Last August, I attended a 3-D traditional archery shoot at Cedar River Archers just outside of Austin, Minn.
Glancing at the sign-in sheet, I recognized names of archers who’d arrived before me, and one stood out: Jim Ploen. I hurriedly paid the fee and caught up with Jim’s group.
Meet Jim Ploen: A bowhunting and target archery icon still shooting strong at 98 Read More »
Like many other Minnesota waterfowlers, I monitor several of the Midwest’s waterfowling social-media pages. This year, even more so than any other year I can recall, users are consistently bemoaning a lack of birds in their area.
As of this writing, I am right there with them. We just experienced a nice cold front replete with 20-degree temperatures and 20-mph northwest winds that normally would have ushered in a day or two of frantic shooting at new-arriving birds.
This is a good time to plan hunts for those days when birds are just not moving or are gun-shy from encounters with myriad waterfowling setups due to the hunting pressure of the early season. My solution for this is jump-shooting. It may seem to be a simple plan, but jumping ducks comes with certain requirements for it to be successful.
Here’s how to effectively jump-shoot ducks Read More »
From my perspective, summer had been passing agonizing slowly. The seemingly unending hot, humid streak made autumn appear far way, so I put hunt plans on the shelf.
Until now. I was nearly in shock as I recently realized that bird-hunting seasons are right around the corner. Suddenly, there are myriad tasks to accomplish, such as finishing my Hydro-Turf boat floor installation, organizing decoys and, importantly, scouting for hunting locations and brushing up on low-light duck identification.
Waterfowl pre-season prep: The time is now to get organized Read More »
Summer is fading fast, and that’s fine with me. I don’t have the same passion for angling that I do for bird hunting, so when fall draws near, I concentrate on wingshooting gear and skills.
Chief among those is shotgun practice, which sees me and friends hitting sporting clays ranges with greater frequency. Putting in time on clays courses will pay dividends once bird seasons open. My pheasant-hunting companions all know I loathe missing a pheasant after my dogs worked to flush it in good range.
Sporting-clays efficiency equals shotgunning confidence and more birds in the bag Read More »
Summertime can be tough for serious Midwestern bowhunters who would rather be hunting critters than punching paper or foam. It’s also the time when we cross our fingers, hoping for tag draws from other states.
As Minnesotans, we’re lucky that our western neighbor, South Dakota, has private-land deer and pronghorn tags that are 100% draw for archers. Licenses for that state’s public lands are available through a lottery.
Can’t get enough bowhunting? Some Western options remain Read More »
If you’re a frequent bird hunter who targets waterfowl or upland birds, having a pair of game dogs is always better than one. If watching a single dog is a pleasure, then two must be even better, right?
Well, that’s the way I see it.
Hunting Dogs: Here’s why two are sometimes better than one Read More »
About 20 years and four Labrador retrievers ago, I was perched in a dense cattail island awaiting the first flights of ducks. It was opening day, and prospects looked good for me and my energetic, 11-month-old Lab, Mercury.
While we passed the minutes waiting for legal shooting time, dozens of blue-winged teal and a few wood ducks sizzled over our decoys, some alighting within the set. Moments after the clock struck legal shooting, I dropped a pair of gorgeous drake woodies, which Merc deftly retrieved.
Summertime dog training means practicing marks; here’s how to do it Read More »
Twenty years ago, when I was in better shape, I bought a mountain bike from a professional mountain bike tour racer. The bike was outfitted with every conceivable off-roading option, including 21-speed gearing, technologically advanced shocks, and a host of add-ons.
Riding that rig up steep, loose grades seemed easy compared to my former bikes. Even when I was loaded down with a heavy pack, it coursed through muddy trails and jumped small downfall trees with aplomb. Nowadays, it is rare to see a hunter traversing trails on a regular bike because advances in battery technology have created electric-powered two-wheelers.
E-bikes change how hunters, anglers reach their spots quickly, cleanly, and quietly Read More »
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