Parker Knox for SPLIT REED
Spring is truly an incredible time of year. Everything begins to come back to life! The deciduous forests of the Midwest begin their transformation with budding trees and lush green undergrowth. Ranchers are burning pastures and prairies to rid their land of invasive weeds and return vital nutrients to the seedbed. Livestock are birthing and raising offspring, and turkeys begin to appear in greater frequency. It’s a crucial time in Mother Nature’s yearly plan to replenish lost resources. Spring also provides waterfowlers an excuse to extend their season as ducks and geese continue their journey back north to nesting grounds… and no, I’m not talking about snow goose hunting. For some of us, this is the time of year when we trade the shotgun for the camera and long focal length lenses. It’s still hunting – just not harvesting.
A lot of the same preparation goes into spring photography as it does during hunting season and the level of anticipation can be just as high. Scouting is still the name of the game to locate birds. Once you find a large enough concentration of waterfowl, you can begin to pick apart the area and map out a plan. So, as a hunter, where do you start? Answer: your hide. Now sure… you can stand on the levee with a tripod, or sit in your truck with a 600mm lens and a 2x extender and get some good shots. Some of the best photographers in the world do it all the time with excellent results. I, however, like to take a different approach. I enjoy the hunting aspect of spring photography, which means my goal is to get in the birds’ kitchen to lure them as close as possible. It’s what attracted me to hunting in the first place – using available tools to trick wild animals into range.
This approach to photography not only allows you to continue to decoy birds after season, but it also eliminates a lot of distractions. I’ll echo some far more talented individuals when I say that I am a hunter first, and the photos take a back seat to the camaraderie and calling during duck season. Inversely, in the spring, I’m usually alone, without calls, and without the temptation of shooting a gun. This gives me more opportunities to focus (pun intended) on one or a few individual birds hovering over the decoys and I can be picky with my shots.
There are a few other subtle differences between spring photography and fall hunting. A few have been mentioned already such as calling. I can distinctly remember the frustration felt during my first few spring outings trying to call ducks into the decoys. Not only is it next to impossible to run a call and a camera simultaneously, but also the birds seem to react differently to calling during spring. I’ve found it easier to leave the lanyard at home and focus more on the light and location. On occasion, the only exception I’ve made is including a 5-in-1 whistle that I can run in the corner of my mouth while controlling the camera with both hands.
Light is a photographer’s best friend. It can also be your worst enemy. I have always had the best results for birds-in-flight (BIF) with the sun directly at my back. It also helps you hide. So if the morning forecast calls for a northwest wind, then I’m coyote hunting or knocking out procrastinated honey-dos from the fall. Then once the sun begins to make its descent in the western sky; I’ll grab the camera and throw on the ghillie suit for the last few hours of the day. Doing so allows me to have a cross or quartering wind with the sun directly behind me. Ideally, the wind and sun are both at your back, presenting the birds head-on with excellent lighting.
Spring photography is most advantageous due to the diversity of species. My buddies and I primarily hunt the eastern half of Kansas, and after the first couple weeks of big duck season, we’re seeing and shooting 99% mallards. In the spring, fully plumed birds that we don’t get to see during the fall accompany the mallards back north. Teal, wigeon, shovelers, and other puddle ducks and divers are abundant this time of year. And if you think wigeon are vocal during hunting season, then I encourage you to spend a spring morning in the marsh with a few hundred of these acrobats. It’s astonishing the different sounds they – and other ducks alike – make during this time of courtship. To this day, one of my favorite personal photos was from a few years back when a 5 pack of BWT buzzed by at Mach 3. I don’t think I even looked through the viewfinder before taking a series of high-speed shots, and then celebrated with elation after reviewing the results. We just don’t see them like this around here.
Lastly, let’s briefly touch on camera equipment because the most common question photographers are asked is: what camera and lens setup do you use? I don’t own the most expensive gear out there. Not even close. I shoot all of my BIF photography with an old Canon 1D Mark IV and their 400mm f/5.6L. Both of which were purchased used. In fact, I buy almost all of my gear used and I would encourage others to do the same; especially when you’re first getting started. Buy what you can afford and learn how to use it. In addition, the best advice I would give someone starting out is the same advice I was given: learn how to shoot in Manual Mode. There is far more room for error in manual, but you are entirely in control of the settings and all the camera has to do is meter, focus, and fire away. It will be frustrating at first, trust me, but when mastered, you can turn subpar shooting conditions into suitable circumstances.
Photography has certainly humbled me over the years. There are some crazy-talented guys and gals out there snapping photos that keep setting the bar higher, and many of them inspire me to keep shooting photos myself. My hope is that you too can find inspiration and guidance so that you may head to your favorite private spot with the gear you have, a little more knowledge, and some confidence to extend your waterfowl season.
