| Now that Duck Season is Over... | | Print | |
| Written by John Geitz-NJ-Hunter.com Pro-Staff |
| Sunday, 01 April 2007 00:00 |
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Well, the close of Snow Geese season officially marks the end to waterfowl hunting for another year. When should you start preparing for next season Right away! The urge to throw the decoys in the basement, hang your hunting clothes in the corner, fold up the waders and put them in the shed, throw a cover on the boat and so on is overwhelming at this point. Here are a few basic ideas that will pay dividends for next season's opener. Hunting clothes After everything has been washed up and is nice and clean, if that's possible, try placing your coats, bibs and the like in plastic bags before storing them for the season. You might even consider placing them in one of those large Tupperware type bins. These bins are easily labeled and may keep your treasured hunting clothes from winding up on a garage sale table. This will also keep the spiders and other insects from making them their home for the summer months. I keep all of my duck and small game hunting coats, pants and vests in an old cedar chest that my parents gave us years ago and it works great. Waders Waders should be completely dry and hung by the feet in a device designed for that specific purpose. I must have been through 3 pairs of hip boots and waders that dry rotted in the folds because of how they were stored before I broke down and bought one of these handy little $10.00 hangers. I haven't had any trouble since. Decoys My decoys are your basic polyethylene type decoys manufactured by just about everyone. I make sure they are thoroughly clean and remove lines and weights. I usually change my decoy lines every season although this is not necessary. Set aside any decoys that may need touching up, realistic decoys can make the difference between having a great day and quiet day. You can either take on that chore now or do a few at a time during the summer months when it warms up a bit. Now my good friend and duck-hunting partner Bobby Mroz has brand new state of the art holographic decoys that cost more than my duck boat and dog Gretzky combined. These decoys are REALLY NICE so Bobby takes extra precautions to insure that his investments start next season just the way they ended last season. After a thorough cleaning with soap and water he stores his decoys in low friction decoy bags that have individual compartments for each decoy. His decoy bags also have a separate compartment for decoy weights and lines. Duck Boat and Trailer Make sure you power wash your trailer to remove any mud and salt that you may have picked up on salted roads towards the end of the season. Add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank to avoid sludge build up while not in use. Take the motor off the boat and store it in a shed or basement if you don't intend to use during the off-season. Grease the trailer wheel bearings. Wash your boat down to remove all mud and debris that has built up through the season. Identify any spots that may need touching up. I suggest you wait until the weather warms up a bit before taking on that chore. If you have a boat blind like Bobby you should inspect it for areas that will need repair during the off season. Finally cover your boat when not in use. Safety Items I can't emphasize the importance of checking your life jackets for signs of wear and mildewing and replace those that may be suspect. Items such as flares should be properly discarded after each season and replaced at the beginning of next season. You can never be too safe. I hope these tips will help next season's opener be safe and free of the last minute emergencies that could be avoided if we put the work in up front. Good Luck! |
