It's that time of year when we start getting out our hunting gear, placing trail cams, practice shooting, and overall just start getting the fever of hunting season. We all have our favorite hunting season, whether it is deer, elk, bear or duck we are all hyped and getting our gear ready. Some preparation is less than others when it comes to the species and the area you will be hunting. When you take on a hunt that puts you at 10,000 feet above sea level the preparation can be extensive. I have been hunting Utah for seven years for elk and my base camp sits at the 10,000 foot mark. Over the past years I have seen and experienced many situations that can be avoided with proper preparation.

This waterfowl season, I introduced a couple of new hunters to the sport: my roommate, Evan—who would see me come home with piles of birds and fresh breasts in the freezer and wanted in on the action— and my girlfriend, Hannah—who had voiced interest in learning to hunt, but I suspect really just wanted to be with me the three days a week I was gone for four months out of the year.

Hidden away in the quiet town of Lebanon, Kansas, lies one of the best-kept hunting secrets in North America: The Trouvaille Hunting Lodge. This remarkable little lodge is nestled in the middle of picturesque countryside, perfect for hunters and recreationists from across the country. Reconnect with the outdoors and rejuvenate your soul at this family friendly lodge that’s perfect for small, tight-knit groups.

The waterfowl seasons are winding down. You have no time to waste. Pack up the decoys and hit the road for your last chance at an epic duck hunt this season.

The dawn is cloaked in the darkness of the wetland grasses. Oak trees and swamp maples can barely be made out against the faint moonlight of the horizon. Something splashes in the pool in front of the duck blind. A beaver slaps his tail on the surface, triggering an owl to hoot from his perch on a distant pine.

Late season diver duck hunting is not for the faint of heart. It is wrought with danger and a calculating mind will be well prepared for the multitude of things that can go wrong. Personally, I know of eight men in my 36 years of duck hunting that have succumbed to the perils of our lake’s depths. Names like Donny Lumbra, Mark DeSimone and Roger Pepin, who, in their own right were talented outdoorsmen, and just happened to meet an untimely demise by missing one small detail.

It’s a situation those who serve our military often find themselves in. They receive new orders, re-locate, and lose all their favorite hunting spots and outdoor recreational hubs. iSportsman has proudly served the U.S. military since 2009 and was inspired by this nomadic lifestyle many service members live. It was from that inspiration that iSportsmanX was born.

The old green Mansfield canoe glides silently through the bay its bow pointing toward the narrow ribbon of moonlight reflecting on the water. Reeds brush gently by the gunwales as we maneuver our way down the murky channel and into the cattails.

We can hear the raucous laughter of mallards from a pool deep in the swale grass behind the trees.

We whisper to one another “That’s Right!” at the same time. Whistling wings whiz by our heads as we turn into the small slot in the puckerbrush. The sides of the canoe squeak uncomfortably loudly against the ragged edges of the woody branches, like nails on a chalkboard.

Muck Men’s Fieldblazer Classic Boot and Artic Pro Boot are now available in Realtree EDGE Camo. 

Good looking sportswear just got a whole new upgrade with the Sanibel by Redfin Polarized Sunglasses.