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This issue of the DU Newsletter proudly brought to you by:
Ford Motor Company
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• Staying focused in
the off-season
• Texas-sized fun at DU's
National Convention
• May Gear Guide:
At the Expo
• Send DU your photos
for the 2011 DU
Calendar
• Chapter Spotlight:
Pee Dee River Basin
...and more
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Favorite Member Photos
Check out our selections for the past month
We've picked our favorite member photos of the day from April for our monthly slideshow. And we've added the option to download these photos as wallpaper for your desktop!
View the slideshow
Member Tip
Leaking decoys?
Decoys that leak water can be fixed easily with a can of expanding foam sealant. Drill a hole large enough for the foam applicator to fit through, one at each end of the decoy. Insert the applicator and fill each hole with foam. Even if the decoy gets sprayed with shot, it will still float right. One can of foam will do about six standard decoys.
–James Lockhart, Grand Ridge, Ill.
Monthly Dog Training Tip
From the basics to the blind
Gain retriever training insight from Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels as he trains Deke, Drake and a number of other dogs in everything a waterfowl retriever needs to know.
Watch it now | View older tips
Chapter Spotlight
Pee Dee River Basin
The small South Carolina towns of Hemingway and Johnsonville continue to support one of the state's finest Ducks Unlimited chapters. Read about the Pee Dee River Basin Chapter's successful 2010 dinner and more.
Read more
Are You Carhartt Tough?
Enter the contest today
Ducks Unlimited knows Carhartt coveralls, coats and hooded pullovers are popular among duck and goose hunters. And we know that when you're not hunting, many of you work outdoors and require tough work wear. Well, how tough are you? Are you Carhartt Tough?
Enter the "Are You Carhartt Tough?" contest and win a weekend duck hunting trip this coming season!
Partner Spotlight
Shop.ducks.org
Visit the DU Store at shop.ducks.org. You can find high-quality apparel for men, ladies and kids, as well as gifts for the whole family!
Shop now and help support Ducks Unlimited!
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Feature | Staying Focused in May
Q&A with avid waterfowl hunters can help you prepare for next season
 May is an off month for waterfowl hunters and it provides an opportunity to take a step back and assess gear, hunting areas, retrievers and guns. This moment of pause also can provide the time needed to fix, organize and maintain your hunting strategy. The Ducks Unlimited Newsletter editorial team chose three avid waterfowl hunters to interview about their off-season tactics. Their answers may help you get prepared for the upcoming season, starting now.
Read more
Events | Join us in Texas this May!
Looking for some Memorial Day weekend fun? Ducks Unlimited has the answer.
The 73rd Ducks Unlimited National Convention is rounding up waterfowl enthusiasts and conservationists from across the continent at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, on May 26-30, 2010. There will be Texas-sized fun for everyone!
• Opportunity to meet Dale Hall, DU's new CEO
• First-annual DU Sporting Expo
• Presentations from top waterfowl experts
• Live auction featuring unique items
• Learn about even more exciting things happening this year!
Special Offer | Send DU Your Best Shots
Submit your best photos and they may be featured in the 2011 DU Calendar!
 Each year Ducks Unlimited publishes an official DU Calendar featuring extraordinary photography of waterfowl, dogs and wetland scenes. After an amazing response last year, we are again inviting all DU members to submit their photos for consideration in the 2011 edition of the DU Calendar!
But hurry—the deadline to submit your photos is May 20. So dust off those cameras, pull out old albums and send us your favorites!
Learn more | Rules and guidelines
Gear Up | May Gear Guide: At the Expo
Can it be too early to start pulling together next season's decoy spreads? Absolutely not. The May gear guide features new decoys, knives and a few extras you will be able to see and touch at the DU Sporting Expo, May 28-30 in Grapevine, Texas. Get your tickets to the Expo and see these great products in action!
View the guide | Past gear guides
DU Magazine | Great Rivers for Waterfowling
America's rivers are rich with waterfowling opportunities and traditions
By quick count, there are 44 of us packed into the check station at the Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area. Camouflage apparel is definitely not optional attire.  The room is filled with an array of patterns—some old and faded, some right-out-of-the-box.
Outside, trailered duck boats stand ready for the predawn run up the Illinois River, one of America's most historic waterfowling venues. My watch reads 5:50 a.m., so those who were lucky enough back in July to draw one of the 20 available duck blinds to use during the season have 10 minutes to speak up, or they lose their spot for the day. An ensuing lottery will determine who gets to fill the empty blinds' bench seats this morning.
Read more | More DU Magazine features
Featured Video | Master gun mounting techniques through repetition
Wade Bourne of DU-TV offers tips for perfecting your gun mount through practice and repetition—a great way to prepare yourself for next season!
Watch video | More videos
DU News | Recent Headlines
Update: Gulf Coast oil spill
The latest information and DU's outlook for coastal conservation
 DU, partners awarded Great Lakes restoration grant
Northern Michigan coastal streams, marshes to be restored
New DU project in California
Levee improvements will lessen maintenance burden at Imperial Wildlife Area
Ducks Unlimited restores Texas coast
Coastal public lands still recovering from storms, other impacts
DU working with Nebraska landowners to enhance habitat
NAWCA making a difference in the Rainwater Basin
Partner Spotlight | New Cookbook from Ducks Unlimited
Taste the wild flavors from The Hunter's Table with this SPECIAL OFFER from DU!
The perfect gift for Father's Day! Get $5 off the cover price when you order before May 31. Click here to order yours today!
Calling all hunters! Check out the ultimate cookbook for outdoor enthusiasts.  Expert chefs and Ducks Unlimited members alike share their recipes for duck, turkey, fish, deer and much more. Never before has a cookbook included such a range of cuisine that's as adventurous and exciting as hunting itself.
Visit www.HuntersTable.com or call 1-800-358-0560 to order yours.
To print the recipe, use your mouse to highlight the recipe text. Go to File > Print and choose "Selection" for Print range. The recipe will be in color unless you set your printer to grayscale.
Recipe Spotlight
Puddler Hopper Parmesan |
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| Ingredients |
- 4 duck breasts soaked in salt water, cut into chunks
- ½ c. milk
- 1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 2-lb. package shredded mozzarella cheese (or blended cheeses)
- 4 servings spaghetti noodles, partially cooked
- Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs or homemade Italian-seasoned batter (flour and milk)
- Vegetable oil for frying
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| Cooking Instructions |
- Rinse and drain duck. Soak in milk.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees in deep fryer or skillet. If using skillet, oil should be 1" deep.
- Remove duck one piece at a time and coat with breadcrumbs or batter.
- Fry duck pieces until they have a crispy, golden-brown crust.
- Layer partially cooked noodles, diced tomatoes, about ¼ of spaghetti sauce, fried duck breast, shredded cheese and then remainder of suace in medium glass baking dish.
- Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
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