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| Hunt Host Tom McCaskill, his Dad Mack McCaskill and Wade Bourne with DU TV - 11/18/2005 |
Any avid sportsman would truly rather be outdoors than in
front of the television. In the case that one cannot go afield, there is always
cable channels offering a variety of sporting programming. Ducks Unlimited is
just one well-known conservation group that produces a television program. I
was fortunate enough to travel to Oklahoma in November 2005 and witness the
behind-the-scenes action while DU TV filmed a new episode.
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Love this photo, but it takes some explaining.
A second TV camera was set up at my location.
First Camera filmed dog run, and second filmed dog jump! |
The setting
was Lincoln County, in a protected marsh along the Deep Fork River. The Central
Flyway extends from Canada, through the Dakotas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and
into Mexico. The Drunken Duck Lodge, where we stayed, had long since placed its
600 acres under conservation easement with the federal Wetlands Reserve
Program, and Ducks Unlimited had been involved in recent years completing
habitat improvement projects on the property. So the stage was set for some
exciting late season hunting – for enjoyment and for the DU TV crew.
DU TV host
Wade Bourne was present, along with two cameramen and a sound man. We learned
that the entire taping would be made with High Definition (HD) cameras, and
that they would film for three days. Joining them at the DD Lodge were two dog
trainers and their Chesapeake Bay retrievers, who were there to retrieve the on
camera ducks. Other hunters staying at the DD lodge included the owner, Tom
McCaskill, his father Mac McCaskill, and his nephew Will Schwarz, plus an
executive from Ducks Unlimited.
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| Oklahoma serves up large flocks of big ducks |
Wade Bourne
was completing his third year as host of the Ducks Unlimited television show.
He gives the introductions and voiceovers for each of the 13 episodes made each
season. He previously hosted the Advantage Outdoors television program for
seven years. He has a daily radio show where he can vary the topic from season
to season, and he is also an avid fisherman. He has written five books,
including two for DU: Decoys and Proven Methods for Using Them and Ducks
Unlimited’s Guide to Hunting Dabblers.
The first
morning of hunting brought us balmy temperatures, and low water levels were due
to severe drought. Though the DU TV duck blind had a successful hunt, the story
seemed to be the large number of ducks, specifically pintails, that were seen
on an adjacent pothole. One of the best strategies in waterfowling is to hunt
where the birds already want to be. Mr. Bourne knows this well, and the rest of
the first day was dedicated to building a new blind on the nearby pothole.
Keeping in mind that late-season waterfowl are wary of hunters, add the fact
that DU TV duck blinds must also conceal cameras, and a well-camouflaged duck
blind is essential.
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This was the tally for several hunters that day,
but the quality of our harvest remains outstanding. |
The
cameramen came back to the lodge in the middle of the day and did some extra
filming, interviewing the dog trainers, the DD owner and the DU executive. The
episode first aired in the Fall of 2006. Other activities at the lodge that
afternoon included rounding up extra pintail decoys, cleaning out the now muddy
ARGO amphibious vehicles that carry the hunters into the marsh and scouting out
where the waterfowl roost on the property come sunset.
That
evening the nearby town of Chandler, OK had their annual Ducks Unlimted Chapter
banquet and fundraiser. One of the most sought after items of the live auction
was a DU TV hat signed by host Wade Bourne, which followed his speech about how
local dollars mean so much to DU.
The second
day of hunting brought slightly better hunting conditions, with cooler temps
and some wind. The DU TV blind had a great day of hunting, bagging nine
mallards, and two pintails. The film crew noted they had some remarkable
footage of the large number of pintails circling their duck blind. Remember,
the federal limit on pintails is only one duck per day. The Chesapeake
retrievers Dash and Sly performed admirably on cue, fulfilling one of DU’s
conservation messages that hunting waterfowl with retrievers leads to fewer
lost birds.
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| Still thankful for time spent at the Drunken Duck LLC |
After a
morning hunt, the final day of filming included winding up some interviews,
swapping some waterfowl recipes and practicing retriever training in the pond.
The mutual feeling of goodwill that pervades when like-minded hunters gather
together was present all weekend. From a hunting perspective, opportunities
abounded, and a large variety of ducks species were taken by all the hunters,
including mallards, pintails, gadwalls, green-winged teal, shovelers,
ring-necks and a couple of Canada geese.
