Final Approach® Launches New Enhanced Web Site

Overland Park, KS. — The Final Approach website has been completely redesigned with several new features for serious waterfowl hunters.

Fans and consumers of Final Approach products can now join the FA community and submit their waterfowl hunting stories and photos online. The best stories will be entered for a chance to win six Gunner Floating Mallard decoys.

The site contains a wealth of information with up-to-date reports on the current migration (in-season) and water levels throughout the country, along with diagrams for setting up decoy spreads. There are video “how to” hunting tips from the Final Approach Pro Staff and instructions on how to use the products.

Consumers will also be able to order Final Approach Products online and learn of new product introductions for the first time on the site.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­For more information, visit www.fabrand.com or call consumer inquiries at 800-423-3537.

Early Migrators?

Seven honkers high overhead early. No interest. Three others that came in answering my calls, and calling behind me but in range @ 8:00 (no shot!), then @ 8:45 some 50 yds. out, cutting across the dekes, looking the fakes over, but just out of range, then again 15 minutes later calling behind me. Same geese each time. Thought they'd cup and commit but no. Fun.

It's a start . . .

--Steve Hickoff

(Maine honker - Hickoff photo)

Early Goose Report

Resident honkers, at least here in southern Maine, simply aren't flying--not until this morning did I hear the first birds overhead. The season opened back on Sept. 1, and this may mark the start of the "early migrators."

Geese I had been watching over in southeastern N.H. have shifted locations: (1) Some have moved from areas you could hunt to places you can't, and (2) birds that were stacked up in the Piscataqua River, roosting along shoreline spots before feeding on grass in other locations by day, have moved on.

A central N.Y. contact reported today that he's not seeing anything down there. "Could the wet spring have affected the hatch?" Some of my sources suggest as much for Atlantic Flyway Canada geese. Plenty of season to go. Stay tuned.

--Steve Hickoff

(Photo: copyright Steve Hickoff)

H.S. Yeti Custom Canada Goose Call

Hunter's Specialties new Yeti Custom Canada Goose Call features big power in a small package.

The Yeti's short barrel and exhaust bore allows the air to "dump" easily when the call is blown, creating a very quick operating call.

The Yeti is custom hand-tuned to a raspier higher pitch, making it ideal for calling migrating Canada geese.

H.S. waterfowl calls combine the knowledge of decades of waterfowl hunting experience with high-quality workmanship. The result is a new standard in waterfowl that helps you "talk to 'em."

Each call is accented with a polished stainless steel band. The Yeti is available in oiled Cocobola wood or in a custom acrylic version with a black pearl barrel and chartreuse insert.

Both models sell for a suggested retail price of $149.99.

For more information, log onto the Hunter's Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

2009-2010 New Hampshire Waterfowl Seasons

CONCORD, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has set final season dates and bag limits for the 2009-10 waterfowl hunting season. After considering comments from sportsmen at the August 19 public meeting, the state's waterfowl hunting season remains similar to last year's, with a 60-day duck season and a six-bird daily limit.

Fish and Game will continue split seasons for waterfowl, including ducks and Canada geese, in both the inland and coastal zones to allow early and late hunting opportunities, however, seasons for brant and snow geese will not be split:

* The INLAND ZONE season (ducks, mergansers, coots and Canada geese) opens on October 6 and runs through November 8, then reopens from November 25 through December 20. The brant season will be a straight season from October 6 through November 24, and the snow goose season will be a straight season from October 6 through December 20.

* The COASTAL ZONE season (ducks, mergansers, coots and Canada geese) will open on October 7 and run through October 18, then reopen November 25 through January 11, 2010. The brant season will be a straight season from October 7 through November 25, and the snow goose season will be a straight season from October 7 through January 11, 2010.

Hunters of all migratory game birds (except woodcock, snipe and crows) must have a 2009 New Hampshire hunting license, a New Hampshire Migratory Waterfowl License and a federal duck stamp. They are also required by federal law to register for the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP). Separate HIP permits are needed in each state. Licensed hunters should call 1-800-207-6183, or go to www.HuntNH.com/ and click on "Buy a License"; you can receive a permit number at this site (there is no charge). Write the permit number on your hunting license. Each year, a random selection of hunters is asked to complete a voluntary harvest survey.

Hunters are asked to report all banded birds using the toll-free phone number, 1-800-327-BAND. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will send a certificate with information about the bird.

For more information on waterfowl hunting in New Hampshire, visit: www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm/

As the guardian of the state's fish, wildlife and marine resources, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works in partnership with the public to conserve, manage and protect these resources and their habitats. Visit http://www.HuntNH.com for more information and online license and permit sales.

(DU Photo)

Ducks Unlimited Event

WHAT: Ducks Unlimited will honor U.S. Army Soldier Adam Herold and the killed and wounded veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from Nebraska at a dedication ceremony for the Fallen Heroes Marsh. The memorial is located on Ducks Unlimited's Verona Complex, a key wetland area in the Rainwater Basin. The marsh is a place where friends and families can come to hunt, watch, photograph or simply listen to ducks and remember the sacrifices made by U.S. military veterans from Nebraska. DU Staff will lead a tour of the Verona Complex and lunch will be served.

WHO: Attendees will include veterans and friends and families of killed and wounded veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from Nebraska. Sponsors and supporters of the memorial and partners associated with the conservation efforts will also attend. Media are invited to cover the event.

WHEN: 11:00 a.m., September 12, 2009. Lunch will be provided.

WHERE: The Verona complex is 45 minutes southeast of Grand Island in Clay County. The ceremony will take place at the Youth Hunting tract on the property. From I-80, take exit 332 (near Grand Island, Nebraska) and travel south on Highway 14 for seventeen miles. Turn left at Highway 6 and travel west one mile. Turn right and travel south on H Street for two miles. Turn right at Road 29; proceed to parking lot on north side of road.

Contact:

Steve Wilson (402) 499-5515 or swilson@ducks.org

Jennifer P. Kross (701) 202-8896 or jkross@ducks.org