Washburn’s Outdoor Journal

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  We all know that turkey hunting success — or failure — can spin on a dime.  My son Matt and I each got a good reminder of that this morning.  Sequestered in […]

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.    In an effort to avoid detection, nesting Canada geese try to keep a low profile.  The goose’s crafty “hide & sneak” routine works even better when the ice melts.

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  I’m thinkin’ that this morning’s kickoff to the 2014  Spring Turkey Season wasn’t exactly what area hunters had in mind.  With heavy overcast, below freezing temperatures, a blanket of new snow on

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved. Swarming northward from their winter resorts; tens of thousands of lesser scaup [bluebill] ducks are currently making their way through Iowa.  Ever since I was introduced to the species during the 1960s,

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  The beauty of today’s spectacular sunrise was enhanced even further by the rattling gobble of a nearby tom.  This morning, I had decided to visit a stand of oaks located about three

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved. Less than a week to go until the first segment of Iowa’s spring turkey season begins — The countdown is on.  I’ve been playing with the birds off and on since mid-February,

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved. For waterfowl hunting enthusiast, Greg Duesenberg, this year’s spring snow goose season has been as good as it gets.  The first big waves of migrating snow geese arrived in Northern Iowa during

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  The ice is shifting, open water areas are enlarging, and the bluebills have arrived at Clear Lake.  Although our latest 4-inch snowfall ended early this morning, the NW winds continued to rage

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.I like to tell people that modern-day snow geese are the smartest birds in the sky.  When under the direct supervision of experienced adults, even first year geese can be almost impossible to

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  Iowa’s spring waterfowl migration is one of the most anticipated events on my annual outdoor calendar.  During the next several days, more than two dozen species of northbound ducks, geese, and swans