Welcome kolb7. It's great to have a new hunter. Hey guys, lets help the new one out.

As a person who designs camouflage, I can tell you there is no particluar camouflage that will work in all situations. Choose any brand that looks like where-ever it is that you are hunting. If you are buying clothes, at least get something waterproof. If you hunt enough you're going to get rained or snowed on. You don't need insulated, because you can wear any insulation or heavy clothes you have under your camouflage.

Make sure the dog will stay put, retrieve when told to, come back when told to, and enjoys retrieveing.

Use the decoys you have. When you have enough money get another 12 mallard decoys, then you can add another 6 goose decoys when you can afford them.

Forget about makeing a steel lay down blind, they are too heavy. If you get good camouflage you shouldn't need a blind. If you feel the need for a blind (for the dog) use available cover, or make a blind out of PVC pipe or conduit, and use camouflage material over it.

Forget the carry-all. Get one of those plastic sleds/toboggans kids use to slid in the snow, and paint it tan and brown, or cover it with camo material. Just load it up with your decoys, camo, gun, shells, and lunch, and grab the rope to drag your stuff in.

Your choke should be fine. I use a Mossberg 835 with Federal 4's and 2's for duck, T's and BB's for geese.

A gunnysack works great for a decoy bag, get a mesh decoy bag with shoulder straps when you can. It make it easier to carry the decoys.

I use Big River and Haydel's calls. Get a calling tape from Haydel's. I can get you their number if you e-mail me. You make the feeding chuckle by saying "tick-a ... tick-a ... tick-a ... tick-a" into the call as fast as you can.

If you have specific questions e-mail me, I'll help any way I can. I guide and write about huntng for a living. Good luck and God bless you.

T.R. Michels

T.R. Michels