The Gridley Herald
2014 LOCAL HUNTERS GUIDE
Local Hunter
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Custom duck calls pg3
YOUR 2014 GUIDE TO HUNTING & FISHING
Early morning hunt!
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Milani OPTICAL
2014 LOCAL HUNTERS GUIDE
50 Years Combined Experience
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PLENTY OF CHOICES – Available in time for the holidays and for the
hunters on your list, “Tuck Calls,” are created by 13-year-old Tucker
Bennett. (Photo by Lisa Van De Hey)
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2014 LOCAL HUNTERS GUIDE
Custom duck calls....
one at a time
By Lisa Van De Hey
Publisher/Editor
At 13-years-of-age, Gridley’s
Tucker Bennett is of course not old
enough to have had a wood shop
class but Bennett is creating beautiful duck calls, “Handturned, just
one at a time.”
Bennett is an eighth grader at
Manzanita Elementary and has
been creating and selling duck
calls nearly a year. He bought his
rown lathe that holds the blocks of
wood as he painstakingly carves
each duck call as the wood turns.
His first duck call was completed
with a belt sander but he didn’t
like that method as well.
With his business, “Tuck Calls,”
Bennett has earned enough to donate to charities such as Sod Busters Foundation and $500 to Leukemia research. It was his idea to
donate a portion of his proceeds,
something that is unique for a
young man his age.
He bought his lathe with money he earned showing goats with
West Gridley 4-H at the Butte
County and Silver Dollar Fairs.
Not all of Bennett’s duck calls
are made of wood. He makes
acrylic duck calls also but they
take a lot more hours sanding.
He designed and ordered his own
black bands which are attached to
each call. Besides the bands, Bennett also created his own business
cards. The wood duck calls average around an hour apiece to create between sanding and banding
and the acrylics take even longer.
Bennett purchases the inserts
which are then inserted into the
wood or acrylic. When he receives
the inserts he removes one reed so
that it is a single instead of a double because he likes the fact that
they are different then. Bennett
does not appear to be in a hurry as
he carefully works on each piece
making sure they are just right.
He explained that staining and
clear coating takes longer than
“turning” the call.
His first duck calls were made
from cherry wood and his first experience selling out of the home
was at last year’s Red Suspenders
Day Celebration in Daddow Park.
He will have a booth at the
California Wildlife Association’s
annual dinner in January and
hopes to sell his creations there.
Other woods Bennett uses are
Black Walnut, African Sapole and
Oak and he proclaims walnut as
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STARTING THE PROCESS – Tucker Bennett carves his duck calls on a
lathe he purchased for his business “Tuck Calls.” The duck calls can be
purchased at Serendipity Unique Gifts and Decor at 860 Hazel Street in
the Hazel Hotel. (Photo by Lisa Van De Hey)
his favorite wood to work with.
His own love for duck hunting
led to this entrepreneurship as he
explained last week noting it was
only six days until waterfowl season. (He must be in his glory now.)
He shot his first turkey last spring
and demonstrated how important
it is to hold still in order to get a
turkey.
With his parents, Chris and
Shannon Bennett both working
for California Department of Fish
and Game, it is no wonder that he
enjoys hunting for ducks, particularly pintails.
Though Bennett does spend
a lot of time at his lathe creating
one duck call at a time, he is also
active playing basketball and Nor
Cal Fed football. He takes an AP
algebra class each morning at 7
a.m., and maintains a 4.0 grade
point average.
Taking a break from the lathe,
Bennett shows off another purchase from his hard work, a Northern Flight Layout Blind, ready for
his next hunting trip.
“Tuck’s Calls,” are available at
Serendipity Gifts in Downtown
Gridley, just in time for holiday
shopping. Call Tucker at 846-4875
for special orders.
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HUNTING SEASON DATES
2014 LOCAL HUNTERS GUIDE
The Gridley HeraldT
2014-2015
October
Oct. 25: Opening general deer season D-16.
Oct. 26: Closing of archery deer season in zone D-12. Closing of general deer season
zones B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, C-2, C-3, D-8, D-9 and D-10.
Oct. 31: Opening of white goose season in the Northeastern California Zone.
November
Nov. 1: Opening of general deer season D-12.
Nov. 1: Scaup season opens.
January
Jan. 11: Closing of white goose and dark goose season in the Northeastern California
Zone.
Jan. 16: Closing of duck season in the Northeastern California Zone, including scaup.
Jan. 25: Closing of waterfowl season.
Jan. 25: Closing of chukar season.
Jan. 25: Closing of quail season,
Jan. 31-Feb.1: Special Youth Hunt day for waterfowl.
Nov. 2: Closing of general deer season zones D-3, D-4, D-5, D-6, D-7, D-17 and D-19.
Nov. 7: Opening of Northern Brant season in the Brant Special Management Areas.
Nov. 8: Opening of brant season.
Nov. 8: Opening of dove season, second half.
Nov. 8: Opening of pheasant season.
Nov. 8: Opening of fall turkey seasons.
Nov. 9: Closing of general deer season zones D-11, D-13, D-14, D-15.
Nov. 13: Closing of blue and ruffed grouse season.
Nov. 23: Closing of general deer season D-12 and D-16.
Nov. 30: Closing of scaup season in the Northeastern California Zone.
December
Dec. 6: Closing of northern brant season in the Brant Special Management Areas.
February
Feb. 1:
Special Youth Hunt Day for waterfowl.
Feb. 7:
Opening of late white goose season in the Northeastern California Zone.
Feb. 14: Opening of the late whitefront and white goose season.
Feb. 18: Closing of the late whitefront and white goose season.
March
March 6: Opening of late whitefronted goose season in the Northeastern California
Zone.
March 10: Closing of the late white goose season, and late whitefronted goose season
in the Northeastern California Zone.
April
April 8: Closing of American crow season.
Dec. 6: Opening of American crow hunting season.
Dec. 7: Closing of fall turkey season.
Dec. 7: Closing of brant season.
Dec. 20: Opening second half of scaup season Northeastern California Zone.
Dec. 20: Opening of band-tailed pigeon season.
Dec. 21: Closing of pheasant season.
Dec. 22: Closing of second half of dove season.
Dec. 28: Closing of band-tailed pigeon season.
Hunters are urged to double-check all dates with
the Department of Fish and Wildlife before hunting.
DFG RULES AND HANDBOOKS CAN BE FOUND OR DOWNLOADED
ON THE DFG WEB SITE AT
www.dfg.ca.gov
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Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area provides the
idea arena for local hunters. The 9,100-acre
area is home to a number of different species
for all or part of the year. Gray Lodge is also a
great place to fish during the spring and summer months.
Gray Lodge offers blinds for mobility impaired hunters during waterfowl and dove
seasons.
For photographers, two year-round hides
are available without reservation.
It also provides seasonal guided tours, educational programs, informative exhibits and
a self-guided nature trail for wildlife enthusiasts.
It is located along the Pacific Flyway in
Gridley.
For more information on Gray Lodge
Wildlife Area, you can contact the Business or
Hunt Program line at (530) 846-7500 or the
Naturalists Office at (530) 846-7505. Their
website is viewable at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/
lands/wa/region2/graylodge/index.html.
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2014 LOCAL HUNTERS GUIDE
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The Gridley HeraldT
2014 Local Hunter Entries
Chadd Santerre
Lance Santerre
Matthew
Viscuso
The 2014 Local Hunter Photo winner is Art, of Gridley, on page 1.
“IT'S not duck hunting unless you’re (almost) waist deep in water.”
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