waterfowler_gal

That is awesome. Way to pass on a great tradition. If you make it a good positive experience you plant the seed for keeping the tradition of hunting going. It teaches kids to respect it too. Just great stuff....keep it up!

How old is your pup? I feel it is important to get them started young, get them excitied about it. A wing is a great tool for training. Grab the wing and drag it on the floor. Get them pumped up about it! I will take the wing and make them stay and hide it in some grass so they can see it and then send them. In the end, experience is what will pay off and be the important tool for teaching them. Make sure you keep it a positive experience though! With a good basic obedience layed out, getting them out hunting with other dogs I think is great. If you have a pheasant preserve where you can introduce them over live birds once they reach a certain age and are introduced to gun fire and such.

I have been privelaged to live in South Dakota and go to college out here. It gives me as much time as I want to hunt and scout and follow the migration. However, each year and after losing a few close hunting friends and family members you soon learn that its not the quanitity of how much you hunt and shoot, but its the quality and the memories you make with your friends and family out in the field and water.....

I like this thread! I would say all of the above!

Hoyt Selena

You will do great! It is going to be warmer temps. And the mid-west up to my neck of the woods in the Dakotas will be in single digits. It will push new birds down and supply some good weathered shooting!

The great thing these days is that technology and specifics available on guns make a shotgun fit a lady hunter a lot easier. Making for better recoil, better comfort, improved consistency and that creates an overall better experience shooting shotguns. My go to gun is a Winchester Super X3. They are really lightweight. It is the fastest firing semi-auto on the market today. Also, I usually pack a back up on big waterfowl trips. My Browning Gold Hunters are excellent shotguns too. I have a specific turkey gun with a 24" barrel but I use it for waterfowl also. Shorter barrel makes it easier for me to swing and especially manuver if I am hunting out of a boat blind, pit or ground blind. There is a lot of great guns on the market. It all depends what fits and feels good to you. Now over and unders...that's a whole other story in itself!

Snakes and Ticks! The ticks are more of a pain in my neck and I am just not use to snakes up north where I live. So when I head down south to turkey hunt, I am still not use to "being careful" when they are out and about. Though I went down to Texas and Oklahoma this spring and was hoping for one so I could make a belt! I have ate them before and they are pretty tasty.

Congrats on a fine bird! I would love to hunt turkeys with you someday!

Had great results with both, shooting them through my Browning Gold Hunter. They pattern well and get the job done!

Re: question for lab owners.... Shawn, I own three labs and even though when picking out a pup you take into consideration the size of the parents and their background you can never be certain. I am assuming from the info on the parents your new pup will be big. Usually when I hit the 6 month range I will take them off the pup food and get use to feeding them once a day in the afternoon. You want to make sure the puppy gets all the nutrients and excersize it needs. Good luck with your pup!

Re: Hunting Season I have been busy as a bee. Went bear hunting in Minnesota and have been goose hunting 3-4 days a week here in South Dakota. Our waterfowl season opens this Saturday. Our archery season just opened for deer and I have my eyes on a few bucks. So much to hunt, not enough time! Good luck to all. Hope you all have a safe and successful season.

Re: my waterfowl project update.... Looks like it is coming along great, Todd. Good hunting!

Re: Graduation photo Congrats Ruth!

Re: Nebraska success (pics & story) Congrats Tracy! I enjoyed the story very much. You know the offer still stands if you want to experience some of South Dakota's hunting whether it be turkey hunting or waterfowl or even upland. You let me know! (You can bring covehnter too!)