R. Michael DiLullo

Late Season Waterfowling

The sun rose in a dull pink glow against a threatening steel gray sky. The temperature was barely in the teens and our breathing resembled smoke from a series of small fires spread out in a row of snow-covered corn stubble. We had set our spread of more than eight dozen Canada decoys well before dawn in a field the big birds had been using for the last few days. The season was waning and there were only a few more days of the late resident goose season left in New Jersey. As we shivered and tried to get comfortable in our set-up, I could feel the frozen ground draining my body heat, even through the neoprene mat I was laying on. We had all come prepared for the hunt, however, the morning chill had set-in and even through the layers of “high-tech” clothing I felt a shiver run up my spine.

My male springer, Buck, who was lying next to me on his mat, curling-up to stay warm, was also shivering slightly. Even with his camouflaged horse blanket on I could tell he was cold. I knew, however, we would not be out for very long, either the birds would come in early or they would head to another field somewhere else. “Buck” lifted his head inquisitively raising his ears and I began scanning the sky. My discomfort was soon forgotten as we began hearing geese far off in the distance. They were coming!

As the calling of the flight grew closer, we began to respond with a serenade of greeting honks, clucks and growls in a repertoire of “Her-UT, Her-UT, Hut-huts…” I gave them several more greeting calls and the birds began to respond back. They began to circle our set-up, just out of range. On the fourth pass about, a third of the birds committed. As they descended into our decoy spread their calls were answered with an excited response. When the birds reached the twenty-yard mark, I yelled to my partners to “take em.” We threw back the white sheets and burlap covers we had been hiding under and greeted the “Honkers” with the business end of four twelve gauge shotguns. The shotgun reports, pumping of actions and thuds of geese hitting the ground combined with the frantic calling of geese and yelling and cheering of our group. We were all instantly warmed up!

Late season hunting is usually synonymous with cold weather. All hunters who venture afield during the “late season” must be prepared to deal with extreme weather. Prolonged exposure to cold and wet weather can become life threatening very quickly, not only for you but for your dog, as well. As a dog owner, you must be aware of the injuries and health related problems that can affect your dog’s performance in cold weather (See related article “Keeping Them Warm”).

Weather conditions, your dog’s physical condition, age, nutritional intake and activity level can all play a role in his performance during the stressful environmental conditions of the late season. Under “normal” waterfowling conditions, Springers are well adapted to handle just about anything nature can throw at you. However, if the conditions are too extreme the dog’s safety should always come first.

During the late season you must be aware of the dangers that cold and partially frozen waters hold. Care should always be taken when hunting over frozen waters; a dog can fall through or slip under a hole in the ice and drown. Also, hypothermia is an insidious but deadly ailment. Common sense should dictate when deciding whether to hunt your dog in adverse conditions, but some simple precautions will also help to reduce the chances of injury.

Late season waterfowling requires some specialized equipment and clothing plus a bit of ‘grit’ on both the hunter and dog’s part. But, it can be the most productive part of the season for those prepared to brave the elements. Photo by: Author

During late season waterfowling, all my springers wear camouflaged neoprene vest while waterfowling. Camouflaged neoprene vests are a great benefit to the waterfowlers as they serve several purposes; besides acting like a wetsuit and helping to keep the dog warm, they provide extra buoyancy and an added measure of protection against sticks and rocks which can cause cuts, abrasions and punctures. They also help to break-up the dog’s outline, which can often increase your odds of detection by savvy late season birds.

With springers, the vest helps you to extend your season. However, once again, common sense should always dictate when deciding to hunt any dog in rough conditions. I do not hunt big or fast moving water with my springers in the winter, and would not subject them to such conditions. There are some jobs that should be left to the breeds best suited to handle them.

	Camouflaged neoprene vests will not only help protect your dog from cuts, scrapes and punctures, but will add more bouncy, help retain body heat and provide added concealment. Photo by: Author

I also use an old aluminum tree-stand converted for the sole purpose of duck hunting in shallow waters, such as flooded timber. It is lightweight, has backpack straps and can be carried into remote areas very easily. The stand is camouflaged and has an insulated pad attached to it. The stand acts as a platform where the dog can rest and remain out of the water between retrieves. The insulated pad on the stand helps to retain body warmth and, more importantly, it prevents wet fur from freezing to the metal. But, a piece of natural colored ¡§indoor/outdoor¡¨ carpet in lieu of the pad will also work quite well.

My dogs also have an insulated pad to sit or lay on while in the boat or blind. I keep several towels with me and will dry the dogs between retrieves. It is also important to keep the dogs out of the water when they are not actually making retrieves. Even when hunting in moderately cold temperatures down south, I still bring along the portable tree-stand and attach it to a nearby hardwood tree. The dog will remain warmer on the stand than sitting on the cold damp ground. I place the stand in the direction I expect to see birds, in flooded timber or beaver ponds, I attach it to a good sized tree about four inches off the waters surface. This allows the dog to get out of the water between flights and gives them a perch, which helps them mark downed birds much easier, especially in thick cover.

These simple precautions can reduce the amount of body heat lost while the dog is stagnant between flights and can prevent injury and hypothermia. Minimizing the amount of time the dog is in the water and retaining as much body heat as possible are the key factors in keeping the dog from becoming injured or hypothermic. I make a rule of drying the dog thoroughly at the end of each hunt and keeping the car warm. I also have fleece lined ƒ±horse-blanket¡¨ style coats for each dog, which they wear both to and from the hunt.

It is very important to keep the dog warm while in the crate, especially after a long hunt during cold weather conditions. Each of my crates has a cordura covered insulated pad in it. Being confined to a crate, even for a short amount of time, can cause a cold-wet dog to stiffen-up, which may result in a pulled or torn muscle. I also bring extra dog food with me and will feed them after the hunt. This helps replace needed calories which are burned-up faster during cold weather activities.

When waterways freeze-up any open water can become a waterfowl ‘honey-hole’, but always way on the side of caution when sending your dog into extreme conditions. Photo by: Author

Only one of the geese on the ground was still moving. I gave him a finishing shot, and then sent ¡§Buck¡¨ for the retrieve. As ¡§Buck¡¨ released the last of the Canadian¡¦s into my hand, it began snowing harder. We hadn¡¦t reached our limit, but being cold, hungry and happy, we packed up our gear and headed for the warmth of the truck, and a big breakfast in town. It was great hunt!

More waterfowlers should take advantage of the opportunities the late season has to offer. The colder weather and northern winter storms will push more birds farther south along their migration route. By the holiday season many hunters have hung-it-up for the year, which means less crowds and plenty of action for the more determine and prepared waterfowler.