The Outpost v6 by Gorilla Marketing

ISSUE VI

2012 DUCK HUNTING SPECIAL EDITION GETTING YOUR

DUCK HUNTING

DUCKS IN A

CHECKLIST

ROW

DUCK HUNTING IN ANY WEATHER

DUCK DECOYS DUCK CALLS DUCK DOGS

OH MY ACHING BACK!!! PLUS: RECIPES, KIM COSTNER, FROG GIGGING

S E I T R A P &

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

8 GETTING YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW

DUCK HUNTING CHECK LIST

WHO CARES IF WOMEN HUNT?

12 DUCK HUNTING IN ANY WEATHER

DECIDING DUCK DECOY DEPLOYMENT DILEMMAS

17 CALLING ALL DUCKS

LOST ART OF FROG GIIGGING

WANT A GREAT DUCK DOG

FROG LEG RECIPES

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

BOB DYLAN ALBUM REVIEW 36

OH MY ACHING BACK

CAMOUFLAGE

JAMEY JOHNSON MUSIC REVIEW

CAPTAIN TONY’S MIXOLOGY

GUIDES

THE BACK PAGE

Editor’s Letter: I started duck hunting later than most people. I think I was 38 years old. One day my buddy Tom called and said, “Go buy some Neoprene waders and a federal duck stamp then pack your gun and gear cause we’re leaving for Missouri tomorrow to go hunt!” Say what? “Duck hunting, dude. We’re going duck hunting and you’re coming with us!” I grew up in the Hill Country of Texas and had hunted dove, quail, turkey, deer, hogs and the occasional varmint, but the only bodies of water on or near our farm were stock tanks and they didn’t attract many ducks. So, I just never got into waterfowl hunting. Tom, and another buddy of ours, Rick, loved to hunt ducks and geese and they had a group of other friends that called themselves the “Duck Brothers.” They all had weird duck names. These names were based on something embarrassing that they had done on a hunt or something that they hated for everyone else to know about them. For example, Tom’s duck name was “Dead Dog Duck” because once he went crazy after hitting a duck in flight and in an effort to get the attention of the retriever he started screaming “Dead Dog, Dead Dog” instead of the customary Dead Duck! The other duck brothers would never let him live this down. Rick’s dad’s duck name is “Do Do Duck” and I’ll let your imagination ruminate as to how he earned this moniker. A few years later, I earned the duck name of “Gay Duck.” This had nothing to do with my sexual orientation but rather because of my middle name. It’s “Gaylon” and I’ve always hated it. Unfortunately, once when we were all together on a dove hunt, sitting on the front porch of my folks’ house, my mom casually said, “Well, Gay, did you boys have fun out there?” These homophobic heathens, who were my friends, immediately christened me Gay Duck and in their tiny minds, I will always be Gay Duck.

The trip to Missouri got off on a rather inauspicious start. When we stopped at some roadside diner to get a quick bite, we had to leave Tom’s lab, Buck locked in his new Ford Bronco. Apparently, Buck did not care for being left behind and he chewed through every seat belt in the new vehicle – all of them. When we finally got to our destination, the weather went from a balmy 65 degrees in Texas to a rainy 39 degrees in Missouri. It was a tad cool when we got up at 4:30 to hit the duck blind. I think I insulated my coat and new waders with the sheet from my motel bed. When someone finally, accidently hit a duck late in the morning, it was time to see if Tom’s training of Buck had been successful. He had been quietly seated near Dead Dog for hours, waiting for some duck to actually hit the water. As the duck splashed into the pond, everyone screamed “Go get him Buck!” The young lab, who had never even been in a duck blind or hunted any kind of game, took off. He hit the water like a champion. He swam out to the middle of the pond to the downed duck and just as he was set to grab him up, the still very much alive duck flapped a wing and a terrified Buck looked back at us and immediately started swimming as fast as he could back to the bank and the safety of the blind. After the laughter died down, Tom waded out into the water, encouraging Buck to watch him, and picked up the now dead duck and brought it back to the blind. Thus began my love affair with waterfowl hunting. There’s nothing like it! We hope you enjoy this Duck Hunting special edition of The Outpost. There’s no way we could cover everything about the sport, but hopefully we’ve included some nuggets of information that will make your next hunt even more productive and fun. We’ve also included a fun story about frog gigging, some great ways to prepare frog legs, a fishing tale about coming back from back injury and reviews of two amazing new CDs. Email us with your thoughts on The Outpost. Plus, if you have a duck name, please send it and tell us how you got it. We promise not to tell anyone.

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THE OUTPOST Gorilla Marketing, LLC • Marietta, GA 30062 • 770-675-7200 Jason Martin, Partner • Jim Zegers, King of the Jungle • Art Young, Editor in Chief Contributing Writers: Art Young, Kirk Driskell, Patrick Meitin, Tony Martin, Kim Costner, Talya Boerner Photo Credits: Sandy Earle - Jason Martin - Kim Costner - Kirk Driskell Rodney Coplin - Tony Eckler, flickr Commons, www.bobdylan.com

THE OUTPOST: SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING ISSUE

GETTING YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW

More than most other shooting sports, duck hunting demands a burning passion for the sport. Why? A successful waterfowler must master an encyclopedic amount of knowledge about the birds – their migratory patterns, how they respond to weather and decoy deployment, duck calls – and the natural elements that can be cruel, especially at 5 a.m. on a sub-freezing November morning. As former CBS newsman Walter Cronkite once said: “The perils of duck hunting are great – especially for the duck.” A duck hunter is up and on the way to the blind at 4 a.m.; sloshing through water in the coldest weather imaginable and his targets are some of the most cunning of all the game birds. And yet every duck hunter who has known the thrill of having one of these high-flyers respond to a call and land in the middle of a carefully-designed decoy spread knows that there is nothing like the challenge of this sport. The premiere conservation organization for waterfowl - Ducks Unlimited – estimates that more than 14 million people hunt these birds in the United States alone and these hunters are responsible for more than $50 billion in related economic activity. There’s something about a truly passionate duck hunter that makes him or her more aware of the environment than a lot of other outdoorsman. Maybe it’s because it takes a certain type of person to meet these challenges. And make no mistake; duck hunting is all about meeting the challenges – of the environment and the almost eerie ability of these birds to avoid shot gun pellets.

This special Duck Hunting edition of The Outpost will not come close to covering everything you need to know about this sport. This would be impossible. As the teenagers say, there’s just TMI – too much information. However, if you’re a wily veteran or new to waterfowl hunting, some of these tips and nuggets of information might help you have more fun on your hunt and that’s what it’s all about.

Getting Started – Does it Puddle or Does it Dive? For purposes of hunting, ducks are usually divided into two categories - puddlers or divers. Guides identify puddlers, which are also called dabbler ducks, by the way they feed. When eating, these ducks choose shallow water and then feed bottoms-up – tail to the sky, underwater looking for grains, seeds, snails and aquatic plants. Puddlers, on the other hand, tend to forage for food in shallow lakes, marshes, fields and stock tanks and they usually stay close to land. In fact, puddlers will sometimes feed on land, similar to geese. Puddle ducks take off with a fierce amount of wing flapping, almost like a helicopter, unlike divers who tend to take off like a small seaplane which has to build up speed before becoming airborne. Puddle duck species have iridescent, prismatic wind windows or speculum and some philosophical duck hunters, with too much time in the blind, have speculated that this speculum serves as a beacon to keep the ducks together in flight. In terms of flight pattern, puddlers will often circle water source several times and if they notice anything suspicious (such as the shiny face and teeth of an over-eager duck hunter) they turn tail and fly off into the wild blue yonder. Puddle ducks have roosting areas where they snooze during the night and midday and a feeding area where they grab a bite. They typically leave the roost pre-dawn feed and return to the roost at midday. They venture out to feed again in late afternoon and return to the roost for a little duck chat with the missus when it gets dark. Diver ducks prefer to open water – large lakes, coastal bays and sea coasts. As their names suggests, they dive, sometimes to great depths, to feed. These ducks enjoy a scintillating repast of crustaceans, fish, aquatic vegetation and other marine foods. The diver’s flight patterns are much different than the puddlers. When they see a body of water that strikes their fancy, they tend to come in low and fast. If they notice something weird, such as a group of poorly positioned dekes or the glare off of a duck hunter’s receding hairline, they will flare off to one side. Unlike the take-off of the puddlers, divers will accelerate across the water for several yards, webbed feet slapping to build speed.

Ducks that are Puddlers and Divers There is a wide variety of ducks that fall into the puddler duck category. These include: wigeon, northern pintail, gadwall, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, cinnamon teal, northern shoveler, black duck, mottled duck (aka Florida duck) and mallard. As for diver ducks, there are plenty of them to choose from as well. They are: lesser scaup (bluebill), ring-necked duck, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, common and red-breasted mergansers and bufflehead. Even though they are not technically diver ducks, hunting guides usually put the stiff tailed ruddy ducks in this category because they feed on aquatic life and are great underwater swimmers. Before heading to the blind, it is a good idea to review images of all of these species in order to use the right hunting strategy. The Ducks Unlimited website (www.ducks.org) is packed with great photography of all of these birds.

Where to Hunt These Ducks Because specific types of ducks are attracted to certain terrain, water sources and feeding areas that are based on native vegetation, it’s important to check with local fish and game references in the area being hunted. Google is also a great resource to determine what types of ducks are likely to be flying into your decoy spread. There are some generalizations that can be made. Heavily forested areas, with lakes, rivers and ponds such as the “Piney Woods” of East Texas is a duck hunter’s paradise. Lakes, ponds, rivers, flooded timber all provide terrific duck hunting. Hunters can stand by trees, use boat blinds and permanent blinds to harvest mallards, gadwalls, wigeons, green-winged teal and wood ducks. Coastal areas where there are bays, marshes swamps, lagoons and inland rice field attract an amazing variety of ducks. Hunters will find puddlers such as pintails and mallard over the rice fields and divers such as lesser scaup, redheads and canvasbacks on the coastal waters.

The so-called Central Flyover where there is timber, farmland and prairies has a wealth of duck species. After the ducks have made the trip on the Central Flyover, hunters find blue winged teal and mallards on the lakes, stock ponds and flooded timber areas. In the Midwestern United States there is a heavy grain concentration and it is irresistible to mallards, pintails, gadwalls and wigeons. There are not too many people in this area, so there’s not much hunter density to worry about.

Even in the desert areas, where there are sources for water, ducks can be found. The types of ducks found here include: gadwalls, mallards, pintails and wigeons. There is also the possibility of harvesting the rare cinnamon teal which is seldom found east of the Rockies.

The Best Guns and Ammo for Ducks As with fly fishermen and deer hunters, many duck hunters seem to love to buy guns and other gear. It’s interesting to note that most hardcore duck hunters and guides – the kind of people who get up early to go hunting every day before heading off to the white collar job in the city – favor the basic 12-guage pump-action shotgun with a modified barrel. Because they are exposed to the elements of cold and rain, shotguns used in duck hunting get the most grief of any firearm and durability is important.

The 12-guage has enough firepower to knock down an incoming or passing duck and the pump action can survive just about anything â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including being dropped into a muddy marsh. Some duck hunters favor a 12-guage over and under that shoots 3-inch Mags in the field because they offer shot size flexibility in different shooting situations and the gun is durable. A 2 Âž inch load is also good for ducks, especially if hunting over decoys where the shots tend to be closer and not as much fire-power is needed. Since all shot must now be steel, rather than lead, #4 and #2 in the heaviest load possible is the best choice for ducks. There continues to be controversy about whether there are more ducks crippled by steel shot than were poisoned by lead. A hunting guide who works in the Texas coast area noted that steel shot is a hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ally at short ranges, such as over decoys, because most hunters fail to adjust to the speed of ducks and fail to swing through their shots. If the shot is greater than 40 yards, the steel shot slows and the killing power is reduced, making the lead difficult to judge and accounting for poor shots which can lead to crippled birds. Guides disagree about what type of barrel to use for ducks using steel shot. Many argue that open chokes have better killing power when steel shot is used. However, if the shot attempt is more than 40 yards, as in pass shooting and not hunting over decoys, the hunter needs all of the steel shot possible to bring down the bird. In this case, modified choke or full choke barrels work best. If the range is less than 35 yards, which is typically the case with decoys, an improved choke is the best choice because the pattern will be tighter.

THE OUTPOST: SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING ISSUE

DUCK HUNTING IN ANY WEATHER

ontrary to popular opinion, foul weather is not a prerequisite for waterfowl hunting success. Veteran duck hunters and guides understand the significance of the lyrics, penned by songwriter Don Schlitz in his song “The Gambler” that opines: “Every hand’s a winner and every hand’s a loser… you just gotta know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.” In other words, a savvy hunter can win this poker game and take home ducks in any weather conditions, if he knows the right tactics to use. Here are some tips on playing the weather hand that’s dealt.

Fair Weather Hunting A beautiful, clear day makes for some very tough hunting. Why? The ducks can fly and dive wherever the urge takes them. Plus, the bright sunshine reveals outlines of hunter shadows and the reflection of the sun off of the hunter’s face is brighter than the neon signs in Times Square. Plus, on clear days, it’s much easier for ducks to see where a hunter might be hiding, thereby determining where the safe areas are located and where danger lurks. However, make no mistake, just because they can fly or land anywhere they want, these highly intelligent birds don’t do anything willy nilly. They always have a plan.

Experts such as those at Ducks Unlimited (DU) note that the flight lanes that they use, the fields and woods that they feed in and the water that they float on follow patterns that they have established over many generations. Since there is nothing random about the actions of these birds, the smart hunter can position himself to take advantage of these movement patterns by spending the time to closely observe them.

Bad weather also means that ducks will fly lower in an attempt to avoid the stronger wind in the higher altitude. If positioned correctly, a hunter can get a much easier passing shot on these lower flying birds. Since the weather can change quickly, having mobility in the form of a duck blind boat or wearing waders and moving where the ducks are gathering is a distinct advantage.

So, even on crystal, clear days, which offer the ducks excellent views of anything that might be amiss (e.g. a hunter with a twelve gauge shotgun in his hands) below, it is critical for the hunter to set out the decoys and concentrate on watching the flight, feeding and rafting patterns of the birds. Over time, and this might take hours or days, a hunter can ascertain the pattern and position himself for the best shots.

Every duck hunter has experienced the misery and exhilaration of hunting in freezing weather. In spite of the potential for frost bite and the utterly ridiculous image of a supposedly sane man or woman walking through water that has iced over, duck hunting in freezing weather can be wonderful due to the fact that when much of the water is frozen, the areas that are still open will have many more ducks than usual. Again, it’s just knowing when to hold ‘em, and so forth.

Stormy Weather

The good news about hunting ducks in freezing weather is that the birds have to eat more, taking in more calories, in order to compensate for the cold weather. So, instead of just morning feeding, they must feed at least twice per day. This leads to more opportunities for the hunter to get a closer shot as they put the flaps down to grab a quick snack.

If the weather forecast suggests that rain is imminent – cloud cover increasing, low pressure and increasing wind velocity – this is music to the duck hunter ears. This gloomy weather means there is no problem with ducks being able to see the shadows or movement of hunters and there is no sun glare off shotgun barrels and hunter faces. In spite of the weather, the ducks are still going to get hungry and they will continue to fly, forage and float. They will simply do this in slightly different areas when the storm is approaching. Hunting guides note that as the wind kicks up, ducks will tend to move to more protected areas such as lake coves, timber openings and river backwaters. The best tactic for hunters in this inclement weather is to move decoys and themselves to these more sheltered areas. If the weather forecast calls for storms, the savvy hunter will find these protected areas and set out dekes here before the sun and the storm rises.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

The trick to a successful hunt in freezing weather is finding the open (non-frozen) water. These areas are usually areas where levees or high banks shelter the water or areas on a creek or river where the running currents prevent the water from freezing. Areas in timber that receive a steady stream of water from a creek will also usually have open water.

Snow and Fog Hunters who know how to use a duck call can have great success when the hunting area is inundated with either snow or fog. The best tactic is to continually call, whether or not there are any ducks visible. In this type of weather, the ducks that are flying over seem to respond quicker to a friendly voice below and there is no adrenaline rush like the one of seeing a couple of mallards gliding into a decoy spread out of a thick fog or snowfall!

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THE OUTPOST: SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING ISSUE Snowfall can also cover food sources, so setting up near a corn field or stand of trees with plentiful acorns is a good tactic in this type of weather. Again, having some historical perspective of the feeding patterns of ducks will enable the hunter to set up in advantageous positions in the middle of a snowstorm.

Who Cares About the Weather? Success in the sport of waterfowl hunting involves good shooting skills, compelling calling techniques and a commitment to scouting the area for flying and feeding patterns in all seasons and weather conditions. Many duck hunting guides and savvy hunters understand that this observational skill is equally important to shooting and calling because it will enable the hunter to be in a position to take ducks, rain or shine.

Have You Got Everything? A Checklist for Your Duck Hunt

Since most hunters hit the road for the duck blind at some ungentlemanly hour of 4 a.m., it is a good idea to have everything packed and ready to go the night before. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a checklist that will help you remember everything you need.

A hunting license with federal and state duck stamps A 12-guage shotgun Waterproof, camouflaged gun case Shells that are chosen by the duck type and season Shooting glasses Duck calls Decoys (pre-rigged in mesh bag) Dark canvass bag with carry strap Thermos of coffee Six pack of bottled water Insect repellant (especially in early season) Sunscreen Camo hat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both warm and cold variety Three-quarter, water-repellant hooded coat in brown or camo Chamois tan-colored or camo shirts Insulated vest Khaki slacks (plus, spare set) Chest-high waders or hip boots Nylon boots-type waders and shoes Silk inner-socks Wool/poly blend socks Game shears Multi-purpose pocket knife Self-sealing storage bags Cooler for game Water repellant lubricating aerosol spray Shotgun cleaning kit with extra rags Flashlight Game carry strap with multiple loops Shooting gloves Waterproof pickup gloves Dog food and equipment Machete Hammer & 10-penny nails Dark nylon fishing line Mobile phone with GPS and Weather apps

QUACK QUACK CALLING ALL DUCKS If you’ve ever been in a foreign country then you know that the waiters at the restaurants take better care of you if you speak the language…or at least try to throw in some words that they might understand. In the case of the latter scenario, they will typically have pity on you because you’re making an attempt and showing some respect for them. In a way, this works for ducks too. However, they are not as forgiving if your ability to speak their lingo is not up to their exacting standards! Ducks are extremely perceptive critters. Even at hundreds of yards away, a duck’s vision and hearing can pick up unnatural clues that scream “danger below” and they use this knowledge to fly even higher and faster. However, a skilled hunter can overcome this wildlife advantage with careful camouflage, natural decoy patterns and compelling duck calls. As with any wildlife lure, calling ducks within range requires an ability to re-create the natural sounds of the various species and the timing of a successful stand-up comic.

What Type of Call Works Best? Duck calls can be made of either wood or acrylic and as with most big questions in life most hunters eventually find that they like one or the other and no amount of scientific facts can alter this opinion. Moisture affects the tone of wooden calls more than those that are acrylic, but hunters who favor wooden calls just think of this as an added charm and it’s not a problem. Another question that duck hunters must consider in a duck call concerns the number of reeds a call should have. Every duck call has either a single or double reed which allows the variations of the quacking sound. Is it more advisable to have a single reed or double reed in order to bring in the ducks? Again, as laconic hunting guides are fond of saying: “That depends.” A double reed call has two reeds and produces a desirable (at least in the ears of a duck) raspy sound by just blowing air into a call. That’s the upside. The downside is that a double reed is limited in range of sound to this one raspy sound. As several online waterfowling sites have noted, a call does not have to be a double reed to be raspy. It just has to be blown correctly. Several websites that sell duck calls have noted that the amount of air needed to blow a call is not necessarily determined by the call. It is determined by the reed and its length. The longer the reed is, the deeper the sound and the harder it is to blow. The shorter the reed-the higher pitch the sound and the easier to blow.

A single reed requires a little more voice to be put into the call to produce a ducky sound, but once this is accomplished, a single reed requires a lot less air to operate and is far more versatile in sound. This versatility accounts for more effectiveness in calling ducks.

How to Blow a Duck Call In spite of what’s seen on every outdoor television show, where a grizzled guide grabs his call, and effortlessly starts playing duck music, it takes a lot more skill and hours of practice for a hunter to master the correct tone and language of a duck call. For anyone just beginning to enjoy the fun of duck hunting, it is important to establish good habits, especially as they relate to calling ducks. Expert hunters who have been chosen by the wildlife conservation group “Ducks Unlimited” (DU) to offer hunters tips on increasing effectiveness have suggested many techniques for better duck calling. In order to get started, it is important for the hunter to get a grip. These DU experts suggest that hunters should “hold the call like you were in the Army saluting a superior. The end piece should be between your thumb and forefinger. Now slightly cup your hand to form the shape of the letter “C”. Remember not to cup your hand so much that you begin to muffle the sound.” In terms of the best technique for putting the call to a hunter’s mouth, it is suggested that “while holding the call, place the barrel to your mouth like you were drinking from a soda bottle. Make sure that your lips have a good seal around your lips, and without so much pressure that your lips are uncomfortable.” To get the most natural, ducky sound, the hunter should practice delivering the air from his diaphragm in order to get the proper, low tone.

Different Words for Different Situations The calling strategy or “language” of the call will vary depending on the location, species, wind direction and even temperament of an approaching flock of ducks. Since the objective is to get them to slow down and eventually drop into the decoy spread, it is important to use the right call for the given situation. Champion duck caller and maker of the “Drake Brake Duck Calls,” Greg Brinkley noted in a DU online article that there are eight distinct calls that every hunter should master in order to be successful in any situation. The basic quack is the most simple but often misused call. Brinkley stresses that instead of merely using the Qua, Qua, Qua, the hunter should distinctly enunciate the QuaCK. The second most important call is the greeting call. He notes that this call is employed when ducks are first seen in the distance. The sound is a series of 5 to 7 notes in descending order at a steady rhythm. These are made by saying Kanc, Kanc, Kanc, Kanc.

Brinkley notes that the basic feeding call results from saying tikkitukkatikka into the call raising and lowering the volume slightly. A call this is most likely to be misused in the hail or “highball” call. Experts advise that this call, which involves starting with a long, strong, Aaaaaaink... Aaaaaink… aaaaink… aaainkaink and tapering off as it progresses, should only be used when the ducks are at least 100 yards out. If it is used when they are closein, they will be spooked and head off for the wild blue yonder. The duck call maker notes that “The comeback call is used when ducks don’t respond to your greeting or you want an immediate response, such as in timber. It’s more urgent sounding and faster, like Kanckanc, Kanc, Kanc, Kanc.” Another effective call is the lonesome hen which is low and throaty. This call is made by drawn-out Quaaaaink quacks sounds through the call. Getting a duck to commit to a decoy spread is very much like a sales call and as any salesman knows sometimes closing the deal requires a little begging. The DU article notes, “The pleading or begging hail call is used to get the attention of ducks flying 75 to 200 yards above you. This call is a series of 5 to 6 quacks that are really dragged out to sound like you are begging the ducks to land. A pleading call is a Kaaanc, Kanc, Kanc, Kanc sound, and its first note is usually held a little longer.” DU’s final suggestion involves whistling. Whistles are especially effective when hunting mallard, pintail and wigeon ducks. It is, however, important to be able to identify these species before using this call tactic because each respond to different whistles.

The Call of the Wild Calling in a group of ducks to a decoy spread is indeed an art. Whether it is with single or double reed, wood or acrylic calls, the challenge comes from successfully mimicking the incredibly complicated natural voices of these very intelligent creatures. With many hours of practice a hunter can learn to entice birds into shooting range. However, even if the bag limit is not reached, the sheer joy of watching and, on some level, communicating with the beautiful birds is worth the effort.

THE OUTPOST: SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING ISSUE

WANT A GREAT DUCK DOG? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are some tips from a professional trainer Kirk Driskell After a long summer indoors enjoying the cool air, snacking with my kids and laying on the couch it is time for Tork to go back to work. Tork is a fully trained Labrador retriever with thousands of retrieves in the past six years. He has competed competitively in licensed Field Trials, Hunting Retriever Club (HRC) and American Kennel Club (AKC) Hunt Tests, achieving a Qualified All Age (QAA) Win, his Hunting Retriever Champion (HRCH) title as well as his Master Hunter (MH) title.

Tork loves to retrieve and lives to chase down what ever falls from the sky. However, I need to make sure that Tork is ready to hunt come opening day. The next couple of months will fly by and I need to make sure that he is prepared. Often, I am asked how do I prepare our retrievers for duck season. Your dog will remember the boat, lay out blind, wearing the vest, the dog box, and loading up in the truck, but will he be ready for the hunt? Pre-Season Tune Up We have all been hunting with that guy who had a â&#x20AC;&#x153;trained retriever.â&#x20AC;? You know the one who never quits whining the entire hunt, broke every time he heard a duck call and blew off everything that he was asked to do. Some think that is fine, but I can guarantee you those are the folks who I only hunt with once. So what are the most important things you need to do with your retriever to get ready for duck season and to ensure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invited back? I believe there are three essential things to do if you want your retriever to be a true conservation tool. 1) Conditioning- The summer months of being inside the cool air, soft beds, extra food and lack of exercise are sure to create some laziness in our dogs. If you want your dog to be in the condition to hunt you have to get them running. One of the biggest issues with lack of exercise and the comforts of summer life are soft footpads. If you have the opportunity when running your dog try avoiding hard surfaces. Heat is a serious threat and you need to be very cautious to make sure your dog does not overheat. Another great way to get your dog into shape is plenty of swimming. I like to get 3-4 swims in per week during the summer months when it is really hot. 2) Refresher on Obedience - Create realistic hunting situations that allow you to simulate what happens on the hunt. This will give you the chance to focus on obedience and make sure that the standards you expect can be enforced. This training style will give you the opportunity to focus on the dog, which is hard to achieve during the hunt. You can create a scenario that tempts your dog or one where he routinely makes the wrong choice. In this setting you have the opportunity to get a correction when the wrong choice is made. It does not matter how old or how well your dog is trained; there is always room for improvement when it comes to obedience. I know a lot of guys who get out in the yard, throw some tennis balls and bumpers for their dog daily. Then opening morning the shooting starts and the dog goes crazy. They are shocked saying he never broke in the yard, he never whined in the yard and he always sits on the whistle.

The issue is he has not been in a blind with another dog, ducks in the air circling the set up, two guys blowing on duck calls and shotguns blasting on both sides of them. You must train the dog in the environment that you need him to perform. Another great way to get some training is to sign up for an HRC hunt test. This is a beneficial way to get your dog ready for hunting season. The standards of the HRC test are what any hunter would like their dog to demonstrate in the field. The HRC has three levels of test; they are Started, Seasoned and Finished. The HRC welcomes new comers to the sport and offers training classes and local clubs with specific training days. 3) Marking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; You need to throw marks for your retriever. If you do not have a thrower/bumper boy, get a hunting buddy and a bucket of bumpers. It is important that you get your dog next to you and focused on the marks being thrown. You want your retriever to mark the bird, find it quickly and return in the most direct path with the bird delivered to your hand. When you are throwing your marks make sure that you are training in all different types of terrain. You need to make sure that your dog will have the confidence no matter where the birds fall. If you have only thrown tennis balls in the front yard and a bird falls in thick cover, will your dog have the confidence to drive through the brush to find the bird? I like to get one of my hunting buddies and start him off at approximately 25 yards in front of me with a bucket of bumpers. If he brings along a dog as well, this is perfect as we alternate, creating an opportunity to work on steadiness. He blows a duck call getting the dogs attention, throws the bumper and at the arch I fire a popper cap. I release the dog by name, then upon return, we repeat after my buddy moves back 25 yards. If he has a dog I then throw for him. We repeat this process out to about 125-175 yards depending on the dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability. I repeat this multiple times a week in different areas and terrain. This is a great way to maximize time and achieve a variety of marks to help build confidence in your retriever.

Lets go Hunt There is nothing better than a well-trained retriever doing what it was bred to do. In all that you do, try to build confidence in your retriever so when he is called upon to do his job he will be enthusiastic. The best part of the hunt for me is to see a happy well-trained retriever returning with the bird. The smell of a dirty wet retriever and gunpowder is a great way to start any day or hunt. For more information and videos on retriever training visit www.gundogbroker.com. Gun Dog Broker believes that the best decisions are made based upon credible and relevant data. Buying or selling a hunting dog can be a difficult and frustrating process. Whether you are looking for your first hunting dog, the next field champion or a resource of information about hunting dogs, Gun Dog Broker was created for you. Buying or selling a quality hunting dog has never been easier.

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www.floridabowfishing.com

Deciding Duck Decoy Next to being pulled over by a game warden, the most intimidating experience for a duck hunter is formulating a strategy for deploying decoys. Literally hundreds of books have been written about this subject, thousands of articles have been posted and printed and there is little doubt that your know-it-all brother-inlaw has some cockamamie theory about the proper decoy spread for luring in thousands of the smartest ducks in North America into his pond. Getting any duck within gunshot range is an art because they have superior sight and an almost freaky ability to see when “something ain’t right down there.” No amount of shooting lessons, duck calling seminars or lucky camo hats will help a hunter get his daily bag limit without an effective decoy spread. Old timers and duck hunting guides realize that, in order to get ducks to give your pond or part of the lake a second look, you must figure out what attracts them. You then must match that attraction element with a decoy spread that makes the ducks feel comfortable and eager for a little company. Successful hunters deploy their decoys after careful consideration and they are prepared to change the spread (several times if necessary) if that day’s birds don’t seem to be responding to the original layout.

Deployment Dilemmas The best way to spend the entire day with no ducks landing near your blind is to rig up a bunch of decoys and toss them out randomly on the water. This doesn’t have to happen. Here’s how to improve your decoy placement. USE SEVERAL SPECIES IN THE SPREAD Duck hunting guides suggest that a decoy spread with several species of ducks has a good effect on the ducks overhead. Some successful hunters put out as many as five to six dozen dekes with a smattering of mallards and black or dark-colored decoys. These darker models stand out better from the air making the spread easier to see. There is also some thought that various sized decoys stand out better. This means that standard sized, magnums and super-magnums can be used to draw attention to the spread. Even different brands of decoys can be mixed and matched in the spread to draw more attention. Brands such as “Greenheads,” “Carry-Lites,” or “Flambeaus” all have a distinct look and their addition to the spread make it more diverse and interesting.

Hunting guides note that species will tend to segregate themselves. This is especially true with regard to mallards and other ducks. Teal will typically land and swim in the shallow side of the pond, next to weeds. They will stay away from the mallards that are usually in deeper, more to the center water. Pintails seem to prefer to be on the outside of a concentration of mallards, closer to the deeper water. An effective decoy spread should take this natural segregation into consideration. Decoy strategy also changes in the late-season. Most guides suggest slimming down the decoy spread if they are hunting in the latter part of the season. They also recommend calling less during this period. Typical layout could involve 9 decoys, probably mallards, set up with two drakes and a hen. This mimics nature because the ducks arrange themselves this way when they are competing for a mate. AN EASY DECOY SCENARIO The most common duck hunting scenario is having a blind on the bank of a pond or lake. In this case, the easiest and most effective decoy layout is to have the dekes in a fish-hook shape with the shank of the hook pointing downwind and each decoy set two or three feet apart. The ducks should land inside the barb of the large hook. The blind should be a near to this open spot as possible and the wind should never be in the hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face. Hunting guides suggest that the best place for hunters to be placed in this configuration is where they can shoot crosswind into the landing area. The barb of the hook of decoys should not be more than 45 yards from the blind and this should be the maximum distance for any shot to be taken. The choice of decoys depends on the types of ducks that are likely to come visit your water hole. If mallards, green teal and pintails are likely to be foraging in the area, the best suggestion is to use a combination of these species. When mixing mallards and pintails, the pintails should be the farthest out because the white of the pintail breast can be seen at a greater distance. Most guides recommend that hunters not mix puddlers and divers in the same spread. Another cool tip is to buy a heron or goose deke and set it off to the side of the water. Incoming ducks know that these birds wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay in a dangerous area and these large birds are easier for high-flying ducks to see. If the hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blind is on the water, the best strategy is to surround the boat with decoys. It is a good idea to use the same theme of creating a landing area near the blind. The number of decoys should be adjusted according to the type of ducks that are foraging in the area. In the case of small ponds, no more than a dozen dekes are needed. However, in larger lakes or coastal areas, as many as four or five dozen decoys are needed.

KEEP THE WATER RIPPLING Just about everyone agrees that some form of motion and water disturbance has a positive effect on getting the attention of high-flying ducks. Some other tactics include the “ripple makers” products such as “Quiver Magnets” and swimming decoys. The tried and true method for life-like motion is the old-fashion jerk string. Guides suggest rigging two or three lines with up to three decoys each and periodically yanking the lines to get the motion. Unfortunately, this “yanking” get tedious in a hurry and if you’re lucky enough to have a youngster who wants to go duck hunting with Dad or Granddad, this is a great job for him. Over the course of a typical day of duck hunting, lots of things can happen to affect the flight patterns of ducks. Weather can turn colder, a deluge of rain can hit or the wind can shift and pick up dramatically. Or, for whatever, nonsensical, weird reason, the ducks that are working over your blind might not like the look of the spread that you carefully laid out before sunrise. It happens. The best way to deal with this is to always be ready to try some other look. About a half hour after sunrise and shooting time begins and daylight is brighter, it is not uncommon for seasoned hunters to make fundamental changes in the decoy spread. This could involve moving mechanized decoys to some other spot, adding or subtracting some decoys from the spread or changing the rhythm of the jerking. Ducks are one of nature’s smartest animals. The ancestors of ducks that are flying today evolved over the centuries and learned all about dangerous situations. Now that knowledge is hard-wired into the brains of modern-day ducks. Even with all of the high tech weapons, calls and decoys, the most skilled hunters will be lucky to get his daily bag limit and that’s just the way nature planned it. YOU NEVER KNOW ENOUGH Duck hunting is a life-long learning experience. Understanding the dozens of species and their unique habits, choosing the best shotgun and ammo and getting the decoy spread just right are just three of challenges for a successful hunt. However, the point of duck hunting is not just bringing back ducks. It’s getting out in the elements, sometimes with friends and sometime alone, and coming back with great stories. That’s a successful hunt.

LOST ART OF... F R O G

G I G G I N G

Frog legs?

Talya Boerner

Yes, please. Had any good frog legs lately? Deep fried with white cream gravy? When I was in high school, the Wilson Tavern in Wilson, Arkansas had the best all-you-can-eat frog leg buffet on Friday nights. They were slap yo' momma good. Frog legs are a true southern delicacy, and my boyfriend could make an impressive dent in that buffet. Sadly, the Tavern closed, but maybe someone in Wilson still has that recipe? During the hot steamy Arkansas summers, hours after sunset, my boyfriend taught me to frog gig. We spent many a hot date trolling ditch banks in a johnboat looking for frogs. Romantic, no? He wore a flashlight strapped around his head like a coal miner, as it takes two hands to properly gig a frog. The victims were tossed into a burlap sack in the belly of the boat where they jumped and twitched sporadically. With my feet holding down the bag-o-frogs, I inspected the low, overhanging tree branches for water moccasins. Mississippi County ditches were tangled with brush and twisty vines, the perfect hiding place for snakes. Frog gigging was not a sport for the faint hearted. Recently at my neighborhood Dallas grocery store, I asked one of the workers to point me in the direction of the frog legs. She responded with a blank stare on her young tree-hugger face, as if I hailed from a far away galaxy. After a pause she replied, "We have organic fruit from Frog Hollow Farm." I returned her stare, noting her bright pink hair underneath the bandana she wore loosely on her head, certain she wasn't yet born when Yoda trained Luke Skywalker in that mucky frog pond. Then she added, "And we sell organic wine from Frog Pond Winery." Oh Never You Mind Hippie Girl. Wilson Tavern, Wilson, Arkansas Photographer: Jack Pavoa Publication Date: 1939 Courtesy: Arkansas History Commission

Apparently this particular grocery store was a big annual supporter of Save the Frogs Day. She promptly informed me of this special observance. To make me feel guilty? I didn't have the heart or patience to explain to the young grocery clerk that the cute little bright green and yellow tree frogs disappearing from the rain forests in Belize, with zero leg meat, aren't the same ones we gigged in the swampy ditches of Keiser, Arkansas or ate at The Wilson Tavern. I kept this information to myself, paid for a bag of organic asparagus and politely left, wondering whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become of this world? Soon I'll be back in Arkansas for a visit. While Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m there, I plan to feast on a huge platter of frog legs. They taste just like chicken. Only better.

T N a E C W O Y OKIN G G O ’ R F

Maybe you’ve heard this. “Oh frog legs. They taste a lot like chicken, don’t they?” Yeah, well they DO taste a little like chicken except the meat is a little more tender and delicate. They taste a lot like…frog legs. Here are three great reasons to get out there and start gigging. Or, if you’re a little short on time and don’t have a creek nearby, you can always wuss out and go to the grocery store. Either way, let’s get hoppin’. Granny Smith Frogs Legs Want to impress someone with your culinary chops? This is the recipe to do it. It has the delicate tasting meat of frog legs, enhanced by a very interesting, sharp sauce combined with a Granny Smith apple. It might sound complicated, but it’s not. It is, however, delicious!

Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 20 min

Directions

Ingredients

Lightly flour the legs. Place some clarified butter in a

Separate frog legs and dry thoroughly with a cloth. cast iron skillet (if available) or frying pan will also work.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

4 pairs of frogs legs All-purpose flour Clarified butter Salt, black pepper 2 garlic cloves, finely smashed 2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried* 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried* 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried* 1/4 cup Calvados, heated 1/4 cup dry white wine, plus 2 tablespoons Large Granny Smith apple 2 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons capers

Turn on the heat and add the floured and seasoned frog’s legs. Fry gently. Smother the frogs’ legs with the smashed garlic and turn the legs after 2 minutes. Add the herbs in the pan and then pour over heated Calvados and set alight - give the pan a good shake and then add the dry white wine. Reduce the heat - cover and allow to gently cook for 4 minutes. Cut the apple in half - scoop out the center with a teaspoon leaving 1/4-inch of flesh around the outside. Heat broiler unit to medium. Place the apple under the broiler for 10 minutes. Season the frogs legs with salt and pepper, add the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and capers and then the 2 tablespoons of dry white wine. Stir gently to combine. Place the frogs legs on a heated serving dish - coat with a little of the sauce and serve the rest of the sauce in the broiled apple halves.

Cajun Fried Frog Legs

Directions

Some of the best frog legs in the world are found in the Acadian areas of Louisiana. This is one of the most simple and best recipes for frog legs, Louisiana style. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Rinse frog legs well and pat dry. Sprinkle Season-All

Makes: 8 servings Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Ready In: 50 minutes . Ingredients • 16 frog legs skinned and clean • 1 cup canola or peanut oil • 1/2 cup flour • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal • 3 eggs, beaten • 1/2 cup milk • 1 tsp paprika • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper • 1/4 tsp black pepper • season all to taste; flour for dusting

on the frog legs to taste. In a separate glass bowl mix the egg and milk.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, black and white pepper.

Take the seasoned frog legs and lightly coat with plain flour; helps the egg stick to the leg. Coat with egg mixture then dredge in the seasoned flour mixture until the leg is fully coated. Fry until golden brown in the oil that has been heated in a skillet. Drain on paper towel and serve with onion hush puppies.

Cuisses de Grenouille à la Provençale (Sauteed Frog Legs) Even if you don’t speak French, this recipe will have you muttering “ooh la la” to yourself. Makes: 4 servings Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Ingredients: • 12 pairs of frogs' legs (about 12 oz.), fresh or frozen and thawed • 1 1⁄2 cups milk • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper • 1 cup flour • 16 tbsp. clarified butter • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice • 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley Instructions: 1. Snip apart each pair of frogs' legs. Combine frogs' legs and milk in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer legs to paper towels, pat dry, and season generously with salt and pepper. Put flour on a plate and, working in batches, coat legs with flour, shaking off excess, and transfer to another plate. 2. Heat 6 tbsp. butter in a 12" skillet over high heat until sizzling. Add half of the frogs' legs and cook, flipping once, until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Transfer legs to a plate and set aside; wipe out skillet; repeat with 6 more tbsp. butter and remaining legs. Discard butter in skillet; then add remaining butter and the garlic and cook, swirling constantly, until mixture is fragrant and garlic is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat, add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. To serve, place frogs' legs in the center of a serving plate, drizzle sauce around edge of plate, and garnish with parsley. Serve with sautéed potatoes and tomatoes, if you like.

Who Cares If Women Hunt? Kim Costner

You Should. The one question that I’m constantly asked is: why write about hunting from a woman’s perspective? It’s a fair question the answer of which requires some background. First of all, here are some fun facts about women and hunting throughout history. Spartan women (probably the most bad-ass women of all time) hunted with men and were taught to be proficient archers. This was a time in history when women in Greece weren’t allowed out of the house because they were believed to turn into men if they spent too much time in the sun. Around the same time period, there are references to mythical women who are called the Amazons. The Amazon women did not live the Amazon jungle for two reasons. One, they were mythological and therefore did not exist and secondly the stories had them living on the outskirts of Rome, Greece, and other civilized worlds. They were an oppressive group of women who ruled men by making them their slaves. The Amazon women were said to be so dedicated to archery, hunting, and being as proficient as possible with a bow that they actually cut off their right breast because it got in the way. Personally, I think they both get in the way—but the point is that the Amazon women were so dedicated to their hunting/ archery skills that they only had one breast. That’s actually how they got their name—“a” (meaning without) and “mazon” (meaning breast). The Greek & Roman goddess Artemus was actually the goddess of nature, which ultimately meant hunting, conservation, and keeping the animal population manageable. Even Native American women

oftentimes hunted as well, and being proficient with a bow was yet another admirable and important trait to have. So, to return to the original question of this article: what does hunting do for women? For me, hunting has become integral to my life. It has shaped me as a woman. It has made me more confident, more curious about natural phenomena and allowed my naturally competitive nature to come out. Ladies, we’d like to hear from you. How has hunting affected your character? Men, do you notice differences in your wife, girlfriend, sister, or friend since she started hunting? Have you ever noticed how a woman who hunts is different when hunting with other women? A woman who knows how to shoot that gun or sling those arrows is the confident, secure woman that most guys like to be around. Plus, there is an added advantage of family security when a woman is proficient with a weapon. This is what the sport of hunting does for the women. When a woman teaches her children about outdoor sports, she teaches them something important about herself. It teaches little boys that their mother can be the source of great strength and knowledge. For little girls it teaches them to follow their passion. No gender role. My daughter and son know their mom packs strength, knowledge, and determination to harvest wild game.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

OH MY ACHING BACK! How Pro Bass Fisherman Ryan Lovelace Overcame Injury to Fish Again Injury is the bane of every athlete. This is especially true for those whose extraordinary athletic skills allow them to make their livelihood from their sport. Professional football, basketball, baseball and hockey players realize that they are one bruising play away from a season, or perhaps career, ending injury. However, what about those professional athletes whose skills and expertise are brought to bear during at high pressure bass tournaments? 36-year old pro bass fisherman, Ryan Lovelace, has first-hand experience in dealing with a potential career ending injury to his lower back and this fishing tale about his recovery is no exaggeration. He was Born to Fish and Then He Couldn’t Ryan Lovelace started fishing on Lake Texoma, located on the Texas and Oklahoma border, when he was 4 years old. Since the lake is near his hometown of Dennison, Texas, his grandfather would take him fishing almost daily and tried to teach him about the feeding patterns, habitat and other nuances of catching the most pursued of all game fish – bass. Apparently, these lessons took with Ryan because he developed an uncanny sensibility of finding and catching these aggressive, wily fish. He was good enough to enter pro bass tournaments and finish in the money. Then, a fall from a ladder changed his life. The fall, combined with the constant motion of the long-distance casts that are required to compete as a professional fisherman, made Lovelace’s life miserable. Plus, the constant pain made competing in weekend tournaments all but impossible. When asked how many casts were necessary to make in a typical weekend bass tournament, Lovelace estimated that he would cast between 3,000 and 3.500 times each day! Needless to say, most weekend anglers would require emergency medical attention if they attempted to cast a lure that many times in a day.

Ryan Lovelace video

He added, “Most people think that during a tournament a pro fisherman sits on the comfortable perch in the front of a nice boat and takes his time casting and retrieving. In fact, you have to stand for the entire time – about 8 hours – and you must be constantly casting, usually 30 to 40 yards, for fish. There are no breaks and constant pressure.” In order to win or place in the money of these professional bass fishing tournaments, the angler must catch as many bass as possible with the idea being that the final fish weight of his top 5 fish are compared to the other participants. Dr. Guyer Gets the Angler Back in the Boat With this injury that was exacerbated by the constant stress of standing for 8 hours and casting 3,000+ times a day, Ryan became unable to compete and was, in fact, in constant pain. Based on recommendations from other athletes and his personal physician, he sought help from the spine and back specialists at Plano, Texas-based Texas Back Institute. This proved to be a career-saving decision. Dr. Richard Guyer, a well-respected spinal surgeon and one of the founding partners of this internationally known back and spine clinic, is of the opinion that every kind of therapy should be tried before surgery is contemplated. Therefore, physical therapy, medicines, everything possible was tried. Unfortunately, Ryan’s back didn’t get any better. In explaining the medical challenge, Guyer notes, “Ryan Lovelace was a patient who was suffering from a pinched nerve, originally caused by a fall, who failed to respond to non-operative treatment. This treatment included physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicines and injections. Because of his active lifestyle, he was very motivated and elected to undergo a microdiscectomy which I performed. He responded to the surgery extremely well, leaving the hospital in less than 24 hours and resuming his normal activities within weeks.” While this explanation of the polysyllabic medical procedure – microdiscectomy – sounds simple when it’s coming out of the mouth of an expert like Dr. Guyer, it’s much more ominous if you’re Ryan Lovelace. The Mayo Clinic website defines this procedure as “an orthopedic spine operation that involves removal of a small portion of the bone over the nerve root and/or disc material from under the nerve root to relieve neural impingement and provide more room for the nerve to heal.” Since Texas Back Institute considers this procedure out-patient surgery, Lovelace was in the hospital less than one day and after a week in a back brace was well enough to begin physical therapy. Dr. Guyer expects him to recover fully and have a full range of motion. This means that he will be rejoining the professional bass tournament tour in 2013.

Tips from a Pro Obviously, Ryan could do nothing about his injury caused by falling from a ladder – except maybe staying away from ladders. However, he has learned more than he wanted to know about dealing with back pain from fishing. Does he have any suggestions on what anglers, many of whom are many years older than him, can do to avoid the repetitive stress of the constant casting for bass? No athlete would take the field or court without warming up first. Here are some suggestions from Lovelace for anglers who plan on casting for bass most of the day.

• • •

When you get on the boat, start off by warming up your rotator cuffs by stretching your arms as a baseball pitcher would. Next, do simple back and leg stretches by lying down on the deck of the boat with legs extended out and (one leg at a time) pull the leg up slowly and back down as if you were pedaling a bicycle. Actually, any kind of stretching before a day of fishing is helpful. No need to make it complicated, just loosen the muscles.

How about catching those big lunkers? What are the most important things for a weekend angler to do in order to have a better than average chance of snagging one of those giant largemouth or feisty smallmouth bass? Here are some suggestions from Ryan about catching more fish. • Let the birds show you where the bait fish are. Wherever the birds are feeding, that’s where the bass will be. • Another mistake weekend anglers sometimes make is being concerned about casting into brush and hard to get areas. No one wants to lose lures and line but unfortunately these areas with vegetation and underwater bushes are where bass like to hang out. Since they are predators, they hide in the areas and wait for unsuspecting fish to swim by. If you want to catch big fish, they are smart and will be in the nastiest places they can get. I say go ahead and cast it in there. You can’t catch ‘em if you don’t put your lure where they live! Ryan Lovelace, whose day job is as a high school biology teacher, is an easy-going, nice guy with a burning passion for fishing. He doesn’t waste much physical effort in his flawless casts and he doesn’t waste much time with small talk. He is, however, obviously overjoyed to be back in the hunt for the prize money given at those weekend tournaments. He’s also grateful for the skill and support from one of his new sponsors, the team that in many ways made his comeback possible – Texas Back Institute.

http://youtu.be/zUiyYqwcPZA

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CAMOUFLAGE

See that guy crouching in the tall grass, waiting for some low flying ducks or doves? Of course you can’t! He’s fully camouflaged. Unfortunately for him, the game birds saw him long before he could see them and they’re heading the other way!

Those who are frightened of real intimacy or happen to be pathological liars in relationships can try to hide behind the camouflage of deceit, but eventually the truth will be revealed. When this happens and after the tears are shed, there’s not much to do but shrug shoulders and move on.

Since the beginning of civilization, men and women have tried to exploit the benefit of blending-in to their surroundings. Camouflage can take many forms. It can be physical, where the stealthy hunter paints his face and chooses clothing that mimics his surroundings in order to fool his prey into thinking that all is well just up ahead. It can also be intellectual and even spiritual.

The fact is we all use camouflage every day in an effort to present a more positive side to our self-doubts. Psychological studies have shown that humans and many animals mimic the gestures, facial expressions, appearance and language of those with whom they are interacting and seeking to impress. Watch a skilled salesperson at work sometime and this phenomenon will be painfully evident.

In many ways, camouflage is the opposite of truth.

The reason for all of this duplicity is obvious. We all have something to hide.

Insightful writer, art historian and managing editor of Harper’s Magazine from the 1940s to the 1960s, Russell Lynes has the definitive quote on the subject of camouflage. “Camouflage is a game we all like to play, but our secrets are as surely revealed by what we want to seem to be as by what we want to conceal.” Hiding in the tall grass that surrounds personal relationships, business dealings, religious beliefs and almost every other aspect of the human condition offers the false confidence that comes from thinking that the element of surprise will win the day. Unfortunately, it seldom does. Hunters spend small fortunes in getting the latest camo clothing, hats, shoes, scent repellant and other concealment which are guaranteed to hide them from the unsuspecting game. However, in most cases, nature has supplied wild animals with senses of smell, hearing and sight that make the camo-attired nimrod stand out like a neon sign on the Vegas strip. Inept or dishonest business people who attempt to hide behind the chauffeur-driven cars, expensive gadgets and Brooks Brothers and Hermes camo attire must eventually come out from behind the tree and reveal their true selves. When this occurs, their “secrets are as surely revealed by what they want to seem to be” and it’s not pretty.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If love is a sin and beauty is a crime All things are beautiful in their time.â&#x20AC;? ~Scarlet Town 42

Bob Dylan’s Tempest: One of His Best of All Times Bob Dylan is an outlier. A black swan. A genius. As such, there has never been anyone like him and nor will there likely be anyone in the future who can turn a phrase the way he has done for the past 50 years. On his latest, and some say greatest, album his voice is grittier than ever, the conundrums are wrapped in enigmas and metaphors are still dark as night. Because of his stunning archive of work and longevity in a business that usually only offers a few short years of fame to even the most talented, Dylan’s millions of fans are notorious for overthinking every nuance of every phrase that he has ever written. For example, the title of his latest CD is “Tempest,” which also happens to be the title of Shakespeare’s last play. There is little argument that these are two of the greatest poets of the English language. So, does this mean that this is the final time we can expect Dylan to visit the recording studio? If his autobiography is to be believed, he has always been uncomfortable with being seen as the oracle that his fans have portrayed him to be. He does, however, love to tell stories and use phrases that are ripe with symbolism and beg countless questions from listeners who have followed his musical musings. In addition to being the title of the CD, “Tempest” serves that function for one of the songs in the collection that can only be described as epic. Over 14 minutes and spanning 45 verses, this Irish melody (which has been used by Dylan many, many times with great success) dominated by accordion and fiddle is really the paradigm for the rest of the album. This is probably why he chose to make it the CD’s title. The song is stark and in spots horrifying with references to “dead bodies already floating in the double-bottomed hull,” bravery and cowardice, murder and mayhem. Just another day on a metaphorical sinking ship that was never supposed to go down, but did. It’s vintage Dylan.

The other songs on the CD are just as interesting. For example, the opening cut “Duquesne Whistle” has been described as a jazzy, swinging song that Hoagy Carmichael could have just as easily penned fifty years ago. This song and the others in this collection use a traditional musical form and combine it with timeless themes such as love and death. In the hands of anyone but this genius, the tunes would come off as trite, dated and irrelevant. Instead, they evoke the kind of emotion that no other, living singer-songwriter could summon. Don’t buy this CD expecting a lot of uplifting ditties about the wonderful world we live in. Most of these songs are dark. For example, “Tin Angel” is another brilliant new song from the man who seems to have an inexhaustible creative source. It’s about a three-way murder-suicide. It’s an incredible song but not the kind of imagery most are used to seeing on their Facebook page. Another tune that will not get much play on the radio stations that feature the usual up tempo pabulum is “Roll On, John.” Of course, the “John” in question was a Dylan contemporary and friend – John Lennon – and like him an unwitting member of the cult of personality where we tend to place of our rock stars of the day. Dylan knows first-hand about the double-sided sword of fame and by listening to this tribute to Lennon one gets the impression that he knows he could have also easily taken a bullet while he was in his prime. The words to this song (“I heard the news today, oh boy”), some of which were written by Lennon; seem to hold a twinge of survivor’s guilt. This could be due to the fact that Bob Dylan is just about the last man or woman standing from the glory days of the 60’s. It’s another amazing cut on a CD full of them.

Anyone who writes for a living or has ever attempted to write song lyrics will be tickled by Dylan’s wordplay on this CD. As some reviewer rightly noted, “he is at the top of his game.” That fact that he’s 71 years old and has written some of the best-known songs in history, makes this fact even more astounding. Some cuts on the CD that live up to his double-entendre standards include: “Narrow Way” (a great rocker), “Scarlet Town,” and “Early Roman Kinds” which is a Conjunto rave-up with Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo on accordion. Tempest is truly one of the best albums of the year. It’s got sorrow, regret, mistakes (that prove to be costly), misunderstandings and that longing for love that fate forbids. At a time when others would be cashing those large ASCAP royalty checks that must drop in his mailbox each quarter,

Bob Dylan is on the road with Mark Knopfler playing these new tunes for people who have only heard “Like a Rolling Stone” on the oldies’ station. Is this the best Dylan CD of all time? You’ll have to be the judge of this. It is, however, the best Dylan CD for these times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbnb7LjwCjA

Jamey Johnson is Sure Hank Done ‘em This Way Living for the Song: Hank Cochran’s Best Some of the greatest stories in the Willie Nelson biography written by Joe Nick Patoski involve Hank Cochran. One of my favorites had Hank taking Willie to meet Patsy Cline to let hear Willie’s new song “Crazy.” Patsy was at the top of her profession and a big star who intimidated everyone in the music business, but Cochran had written one of her biggest hits – I Fall to Pieces – and she adored him. Nelson, who was broke, living in a run-down trailer that Cochran had also lived in and was just starting out in the business correctly surmised that Hank Cochran was the best song writer in Nashville and (not being a fool) asked HIM to pitch Cline on the cutting “Crazy.” After many hilarious fits and starts and in spite of Willie’s refused to come out of the car and into Cline’s home, Cochran went ahead and acted as Nelson’s song-plugger and pitched the song “Crazy” to her. Of course, the rest is history. This became one of the biggest hits Nelson ever wrote and was at the top of the charts for weeks for Patsy Cline. Cochran’s support and friendship was never forgotten by Willie Nelson and, over the years, hundreds of other singers and writers had Hank Cochran stories to tell. One of those is Jamey Johnson who is young enough to have been Cochran’s grandson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eW0o7-2Ffk

Hank Cochran passed away in 2010 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. In the last couple of years of his life, Johnson became very close to the prolific songwriter. So close that when Johnson would come in from the road his first stop before going home would be at the hospital room where Cochran was clinging to life. He became like a son to the songwriter. After his passing, several of Cochran’s old buddies, including “A” list producer Buddy Cannon, got the idea of recording an entire collection of Cochran’s seminal tunes and they knew exactly who they wanted to lead the charge on this project. Jamey Johnson’s new tribute album to Hank Cochran, “Living for the Song” is clearly a labor of love and it involves some of the best known singers in the business. It’s not surprising that these singers would want to perform on this album. Who wouldn’t want to sing songs like:

• • •

Make the World Go Away • Don’t Touch Me • Living For a Song •

I Fall to Pieces A-11 Don’t You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me

Jamey Johnson is in fine form singing duets and solo on these songs and he’s got some pretty good help. How about: • • • • • •

George Strait Merle Haggard Vince Gill Elvis Costello Alison Krauss Willie Nelson

• • • • •

Emmy Lou Harris Ray Price Bobby Bare Leon Russell Lee Ann Womack

One of the coolest cuts on the album is Johnson’s solo performance of the song made famous by the late Keith Whitley, “Would These Arms be in Your Way.” This is worth the price of the CD. Living for the Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran, is dead solid perfect from a song selection, artist performance and production standpoint. If you liked any of these songs over the years, you’re going to love this CD.

Captain Tony’s Mixology Over the years, I have been asked what is the manliest drink of all time. I suppose that is a matter of taste. However, over the next few issues of The Outpost, we will examine some of our picks. The River House in Savannah, Georgia has made this drink famous.

CHATHAM ARTILLERY PUNCH

To make 2.5 gallons 3 pints of Catawba wine

½ a pint of rye whiskey

Pint of rum

2 pints of sweat tea

Pint of gin

Pint of brown sugar

Pint of brandy

Pint of orange juice

½ pint of Benedictine

Pint of lemon juice

Pint of Marashino Cherries

Let sit for 2 days then mix in glass with champagne.

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An avid duck hunter was in the market for a new bird dog. His search ended when he found a dog that could actually walk on water to retrieve a duck. Shocked by his find, he was sure none of his friends would ever believe him. He decided to try to break the news to a friend of his, a pessimist by nature, and invited him to hunt with him and his new dog. As they waited by the shore, a flock of ducks flew by. They fired, and a duck fell. The dog responded and jumped into the water. The dog, however, did not sink but instead walked across the water to retrieve the bird, never getting more than his paws wet. The friend saw everything but did not say a single word.

Do you have a funny hunting or fishing picture? Do you have a joke that everyone should hear? Email them to: The-Outpost@comcast.net

On the drive home the hunter asked his friend, “Did you notice anything unusual about my new dog?” “I sure did,” responded his friend. “He can’t swim.”

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