Outdoors

Duck hunters can anticipate plenty of birds to hunt this fall and winter, assuming the weather continues to cooperate.

North America’s spring duck population is down slightly from record levels, but pond counts are up 24 percent over last year, according to the 2013 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat. 

The survey, which has been conducted annually since 1955 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife service, puts the breeding duck population at 45.6 million, the second-highest level ever recorded. 

If you have never had the chance to wander around the mountains of eastern Kentucky and ever thought about making the trip, let me recommend a drive across Kentucky Highway 30. I recently had to make a delivery at Salyersville then make my way over to Kentucky Highway 15 and make my next stop southeast of Jackson near Hazard.

After checking our maps, David and I decided the best most efficient route would be to take the Mountain Parkway to Salyersville, make my delivery, backtrack about three miles to Ky. 30 at exit 72 and head southwest to Ky. 15.

If you are like me, all the rain on the 4th of July kind of put a dampener on our plans to go hiking. While we could have worn our rain gear and gone anyway, it would have been miserable so we looked for an option.

If you don’t know about or haven’t hiked the Millennium Trail at nearby Bernheim Forest, you are missing out on the best long trail in our area.

The Millennium Trail is a 13.7-mile loop trail that will challenge anyone. While I would not rate it as difficult terrain, there are seven ridges that you will climb and descend that will wear you out. Add in the distance and the heat this time of year and you have a trail that will definitely test your stamina and determination.