2016 Preseason:

[Deltaman]

He is the perfect color for late winter marsh, and appears to have a lot of "want"!
Great pics

[Darren]

Rick, doesn't Peake get some snacks in the blind here and there? Do you recommend that? Harry's not been on a retrieve-reward system of any sort but I'm considering a few snacks for him to pack along in the blind bag; any suggestions?

[Rick]

I used to give him Milk Bones after tough retrieves, but then he started expecting (and getting) them after all retrieves and became a PIA about it, so we cut it out all together.

[Rick]

What turned out to be a really crappy day began on a neat note:



Double transmittered and banded for you trophy hunters:

[DComeaux]

I hope they flourish and fill the skies one day.

[Rick]

Me, too. That some are sorry enough to shoot them just because they can is a sad commentary on our own species.

[Ericdc]

Rick I just noticed the ears and monkey tail

[Rick]

Different one of our farms, but once again early morning whoopers were the highlight of a day that quickly went downhill from there:


And it's currently 84 degrees on the day before big duck season,

[Rick]

Thanks, I suspect we'll need it.

[Rick]

We're halfway through our 12 day between splits break, and things remain worrisome. Had been a serious influx of geese the past couple weeks, with the blues being a full month later that they normally show up in numbers. But both they and the specks that had previously remained cloistered in a precious few locations seemed to be everywhere one looked, and they, if not the ducks, where looking promising at last. Until this morning.

This morning every goose I saw between Lake Arthur and the area south of Gueydan was in a field like this:


And I couldn't help but think of them loading up on Spring greens for the flight north, especially given our 75 degree temperature and 20+ mph southerly tailwinds. Also couldn't help but notice most all were gone when I retraced my route home. Coincidence or reverse migration? Don't know, but will be crossing fingers and toes for the former. As for ducks, there are a few places with them and a lot of places without...

[Ericdc]

I've always noticed them on green fields when it's warm. Don't need the heat from carbs in grain.

[Rick]

That's the theory, but it's been t-shirt weather all week and hasn't kept them out of the rice until today.

[Ericdc]

It's like the migration is going to start all over when it gets cold.

[Rick]

If it gets cold...

[aunt betty]

Rick, doesn't Peake get some snacks in the blind here and there? Do you recommend that? Harry's not been on a retrieve-reward system of any sort but I'm considering a few snacks for him to pack along in the blind bag; any suggestions?

Sorry to bust in on this party but I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to feed a retriever anything until after the hunt. Have heard that you want them to have empty bellies so that they don't get a twisted gut which can be fatal.

I feed my dog at 4pm every day to avoid him having anything in his guts to twist up. Makes good sense to me.

you should not have to reward a retriever. The retrieve IS the reward.

[Rick]

I'm sweating outside just cooking a jambalaya definitely doesn't feel like middle December.

Ah, but I glassed five or six mallards sitting on your revised pond this morning...probably be in Stuttgart next Saturday.

(Dave's place is still holding some specks near the end of the flood canal, but the only ducks I've seen over it have been mottleds.)

[aunt betty]

Lived at a duck club for the entire season a couple years ago. The owner has a dog that he paid $10,000 for. I got these ideas from watching him. Learned to call, when to call, when to shut up and a lot of other things that I should have already known.

[Rick]

Rick, doesn't Peake get some snacks in the blind here and there? Do you recommend that? Harry's not been on a retrieve-reward system of any sort but I'm considering a few snacks for him to pack along in the blind bag; any suggestions?

Sorry to bust in on this party but I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to feed a retriever anything until after the hunt. Have heard that you want them to have empty bellies so that they don't get a twisted gut which can be fatal.

I feed my dog at 4pm every day to avoid him having anything in his guts to twist up. Makes good sense to me.

you should not have to reward a retriever. The retrieve IS the reward.

Once a day feedings are actually one of the things commonly associated with gastric torsion because the big load may stretch the stomach's connective tissue and increase the possibility of twisting. But I've never seen anything to indicate if the timing of that single feeding, in relation to exercise, has been taken into account. For years after reading Dr. Reynold's feeding suggestions, many of which are included in this somewhat more recent Lardy interview, http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/documents/NutritionPerformance.pdf, I fed evenings only with apparently good results and no torsion issues.

Now, I'm back to the 1/3 morning, 2/3 evening schedule I'd previously followed (since the '70s) with my virtually daily hunted pointing dogs and first retriever, also with apparently good results and no torsion issues. The only difference I've seen is that my guys get to enjoy meals twice a day, and I get to enjoy that form of making them happy twice a day.

[DComeaux]

I've noticed/heard blues heading south a few nights this past week and a flock doing the same this morning. One evening I did notice one heading north, though.

[Rick]

I'd like to think they've not gone far, it was actually looking like Fall. But there doesn't appear we'll see Fall temps again until late in the week.

[aunt betty]

Rick, doesn't Peake get some snacks in the blind here and there? Do you recommend that? Harry's not been on a retrieve-reward system of any sort but I'm considering a few snacks for him to pack along in the blind bag; any suggestions?

Sorry to bust in on this party but I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to feed a retriever anything until after the hunt. Have heard that you want them to have empty bellies so that they don't get a twisted gut which can be fatal.

I feed my dog at 4pm every day to avoid him having anything in his guts to twist up. Makes good sense to me.

you should not have to reward a retriever. The retrieve IS the reward.

Once a day feedings are actually one of the things commonly associated with gastric torsion because the big load may stretch the stomach's connective tissue and increase the possibility of twisting. But I've never seen anything to indicate if the timing of that single feeding, in relation to exercise, has been taken into account. For years after reading Dr. Reynold's feeding suggestions, many of which are included in this somewhat more recent Lardy interview, http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/documents/NutritionPerformance.pdf, I fed evenings only with apparently good results and no torsion issues.

Now, I'm back to the 1/3 morning, 2/3 evening schedule I'd previously followed (since the '70s) with my virtually daily hunted pointing dogs and first retriever, also with apparently good results and no torsion issues. The only difference I've seen is that my guys get to enjoy meals twice a day, and I get to enjoy that form of making them happy twice a day.

I'm sure you are correct. Wild dogs eat twice a day as well, 1/3 in the morning and 2/3 in the evening...right?

[Rick]

Naw, wild dogs are too well read to dine more than once or before their day is done.

[SpinnerMan]

The problem with wild dogs is they make terrible retriever. The eat every time you shoot a duck. Plus you have to worry that the dingo doesn't eat your baby.

[Rick]

Been making my list and checking it twice - preparing for an opener sure is nice.

Just finished a new cane mat for the boathide door and will cut the few more canes the blind still needs while out doing a farmer's job for him this afternoon. Batteries, two for the blind gizmos (gotta keep a spare) and one for the boathouse light are charged. Even repainted a few old G&H pintails that were part of my first spread back in the '70s to see if they boost our chances with that species any. And about all that remains is putting new corks in my calls, oiling the spinner's wings and gathering the list of odds and ends (like mouse trap bait) that need to go to the marsh tomorrow.

I'm having fun now, whether the birds show Saturday or not. Where's that Hornady One Shot oil can?

[DComeaux]

I'm off at noon tomorrow and thinking hard about going out to give the blind some fresh brush and playing with the decoy spread. We will be deploying the speck decoys Saturday morning so this would help cut down on work time before the hunt.

Part of me doesn't want to go to avoid the depression that may ensue if the viewing is not what it should be.