South Dakota – The Waterfowl Sleeper State

A few years ago, on a Winchester Ammunition ladies hunt, I met Heather Reddemann. Heather is a prostaffer for Winchester Ammunition and SHE Outdoor Apparel. She is a person I instantly clicked with and stayed in contact with over the years. She is a dog trainer at Oak Tree Farm in South Dakota, as well as a full-time pharmacy PhD student. She has been hounding me to get out to South Dakota for not only pheasants, but ducks as well. This year I was fortunate enough to draw a limited tag for waterfowl.

I have always known South Dakota is notorious for pheasants, but what about ducks? Our first adventure out was started with an argo ride (which is now on my must-have list). We found a nice waterhole and hid in the cattails. We saw and heard so many ducks that morning. It became clear to me that South Dakota is a sleeper state for waterfowl.

I could tell it was my first duck hunt of the season, my shot was lousy, but I still had a lot of fun and managed to shoot a nice bufflehead, something I haven’t shot before. That afternoon we got in some pheasant hunting at Oak Tree. I was thrilled to finally say that I had hunted pheasants in South Dakota!

I have always hunted behind German Shorthair Pointers; this was my first time behind flushers. I always thought I liked pointers, but Heather’s labs changed my perspective; I think I am a flusher kind of girl! Her dogs can go from a duck blind in the morning to a pheasant field in the afternoon and perform like rockstars.

The next morning we got back into the waterfowl frame of mind and hunted a little waterhole right behind Heather’s house. We had action all morning! We had pintails, teal and every duck imaginable come into our little spread.

My favorite moment was when I heard a WHOOSH…a small group of green winged teal came firing in like a bunch of fighter jets. I couldn’t believe how quick they were. I was able to drop one of them. I was super excited! The thrill of hearing those quick birds and being able to bring one down picked up my shooting confidence.

I was bummed my trip was so short, but I am glad I got to experience South Dakota. Working with Heather’s retrievers was a treat. They are such versatile and smart hunting dogs. The hunting was great. I can now finally say that I have pheasant hunted in South Dakota, as well as waterfowl. I am also glad I got to share that time in the field with a dear friend.

Early Opening to Turkey Season

Florida is a destination for a lot of people but it interests me for one reason only....Osceola turkeys. When I worked for the National Wild Turkey Federation I help trap and transfer some birds once but had never hunted. Thanks to an invite from good friend Greg Gatto, that was all about to change.

I was lucky enough to have Ray Eye to help with the calling for me and videoing the proceedings for Outdoor Life's Chasing Spring. Actually, when hunting with Ray you have to work pretty hard to get a yelp in....he does love to call. A trait I admire in a turkey hunter. The hunt also served as another chance to put my Nikon Turkey Pro scope and Xtended Range shells to the test. Happily I can report it all worked as planned.

The bird was a good one even by Osceola standards, sporting spurs well past the inch mark. And he completed my Grand Slam. A great trip with some good friends.

If you go, even this early in March, do not forget your Thermacell. You'll thank me for reminding you.

Happy 100th Post!

I think everyone in the Chevalier Advertising headquarters in Oregon has finally recovered from whatever crud followed us home from the 2011 SHOT Show. I usually try to scout out the coolest/most unusual stuff at the shows. Remember ATA 2010?

As a waterfowl nut, I am totally stoked for Winchester Ammunition’s Blind Side! Watching Winchester Ammunition’s own Brad Criner demonstrate the capabilities of Blind Side at the Bass Pro Media Day was pretty neat.

The tightly packed and stacked Hex shot hit the ballistic gel like a ton of high-velocity tumbling bricks. The channel was massive on the gel from the Hex shot. Since the Hex shot is stacked, you’ve got 15% more shot pellets in a shell.

The math for me is simple:

More shot + Hex Shot + Massive Wound Channels = Happy Hunter!

dialing them in

I love my back yard. And the reason is that while you might get a headache from a falling acorn, you can also shoot a bow, pattern a shotgun or even check a rifle's zero if need be. I do let my closest neighbor know that it's just me sighting in. He's a Police Officer and I wouldn't want him to think I was in a gunfight with a home invader.

Karen saw a new picnic table as a spot for quests and parties. I sat

down at it and saw it to be a great shooting bench. Plus I wouldn't have to move it in and out when I need it. Our wireless network means I can use my laptop and Nikon's Spot On

software (For client business only Greg, if you're reading this) to dial my particular BDC reticle in to the specific round I'm using.

This time I was checking a .243. I learned that with the Winchester XP3 load I am shooting it actual fits my needs better to dial it in for a 200-yard zero instead of the usual 100-yard one. I would not have considered that were it not for Spot On being right there beside me showing me the light. Now the reticle chart is printed out and taped to the stock, ready for action on a longer range.

Even if your range isn't wireless, it won't be long before you can use Spot On on your iPhone or get a disc to load it on your laptop.

Stuttgart, AR

Winchester Ammunition and Ducks Unlimited teamed up along with Yamaha to host a women’s media camp January 3-5.

On the night of the 3^rd, I couldn’t sleep I was so excited. Here I was in Stuttgart, Arkansas, the duck hunting capital of the world and in a few short hours I would be hunting with a three-time Women’s World Duck Calling Champion.

It had snowed all night, and temperatures were dropping. The weatherman said it would be the coldest winter Arkansas has seen in 16 years. That did not stop a few of us ladies as we headed to our pit before sunrise.

I love hunting in different states, especially when the first time out is in the morning. I love the anticipation of the sun coming up, revealing the surrounding landscape. It is like opening a present; you have an idea of what you are getting, but still excited to lay your eyes on it.

When the sun came up I saw what the 13-inches of rain along with the freezing temperatures had done. There was water everywhere, and the only open water that was not victim to the temperatures was in front of our pit.

Even though the snow was blowing in our faces and the prospects of duck landing in front of or blind were slim, the highlight of this morning’s sit was to have Shelby Free, three-time Women’s World Duck Calling Champion calling for us.

Shelby may look like the typical 17-year old girl, but she everything but that. She is incredibly well spoken, has a positive attitude, is taking college level courses at the local high school and is one heck of a caller. She got the attention of a good majority of the ducks that flew overhead. Shelby calling on her RNT call is a form of art. It was a real treat to share a blind with her.

That afternoon I shared a different pit with writers Lisa Metheny and Pat Stockdill as well as DU biologist Virginia Getz. There was little movement that afternoon, and we spent the afternoon talking about anything and everything. What I love about waterfowl hunting is the social aspect.

Before supper we toured Rich-N-Tone duck calls facility. The countless hours spent researching, testing and manufacturing calls was very interesting most of it is still done by hand. After touring the facility we went next door to Mack’s Prairie Wings for some retail therapy.

After a traditional southern dinner we gathered around to discuss conservation issues with DU biologists. I learned about the work DU does on the breeding grounds and across continental breeding

grounds for the benefit of ducks and other wildlife. There was a biologist from every region on hand to discuss issues and solutions specific to their region.

We also discussed Winchester Ammunition’s involvement with DU. Did you know that the two joined forces way back in 1987? Winchester has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor for DU for several years. A DU membership application is included on each package of Winchester steel waterfowl ammunition and the DU logo is displayed on the packaging.

The next morning I hunted with Waterfowl & Retriever editor Hilary Dyer, DU biologist Andi Cooper and DU communication specialist Chris Jennings. We had a few shots on some specs, but nothing fell from the sky that morning.

When we decided to call it a day, Hilary and I decided to test our new Cabela’s women’s waders. We broke through about an inch of ice and walked around in about three feet of freezing water freeing trapped decoys. Breaking the ice on the rice pond reminded me of splashing in puddles when I was a kid and I didn’t want to leave. The new waders passed our “extreme” test with flying colors.

I think I am one of the first people in the world to go to Stuttgart and not shoot a single duck or goose. The 13-inches of rain and freezing temperatures was Mother Nature’s way of saying “that’s why it’s called hunting and not catching!” Despite that, I got to meet and spend time with incredibly talented (female) members of the outdoor media as well as the extremely passionate and intelligent DU staff members. Did I also mention Chevalier Advertising alum JoLee Liepman (now representing Yamaha) was my bunkmate?

THANK YOU HILARY DYER AND LISA METHENY FOR THE PHOTOS!

Weekend in the Eastern Oregon

Here in Oregon, October 3 meant the statewide deer rifle season opener. I did not draw a tag this year but my boyfriend Matt did. Matt has never hunted for deer before, and since I didn’t draw a tag, I was going to be his guide in the Sled Springs Unit.

We met up with Chevalier Advertising office manager/bookkeeper Sherri and her husband Sam Saturday morning to hunt. It was a cold and rainy day. Sam, Matt and I loaded into the truck and headed out to a field and started walking. Grouse would flush every 300 yards; they would often startle bedded doe, but no bucks in sight.

Matt and I split off from Sam at a wooded area. Sam went into the woods while Matt and I skirted an alfalfa field. Sam must have driven deer out of the woods because two doe came running out and stopped about 20 yards in front of Matt and I. We stood completely still while one doe blew at us and the other one stood there and didn’t notice us. I am pretty sure that was the closest Matt has ever been to a deer. It was pretty cool.

A few hours later, and with no luck, Sam took us up the hill to show us where they hunt elk. The higher we went, the more it snowed. I couldn’t get over how gorgeous Eastern Oregon is and how fortunate we are to be able to hunt there.

Daylight was getting shorter by the minute and we decided to head back down to camp. We would stop every so often to glass. I am so glad I had my Nikon Monarch X binoculars they gathered so much light at sunset!

Then it happened, Sam spotted a doe and a buck by an abandoned barn about 100 yards away. Legal shooting light was fading fast and this buck wasn’t going to wait all day. I told the boys, ‘you have one minute!’ As soon as Matt declined the shot, Sam had his gun to his shoulder and a shot off.

The buck ran about 30 yards and dropped, and excellent shot! Sam was like giddy like a girl that just got asked to prom! Sam showed Matt and I how to field dress the beautiful eight point whitetail and we were all in the truck in no time.

I asked Matt why he declined the shot and what he said made me smile, “Sam has been hunting this area for 11 years, he has earned that buck.” What a great guy!

Cold, wet and tired, back at camp we ate our hamburgers and retold the story over and over to everyone at camp. What a great weekend!

Gear List:

Nikon Monarch X 8.5x45 Binoculars

Nikon Fieldscope III 60mm ED

Winchester Power Max 30-06 Sprg