FINZ-N-FEATHERS Guide Service

 Early Season Goose Hunt

   The Early Goose Season is starting off real slow. The birds where not moving in there normal predictable patterns. We had a group of birds come in about one hour after legal shooting time with around 20 Geese in the group. A small group of 4 Geese broke off the main flock locked up and started into the decoy spread. We where able to knock 2 birds down out of the group. These birds where shot within 15 yards. We had seen several groups of Geese trading around throughout the day, but nothing like we where seeing during the pre-season scouting.

Early Goose Season starts picking up. The 25+ mph winds from the W NW, rain, and a dark cloudy day kept the birds moving around. We had several chances at geese on this hunt as the birds just wanted to come in out of the weather. This was a prime example of how each hunt is so different from the ones before. We just never know what to expect from one day to the next when hunting Waterfowl.

FINZ-N-FEATHERS Guides & Guest @ Saginaw Bay     (A.K.A. Quack Addict Paradise)

Yes these air-boats are very loud, but they are the ticket for getting into those hard to go area's of Saginaw Bay. A big Thank You goes out to Don at Don's Sport Shop in Sebewaing, MI for getting all the Pro Staff, Field Staff, and our general Duck Junkies members out to our blinds. Don, that is one fun toy you have there. We need one of those for sure!

Family & Friends make for a great outing no matter where you go. This was an experience like no other. Some of the folks on this trip have never been to Saginaw Bay before, let alone ride the air-boats out into the shallow waters of the bay.

Thank You to our Southern Duck Junkies Pro Staff and Field Staff for making the long trip up to Michigan. We really enjoyed everyone's conversations, as well as getting to know some of the other members on the professional side of Duck Junkies. We hope to see you all again.

Youth Hunts

Dave (on right) FINZ-N-FEATHERS Guide meets a Rockford Youth at a local Hunters Education class. This youth had taken the class in hopes of hooking up with someone for a duck hunt. On this hunt as with all our youth hunts, it was focused toward the success of the hunting youth. When youths are booked on a hunt, a legal guardian is required to accompany the hunting youth, whether the adult is hunting or not. We had made an exception on this outing as the father was called to work during an emergency. Instead of letting the young hunter down for an issue out of his control we decided to go ahead as planned. 

1 Mallard, 1 Wood Duck 

This hunt was a father & Son Combo on the second day of the North/Middle Zone opening weekend. The second day of the season was not your typical duck hunting day. As this day was full of sunshine and light wind, it was a better day for golf. Regardless of the weather we had several opportunities at ducks. The young man in the photo is 12 years old and has an ever growing love for waterfowl hunting. It was this day he was able to add another chapter in his Waterfowl Journal of firsts. With one shot the youngman bagged his first ever Green-Wing Teal. Whenever Youths are involved in one of our hunts, we look forward to specializing the hunt for the Youths success. We ended up leaving the marsh this day with 4 Green-Wing Teal, One Mallard, and 1 Snipe.

(Father & Son Combo)   

These two young men have been hunting ducks together for two years now. The youngest of the two has another year to go before he can carry a shotgun a field, but never the less he loves to go and be part of the action. The hunts that involve youths hold a special place in our guides hearts. These Father & Youth hunts really hit home for our guides, as they really enjoy seeing our future conservationist becoming involved in the sport of Waterfowl hunting. When any youths are booked for a hunt these hunts are detailed or geared for the success of the hunting youth. This young man bags his first ever duck while on our hunt. Looks like that 20 ga with Blackcloud put the smack down on that Drake Mallard. Congratulations!! 

Duck Season

Typical Set up for all puddle duck, goose, and diver hunts from shore or open marsh set up. Two boats two guids with larger groups. We want you (our clients) to be as comfortable as possible. We give you the entire boat to spread out and kick back. All the shot calling, bird calling, and dog handling will be done from a second boat behind our clients. The psychology behind this is try an pull the birds to the calls through the hunters.

Mallards & Blue-Wing Teal

When this hunt was first booked I just assumed it was all adults joining us for a day of wing shooting. The week before I learned that one of our guest was a youth. Now knowing that one of our future conservationist was coming along there was some added pressure on the guides to make sure this youngster went back with a new chapter of first in his life journal. The duck gods gave this young man his first duck ever, a nice Mallard Drake. I think we just created a Quack Addict, Sorry there dad...haha  We faced sunny skies and mild winds, not your most productive weather pattern for waterfowl hunting, but that didn't matter on this day. The ducks just wanted to play the game and we were able to reap the rewards. After our morning hunt we headed to the river for some Fly-Fishing as the Salmon were running hard.

Red Heads & Buffle Heads

Saginaw Bay is by far some of the best duck hunting in the world!! On this two day hunt we saw around 5,000 ducks. Truly one of the most magical duck mecca's in Michigan hands down. The first day we headed out full of expectations and geared for war, but only to submit two hours into our hunt as mother nature had way different plans for us. The winds came up to 48 mph putting a two and three foot chop on the bay. The coast guard came over the weather channel with a small craft advisory, they noted that anyone who chooses to say out will do so at your own risk, meaning no rescues. So we rounded up are decoys with sad long faces and retreated back inland.

Day two the winds slowed down to around 20 mph. We saw our green light bright and clear as we charged 2 miles back into the bay. The winds dropped as the rising sun brought wave after wave after wave of ducks.

Four Amigos spend the day hunting together full of camaraderie and laughter. This is the other side to duck hunting that is often over looked. When long time friends are reunited and their bonds strengthened by the simple act of participating in the sport of Wing Shooting, this makes for a memorable outing. On this hunt the weatherman let us down with the missed forecast, yet we where still able to make things happen. The heavy winds never came, but we still put some birds in the boat. We witnessed several groups of Pintails, Green & Blue Wing Teal, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Gadwalls, Red Heads, & Geese. Take a close look at the Goose in the photo, you will notice a shiny silver spot on its leg. This Goose was sporting a leg band. This was one nice little trophy and the icing on the cake to a wonderful day a field.

1 Green Wing Teal, 2 Wood Ducks, 2 Mallards

1 Green Wing Teal, 2 Wood Ducks, 2 Mallards

Dave and Jaimie join me on a farm pond hunt. Jaimie the gentleman on the right had never been duck hunting until this outing. It took this new hunter 1 box of ammo before he found the correct leads. Once Jaimie found his rhythm the ducks started falling. This hunt started out with gangs of ducks exploding off the little farm pond as we set out the decoys before daylight. You could not see the birds in the black darkness of the early morning hours, but you could see the water explode as these birds took to the air. I hadn’t set the last decoy before we had ducks splashing down 5 yrds from our sit. After we got all the decoys out we took cover in the cattails waiting for shooting time to arrive.  Three seconds after legal shooting time Dave had 2 Wood Ducks laying belly up in the spread.  

 (Guide Left)                 

Red Heads, Lesser Scaup (blue-bill), Gadwall's, and a Green Wing Teal. Thanks to those North winds that have been moving through our area, we are starting to see large numbers of ducks migrating. On this particular hunt, less calling was most affective. Another bonus was the 30+ mph winds out of the East accompanied with periods of driving rain and light fog. The driving rain would momentarily shut down any duck activity. The rain would last around a half-hour at a time. Once the rain stopped, hundreds of ducks would get up and start moving around. In a three hour time span if we didn't see over 500 ducks we didn't see one. Great shooting guys, let's keep our eye's open for the next fowl forecast.

Drake Long-Tailed Duck ( Old Squaw )    

 Adam has been trying to get on one of our hunts for some time. Finally everything came together and we were able to get him booked on the last week of the regular season. This was the first duck hunt Adam had ever been on. We had plenty of ducks to shoot at this day as Adam had bagged 4 Golden-eye’s and a Mallard, but we all know what those ducks look like. Adam’s guide on this day has been hunting waterfowl for 20yrs, and has never had the opportunity to take a duck as equally beautiful as it is rare for our area. We couldn’t of asked for a better experience on a first time hunt. Congratulations Adam on bagging that beautiful duck, we will get that to our Taxidermist so you can look back and remember this hunt for years to come.

Guides Day Off: We work hard for you & play hard too!!

Red Heads, Buffle Heads, Gadwalls

Yeah!! Divers & Divers & Puddlers. Mixed bags aways make for a interesting day. You work hard to fool the puddlers and then like a gift from above your rewarded with dumb here I come Divers...hahaha We never new what was flying in next, had no clue as the birds would come out of the blue sky and show up spilling and pitching right into the decoys. A group of five buffle head came in and none left. Wish we had a camera man on this hunt. 

Two Limits of Red Heads, One limit of Scaup, 1 Green-Wing Teal, 1 Gadwall 

Another misty morning hunt with a high success rate. It's not very often that this father and son team here at FINZ-N-FEATHERS Guide Service get the opportunity to spend the moring hunting together. Most the time these two gentalmen are paying specific attention to thier clients and rarely get the chance to sit side by side in the blind. You can bet your paycheck when they do get a chance to hunt togeher, there will be a few less ducks flying around.

FENNVILLE FARM UNIT       Current Count  Ducks: Closed  Geese: Closed

This picture really does not do the farm justice as to the number of birds that call this place home during the winter months. This is only one of many fields that these birds seek refuge in.

 The Fennville Unit in Allegan County offers goose hunting when the rest of the state is closed. The Fennville Unit is owned and operated by the Department of Natural Resources, which strictly enforces the rules and regulations of the waterfowl guide. A $4.00 daily fee or Annual Area Use Waterfowl license will gain you entry to the hunting zones. You can buy an Annual pass for $13.00 at any sport’s shop that sells hunting licenses. General rules: 2 birds per day, no more then 15 rounds per hunter per day. Gate opens at 5am sharp and closes at 5:30am sharp. If you are not inside the Farm Unit by 5:30am you will not be eligible for the drawing. Drawing starts at 5:30am sharp.

Guides

Left  ( Ryan Cote' )         Back ( Boat blind )       Right ( Dave Cote' )

   Two of waterfowl's finest! These guys goal is to provide you with the best costumer service this market could possibly offer, as well as working hard to put you right in the action. These two gentlemen spend countless hours in the field, both hunting and scouting. The only thing that gets these guys blood pumping more then those ducks dropping their landing gear, is to look over and see their clients grinning from ear to ear.