Remember when the site of a vee in the sky and the melodious honking of geese was a special treat and signaled the onset of fall?  Well that like the smell of burning leaves is a thing of the past. The sight of geese nowadays is a sight few like to see. Overpopulation, sanitation, and site fouling are just a few of the problems associated with the big Canada. Retention ponds around schools, hospitals, Big box stores and office parks play host to hundreds of thousands of these 20lb. pests. Hardly any urban areas are immune.

A goose on a good day eats four pounds of  feed expelling two. A flock of twenty five at the local high school  biology pond drops 50 lbs. A day. The rest is just a math problem that you can figure. There are some solutions to the problem many costly, many ineffective. Geese typically mate for life and have four to eight nestlings. If the population in your area seems to be getting bigger every year, it is, not only are the adults returning but many of the first year birds are returning also. Geese will continue to return to he same site annually because the site affords them safety, food sources, and nesting sites. Add to that the fact that geese can live twenty plus years and you have a major problem. When will it end. Anti hunters be damned.

There are numerous methods to deter geese from calling your property home. These include hazing (Border Collies), addling (Shaking the eggs), chemical treatments, audio/visual (explosions, predator decoys) , roundups (during molt they’re captured and shipped off) and property modification (reshaping terrain)

Golf course maintenance is hampered not only by the cost of control of the geese, but also the excess wear on golf course maintenance equipment. Greens are especially susceptible, the nitrogen in the droppings causes the shorter grass to burn out and makes it difficult to maintain the pristine condition of the green. Ponds on the course are also being fouled, making fishing golf courses (if your lucky enough to have permission) less attractive than in the pre-goose era.

Then there was the one about the golfer eyeing up a 15 foot put for Eagle on the goose infested course. After getting the proper read on the put he laid his cigar on the fringe and proceeded to can the putt. While still on an emotional high from the putt, he reached down and picked up what he thought was his cigar and inhaled heartily. You can imagine the rest.

In Amarillo, Texas at the Amarillo Civic Center there is a fishing and hunting expo that also features RV’s and Boats. Exhibitors from all around Texas come to participate every year offering seminars, a full line of new boats by the major manufacturers, fishing tackle that is presented from dealers that travel from four other states as well and a kids area that offers a trout tank, an aquarium and martial arts. They also offer everything pertaining to the world of hunting including clothes, different types of game calls and even taxidermy tips.

Oklahoma City in Oklahoma offers a hunting and fishing expo in February that is considered one of the largest of its kind. They have seminars with several different guest speakers, exhibits and all kinds of attractions during their three day event.

In January Denver, Colorado has a great fishing, outdoor and hunting expo put on by International Sportsmen’s Expositions that have 30+ years experience in putting on these types of shows. They offer a complete schedule of contests, presentations and seminars every day of the event that includes exhibits and activities for hunting, fishing, bow hunting, boats and more.

In Jonesboro, Arkansas during February they put on the Arkansas Sport Show hunting and fishing expo that includes many different attractions and some great giveaways (like and ATV). They have a rock climbing wall, the worlds best trout tank, turkey calling championship, a great 3D archery challenge and a fun kids corner.

Kansas City, Missouri has a great Sport and Boat show during January that offers everything from boat dealers making some great deals to an interactive Colonial American Pirate exhibit that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. They also feature and adopt a dog area where mainly hunting and bird dogs, but other breeds as well, can be adopted; a perfect opportunity for the sportsman.

If you are anywhere near Fargo, North Dakota in March you need to check out the Red River Valley sportsman/fishing/hunting expo that they put on. They combine several areas into one that includes boats, camping and RV’s, hunting and fishing, traveling and outdoor education where you will find free seminars, trout ponds and more.

You may be thinking that it is going to be expensive and truthfully it can be, but there are many ways that even on a shoestring budget your hunting trips can be very successful and quite a bit of fun. If you think this is something that you would like to try there are a few practical things that you can do in order to get started fairly easily.

Obviously you are going to need a gun for dove hunting although there are some more advanced or professional hunters that use a compound bow. There are several different options when it comes to shotguns including a pump action, an over and under and an automatic. When it comes to buying a shotgun the size really does matter; the lower the number the bigger the shell. The 12 gauge is most common with the next one being a 20 gauge and the larger the gauge then the bigger the kick.

Once you have decided on your gun of choice you need to decide where to hunt, which also depends upon the different hunting seasons. This really can depend on what you can and are able to spend; you can go from expensive guided hunting trips to a short day hunt. In Texas there are public land areas where you can go for about $50.00 and have access to thousands of prolific dove hunting acres. If you have some money to spend then you may want to consider renting an established lease, which usually range from about $350 up to about $1100 per gun. Don’t forget that you will also be sure to obtain a hunting license first.

You will also need a few other items such as shells, 8 shot dove hunting load is usually a good one to start with and a case, which is 10 boxes, is normally enough to get you started. You will want to get some kind of a bullet/bird bag and many prefer a camo three pouch style. You should invest in some camo clothes and depending on where your hunting trips take you or when the different hunting seasons starts will depend on what type you will need, such as if warmth is a consideration.

The sooner you start gather what you will need the less expensive everything will be as waiting until the last minute right before the season opens prices tend to go up.

There is a site called Sunrise Productions that has many different hunting movies and videos, they were the first to develop the Eyecam which is specially mounted enabling the person watching to see everything that the hunter sees looking down a gun barrel. This means that you are able to see the gun mount down the barrel, the correct way to site the lead and then, of course, the shot that is taken. They combine it with very slow motion so that you can also learn what the hunters/instructors are doing.

Some of their hunting movies/videos include Wingshooting which is one of the best comprehensive videos produced that shows you how to hit the birds, not how to best hunt for them but how to actually shoot them once you find them. Another good one is the Art and Science of Duck Hunting that completely understands the American love affair with hunting waterfowl. It takes you along with two great outdoorsmen, Bruce Scott and Marty Fischer, as they travel to some of the greatest waterfowl locations that can be found.

If reading is more your style there are several hunting magazines that will provide you with some great tips as well as entertain you with different hunting stories. Buckmasters is considered on of the best in Whitetail hunting magazines as it offers how-to’s, different gear reviews and reports is the largest of the deep hunting publications in the US and Canada.

Of course you can’t talk about hunting magazines without mentioning Field and Stream as it is considered the number one sportsman magazine in America. This magazine contains conservation and fishing news, in-depth articles written on several different topics including many different types of hunting and some great fiction stories as well. It has been in publication for more than 100 years and you will be completely satisfied with every single issue that you read.

Many hunters will select elk hunting outfitters based on some conversation that they had with one at some type of a sport show or event; but this is the time that they are just going to tell you everything that they think you want to hear. Such as a 95% success rate, trophy class animals and they will very likely show you a bunch of pictures of satisfied customers from their last elk hunting trip showing off these huge bulls or bucks. So, they will hand over their hard earned money and go home happy as can be waiting for the elk hunts.

You should always have some kind of list of questions ready to ask the elk hunting outfitters before you even go to the sporting event or show as this will help you to remember everything you wanted to ask. For example, how much do the elk hunts cost, do you specialize in any particular type of elk hunting such as bow hunting and how long have they been doing business are always good questions to ask. If they appear to get annoyed because you are asking so many questions that is a good indication that you may want to move on to the next one.

One of the best ways to find one is to contact a booking company that screens elk hunting outfitters and actually goes on elk hunts with the potential outfitters before they will refer any customers to them. Word of mouth is also a good form of referral, perhaps you can check with family or friends to see if they have had a good quality elk hunting experience with any particular outfitter.

You should also contact whichever state wildlife department issued the license to the outfitter as they will be able to tell you of any past or existing problems that they may have had helping you to avoid a bad elk hunting experience.

For most areas the first week or so of bow hunting deer season can be fairly warm, depending upon the exact area it could be in the mid to upper 80’s during daylight and only slightly cooler in the evenings.

Bow hunting in the heat just may be something that hunters will need to get used in order not to have to give up on a great part of the early deer season. One of the main things to remember when hunting in hot conditions is that while the whitetail deer definitely does not like overly warm weather either; once they have shed the summer coats they start to become physically prepared fro the colder weather even when the weather stays warm. The more they have to move around the more uncomfortable they are which means whitetail deer will arrange their patterns so they have to move as little as possible; this usually means that the warmer it is the closer to food sources they will bed.

When bow hunting you can take advantage of the fact that the deer will normally bed near a field when the weather is hot and when the mast may be scarce. Just be sure that they have a place to bed that is secure but still far enough away from the stand so that they will not see you coming into the area or when you climb up into the stand.

One other important thing to remember in order to have a successful whitetail deer season is scent control which is even more important in hot weather. While most hunters know enough to wash clothes in an unscented detergent or soda that still may not be enough during warm weather. Most experts in bow hunting suggest spraying yourself with some kind of natural smelling scent and if you are like many people and have an oak stand you can also apply some of the oak cover scent that is available commercially; the two scents together increases your chances of being undetectable to the deer.

One aspect that appears to be difficult for many hunters who get out during the beginning, hot part of deer season is to keep their attitude positive. It is difficult to stay positive when you feel like your drenched and the mosquitoes won’t leave you alone, but keep the positive attitude and it may just be worth your while.

Cabela Bullet Vacuum bottles are perfect for keeping whatever hot beverage your hunter drinks nice and hot. They are double walled and made of stainless steel; various sizes, as well as different finishes (like cammo) are available as well. The Jackal makes some great hunting gifts like their cammo gloves that are insulated for extra warmth. They also have a fleece collar, a “hot shot” finger sheath and have a hook and loop cinch strap on the wrists.

Hunting DVD’s are also a great idea that is not that expensive; there are several sites online that you can order from and most carry a variety of titles. Sportsmen on film offer a good selection and they are one of the largest producers of hunting DVD’s anywhere. Their videos have won many national and international awards for things like best nature and/or wildlife productions and best hunting productions. They travel to some amazing locations for these productions including Africa where they show hunting the lion and Cape buffalo and even film some great safaris.

Still more great hunting gifts include getting your favorite hunter a subscription to a hunting magazine. There are several great ones available such as Big Buck magazine which is one of Canada’s top magazines relating to deer hunting. If you know a bow hunter then you may want to check out Bowhunter Magazine; many people feel that this is one of the best magazines relating to the subject as it is run by bow hunters. Outdoor Life is another one that is top notch as it covers everything from fishing, hunting, boating and sports medicine to sports vehicles; definitely one for a serious sportsman. And last on the list as a great hunting magazine is Field & Stream; an amazing magazine that features all that the sportsman ever wanted to know about the great, wide outdoors. It features articles on dogs, fishing, hunting, guns as well as containing letters and stories from the readers and book reviews that are always helpful. If you have an avid outdoorsman on your list this is the magazine for them.

As a general rule most of the states department of wildlife have fishing and hunting regulations that are fairly similar such as having to obtain a hunting license; however there are some that also different in any number of ways.

In Texas there are several different types of licenses available such as the lifetime license where they are then exempt from having to buy a yearly stamp endorsement; however you still have to actually obtain the stamp, there is just no additional fee. The one type of hunting that is not available for a lifetime license is duck hunting.

Texas also offers a commercial hunting license that is used when the purpose of hunting is to make money for the person that is holding the license. And according to hunting regulations those licenses may only be purchased at a Texas Department of Wildlife law enforcement office or at their headquarters in Austin. There is also one that is strictly for recreational reasons like as a hobby, sport or anything non-economic.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife has different fishing and hunting regulations that include needing an additional fishing and hunting license for specific areas on top of the regular license. For example, both residents and non-residents that want to fish in Lake Texoma must purchase an additional specific license in order to do so. They will also issue a 5 day license to hunt anything except for deer or turkey; you must have a license specifically for both of those individually.

The state of Colorado’s Department of Wildlife has a special licensing department that handles the issuing of a hunting license to a non-resident. They allow only 10% of all of the licenses that are issued in order to hunt bighorn sheep, mountain goats and moose, to non-residents, the other 90% is reserved for Colorado residents only. So if you want to hunt any of those animals and you do not live in Colorado, you better get your license early.

The hunting regulations in Louisiana require that anyone who was born on or after the first of September, 1969 must have completed (satisfactorily) a hunting safety course that has been approved by their department of wildlife; the exception to this is being a veteran or active member of the armed services or a post certified police officer. One other exception is being under the age of 16 and hunting with someone that is certified.

There are many different hunting regulations and rules for obtaining a fishing or hunting license so whatever state you plan to hunt in be sure to check with their department of wildlife for information.

Big game hunting is legal in many countries like Canada, Italy and Croatia and is very popular in many states like Alaska, Texas and the Dakota’s. The animals that fall into this category may include boar, buffalo, lion, bear, deer and antelope. Those against the practice take exception to the fact that the fur, skin or antlers are often kept by hunters as trophies, branding it immoral. But, for those that do enjoy the sport sometimes suggest that some of these animals benefit from being culled to help limit their population.

Whether you loathe it or love it there is no question that big game hunting is indeed big business. To follow are a few suggestions on which animals are fair game and where to hunt them.

For grizzly or brown bears then you really should head to Alaska; you are required to buy a big game license. Since there are so many different and strict game hunting laws here your best bet is to go through a guide or a registered agency that can organize the trip for you.

If Cape buffalo is something you may be interested in the Zimbabwe, Africa would be the best locale.  Although not an endangered species there are some countries that have it listed as protected so be sure to check with the local authorities before starting out.

If a wolf trophy sounds appealing then head to Russia where wolf season is open year round but the best time to practice big game hunting is in January through February. If you go in January you can also combine some wild boar hunts in with your wolf hunting.

Due to its very controversial nature and so much opposition against it be sure to adhere to all laws, rules and regulations to avoid giving big game hunting a worse name.

Ok, so maybe that is not entirely true and actually unlike deer hunting where you can spend days upon days sitting up in a tree all by yourself, duck hunting lends itself more towards the chance of being a social event, with a few people hunting together. However, for those of you that really are new to the whole thing there are some basics that you should be aware of and items that you will need.

Waders are definitely a duck hunting must have item; hip waders may work fairly well but a pair of chest waders makes sure you can get where you need to go. If possible, forego the cheap pair and opt for a good set of well insulated chest waders or you may just decide that duck hunting is for the birds.

Speaking of birds, you will need several decoys, mallards will usually work well no matter where you are and you may decide to add more later when you have truly become an adept seasoned hunter. Now however there is a rage among some duck hunters using a “robo-duck” which is a battery operated decoy that has wings that move.  Some of them even dive and dip in the water making ripples like the feeding ducks. There has been a little talk about banning these decoys because they have become so very effective.  But, don’t worry; if you have done the homework and found a good area you will have no need for a robo-duck.

You do want to make sure that you are properly camouflaged, meaning that you blend in with your surroundings, anything brown when it comes to clothing is usually fine. And the one thing that veteran duck hunters do suggest is wearing a face mask. They claim that the ducks can spot faces from miles away and it is like a blinking neon sign telling them to say away.

Above all, when it comes to duck hunting, there is just no way around patiently sitting in the damp cold and waiting for the ducks to come; but they will come so be ready.