Migration Nation TV films Duck Hunts in the Carolinas

Scot Waggoner, Blake Hodge, Matt Floyd,
Drake Field Expert Daryl Hodge and Producer Daniel Sample

Filming in a duck blind at Blackwater Outdoors

Duck hunting season and the world of outdoor television crossed paths recently in the Lowcountry. Drake Waterfowl Systems out of Mississippi is a popular choice for waterfowl enthusiasts seeking functional camo clothing. Their Migration Nation television show is broadcast nationwide and is currently filming their seventh season. Drake dispatched field producer Daniel Sample to the Carolinas, working with regional co-hosts Daryl and Blake Hodge, to capture the diversity of waterfowling found along the coast.

            

Outstanding retriever work was caught on camera!

For those not familiar with Drake Camo I can share that they have found a crossover appeal with hunters that is not limited to duck hunters. For example, at the recent Grand American coon dog hunting festival at the Orangeburg Fairgrounds, I’d say at least a quarter of the attendees were wearing Drake camo. Drake co-founder Tate Wood makes customer satisfaction and high-quality garments a priority.

“We went up to Albemarle Sound for the North Carolina hunt,” said Daryl Hodge. “The wind was howling one day and we had to hug the marsh, which didn’t produce much footage. The next day we were able to get into a blind on big water and scratched out some scoters and a tundra swan. After the hunt we shot some video talking about the history of the Outer Banks area.”

A Drake ringneck for Matt Floyd

The MLK holiday of January 18 was the date chosen to film the S.C. hunt at Rimini along Lake Marion. Blackwater Outdoors owner Matt Floyd and his brother and property manager Michael Floyd welcomed our group to come hunt ringneck ducks in their 148-acre flooded impoundment. As a Drake Field Expert in S.C. I was asked to attend the hunt and to speak on camera. And Scot Waggoner and his Chesapeake Bay retriever were on hand to complete the all-important retrieval work for any downed ducks. To view more photos from the hunt click here.

Some might call it a Ringneck Wrecking!

We finished a great hunt with a five-man limit of ringnecks and were out of the pond by 10 a.m. so that other ducks that were still working the area could come in to feed and rest. Back at the trucks we took some time to make photos and share fellowship about the hunt, while Sample filmed more interviews. Duck season finishes up in S.C. on January 31, and the next season of Drake's Migration Nation begins airing in the Fall of 2016, so stay tuned! 

To read the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about outdoor filming in the Lowcountry click on Dead Meat TV - Addictive Fishing TV - Reelin' Up The Coast TV - Southern Girls Got Game TV

To view past blog entries for late January duck hunts click 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

We enjoyed fellowship during filming of Migration Nation

2016 Grand American - Redbone Coon Hound is Overall Hunt Winner

The Treeing Contest simulates a coon hunt

The United Kennel Club, or UKC, held their 51st edition of the Grand American in Orangeburg on January 8 – 10. Cloudy weather and light drizzle didn’t dampen attendance one bit on Friday or Saturday as the Orangeburg Fairgrounds were again pumped up to full capacity with hound dogs and fans of coon hunting. After the two-night hunt competition it was a Redbone from Virginia that took home the title of Overall Hunt Winner.

            

Good on ya Lowcountry!

Coon dog owners from South Carolina and from states across the Eastern U.S. visit the Lowcountry each year for the annual January hunt contest. A lot has to go right to win the Overall Competition, because after winning your cast on Friday night and Saturday night, you still have to compete and win the final round. These coon dog hunts are conducted at night, so the winner’s ceremony takes place at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning after the Saturday night finals competition. The Overall Hunt Winner redbone hound is named Cooke’s Mack Attack and is owned by Curtis Cooke of Norton, Virginia. 

All the winners from the Grand American will be featured in American Cooner magazine, one of the sponsors of the event. There is an emphasis on youth hunting among coon hunters that is always great to see, and this includes a Youth Bench Show at the Grand American. The love of coon hounds and the hunting heritage that they stand for is being passed along to the next generation here, just one of the reasons that make the Grand American a great annual hunt and show.

The Bench Show is a test of dog discipline

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about the Grand American click on 2015 - 2014-  2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010

Large crowds pack the Fairgrounds on Saturday

Overall Hunt Winner - UKC photo

American Woodcock and Common Snipe Hunting Seasons

Common snipe harvest and 20-gauge shotgun shell

Two of the most secretive game birds found in the Lowcountry are the American woodcock and the common snipe. Upland wingshooters wishing to hunt some of these game birds have got to be willing to seek out their specialty habitats. Woodcock are attracted to the leafy litter found on hardwood flats in the forest, while snipe are encountered while slogging through muddy terrain associated with open areas.

The South Carolina DNR has set a hunting season for woodcock from December 18 through January 31, which carries a three-bird daily bag limit per hunter. Lowcountry hunters can use pointing dogs to discover the location of these birds, or they can simply apply some boot leather to typical woodcock habitat in hopes of flushing a bird. Two typical habitat types are depression-meadows, and switch cane stands along creek beds.

The hunting season for common snipe runs from November 14 through February 28, with a daily bag limit of eight snipe per hunter per day. The SCDNR rules and regulations state that the hours to hunt both woodcock and snipe run from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. Remember that nontoxic shot is required when hunting both species, in an effort to keep lead shot out of our wetland habitats. 

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about snipe hunting click here.

To view past blog entries on shorebirds click here.

Lowcountry Saltwater Fishing Report - 1/5/2016

Fishing Report for the Coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina:

Juvenile Black Drum caught Jan. 2 on Isle Of Palms

Inshore Report: Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West forecasts that we will continue to experience air and water temps that are above average, keeping the inshore bite at a level like they never shifted to winter. If targeting trout, fish in water depths from 4 to 6-feet for school-sized fish, or move on out to 8 to 10-feet of water to target larger specks, or perhaps even a 'Gator' trout. Artificial lures like Slim Swimz, Trout Tricks or DOA shrimp have been hands down the baits of choice, and live shrimp still work just fine too. Smaller trout, juvenile black drum and even a flounder can still be found at the surf zone for beach goers.

Sheepshead are a staple in winter, using fiddler crabs or live shrimp for bait. Some great reports are coming from the Charleston jetties, from bridge and pier pilings, and inshore rock piles and rip rap. Many times during cold weather fishing trips, sheepshead can be counted on to bite when other species seem sluggish. Redfish are another fish that can feed heartily in winter during bright sunny days, or seemingly develop lockjaw during dreary overcast days. Traditionally these redfish will school up in January and February, earning them the nickname of Channel Bass from old timers. Check low tide mud flats for shallow water fly fishing opportunities. For the latest seminar info from Haddrell's Point visit the Internet at Shallow Water Fishing Expo.

Offshore Report: Scott shares that finally a few day with lesser wind levels allowed sportfishers to slip out into the Big Pond in search of pelagic fish like Wahoo and blackfin tuna. Trolling lures in 150 to 200-feet of water along the ledge looking for a bite is working, with even some teenager dolphin being reported in the mix! Bottom fishing is yielding some monster-sized vermillion snapper, plus plenty of triggerfish and porgies. Those who go out for grouper and snapper may have some luck catching, but anglers need to be aware that the keeper-season for these fished is now closed, so they must be returned to the sea.

To view past Lowcountry Saltwater Fishing Reports click here.

Birding Journal Observations - November / December 2015

Great Blue Heron and Downtown Charleston vista

Looking back at the weather during the past two years during November and December, the end of 2015 saw warm almost tropical temperatures that were in sharp contrast to previous COLD. One constant has been the wet weather, as the Lowcountry enters is third consecutive wet winter. This signals a pattern of wet weather, which helps to solidify observations from past winters when droughty conditions prevailed. Those with bird feeders filled with seed already know that warm temperatures and wet weather make it much more difficult to attract songbirds to your yard.

Carolina chickadee depiction

Birding observations were slow so my one remarkable sighting was the entrance of a Great Horned Owl into an open field at dusk on December 1. I saw the grand raptor in flight and knew right away it was a top-tier predator based on size. It landed in the top of a pine tree and I was able to verify via binoculars the twin tufts on his head, before it continued on its way to look for a nighttime snack.

Other observations include cardinal, turfed titmouse, Carolina wren, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-bellied sapsucker, blackbirds, red-bellied woodpecker and cedar waxwings. Note that the cedar waxwings are usually a harbinger of spring (and not winter) and it's also worth noting that many plants were in bloom in late December such as azaleas during the warm and wet weather that set a week of record-high temps (avg. 80) during the week of Christmas.

To view past Birding Journal Observations for Nov. / Dec. click on 2014 - 2013- 2012 - 2011 - 2010