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IN THIS EDITION: -Latest News: Waterfowl Hunters Enjoy Historic Success -Waterfowling Tips: Honey Holes and Crippled Divers -Duck Details: Canvasback -Conservation: How We Conserve -Dog Kennel Ideas: What do I build? -Duck Recipes: Cajun Ducks -Retriever Tips: Barking Problems ***Latest News*** WATERFOWL HUNTERS ENJOY HISTORIC SUCCESS According to numbers published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), today's waterfowl hunters are spending more time in the field and bagging more birds than any other time in modern history. Although the total number of active adult hunters remains relatively low, those who do hunt are setting new standards for North America's waterfowling sport. The FWS estimates that during the 1999-2000 waterfowl season, hunters in the United States spent an average of nine days in the field and harvested approximately 10 ducks and 2 geese each. In total, hunters spent 14.3 million days in the fields and harvested more than 15 million ducks--down only 7 percent from the previous season's all-time high. The 1999-2000 estimated goose harvest for the U.S. was 3 million birds, also only slightly below last year's all-time high. Full Story ***Duck Details*** CANVASBACK Description: Males have a chestnut red head and neck, a black breast, grayish back, black rump, and blackish brown tail. The side, flank, and belly are white. The wing coverts are grayish, vermiculated with black. The iris is bright red in the spring, but duller in the winter. Females have a light brown head and neck, grading into a darker brown chest and foreback. The sides, flanks, and back are grayish brown. Breeding: Most canvasbacks breed in the prairie pothole region of North America. They prefer permanent prairie marshes surrounded by emergent vegetation, such as cattails and bulrushes, which provide protective cover. Other important breeding areas are the subarctic river deltas in Saskatchewan and the interior of Alaska. Canvasback nests are often parasitized by redheads. Migrating and Wintering: Canvasbacks migrate through the Mississippi Flyway to wintering grounds in the mid-Atlantic United States and Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), or the Pacific Flyway to wintering grounds along the coast of California. Historically, the Chesapeake Bay wintered the majority of canvasbacks, but with the recent loss of submerged aquatic vegetation in that bay, their range has shifted south towards the LMAV. Brackish estuarine bays and marshes with abundant submerged vegetation and invertebrates are ideal wintering habitat for canvasbacks. ***Conservation*** HOW WE CONSERVE - RESTORING GRASSLANDS Ducks such as mallards, pintails, and teal build nests in dense, grassy areas near wetlands. Grassland cover helps hens conceal their nests and increases their chances of successfully hatching a clutch. Once hatched, the hen leads the ducklings overland to a nearby wetland, where they grow into adults. In the Prairie Pothole Region and Great Plains of the U.S. and Canada, grasslands once dominated the landscape and were interlaced with abundant wetlands. DU and its partners help to secure and restore these grasslands to reduce predation rates and improve nest success. DU helps landowners enroll in government-subsidized easement and set-aside programs. DU also purchases and distributes planting equipment to help farmers replant natural grasses on lands no longer used for agriculture. For more on DU Conservation projects click here. ***Dog Kennel Ideas*** What do I build? Question: I would like to build a kennel for my lab in the back yard. Does anyone have a suggestion for this project? -DU Member R. Kindler Suggestion 1: I put mine on a concrete slab to make it easy to clean. It has a roof over the slab and I put in a heavy rubber mat for him to lie on. It also has an insulated doghouse with a can heater in the winter, and a fan for the summer, all on a controlled timer. -DU Member M. Iwanski Suggestion 2: When you lay the concrete you'll want a semi-rough surface. This will harden the dog's pads and help keep the nails shorter. -DU Member J. Irland Suggestion 3: As long as the cement stays dry or you have bedding down you should be fine. I do recommend some type of bedding. Shavings work well. -DU Member P. Talmage ***DUCK RECIPES*** Cajun Ducks Slice duck breasts on each side vertically. Place sliced jalapenos in slits. Wrap with bacon and secure with toothpicks. Place on grill just long enough to brown (about 2 minutes per side). Place each breast in its own foil square with slices of onion and pieces of garlic. Replace to grill with onion and garlic side down. This will steam the flavors into the breasts for an amazing spicy Cajun flavor. The breasts should cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, depending on your grill. Serve with rice and onion gravy. ENJOY!!! -DU Member K.Gatlin ******************************* Be sure to: *Forward this newsletter to a friend! *Log on to DU's web site at http://www.ducks.org *Participate in the Ducks Unlimited Online Community (provided through KOZ.com) *Watch The World of Ducks Unlimited Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. repeats Mondays 12 a.m. and Thursday 12:30 a.m. all times (ET/PT) on TNN *Listen in to DU's radio program, The World of Ducks Unlimited, on over 300 stations nationwide *Join DU today and receive your subscription to Ducks Unlimited Magazine and access to the Members Only section of our web site