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Delta Youth Hunt - Holiday Beach '09

Published: 10.20.2009 by: SWOBG

Smaller numbers of youth hunters turned out this year for the Delta Waterfowl Youth Hunt requiring the use of only one marsh for the event and this year it was Holiday Beach. I hadn't been to Holiday for quite some time and it was good to be back.
There were plenty of local ducks but as everyone knows, the locals become educated pretty fast in a marsh and make it very tough for hunters to get them to decoy, which was the case this day. Still, you can't shoot ducks from the couch so get outside and make it a day and have some fun which is exactly what the young hunters and their mentors did.

Pictured above: two young hunters with their mentor waiting to get their first ducks of the day

The resident ducks and geese did buzz the blinds but mostly from about 50 - 75 yards out and only the goobers dared run the gauntlet of young shooters along the shorelines - some never made it out.

Jamie Ames (forefront) and Dan Mineau (mentor and owner of 187 Calls) shown in this blind with young partner Nolan Compeau watching the skies

Very few ducks were taken over the day's event but that didn't dampen the spirits of the Apprentices. Any chance for the boys and gals to get out is a good day.
We were treated to a great retrieve from Katie, a black lab in the Mineau blind. Katie was on her way to retrieve a black duck the boys had just shot when she got tangled up in 4 floating goose decoys. Undaunted, she kept on the duck and dragged the decoys with her for about 25 yards, grabbed the duck and was on her way back, decoys in tow, before one mentor Todd, could catch up to her and untangle to dekes as seen in the video below. Great job Katie - now that's focused.

With no wind, high skies and educated ducks, the pickin was slim at best, however, try telling the young guns it was bad day duck hunting . . . they looked just as happy around the grub table as though all had limited out. A big thanks goes to John Jones, executive of the local Delta chapter for putting the hunt together. It was a great day!

Jack Miner Open Duck/Goose Calling Competition '09

Published: 10.19.2009 by: SWOBG

The town of Kingsville held it's annual Migration Festival Outdoors Show over the Oct. 17 & 18. Included in and a primary exhibition at the show is the Jack Miner Open Duck/Goose Calling Competition. This competition brings out some of the best in youth and senior waterfowl callers locally and from across the border.

For the youth in the calling contest, first and second place callers in the youth duck competition as seen above were: 1st Jesse Harris and 2nd Jamie Ames. Both did extremely well done routines and they should have a great future in this event.
Shown below is how these two finished in the goose calling competition: 1st Jamie Ames and 2nd Jesse Harris - both 13 years of age.

The Jack Miner Open Duck/Goose Calling Competition (all ages) duck results were: 1st Kile Jones, 2nd Jesse Harris, 3rd Scott McGuigan

and pictured below are 1st Kile Jones, 2nd Scott Rumble, 3rd Mike Copolla in the goose portion of the competition

This year's outdoors show has taken a definite drop in attendance and with virtually no exhibitors to speak of, leaving the calling competition component of the show as the only attraction in the 'outdoors show' part of the Migration Festival. If not being shown the door, the 'outdoors' segment of the show is definitely being handed it's hat, leaving many to wonder if it will be back at all next year.

Here's hoping the Migration Festival can revitalize this show for next year to where it should be when one considers where it's being held - goose capital of Canada.

SWOC Big Buck & Bull Day

Published: 03.9.2009 by: SWOBG

The Southwest Ontario Outdoors Club held it's Big Buck & Bull Day show in Tilbury on March 7 despite the fog and rain and just downright gloomy conditions, but these were conditions that the die hard whitetail hunter thrives on. Those whitetail hunters, true to form, attended this show 'en masse' to drool, hover and otherwise dream over the quality racks displayed from around Ontario.

It appeared as though there were racks for as far as the eye could see. Great looking mounts hung everywhere while others were set row upon row on the display tables. Moose and whitetail - huge, unique, typical, non-typical and just plain awesome had me coming back time and again in disbelief. Racks such as the drop-tine pictured above begged to be touched and spawned a lot of conversation and yes, lies or at least embellishments were ever present as stories were swapped around the tables.

F.R.O.W. accredited measurer Jim Branch working on a nice whitetail rack

The Foundation for the Recognition of Ontario Wildlife is an organization of volunteer sportsmen dedicated to public education about Ontario's rich wildlife resources with special emphasis on big game animals. F.R.O.W. publishes big game record books for Ontario. They were on hand to do the measuring of the racks brought in by hunters eager to know just where their trophy stood in Ontario's records.

Everyone had a story to go with the great rack or mount, such as Donald Ulch shown above holding his 43" moose that weighed in at over 1400 lbs when taken and over 800 lbs dressed.

Guys like Larry Brunschot holding one of 3 bucks taken in Ontario last year over a 5 day period.

The day also included something for the kids as shown in the picture above. The SWOC trout pond got a workout as kids gave it their all to catch dinner for the table that evening.

As expected, the SWOC Big Buck & Bull Day was huge success with many quality and unusual racks on display. Perhaps best of all was the presence of the youth taking in the sights and by the looks on their faces, dreams were being born of the day when they'll take to the deer woods in search of their trophy, thereby perpetuating the hunting sports.

Kingsville Wild Goose Archery

Published: 04.7.2008 by: Tom Morrison

We've all seen or at least heard of 3D archery courses. We've also seen a lot of them come and go usually as a result of poor participation or lack of commitment of hosting club members. You have really got to be involved and determined as a course operator to keep the interest level up and cater to a wide spectrum of shooters. The days of relying on bowhunting friends to work the course and keep it in good shape is about gone. These days there are almost as many recreational archers as there are bowhunters and for good reasons . . . it's challenging and most importantly fun and that's where the operators make it happen.

I had the pleasure of attending and touring a Kingsville Wild Goose 3D Hunt and Archery Fun Day on April 20, 2008. My hosts and tour guides for the morning were Jon Wood, Butch Marchand and Brian Pella, (missing and presumed busy running the entries and table were - Dave Zittlau, Graham Purdy and Wally Stadnick - the other executive members of the club). I have known Jon for twenty years starting from when he was involved with another club and I can tell you that at our age when interest in outdoor activities, especially the ones that require exertion, begin to wane, Jon's commitment to the outdoors and his passion of bowhunting has only increased.
These boys along with other club members and participants have put together a course over many acres that is the envy of many clubs.


pictured above left to right: Jon Wood, Brian Pella, Butch Marchand

The 3D course boasts of 30 realistic shooting scenarios and all having various yardaqe stations. In addition, they have 3 elevated shooting platforms for virtual treestand shooting replications.
The trails between stations are well groomed within the bush lot, clean and most importantly, safe. There are no crossover shots between targets or hazardous backdrops when looking for stray arrows. This course is the next best thing to being on stand during the rut.

There are different classes of shooters on the course at the same time: open class, bowhunter limited, bowhunter unlimited, cubs, cadets and crossbows. The targets are of superior quality with no pass-throughs even for crossbows.

Nicki Wood on elevated stand


Frank Nissen, crossbow shooter

My personal favorite scenario was the elevated station with the antelope target. I had the opportunity to watch Nicki Wood, pictured above, put a great shot on the target from this stand and she was only in 10 year old bracket. She would have put me to shame had I shot the course.

I will definitedly be back for the future shoots to try my skills, such as they are, on this great looking course. With an average of 70 archers on the course for these shoots, there has to be someone I can beat!

Great course. Great guys. Great fun for the whole family and it doesn't get any better than that!
Jon Wood giving a clinic to inspired archers

Club shoots go from now throughout the summer to September. A listing of Kingsville shoots can be found on the forum page under news/events.

Delta Waterfowl Youth & Women Hunt

Published: 18.10.2008 by: Tom Morrison

In these days of an ever increasing anti-hunting sentement by an uninformed public and the anit-hunting extremists that just want all hunting and fishing rights and privileges revoked for everyone, it's good to know that our waterfowl hunting future and traditions are being passed on by an ever vigilant waterfowl hunting organization and its satellite chapters.

Delta Waterfowl, a name and brand actually that is synonomous with waterfowl conservation, restoration and hunting opportunity internationally is working through its chapters to provide waterfowl hunting hunting opportunities to the youth of the area. Our local chapter of Delta Waterfowl called the Quacker Wackers were instrumental in organizing a youth hunt at the Hillman Marsh operated by ERCA. Jeff Bechard (chapter secretary) and Chris Snip (chapter VP) worked with ERCA and a number of Hillman Marsh seasonal blind holders to offer young hunters and their mentors a place to hunt on October 25, 2008.


Delta Waterfowl/Quacker Wackers waterfowl youth hunt meeting.
Shown are Jeff Bechard (chapter secretary) far right and Chris Snip (chapter VP) giving talk to young hunters and mentors

A total of 11 youth were eager and ready on the the morning of October 25 to experience, for many, a first duck hunt with mentors and/or parent willing to sit in the blinds with them and endure endless calling, talk and best of all, excitement. As is the case with hunting, some blinds saw more action than others and some young hunters had better aim than others but the day wasn't just about shooting ducks, it was about experiencing the total package involved in duck hunts. There were decoys to be spread, advice and knowledge to be shared and just good 'ol fun.

I can tell you that from our blind, located in the middle of the marsh, we had a great view of the shooting taking place around us even if we didn't get as much shooting as the boys, Jamie Ames and Zack Price, would have wanted. Still, Chris Snip offered decoy placement (a main ingredient in any successful hunt) expertise and calling advice to the boys who readily ate it up and stayed ever vigilant for any duck sighting. We could see ducks dropping in a particular area after a few shot vollies which only ratcheted up their anxiety. Teal by the hundreds were pouring out of the marsh on the cool and windy morning. Shots rang out from everywhere, or so it seemed but our boys remained patient awaiting their opportunity.

As the action slowed somewhat about 2 hours into our hunt, a wayward flock of Greenwing Teal were headed towards us looking for a safe place to set down, I guess the lack of shooting from our blind made it appear to be a good choice to them but little did they know that we had two experienced hunting apprentices watching there every wing beat. As the Teal flew ever closer, Zack and Jamie readied their guns into position and at the perfect time about 15 - 20 yards out, Chris gave the order to shoot. A few shots later, one Greenwing Teal fell about into the decoys and was finished off with a quick blast. Jamie Ames had taken his first duck on his first duck hunt . . . is there any need to describe his excitement? I think not.


Shown above are the young waterfowl hunters and their mentors for the day - obvious signs of success were all around including the smiles . . . a better trophy than any duck being held

At the end of the mornings' hunt the obligatory stories were flying everywhere just as the ducks were, some even bigger than most ducks, but all were good. All hunters received caps, calls and literature on duck hunting and conservation from Delta Waterfowl and the Quacker Wackers chapter.

Many thanks go out to Delta Waterfowl, Quacker Wackers, ERCA and the seasonal blind holders for their generosity in providing their blinds for the hunt.

The Quacker Wackers chapter of Delta Waterfowl has approximately 250 members and you're invited to go on the Delta Waterfowl web site to learn more about the organization and how to join a chapter near you.

Delta also had a waterfowl hunt at Holiday marsh for youth (12) and women (14). The pics below show some results of a great day. With the completion of this past weekends' hunt. "This brings our chapters' total to 8 hunts in 4 years. And the ladies hunt is the 3rd in Canada 1st in Ontario" stated John Jones, Quacker Whackers Delta Waterfowl chapter president.




pictured above: Venessa Miner granddaughter of Jack and she was carrying a pocket bible that has been handed down from him