Long popular thanks to its high quality, extreme durability and minimal care requirements, waxed canvas was among the original waterproof fabrics. In fact, as far back as the 1500s, sailors would use grease and fish oils to give their sails an extra level of weather protection (as well as to help them better catch the wind). In the 1800s, paraffin waxes, which used petroleum products to create a more effective sealant, were developed. And by the 1920s, with the manufacturing process greatly improved, waxed canvas was used to produce waterproof luggage, tents, items of clothing and a range of other gear that needed to withstand challenging environmental elements.

Since then, the wax used to treat fabrics and create waxed canvas products has been further improved via blending with other, even more effective sealing substances. But one thing has remained constant — waxed canvas is still used to create high-quality, durable products that, with the right care, can last a long time.

A unique breed of fabric

Because waxed canvas is so distinctively different from other, more typical items of clothing and gear, though, many consumers — especially ones who have never owned waxed canvas items before — can be left with lots of questions about its care and maintenance. But your friends at Heybo are here to answer all of them.

Read on for our tips on caring for your waxed canvas clothing and gear, along with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding waxed canvas.

How to clean a waxed canvas bag or jacket

Many consumers ask the question, “Can you clean waxed canvas?” The answer is that you can — but the procedure is markedly different than it is with most items of clothing. Follow these steps to keep your waxed canvas looking untarnished and stain-free:

• First of all, waxed canvas doesn’t have to be cleaned nearly as often as most fabrics. And it should never be machine washed or dry cleaned — both of these processes can strip the protective wax off the fabric.
  Further, do not iron or bleach your waxed canvas, and never use artificial heat or open flames to dry it.
• When you do feel you need to clean your waxed canvas bag, jacket or other item, be careful not to overdo it. Start by using a brush or damp rag to gently brush or buff off any dried-on mud or dirt.
• If traces of the stain remain, use plain cold water — skipping the soap to begin with — to wet any stained areas, then gently brush the area with a scrub brush or buff it with a damp rag and let it dry.
• If stubborn stains persist, use a scrub brush or damp rag along with a small amount of lukewarm water and mild bar soap, flake soap or saddle soap to spot-clean the problem areas, after first testing the soap on a small hidden area.
• Next, re-wax the cleaned area (more on that below) and hang it to dry in a warm place.

How to re-wax a canvas bag or jacket

Other users want to know how to waterproof waxed canvas. The material is highly water resistant when it is new, and as needed, occasional re-waxing can help maintain this quality. Follow these steps to re-wax your waxed canvas bags and jackets:

• Clean your bag or jacket by wiping down the exterior using cold water and a sponge.
• With the lid still on, partially submerge a tin of fabric wax in hot water for approximately 20 minutes to soften the wax until it reaches a liquid consistency. Leave the container of wax in the hot water (and refresh the hot water as needed) to keep the wax melted.
• Using a clean cloth or sponge, apply the wax to the bag or garment in circular motions, taking special care to ensure that the wax works its way into all seams, creases and dry patches. Be careful not to over-wax — a small amount is all that should be needed.
• Wipe off any excess wax.
• Put a hair dryer on its hottest setting and use it to blow hot air over all of the freshly waxed areas. While doing so, spread the wax around evenly using the same cloth or sponge you used to apply the wax. (But be careful not to hold the hair dryer too close to the item’s surface, which could cause the wax to run.)
• Hang the freshly re-waxed item up in a warm, dry place away from other garments, and let it dry overnight.
• When using the freshly re-waxed item after it dries, be aware that it may lose excess wax for a short while — so take care when placing it around clothing, leather or upholstery during this period.

Canvas care FAQs

Here are the answers to a handful of commonly asked questions regarding waxed canvas care and maintenance:

Q: Can you wash a waxed canvas bag or jacket in the washing machine?

A: No — this will strip the protective wax off the item’s fabric, as will dry cleaning. When cleaning is needed, follow the cleaning procedure outlined above.

Q: How durable is waxed canvas?

A: Because the wax coating protects the fabric underneath, waxed canvas bags and jackets tend to be much more durable than their standard, non-waxed counterparts. Occasional re-waxing (applied as needed to spots where the wax is wearing thin, or to the entire item exterior once a year or so) can help extend the longevity of waxed items even more.

Q: Does waxed canvas rub off?

A: Yes, it is normal for the wax to wear thin or completely off with time and heavy usage, as well as with normal wear and tear. When this happens, follow the re-waxing steps outlined above, for either spot treatment or full re-waxing.

Heybo’s top-quality waxed canvas gear

Known for creating high-quality gear made specifically with outdoor enthusiasts in mind, shavonsells offers a range of waxed canvas products built to withstand whatever Mother Nature may bring. 

The Heybo catalog includes an array of waxed canvas offerings such as our:

• Waxed Duffle Back Pack
• Waxed Vest
• Waxed Wading Jacket in Old School Camo
• Waxed Gun Case
• And more

At this point in time, sporting clays hadn’t quite reached the popularity that it has today. It was a fairly intimate sport. My brother’s teammates and their families quickly became my family’s social group. Traveling here and there for shoots… each weekend, a new small town with a sporting clays range, a hole in the wall restaurant, and endless opportunities for pranks/funny stories/and memories with people we’re still friends with, to this day. So when the National Championship rolled around, caravanning all 12 hours from South Carolina to Illinois sounded right up our alley. 

One year, my dad had the great idea for us to make a half-way pit-stop at this “quaint” little fishing lodge near Kentucky Lake. Word spread throughout the team, and one-by-one each family said “count me in”. So imagine the surprise when all 10 or so families rolled up at this place to find it wasn’t quite what they internet portrayed it to be. Putting it nicely, this place looked like it boarded up its doors and windows in the ‘60s and opened it up for our stay. 

Unable to get out of our reservation, we pushed through a one night’s stay. Most notably, the duck taped pool slide survived our visit, us Gen Z kids learned to play shuffleboard, and to our parents’ dismay the one restaurant close-by indeed does not serve cold beer to tired, frazzled travelers… it’s a dry county!  

That particular pit-stop won my dad a “Travel Agent of the Year” award and a lifetime worth being picked on. But what was a rather tragic stay at a run-down fishing lodge, has evolved into one of our all-time favorite stories. 

Our eventful housing situations didn’t end with our half-way pit-stop, but continued on into our stay in Illinois. Because why on earth would you stay in a hotel when you could rent a block of campers at the World Shooting Complex? So there we were, highly unexperienced campers, thrown into a world of grey water, black water, and “whatever you do don’t leave the awning down”. 

But you couldn’t have convinced us kids that it wasn’t the best week of our lives. Imagine golf cart races, swimming in the campground pond, and nightly state-wide tailgate style cookouts after a day’s worth of shooting. South Carolina knew how to do it up right. 

As the week came to an end, the competition would wrap up with a closing ceremony. Each state would parade in, awards would be given, and there would always be some form of entertainment… usually in the form of trick shooters. 

This particular year, two members of the Olympic Shotgun Team came with a presentation. Long shots, trick shots, over the head shots, behind the back shots… it was truly impressive. Their performance continued on, until they turned to the crowd and asked for volunteers. 

At this point in time, there weren’t a whole lot of ladies in the sport. As one of the few girls who traveled with my brother’s team, I became sort of the “team sister”. While I didn’t compete, I was there supporting!

So as the trick shooters asked for volunteers, all eyes and fingers in our section of the bleachers pointed at me. There I was, 10 years old, wide eyed and in the spot light. The female trick shooter chose me, and in one swift moment I was on my way down the bleachers, in front of the crowd. There I stood, with two other “volunteers” wondering what in the world I had gotten myself into. 

Imagine the sheer panic that rushed through my body when an Olympic shooter handed me her shotgun. Silly me, one of the very few people there who DIDN’T shoot competitively… I was merely a spectator, cheerleader, team sister. And there I was in front of a huge crowd of talented shooters, not even a shooter myself. With what little bit of courage left in my body I frantically whispered to the Olympic shooter, “I DON’T SHOOT. MY BROTHER DOES. I’M JUST HERE TO WATCH HIM.” She laughed and said, “It’s okay, you’ll be fine”. 

Whoah there sis… I’m glad she had some confidence in me because I had none. All I could think of was the humiliation I was going to bring upon my brother and his teammates if I missed the target. They might just leave me in Illinois, demoted as the team sister.

To my sweet relief, the presenters revealed what we were shooting at… stationary balloons! My confidence began to resurface as I recalled the many days my grandfather and I shot at tin cans on the fencepost with a BB gun. A moving clay target, forget it… but I felt pretty certain I could hit something sitting still. 

My turn came, it was now or never. I stepped up to the box, aimed, and fired away. A puff of red smoke blew up out of the balloon as it burst. Red, then white, then blue… as the other volunteers took their shot. 

I returned to the bleachers, feeling as though I might as well have won an Olympic medal myself. 

What we know now, that we didn’t know then, is that those nights spent in run down motels, long car rides through corn fields in the middle-of-no-where Illinois, and times we were put on the spot in front of an entire national championship crowd are the memories and traditions that make up a lifetime. You see those moments spent outdoors, spent with family are moments you’ll never regret.  

When we think of the outdoors and our relationships with it, most people probably attribute that connection to their father. But let’s not forget the contributions of our mothers and the work she did behind the scenes so that those special outdoors memories could happen in the first place.

Here’s to the mothers that made warm breakfasts after the duck hunts and packed snack bags for in between. The mamas that drove golf carts at the sporting clays competitions and talked us down when the nerves and mental challenges hit. Here’s to the mothers that kept us covered in sunscreen. That took us by the gun shop once a week to drool over that gun we had to have. Here’s to the mamas that brought the gas can when we ran out of gas or the rope when we were stuck. The mothers that held the fishing line while we wound it onto the reel. Or made sure we made that crack of dawn wake up call. 

Putting it simply, mothers make the world go round. May we love them, appreciate them, and most importantly… be more like them. 

If you’re anything like me, the excitement of spring is equally met with an eager, ancy spirit. So many things sit and rest over winter, there’s a pent-up energy building inside us.

So whatever your niche, however you like to spend your time outdoors, here’s a few items you might should include on your springtime bucket list:

Grow something: Whether it’s a raised bed or an acre lot, growing a garden harnesses the springtime spirit like no other. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it… flower beds or vegetable gardens, just find what strikes your fancy and go for it! I think Liberty Hyde Bailey said it best, “A good garden is one that gives its owner the most pleasure; she may grow orchids or thistles”.  So maybe growing thistles isn’t the most ideal situation, but if it gives you satisfaction, no judgement from me.

The best place to start is making sure you’re free from any chances of frost. Nothing will start you out on the wrong foot like prematurely planting. Pick up some transplants from your local nursery and drop them in the ground. Or buy seed-starting-cell-trays and start your seeds indoors, for a jumpstart on the season.

Maybe you have established flower beds around your yard and aren’t looking to grow anything new this year. How about refresh those established beds and give them a glow-up. Fertilize those shrubs, deadhead any remaining flowers or foliage that has remained through the winter, and fluff up some fresh pine needles.

Get your fishing rods ready: So maybe winter doesn’t slow your roll when it comes to fishing, I understand it’s year-round-activity for some. But maybe your Zebco 33 has had the same brittle line on it for years and years. Let’s get those things out of the garage, dust them off, put some fresh line on there, and be ready to roll for a summer full of pond fishing and cookouts over campfire.

After all, it’s not going to be long before the Dogwoods bloom, and for our neck of the woods that’s the sign that the white bass are biting.

Go berry picking: If your family includes children, this is a must! There is nothing cuter than a little tot in a strawberry field with juice dripping down their fingers and faces. It’s a fun way to get outdoors, you get a tasty treat out of it, and you support local farmers while you’re at it. Sounds like an all-around win to me!

You may or may not know, farmers actually plant strawberries in the fall, and tend to them all winter until they’re ready for a springtime harvest. It’s a slow and labor intensive process, so supporting their efforts is a sweet reward.

Prep your dove fields: Don’t let dove season sneak up on you this year. A well-executed dove field isn’t something you can start working on the week before. It’s a slowly-executed, well-thought out process. Now is the time to start getting those fields ready with lime, fertilizer, and weed control. Come September, you’ll be glad you got a head start.

But what I can offer you is insight into a little gem you’re not going to want to miss on your trip to the Keys: that is, the beauty of restaurants that offer Cook-Your-Catch.

Starting at the very beginning… you’re going to have to go fishing. (A phrase that no outdoorsman is ever mad to hear). Whether you’re taking your own boat for an entire week on the water or chartering a half day trip… go with what works best for your travel situation and do what you need to do to catch the fish.

We let our guide know the goal was to put dinner on the plate and he put us on some Yellow Tail Snapper. This, however, did not come without paying the price of my first run-in with sea sickness. As I bobbed up-and-down-up-and-down, doing my best to keep my eyes on the horizon, I felt like I’d been initiated to the next level of the fisherman’s club. But none-the-less, the fish were caught, and the anticipation of the delicious dinner to come pulled me through.

With our catch filleted and bagged, it was time to kick back until dinner. This is where the beauty of the cook-your-catch restaurants really enhances a vacation. Cooking, cleaning, and prep work is replaced by a dip in the pool and nap in the hammock.

While many restaurants throughout the Keys offer to cook-your-catch, my family’s favorite is Lazy Days located in Islamorada at mile marker 79. With live music and a deck that overlooks the ocean and catches the island breeze… the atmosphere is just as pleasant as the food.

Lazy Days gives you a variety of options to choose from, as to how you’d like your fish cooked. Blackened, Coconut Fried, and Lazy Days style are just a few of my favorites. Coconut fried comes with a citrus marmalade glaze. While fried fish is smothered in garlic butter and parmesan cheese for Lazy Days style. With a sampler variety platter, there is sure to be a flavor for everyone in your party.

Just be prepared, this will be the largest platter you have ever had set down in front of you. You may think you can’t eat one more bite, but remember this final very very important detail. If you don’t finish your dinner with a piece of key lime pie, you’re doing your Florida Keys vacation all wrong.

Happy Travels, Bailey

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream                               

1-1/2 cups of Beef broth or Beef stock

2 to 3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons of flour 

3 to 4 tablespoons of soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 tablespoons of Pitmaster Lt’s Beef and lamb rub. 

1 pound of ground venison hamburger meat 

3 cups of egg noodles

Directions: browned the 1 pound of ground hamburger. Seasoned it with the soy sauce , salt & pepper to taste and the 1 tablespoon of the beef and lamb rub. Once browned put in a bowl and said to decide. 

Making the sauce. Melt the butter on medium heat in your Frying pan. Mix the butter and flour together to form a roux. Once combined and heavy whipping cream and beef broth. Continuously stir  the sauce until it starts to thicken. Seasoned it with the other 1 tablespoon of the beef and lamb rub. 

Boil the egg noodles until tender and drain them. 

What’s the sauce is ready mix the meat in with it and combine the egg noodles in the sauce. Let sit for five minutes and serve

You can go to at pitmasterlt.com and use my code Eaddy15 for 15% off your next order to get the rub’s and sauces. 

Each year on the third Saturday of December, the town hosts its’ Old Time Christmas Parade. While the parade doesn’t begin until early afternoon, as the sun rises that morning guests will begin to arrive, staking out their perfect spot. My parents began attending prior to my brother and I being born. Here we are over 25 years later, still settling into that spot under the trees, to the right of the judges table, about a half mile into the parade route.

The best way to describe the morning scene is none other than tailgating. Griddles sizzle with bacon and sausage. Pop up tents and fire pits line the parade route. Our crew has even been known to stir a pot (maybe more of a small pool) of grits with a canoe paddle. Friends know if they find their way to our spot, a hot breakfast is waiting on them, to be served with a hug and a catch-up on the year’s happenings.

With bellies full and anticipation stirring, the parade begins at 1:00 sharp. The parade marshal, dressed in solid red, opens the parade, ringing a large brass bell. But unlike many parades, this line-up is a little different. Free of trucks, cars, ATVs, and golf carts… the Lowrys Christmas Parade is limited to farm equipment and livestock. For miles and miles the parade stretches with tractors, combines, corn pickers, horses, and maybe even a saddled cow. Tractors of every size, every shape, some antique and noisy, some brand new and shining… you’re surely to see it all.

Throughout my childhood I found myself on many a 4-H floats. Where a normal parade might have the local beauty queen camped out on the float waving… these floats had the 4-H club kids perched on a trailer with their grand-champion show-goats dressed up as elves and reindeer.

The local dairy drives a tractor with a baby calf in the front-end loader, and hands out single-serve cartons of chocolate milk instead of throwing candy.

Many parade veterans bring sidewalk chalk and make a competition out horse droppings. Drawing a grid on the parade route, whoever’s square gets blessed with droppings wins the prize… I reckon we’ll call cow-drop-bingo parade edition?

And for those interested in keeping up with the local dating scene… you can easily spot who has a new significant other by who is riding on who’s tractor buddy seat.

The parade route snakes through town, around the loop, and back towards where it started. Following the many tractors and horses, Santa brings up the rear, signifying the end of the parade. As the kids wave goodbye to Santa and gather the final pieces of candy, the time draws near to load back up and head home. Many will not return to Lowrys for another 365 days, until the next parade, but the few hours spent there that day are held near and dear to thousands of folks’ hearts.

It’s the first event that is penciled in each year when my mama gets a new calendar. It’s the one day I can count on seeing those familiar faces from high school. It’s a day you think about the grandparents who used to attend and are no longer with you. It’s a day that will surely fill you to the brim with Christmas cheer.

While this one-mile town has more hustle and bustle that day than any other day of the year, the world surely turns slower in Lowrys, South Carolina on parade day. 

All you will need is some venison stew meat, carrots, potatoes, onions, Italian dressing, and rice. Wash your potatoes, peel, and cube them. Slice your onion. And chop your carrots. Place two packs of stew meat into the crock-pot, then add your vegetables. Pour one bottle of Italian dressing over the meat and vegetables, then fill half the empty dressing bottle with water and add it too.

Do this prep work in the morning and turn the crock-pot on high. Let it cook on high until mid-afternoon, then turn it to low. By the afternoon your whole house will be smelling delicious.

When you are ready to eat, put on a pot of rice to serve the stew over and you are ready to roll!

P.S. If you really want to spice up your Friendsgiving game… serve with a Cider Bourbon Cocktail! Simply mix your favorite apple cider with your go-to bourbon, add a splash of lemon juice and happy sipping.

1. Camo Beanie (24.99)
   A fleece lined beanie is a non-negotiable when it comes to duck season. Gotta keep those ears warm!

2. Steel Shot Shells
   It’d be mighty difficult to hunt without shells. Few hunters would be upset about receiving ammunition under the tree.

3. Landing Zone Full Zip (99.99)
   The Landing Zone Full Zip is your go to jacket for waterfowl hunting. Featuring a Fowl Weather Technology outer shell and poly fleece inner lining, this jacket provides you with superior mobility and warmth without the bulk. Rugged, lightweight, and tough enough to be worn as outer wear, but slim enough to be worn as an insulating layer.

4. Delta Wader Pant (99.99)
   Constructed of durable, polyester shell with Sherpa fleece backing and articulated patterning the Delta Wader Pant provides unmatched warmth and unrestricted movement. With adjustable ankle gaiters, there’s no chance you’ll end up with hiked up pants insider your waders.

5. Timbers Technical Hoody (109.99)
   The Timbers Technical Hoody combines the comfort and fit of the traditional woven hoody with the features of a technical hunting jacket. This hoody is constructed with a Sherpa fleece lining and a DWR/wind-blocking outer shell delivering you with optimal warmth, comfort, and protection from the elements making this item a must-have for the hardcore waterfowl hunter.

6. Thermos
   Your hunter will be awfully glad to have a thermos on hand when their 4am wakeup call rings. Whether it’s hot chocolate or coffee, a warm drink in the duck blind is hard to beat.

7. Ankle Gaiters (9.99)
   If your hunter owns a pair of Delta Wader Pants, they won’t have to worry about separate ankle gaiters. But if they don’t happen to have ankle gaiters built into their pants, they will surely need a set for Christmas. With a new set of adjustable gaiters, there’ll be no more trying to readjust your pants legs inside your waders. 

8. Flyway Bibs (149.99) and Jacket (179.99)
   The Flyway Bib and Jacket were born and designed to withstand the waterfowl season's most extreme conditions. Featuring a reinforced, heavy duty, poly fleece lining paired with a wind blocking, waterproof outer shell, this bib provides you with superior warmth, comfort, and protection from the frigid elements faced during the hunt.

9. Higdon Duck Decoys
   I think all duck hunters would agree, you can never have too many decoys. Your duck hunter would be tickled pink to find a set of foam-filled decoys under the tree. Durable, visible, and realistic, these decoys will surely bring the ducks in.

10. Echo Duck Calls
    Echo Duck calls are customizable and tuned so new and experienced duck hunters alike can have a quality experience. Whether your duck hunter’s lanyard is full or lacking, a new duck call would be appreciated.

11. Neck Gaiter (24.99)
    Useful for both concealment and warmth, a neck gaiter is a must in the duck blind. Offered in a few different patterns, your duck hunter will surely be pleased to have a new adjustable gaiter.

Departure Tips

When vacationing on an island with no cars, no grocery stores, and few restaurants your last stop before hitting the water towards the island, will be the grocery store. Stocked with plenty of dry ice, the grocery stores on Pine Island will know where you’re headed when you request “boat bags”. To avoid soggy groceries on the boat ride over, your groceries will be packed in a paper bag for durability, and then placed in a plastic bag for water protection. Packing in plastic storage totes isn’t a bad idea, depending on your boat situation. 

With a weeks’ worth of necessities in tow, it’s time to back that trailer into the water and head 6.5 miles west to North Captiva. 

Island Time

When you spot the stilt house at the mouth of the cove, you know you’re in the right spot. You’ll find your boat slip and transfer your luggage from your boat to the next most important mode of transportation… a golf cart. With no cars on the island, a golf cart will be your best friend. 

The clock truly slows down once you’re on the island. Half the island is residential, while the other half is state preservation land. With so much nature, a simple walk or golf cart ride can lead to all sorts of fun. Seashells line the beach, tortoises munch on plants that line the roads (golf cart paths is more like it). And it wouldn’t be a proper evening on the island without a happy hour golf cart ride to the small island landing strip to watch the planes come in. If you’re lucky, you may spot a manatee hanging out in the neighboring wharf. 

Other Spots Just A Boat Ride Away
While the island and surrounding waters has plenty to offer, a quick boat ride in any direction can land you a whole day of fun. 

• Cayo Costa State Park: Completely uninhabited, Cayo Costa has plenty of seashells and fishing spots. 
• Cabbage Key: Rumored to be where Jimmy Buffet wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, this dollar-bill-covered restaurant has an “old Florida” feel. After filling your belly with a cheeseburger, take a hike up the lighthouse steps to look out over the sound.
• Captiva Island: Separated from North Captiva by only a tiny pass, Captiva Island offers many good restaurants. Dock your boat at Jensen’s Marina and find your way to the Bubble Room for dessert that will change your life. 
• Sanibel Island: If shelling is your thing, find your way on south to Sanibel Island. Known as the seashell capital of the world, you’re going to want to bring a bucket to visit the beaches. 

I was 17 years old when I went on the first waterfowl hunt of my life. I had hunted all my life, so the whole process was a familiar mystery to me. I went with a coworker of mine to a rice field in Brinkley, Arkansas, and we grinded it out the entire day, sunrise to sunset. “I didn’t drive all this way to sit at the cabin,” he said to me when I asked how long we planned on staying. Looking back, considering the small number of birds we killed, it really was not a very good day of hunting, but little did I know it would be the start of something special. The last bird of the day came in, a lone juvenile speck, looking for a last-minute meal before going to roost. He let me have the shot(s), yes it took all 3, and the bird finally fell into a big muddy splash. When I watched that 13-year-old chocolate lab, named Chief, give everything he had to bring me back my first goose, I knew I was witnessing an aged veteran whose body was starting to fail him, do what he was meant to do and what he loved, for one of the last times. I knew after that that I wanted to work with gun dogs, specifically retrievers. My name is Jake Riley and I own Riley’s Retrievers, a retriever training business located in Bowling Green, KY. Today I am going to take a moment to talk about most of what goes into making a solid companion and hunting partner.

Puppy Training

When people bring a puppy home, a lot of times they are unsure of how soon to start working with them. My answer is, “immediately” It is never too early to start teaching your puppy the basics. You don’t have to take them out in the yard and make them heel or sit and stay. You can subconsciously teach them while playing in your living room floor. When you’re playing tug of war, tell them “hold,” and after a few seconds, open their mouth and tell them to “release” or “give.” They don’t have a clue what you are saying, but you would be surprised how quickly they pick up on those key words. Pay attention to them when they are playing. When you can say their name and they stop and look at you, then you’re ready to start the actual training process.

The Importance of Basic Obedience

Training a dog, no matter what it is for, is all about building it up, step by step. You can’t expect a dog to go on a 200-yard blind retrieve if you can’t make him sit beside you. I can’t stress enough the importance of basic obedience. I start with feeding time. Start with just sitting before you feed them. Then make them sit and stay while you sit it down. Then make them sit and stay until you sit it down and give them the okay command. Once they have a general idea of sit and stay, we start walking on a lead. While they’re on the leash you can begin the “heel” command, while still reiterating the sit and stay command. After the dog is comfortable walking with you, and being led by you everywhere on the leash, then you can start with the place command. After about a week the dog should be placing on a box, cooler, dog stand, tree stump, log, etc. without any guidance from the lead rope. Once the dog is placed, then it needs to sit and stay until you tell it to break. After 1-2 months, the dog needs to be heeling, sitting, staying, laying down, placing, and kenneling on command, as well as collar conditioned. If you get nothing else out of this blog, remember that the basics are by far the most important thing you can teach a dog. If it can do the little things right, then it can do the big things right. Throughout the entire process, ALWAYS go back to the basics.

The "Hold" Command

Once I am confident in the dog’s basic obedience abilities, I will move to the force fetch table. Some people teach the “hold” command and some don’t, but I am 100% in favor of teaching it. The last thing I want is my dog dropping a cripple on the way back and it diving and getting away. I make my dogs hold my hand with a glove on, then the glove itself, then a paint roller, followed by a canvas bumper, small training buck, wooden training buck, 2” hexabumper, 3” hexabumper, an oversized bumper, a 2” stick of pvc, 3” stick of pvc, and finally a real bird. It may be excessive, but this is starting the dog’s thought process that it has to fetch and hold anything it is told to.

Advanced Training Tips

After the hold command, I move onto the ear pinch and force fetch process, A lot of people disagree with the force fetch process. They view it as a cruel way to get a dog to do what you want through pain. I have to disagree. Force fetching shouldn’t be about inflicting pain on the dog. When done properly, it will start to teach a dog the drive that it takes overcome distractions and uncomfortability to get the job done. After the dog is picking up birds off the table, with or without pinching their ear, then we will move to the ground. I will start pile and ladder drills, getting further away and getting them comfortable with picking up birds off the ground. After all that, now we will start the actual retrieving, throwing short singles and doubles for them. Soon thereafter I will introduce the gun shots to them, incorporating them into the retrieves. They have to realize that gun shots are good, not scary. Gun shots mean they get to do their job (unless you shoot like me), so incorporate them as much as you can into your training. Once the dog is holding steady to gunshots, retrieving singles and doubles, holding the bird to heel on land and in water, and kenneling in their blind with the bird, then I will move onto the finishing side of things.

When people think of blind retrieves, they generally only think of stopping the dog with a whistle and give them hand signals to guide them to the bird. In reality, the goal of a blind retrieve is to run a straight line to the bird without having to stop the dog at all. So, before I even start with whistle sits and hand signals, I go back to my pile drills. I love wagon wheel drills to work on going to whichever pile I send the dog to. Once I’m confident in the dog running solid lines, then I will start with the whistle sits and hand signals. Tee drills, line drills with a pile off to the side, etc. After that the possibilities are endless. I’ll start running simple blind retrieves, then add a poison bird, then move the blind a little further, or move to a hilly or brushy terrain, and so on. The dog is only going to stop learning when you stop trying to teach him new things. Your dog should be close to finishing and ready to hunt after a minimum of 6 months. However, just like children, no two dogs are built the same. They learn differently, and will struggle with some things that other dogs will breeze through. It could take 6 months and it could take a year and a half to get a dog where the owner is satisfied.

Remember to Remain Consistent

If I could give everyone three pieces of advice for training their dogs, it would be to do the little things right, begin with the end in mind and be consistent. Know what you want in a dog before you ever start, so you know what to expect, what to work on, and what you want when you take that dog to the blind. Lastly, consistency is key. Once you decide what you want the dog to do, don’t stray from that and work on it every day. Even if it is just for 10 minutes at a time, work with your pup every single day if you want to see the best results. Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you ever have any questions, advice, or just want to talk hunting or dogs, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram. Thank you and God bless.

My Duck Hunting Start

This was right before technical clothes and waders became a thing. We wore brown waders and a mix match of camouflage. We hunted with Steve Schultz, a bona fide duck killer in Arkansas. Steve grew up around those parts and knew the famed Bayou Meto green timber like the back of his hand. We were threatened with our lives not to peak around the tree, he would tell us when to “get em”. I can remember the cut down Olt call and the sound it made in the timber, echoing off the water. A little after daylight, and after about 10 minutes of persuasive calling, Steve hollered “get em” and I looked up to what looked like 200 mallards in the hole. I think I flock shot them from being so excited, not sure if I even cut a feather! From that trip with my buds in 1994, I’ve been hooked on the Prairie region of Arkansas, the rice fields, and the flooded green timber.

I have been back to Arkansas almost every year since. When I had kids and my oldest was 6 , we hunted with a great outfitter in western Tennessee in big blinds, where my 2 young boys could spread out a little and get out of the elements if needed. 

A few years went by and I felt Arkansas calling my name again. I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to create something special for my boys, and a few of my buddies. I wanted to create something generational that was ours. I wanted to create Duck Camp.

The Creation of Prairie Oaks Duck Club

In 2018, we created Prairie Oaks Duck Club. Located 26 miles southwest of Stuttgart, Arkansas, in a small community of 800 people, 6 miles from the Bayou Meto, a place we can call our own. We hunt flooded fields and timber from Tucker to Dewitt, and all in between. The infamous Bayou Meto with over 33,000 acres of flooded green timber, is 6 miles from our lodge, with some of the best public duck hunting in the country.

I love hearing those train horns as those long freight trains snake their way across the Prairie, I love the frigid cold and wind as it whips across the Prairie at 4 am, I love the sound of whistling wings over the decoys right before sunrise, I love the jokes and ribbing in the duck blind, I love watching a Labrador work and do what they were created for, I love Cut Down calls and Benelli shotguns, and I love sharing time with family and friends over a steak at night. This is what keeps me grinding, day in and day out.

Our club’s mission is simple: To create lifelong memories, lasting friendships, enjoy the beauty of a working duck dog, and marvel at Gods creation as the sun rises across the Prairie; all while sharing a duck blind, a great meal, or telling stories around the fire pit.

That last week in November can’t get here fast enough for me every year.

Hope to see you in the woods,
Scott Clyburn
Founder- Prairie Oaks Duck Club

My answer is always the same. Don’t buy one yet if you’re just starting to explore the art of self-filming. Use whatever camera you have now, GoPro, cell phone, borrow Mom’s old camcorder. You need to see if it’s something that you even like doing and are going to be committed to. Once those questions are answered, then buy the best quality camera your budget allows!

The Art of Self-Filming Hunts

Now let’s talk about the reason you’re reading this blog. The art of self-filming. Let’s just assume everyone reading this is wanting to film in a way to tell the whole story and not just show a kill shot. The story is the hardest thing for people to tell that self-film. Many times, it’s just because they get lazy in the field. Let’s use hunting for instance, and let’s just say that you’re in a tree and you’re about to shoot a monster buck. You have to remember that there is a beginning, middle, and end to everything that you shoot. Now what shots do you get to tell the story of you monster buck? You’re there in person, but your viewer is not. You can smell the smells, feel the wind blow, feel the temperature changes, hear the birds, hear the squirrel running behind you that made you think deer were coming. You will need to capture all those shots to help bring your viewers in on the hunt with you. So, you can’t be lazy on getting those shots. You will want to get wide shots (camera zoomed all the way out), medium shots (camera zoomed halfway between hunter and subject), and tight shots (subject filling up most of your frame). Other great story telling shots to get if possible are a bird’s eye view (drone), the hunter’s point of view, ants’ point of view (this would be low shots of walking, sun through trees, recovery’s etc.), and time lapses.

Recommended Gear for Self-Filming Hunts

Here’s some gear that I would recommend for the outdoorsmen and women that are going to stick with self-filming. Your main camera should have the ability to control focus, use a remote and attach wireless microphones. I would recommend the Sony nx80. Second angle camera would be a GoPro or Tactacam. This would be attached to your bow pointed to your field of view or back at the hunter. I recommend the GoPro hero 7 or newer because the image and capabilities are just noticeably better. GoPro’s can capture your time lapses, slow-mo shots, cut always and more. Lastly, would be a good tree arm, and the only one to buy in my opinion is from Fourth Arrow.

The #1 Tip: Have Fun

Wrapping all this up remember, that this should be fun! Yes, it will be challenging, but that should excite you. Get outside, have fun, be confident, and tell your story. The amount of self-accomplishment when it all comes together, along with the joy of sharing your adventures with friends and family can’t be measured and if you’re like me it will become addicting!

Best of luck, Jordan Spencer

The air has turned crisp and cool in the mornings. Crops are being harvested, and most young retrievers are home from training all summer. Veteran waterfowlers have a spring in their step that has not been seen since last season. They are starting to anticipate the upcoming waterfowl season.

            Briefly rewinding - it all starts in the spring, cleaning decoys and storing them for the summer. Valves and gates are opened, or pulled, to allow the water to drain from fields we’ve managed for waterfowl all winter long.  There’s still a few birds looking for the last few remaining grains of feed, but it’s time for them to move on to the breeding grounds, in anticipation of raising their young for the next fall flight. 

            The farmers work the ground, fertilize, spray, and plant the crop.  There are several prayers for rain and good weather throughout the growing season.  Irrigation is used where available.  When fall comes and the harvest begins they hope for good prices and a good yield, but a portion of the crop is left in the field for migrating waterfowl to feed on. The farmer, and the ducks, anticipate a good crop.

            Once the crops are harvested, it’s on to cleaning and brushing blinds. Valves and gates, that were opened months ago, are closed, in hopes of Mother Nature giving us some free water. A shipment of new decoys has arrived.  It’s time to get them rigged and added to the spread.  Early seasons have come and gone, giving us a small taste of what is yet to come. Our friends have sent pictures from Canada, where the hunting has been nothing short of spectacular.  Finally, with opening day a few weeks away, it’s time to pump the fields full of water - allowing the birds access to the food we’ve left them. While checking the pumps daily we start seeing more and more birds using the fields... with anticipation of many more!  Now, the stage is set.  Decoys are staged in some blinds while permanent spreads are set on others. Ice blasters are set to keep holes open on those cold freezing days and provide movement in the decoys. Splashing Flashers, Crazy Kickers, and Pulsators are charged and ready to roll.  Guns are cleaned one final time.  Blind bags are packed, calls are tuned, and the dogs are ready.

What we’ve worked on all year long has come to fruition.  It’s go time!

We’ve got sights set on another great season.