure. Next, toss a bird down and repeat the exercise.

Alternate between the bumper and the bird until pup will fetch either one without ear pressure. This might take one lesson or ten. If pup doesn’t seem to get the idea, go back to an earlier step in the training and refresh his memory. When you can get the pup to go a few feet to fetch, lengthen out the throws and then get someone to throw for you so you can extend the distances. You may have to lead the dog to the bumpers/birds at first, until he is fully conditioned to Fetch on command.

The thing to keep in mind is that you are conditioning the dog to Fetch on command. If you take it one step at a time and not move forward until you know pup is conditioned to each phase then the process will go smoothly. This is most important with the soft tempered dog or one with low prey drive. Keep the lessons as positive as possible and be patient.

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

Best afield, Pam Just Ducky Kennel is on Facebook spanieltrainer@yahoo.com

G UN D OG P HOTOGRAPHY PAMELA O. K ADLEC

• 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.

Just Ducky Kennel & Spaniel Training Academy Edgefield, SC 29824 803- 637-2007 • cell 803-341-0541 www.boykinspaniel.com • www.justducky.photoreflect.com

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Ducky Sandwich THE SPORTING CHEF

By SCOTT LEySATH

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

Waterfowl breasts can be ground, mixed with ground beef or pork and used for meatballs, burgers, tacos and spaghetti sauce. Oh sure, bacon-wrapped “poppers” taste great, but there are literally thousands of other ways to cook a duck. Think about your favorite beef or chicken recipes, 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 if the recipe calls for quick-cooking. Slice it thin and add to any stir-fry recipe. Legs and thighs can be slowly simmered until the meat falls off and 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 field and at the dinner table. The breast fillets are mild and tender, provided that you don’t overcook them. When cooked until crispy, the skin is delicious and the legs can be fall-off-the-bone tender when braised. The marinade

below will enhance, not disguise, the natural flavor of the cooked meat. I prefer to grill the breast fillets over smoky coals, but a hot skillet will work as well in a pinch.

Marinated Wood Duck Pita Unless you really like a soggy pita sandwich, save some of the tzatziki sauce for later.

It’ll keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. After several unsuccessful attempts at stuffing a pita pocket (they split apart easily), I learned long ago that it’s much easier to wrap the pita around the stuffing and keep it intact with a strip of foil or waxed paper.

4 servings 8 wood duck breast fillets, skin removed 4 pita bread 4 leaves Romaine lettuce 4 slices tomato thinly sliced red onions Marinade 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 cup olive oil kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper In a medium bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. While whisking, add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tzatziki Sauce 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 8 ounces of Greek plain yogurt 1/2 lemon, juice and zest 2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper To draw excess water out of the diced cucumber, place in a colander, sprinkle salt over and let drain for 1 hour. Place cucumber and remaining 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 and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Duck can be grilled over a medium-hot grill or pan-seared in a hot skillet, but preferably not past medium-rare.

2. Slice cooked breast fillets into 2 or 3 pieces. For each pita, place bread on a flat surface fill with lettuce, tomato, onion and duck. Spoon a dollop of tzatziki sauce over meat. Fold pita over and secure at the bottom with foil or waxed paper.

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

Scott's Tv show, HuntFishCook can be seen on Comcast Sports Southeast(CSS) every Sunday AM and nationwide 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.

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Big Lake Duck Calls made in S.C.

by Jeff Dennis

ugh McLaurin is a successful farmer and a resident of Elloree. McLaurin decided to create and market a brand of custom duck calls, naming them Big Lake calls. Peanuts and cotton are his cash crops, but he has been calling a new tune since he came up with an easy to blow duck call that has been winning over new fans.

His calls are named for the Big Lake located in the Santee swamp off the Wateree River.

McLaurin remembers fond outings with his grandfather and father to this mystical and secluded destination, where plenty of mallards congregated each winter. His idea to make a duck call that will not stick or freeze up has now become a reality, and waterfowlers who demand a superior duck call are seeking out a Big Lake call.

McLaurin himself finished third in the S.C. State Duck Calling Contest held at the Winyah Bay Heritage Festival in January 2011, blowing his Big Lake Force competition call. A few days later we greeted the dawn in a beaver slew associated with his Big Lake pond. “I saw one hundred wood ducks in here the other day, but you never know what to expect.” McLaurin said. “I also saw a black duck, and while the woodies will pitch into thick cover, a mallard-type duck will head for the small opening.”

Stationed near the pothole, the squeal of wood ducks was met with McLaurin’s Perfect Woodie call and the birds started moving.

Swinging the gun on the first few birds in the swamp did not result in a shot, but eventually the shotgun bellowed enough to collect my limit of three wood ducks. “I shot a wood duck here with my grandson not too long ago,” McLaurin said. It was evident that these custom calls are made under the care of a gentleman farmer that loves duck hunting.

Wood ducks are common in the bottomlands of the Lowcountry and the only call they make is a whistle and a squeal.

While woodies do not come to the caller as readi-

ly as big ducks, it makes sense that the better you can duplicate their sounds, the more likely that they will fly near enough for a passing shot. The Perfect Woodie calls were new last year, and while they 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 and be ready to shoot the woodies!

The Perfect Timber duck call is becoming known for its ease of use when being blown, and for the fact that the reeds will not stick even when wet and cold. The Perfect Timber call comes with either a single-reed or a double-reed and can be tuned for a loud volume or a medium volume.

‘Made in South Carolina to be used anywhere in the world’ is the Big Lake motto, and Colletonians can shop for these calls in the sporting goods section at Wesbury hardware.

The war cry for those that already use McLaurin’s calls is that they Big Lake’d the ducks they were hunting. Nothing sounds better to McLaurin than hearing such good reports. “Duck calling and duck hunting has been a passion for me,” said McLaurin. “Calling and outwitting ducks with a duck call led to the novel idea of having my own duck call, which has now resulted in a product to share with all waterfowlers.” For more information, visit the Internet at www.BigLakeDuckCalls.com.