Ducks, Self-Made Hunting Videos and a Mostly-True Outdoor Book
I will be heading to the north country over the Labor Day Holiday. My beautiful wife, Lori thinks we are spending a long and romantic weekend together, and we are. Unless she wakes up and finds that I briefly exited our honeymoon cabin for the honeymoon duck blind. Or, if she chooses not to watch the Badgers spank LSU with me Saturday night. (Why don’t you Wisconsin doubters go to Minnesota where losing big games is an art?)
In between, I’m all Lori’s. I told her the ammo box right next to me in the blind is all hers too, as is the couch seat Saturday when she’s done making me snacks and pouring me three fingers of Old Crow.
Now, let me tell you how it really is. I just finished folding laundry in between reading the last proof of On Wisconsin Outdoors before it goes to press tomorrow. Most likely if you’re reading this it’s posted here. Tonight, I will probably be doing dishes after Lori puts yet another great meal in front of me. Now, that, boys and boys, is one good trade, and I remain the undisputed head of this household. Rarely do I wear an apron when working. Plus, she still kisses me after I crawl out of the swamp or other good places 28 years after marrying her. And in the swamp is where I’ll be.
Seasons start September 1
- New this year, an early teal-only duck hunting season that will run statewide from Sept. 1-7. Hunters will not be required to purchase any additional licenses or permits, other than those required for hunting ducks in the regular waterfowl season. Shooting hours on Sept 1. are 9 am to 7 pm and shooting hours Sept 2-7 are sunrise to 7 pm. For more information and details please review the Migratory Bird Regulations pamphlet. In order to ensure that teal are easily recognized by hunters, the department’s waterfowl webpage features an identification slideshow and quiz, please visit http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/waterfowl.html and brush up on your ID skills.
- Early Goose Season begins Sept. 1 and runs through Sept. 15 with a 5 bird/day bag limit. Early Goose Season opening day shooting hours will be 1/2 hour before sunrise as it has been in the past. For more information please review the Early Goose Regulation Pamphlet or visit this link http://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/wm/WM0194.pdf.
- Mourning Dove Season begins Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 29, this year an additional 20 days have been added on to the end of the season. A new feature that the department has just unveiled is the Fields and Forest Interactive Gamebird Hunting Tool (FFLIGHT), this is an interactive mapping application that identifies quality grouse and woodcock habitat, stocked pheasant properties, and managed dove fields. Using this tool hunters can now identify and locate all of the fields that the department has planted and managed to help attract and congregate doves. Please check out this new tool at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/lands/FFLIGHT.html.
Preparing for the Archery Season, Big Buck Kill Website Videos
On Wisconsin Outdoors video master Jim Olsson produced a video for us on how to prepare for the deer archery season. Jim, a Pro Staffer for Antler King, did this despite having his knee operated on days before. What an athlete! We’ve posted that video now at www.onwisconsinoutdoors.com. Friday, Olsson will interview Lee Gatzke, who wrote an outstanding article on how to self-video your deer hunt for the September-October issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors. Read that, and then after September 5, watch Lee take a monster whitetail on our homepage that he self-videoed. When we asked Lee to let us interview him, he said no problem, as long as we provide a dressing room and other perks.
Author shares lifetime of misadventures.
My friend and Wisconsin fishing guide Randy Williams who mostly works the Wolf River area but can be found almost anywhere, wrote and recently released a book of his field adventures. If you want to recognize me in this book, look for the short stories of outdoorsmen sticking hooks in their own thumbs. Or did Randy stick it in there? Anyway, we’re going to post a chapter a week throughout this website, with excellent illustrations by his son, Shawn too. If you like it, and I liked it a lot, this simple to read and funny look at Wisconsin hunting and fishing from Randy’s perspective would make a good Christmas gift.
Predicaments: Mostly True Hunting and Fishing Stories can be purchased at www.amazon.com, print and digital editions are available. Print copies can also be purchased at Johnny’s shop of Bait in New London WI.
Randy Williams lives in New London, WI. He has a degree in conservation, is a fishing guide, and a taxidermist. He has won over 40 fishing tournaments and spent 5 years as a co-host on an outdoor TV fishing and hunting show called No Excuses Outdoors. He has also been an outdoor columnist for the Waupaca County Post .He now enjoys hunting and fishing full time after retiring from teaching. To watch videos of his adventures visit www.wilfish.com.
Have you had your cup of coffee from Kwik Trip today? Next time, pick up the new OWO at any of the Kwik Trip’s 252 Wisconsin stores. Have you connected with Kwik Trip Outdoors? Have you visited Menards and seen their growing outdoor areas featuring products like treestands and hunting blinds? Pick up the new OWO issue at any of Menards Wisconsin stores while you’re looking around.
Thanks for connecting with On Wisconsin Outdoors. Shoot straight (And make sure it’s a Teal).
Dick Ellis