Gary Koehler’s Blog

During any given waterfowl hunting trip, one thing is inevitable: Someone with whom I’m gunning will ask to take a look at the duck calls on my lanyard. Quite often, they will inquire why I chose one or all of the models at hand. Simply put, these are the calls that always work best for me. Having said that, these same calls may not be the best choices for anyone else in the blind.

Having messed around with calls for years, I have learned that it is unlikely that they will sound the same when other people blow them. Individuals have different calling styles. Some blow calls hard. Some blow calls soft. Others blow calls somewhere in between. The point is, one particular call may not fit the caller’s style or method. It does not necessarily have anything to do with operator proficiency or that the call is junk. The call is just not a good fit. I’ve got a few high-end calls in a cabinet that I can’t blow worth a darn. Are they good calls? Yep, they’re from highly-respected makers. But they don’t work for me. Careful tuning would likely help. But I’ve already got calls on my lanyard with which I’m comfortable. And that confidence in a call goes far when trying to lure ducks to within gunning range. If you are on the lookout for a new call, the best advice I can give is to test a number of different brands. Find one that you feel comfortable with and stick with it.

Additional Resources

• Duck-Calling Videos
• Legends of the Call (DU Magazine)

I don’t dare guess how many times people have asked me during the past three years why I chose to purchase a Chesapeake Bay retriever and not a Lab. Friends, co-workers and family members have posed the question.

Labs, as just about anyone at all familiar with retrievers knows, have been the most popular dog in America for years, according to the American Kennel Club registry. Their sheer numbers are staggering—thousands upon thousands are bred annually. Chessie numbers are much more modest.

I was unsure exactly what breed I wanted after we put down our German shorthair, Nick, at age 12. But I wanted a duck dog. So I started doing my homework. Many professional trainers I spoke with advised against a Chessie because, as much as anything, the breed does not take necessarily well to popular (or standard) training methods. Others told horror stories of aggressive Chessies with frightening temperaments.

Undeterred, I visited Butch Goodwin at his Idaho kennel and spent an afternoon talking dogs. Goodwin is a Chessie expert. He has raised and trained this breed for more than 25 years. “You want to see how vicious they are?” he asked during my stay. “Wait here a second.” He left the room and returned with two Chessies from his kennel. They looked at me for all of about five seconds and laid down on the floor, seemingly oblivious to my presence. Then we toured his kennel—lo and behold, not a ferocious dog to be found.

Not that there aren’t aggressive Chessies out there. Sure there are. Along with vicious Labs, goldens and cocker spaniels, for that matter. Breeding plays a big role, as well as how the dog is treated as a pup and as it matures. “You’re going to need a 2×4 to train that dog,” a co-worker once told me after learning of my Chessie acquisition. Wrong. I’ve found a gentle hand works much better. Chessies are among the most misunderstood of the sporting dog breeds—rugged on the outside, soft on the inside.

Going in, I wanted a physically tough dog capable of handling cold weather and long retrieves. I wanted an intelligent dog. I wanted a hard worker. I wanted a loyal partner. I wanted a retriever that would think for itself—not robo dog. I found all that and more in my Chessie, Our Lady Vol Kayla. She is not perfect. And she is still learning the waterfowl hunting game. But she has been a joy.

Would I recommend a Chessie to a first-time dog owner? Nope. I can’t do that, because they will surely challenge you. Chessies perform best when they think the task is their idea. And they will likely test the patience of anyone without at least some previous training experience.

Make no mistake, I like Labs. But I made the right choice when I brought Kayla home.

Cool in-the-field hunting photos seldom come by accident. Sure, there are times when a photographer shooting from the hip will capture an interesting image. Perhaps even a great image. But by and large, the truly compelling photos are the result of planning, knowing one’s equipment, and paying close attention to detail. The little things can make a big difference in terms of photo quality.

Just like when one is training a retriever, discipline is requisite to success. In the case of photography, the discipline is on you. In years past, I often looked on with awe as photographers unveiled stirring scenes of the outdoors. And I wondered how the heck they pulled it off. Sometimes I still do. One day several years ago, however, it clicked for me, at least in part. In order to get something better than run-of-the-mill (which I had down pat), I had to set my shotgun in the corner, put my call in my pocket, and grip the camera. Yes, quit hunting and start shooting photos. The results were markedly improved. When you try to do both tasks at the same time, it is difficult to do either one well.

My rule number two is to shoot a lot of frames. And these days, with digital cameras all but replacing 35 mm cameras, that is much easier because one does not have to carry dozens of rolls of film and regularly swap them out. Digital cameras can accommodate hundreds of images. And, if you look them over and see one that doesn’t cut it, simply delete the image. Point is, image space is not an issue, so shoot and shoot some more—photos, that is. The more you shoot, the better chance you have at capturing that special moment in grand style.

I do not claim to be a photography guru. But I have learned a couple of things (usually the hard way) that may help you improve on your photography skills. Some may seem quite simple, such as holding the camera steady—don’t jiggle. Fill the frame by focusing tightly on the subject at hand; close-up photos add much because they bring out the tiny details. Early morning and early evening provide the best outdoor light; mid-day sun washes out colors and casts deep shadows. Hold the camera level, as opposed to cockeyed or lopsided. Practice with your camera before the start of the season; learn what your equipment can do before you head to the marsh.

And, please do not be afraid to seek out the unusual. Anyone can snap a photo of two guys holding up a game strap of ducks or geese. But that gets a little boring. Look for the image of the retriever (or your partner) asleep in the corner of the blind. Or daylight over the marsh. Or that huge stack of well-worn decoys in the bow of the boat. Calls on a lanyard. Your buddy at the controls of the boat. Use your imagination. That’s where truly special photographs are made.

Marsh and woodland have always held a special allure to me. Perhaps that can be traced to growing up in a rural community. Or the countless days spent at the old family cabin on an Illinois River backwater. And maybe it’s in the blood; my father hunted ducks along that historic stream for more than 50 years. Being out there was simply part of what we did, what we were about. Stuff like that stays with you for a lifetime.

My father would never be considered a tree hugger. But he did foster an appreciation for what, during my youth, seemed like the little things around us. Like sunrises. He marveled at the colors, the awakening of a new day and the accompanying hope. Clouds often caught his attention—movement, shape and color. Trees bending in the wind. The chop on the water. Mostly, he liked to shoot. But the weather and the setting were key parts of the overall experience.

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pursue waterfowl in many different environments. Fresh water, salt water, big water, small water. Flooded fields. Dry fields. Timber holes and watering holes. Maine to Texas. Florida to Oregon. And more than 20 states in between.

I remember something about each and every stop. Not so much about the birds killed, but more so the people I was with. Or the dogs. And much more about the terrain, the weather and the overall surroundings. Some of these stops along the waterfowl highway made a deeper impression than others. And that’s not to say those not on my favorites list were not fulfilling experiences; that is not at all the case.

But some places always seem to come to the top of my hunting memory pile. So I’ve settled on a short list, the places which, if you ever have the chance, you may want to check out—if only for the atmosphere. I can’t promise birds.

My personal top 5 prettiest places to hunt ducks include—drum roll, please:

1. Columbia River, Oregon/Washington: The lower river is absolutely stunning
2. Lake Seminole, Georgia: No rampant development here; mostly natural shoreline
3. Great Salt Lake, Utah: Big water surrounded by mountains with snow on top
4. Upper Mississippi River Valley: Wisconsin and Minnesota awash in fall color
5. Eastern Shore, Maryland: Clean, fresh and homey—this place just makes you feel good

Read On

• More must-see hunting destinations: The Duck Hunter’s List
• DU’s conservation work:
  Pacific Northwest | Great Basin | Upper Mississippi River | Mid-Atlantic Coast

Living in the Mid-South, getting my dog ready for the opening day of waterfowl season presents a few additional obstacles, the primary culprit being the weather. Hey, it gets hot beginning in mid-May in the Memphis area, and summer defies the calendar by extending well into October most years. One simply can’t run a dog too hard or too long when temperatures are still in the 90s, or the 80s, for that matter. It’s way too dangerous.

I remember reading a story about five years ago about the opening weekend of the South Dakota pheasant season. More than a hundred retrievers died that weekend as a result of heat exhaustion and similar maladies brought on by unseasonably warm weather. Chances are, at least some of these animals were not well prepared in advance. Others, well… dogs, no matter the amount of heart and drive they may have, could not physically adjust to the stressful conditions. Keep that in mind, and keep your eye on your dog, if you are greeted by balmy weather. Use common sense. If in doubt, put the dog up, provide plenty of water and let it rest and cool off. [More summertime dog training tips]

The best way to prepare your retriever for the season’s start is to take your time and institute a gradual conditioning regimen. Do not try to get your dog ready by running the animal hard five straight days leading up to opening day. Physical conditioning comes over time, not overnight. Short training sessions are much more effective than day-long exercises. Start with half-hour walks or workouts (if it’s not too hot) and move on from there. Take the dog swimming, but, again, do not overdo it at first. Endurance should be built up gradually.

Food also figures into this. I started cutting back my Chessie’s caloric intake in June. I figured that because she did not get as much exercise during the long, hot days of summer, she didn’t need to eat as much. In August, during a trip to the vet for her annual shots, I had her weighed. She was five pounds heavier than in June. Someone in the house must have been sharing their pizza, or bagels, or other treats. I am among the guilty. So now we’ve got that much more to do to get the dog ready. Do yourself, and your dog, a favor and cut out the snacks.

Besides the physical conditioning side of hunt-season preparation, do not forget to reinforce the basics. This does not require an extraordinary amount of physical exertion. My primary focus all summer has been on obedience, rather than actual retrieving. A number of professional trainers have told me that basic obedience is key to all other training. Sit, heal, down, come and stay may seem mundane, but if you can count on your dog to respond to those commands, you’re well on your way to developing a reliable hunting partner.

I lay no claim to being a professional trainer, so I don’t have all the answers. But additional pre-season considerations may include a review of hand signals, whistle commands and steadying, as well as exposure to gunfire, boats, blinds, decoys and feathers. Taking your dog on a trip to your hunting area in advance of the season is also a good idea. But first, slowly work the dog into shape. Performance can be honed as the season progresses. And, most of all, keep it fun.

–Gary