Washburn’s Outdoor Journal

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  The stage is set.  The house lights are dimming.  Right on schedule, the evening performance begins.  As the sunset explodes into a dazzling array of color, a solitary, quail-sized bird launches from

Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.  It’s likely that every Iowa turkey hunter has had dreams of finding themselves surrounded by cooperative spring gobblers.  Although the dream usually remains unfulfilled, that’s the exact scenario that unfolded for Lake

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