Long before the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, a former market hunter named Jack Miner was the very first person in Canada–and likely anywhere in North America–to attach metal leg bands to migratory waterfowl. And the leg bands he attached to his “flying preachers” were very unique. Known as Wild Goose Jack, many famous American celebrities were among his closest associates. But who was Jack Miner really? Have you ever even heard of him? What did he mean especially to locals in the southernmost portion of Canada and to the conservation movement in general? What’s becoming of his legacy in this modern era? In candid conversations with local hunters, foundation board members and long-time staff, the Jack Miner legend is explored in-depth. Whether your lanyard carries a few highly collectible Miner bands or you’ve never before heard Jack Miner, here’s an episode that you’ll definitely want to hear and share with friends!
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“The sounds of wild geese set me free,” explains Ian Kilpatrick, who’s spent most of his life hunting very near his home in Manitoba. From a cozy basement room adorned with bear, deer, antlers, furs, feathers and other sentimental reminders of their lifestyle, he and son, Cole, describe memorable times, special people, by-gone retrievers. While hunting styles and technologies have changed since the father was the son’s age, their then-and-now stories explain that what it is really all about remains unchanged.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Where else in the world might one find 4-gauge and 8-gauge shotguns, hard-to-find Winchester Model 12s, one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia, famous prints and other hard-to-find treasures unavailable elsewhere on the internet?! And whether shopping for that hard-to-buy-for special someone that has everything–or for yourself–just in time for Christmas! David Schuessler, Ducks Unlimited’s Chief Event Fundraising Officer, takes Ramsey “Into the Vault” at DU Headquarters, describing unique collectibles among this year’s 600 items, when the auction will run (November 21-December 3 with purchases shipping within 3 days) and where items can be drooled over, err, viewed (see link below)!
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From ginormous Giants to mallard-sized cacklers, Canada Goose subspecies express tremendous size and color variability. Ever wondered why? Once lumped as 11 subspecies, they’re now classified as 7 Canada Goose subspecies and 4 Cackler Goose subspecies–but it was once proposed that there be 200 subspecies! Confused? Don’t be. Jim Leafloor is Head of Aquatic Unit for Environment and Climate Change Canada. A recognized authority, Leafloor’s spent a considerable portion of his extensive career researching Canada geese and throws a million candle-power spotlight on the otherwise murky subject of Canada goose subspecies. We do a deep dive and you’re bound to learn a thing or 3 about North America’s most iconic goose.
Paul Conchatre’s Birdtail Waterfowl in Manitoba isn’t just another guided waterfowl destination. It’s a whole ‘nuther level experience. And it’s all by design. Whether you’re talking the best goose decoys money can buy, customized a-frame blinds, hand-carved diver rigs or even they efficient layout of the resort-like facilities, it’s all about delivering superior experiences; it’s all in the details. And details are Conchatre’s specialty.
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Birdtail Waterfowl, Best Manitoba Canada Ducks and Goose Hunts
From a private goose camp somewhere in Canada, Scott Richard describes hunting ducks and geese in the Atlantic Flyway, going at it so hard that he might even have influenced changing Maryland’s blind draw system. But that was before 1995 when he discovered Canada. He now seasonally spends lots of time entertaining friends and family at his long-time goose camp away from home. How does the goose hunting compare to back home, what are some interesting camp traditions, how have habitat conditions–and even his own life–evolved since first hunting in Canada? Tune in to find hear how a one-week vacation turned into a goose camp somewhere in Canada!
Deep in the remote equatorial Amazon River basin, virginal black coffee-colored waters are seething with toothed, rod-bending fishes to include not only colorful peacock bass and piranha, but even “a fish with ribs like a pig.” Sounds like a paradise as described by my buddy Brent Mooreland of Acute Angling. An avid and well-travelled duck hunter himself, Brent tells about a world-famous associate he used to shotgun with before wading off chest-deep into Amazon peacock bass fishing adventures in one of earth’s truly last remaining wildernesses. Heck, he had me at “a fish with ribs like a pig,” but it’s been a long time since a place so captured my imagination and I absolutely cannot wait to visit!
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Holler at Brent Mooreland and tell him you heard him on Duck Season Somewhere podcast! Acute Angling Amazon Peacock Bass Fishing
Mat Schauer’s Northern Skies Outfitters in Saskatchewan, Canada exemplifies top-shelf hunting for ducks, Canada geese, snow geese and cranes. Taking time from his hectic fall schedule, he shares a few interesting things he’s learned along the way to include mallard field feeding behaviors, snow goose inebriation, important client considerations, community involvement and lots more.
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A seasoned veteran wildlife conservation officer from BC, Randy Nelson compiled game warden stories from all U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions for his book, The Wildest Hunt. The scale of poaching in modern-day North America is hard to comprehend. Describing why and how he wrote the book, Nelson shares some interesting stories involving polar bears, salmon, eels, raptors, cacti, whooping cranes, waterfowl and deer. I’ll bet some of these stories and facts are going to shock you, too!
Let’s talk snow geese past, present and future. As long-time wildlife research scientist for Environment Canada, Dr. Ray Alisauskus’s expertise is arctic geese. From a small cabin in prairie Canada, he describes snow goose-related activities keeping him busy during the fall, events leading to the now 24 years-old Light Goose Conservation Order, why the geese have been “winning” for the past couple decades, why mid-continent snow goose productivity is waning. What might it all mean? Importantly, what’s this year’s hatch look like for us white goose hunters?