Tools of the Trade—Good Stuff For Good Times in the Outdoors
Welcome back to another installment of “Tools of the Trade.” I know there’s a whole lot of you out there feeling the wrath of Old Man Winter, but I promise, spring is on the way. That means, among other things, that snow geese are about to head north again, giving waterfowlers one last chance to do their “thang” until early teal seasons come around next fall. So today I’m going to pick three gear picks to help you put a few last birds in your bag.
As always, there’s a full disclaimer at the bottom of this page, but here’s the short list of rules for “Tools Of The Trade:”
- If I think it looks neato-keen, I’ll start the review with “Looks Neato-Keen.”
- If I actually use it, I’ll tell it like it is, good or bad, and I’ll start the review “Hands-On Tested.”
- If someone sends me something to test, I’ll tell you they did so, and you’ll still get an honest review. I’ll begin these with “They Sent It To Me.”
- If you try something I review, put a comment on the post and tell me about how it worked (or didn’t) for you. Seriously. Do this.
Here we go!
Avery 6-Slot Snow/Blue/Lesser Full Body Bag
Looks Neato-Keen: Snow geese headed back to the prairies after their
winter break are usually under less pressure than they were when they were headed south, and so decoy spreads don’t necessarily have to be as mammoth in the late spring season as they were in the fall. Too, even if you choose to throw out a couple hundred socks, you still want some standard, 3-D full-body dekes mixed in. Of course, these latter decoys are a huge monetary investment. Avery Outdoor’s 6-Slot Snow/Blue/Lesser Full Body Bag stores a half-dozen small, full-body goose decoys neatly and safely, and with the shoulder strap, it’s also easy to tote them in and out of the field. What I liked about this bag the most, though, was its rectangular design. Buy a dozen or two, stack ’em up, and now you’ve got organized and protected storage of your decoys for the off-season. You’ll have less trouble finding heads to match bodies and fewer maintenance chores like repaint come next year.
Muck Boots
Hands-On Tested: If you’re spring goose hunting, you’re going to encounter mud nearly everywhere you go, especially after the wet winter
everyone’s had. Now, I’ve used probably more than a dozen different pairs of rubber boots over the years, when I’ve set out to conquer hunting conditions that want to suck me down like a saber tooth tiger in the La Brea tar pits, and none have come close to performing like Muck Boots do. The tops are made of some proprietary CR-foam shell, whatever that is. It’s kind of like neoprene in its flexibility, but softer, more pliable. It give the wearer a rather custom fit. In fact, the uppers of the tall rubber Muck Boots I have kind of work like support pantyhose, griping the calf and area above the ankle snugly to give a kind of energizing feel to you as you walk. This snug fit also, at least for me, prevented slipping through the heel to leave me blister-less at the end of some very long hikes in the field. That Muck Boots are waterproof goes without saying; I’ve never had a pair, short or tall, that began to suggest of a leak, even after numerous seasons of use. Too, because the boots are also self-insulating and have a lining that breathes, my feet are always dry and stink-free at the end of the day. Try one, try all. Two thumbs—no, make that two big toes—up for these.
Wildfowler Outfitter Cover-Ups
Looks Neato-Keen: If you’re like me, you have a favorite parka and pant
set you’d prefer to use for most of your waterfowl hunting. Problem is, it doesn’t accommodate all habitats equally. That’s why I like the cover-ups from Wildfowler Outfitter. Much less expensive than buying whole sets of parkas and pants, these garments do what the name implies, and that is cover you up. The parka is available in Farmland Corn Belt, Mossy Oak Winter, and Farmland Gold, while the pants also come in all white. Combined, and for under $100 for a set, you can easily accommodate changing amounts of
snow on the ground and shifting agricultural practices. Using these cover-ups will also keep you from getting your primary set of duds filthy, thus prolonging their longevity and providing a better return for your initial investment (and with double parka sets running several hundred dollars, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t appreciate getting a few more seasons of use out of them).
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