We all know duck habitat when we see it, but what do ducks "see"--how do our beloved mallards experience and utilize habitats at the landscale level before, during and after hunting season? Could understanding this make us more productive hunters, better habitat managers and long-time conservationsists? Nick Masto (that's Masto) is a duck hunter and recently completed his PhD at Tennessee Tech using the latest technologies. We do a deep dive into mallard habitat preferences on the wintering grou...
Mar 18, 2024•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 456
How has hunting changed in the United States since yesteryear--and why? Whether private or public lands, is it as easy to gain access? And how does the increasingly non-hunting public view hunters and hunting? Award-winning writer, public speaker and recurring FOX News guest, Gabriella Hoffman and I race through a list of ongoing need-to-know topics from right here in our back yard: roadkill legislation, banning hunting dog events, how the famously publicized Hollywood Buck influences public per...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 455
Back in the internet stone ages way before social media platforms, old-school do-it-yourself duck hunters from around the world gathered in online communities known as duck hunting chatrooms--sharing local traditions, exchanging ideas, swapping hunts. It was almost like discovering fire! Decades later, Duckboats.net still exists and is thriving like a most-popular Smalltown, USA coffeeshop. "The best duck boats stand out at the boat ramp but vanish in the marsh," says duckboat.net founder Eric P...
Mar 11, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 454
"I'd known about it forever," says John Williams, speaking about a large, diamond-in-the-rough bottomland hardwood tract along a river in Oklahoma, "And dreamed of owning something like it one day." He cut his teeth duck hunting Oklahoma public lands and followed his father's footsteps into realty, forging his way into recreational properties before it was really even a thing. That dream property finally came for sell. He's since spent decades learning the property, developing it into the larges...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 453
Is it true that "man is seldom content to witness nature...he must posess it?" What is it about beautiful feathers that so obsesses some of us? Truth is truly stranger than fiction, and some stories you couldn't contrive in a lifetime's worth of imagination. Kirk Wallace Johnson's The Feather Thief is prime example--a child prodigy flutist becomes a world-champion salmon fly tier, breaks into British Natural History Museum, stealing hundreds of rare bird skins worth millions of dollars in the fl...
Mar 04, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 452
Rare in terms of the extremely small geograpic area they can be hunted relative to earth--and trust me, it's one helluva long trip just getting there from here--Cape Barren geese are also regarded as among the world's largest goose species in the world. While the coals for lambchops are getting hot, our Tasmanian bucket-list host, Rockjaw, talks about growing up on remote Flynder's Island; Cape Barren Goose habits, agricultural conflicts and hunting techniques, ways to eat 'em; and about other u...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 451
After a mallards-galore Kansas timber hunt--and I'm talking mallard flocks spilling over the treetops like tossed dice into the coffee-colored opening surrounded by thick ice--Carter's Big Island father-son team, Roy and Drake, and I visit about their singular 74-day objective: to put fluttering greenheads in front of client guns. It doesn't happen by accident either. It's all about location, location, location and an unwavering, year-round commitent. Covering topics to include the season result...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 450
Form or function? Because long before waterfowl hunting clothing became a conspicuous corporate camo fashion statement, generations of savvy duck killers chose practical, earth-toned natural materials that kept them warm, dry and concealed while lasting generations. And because history repeats itself, it seems that the entire hunting industry is suddenly trending from latest-greatest patterns to good old-fashioned solids again. Except for Tom Beckbe. They remained loyal to old school functionali...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 449
Five minutes isn't much time. But 300 seconds probably seems like an eternity when your life depends on it happening. A duck hunter from Minnesota, Jack Zimmerman joined the Army to serve his country. Returning with no legs and damged arms after stepping on an IED, he has no regrets. Shaping himself into the best new version possible, he encourages others to do likewise through his actions-speak-louder-than-words approach to life. He continues waterfowl hunting with an appreciation like never be...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 448
After a thousand-plus wears, Voormi's High-E Hoodie and other products like the 2-pocket hoodie and base layers, have become essential, must-pack staples while waterfowl hunting worldwide. Highlighting the many reasons that I now love and rely on Voormi gear, founder Butch English does dives deep into the substrate-driven functionality, meaningful design and purposeful innovativeness of their core technology. At the heart of it all? Yep. A duck hunter from Missouri that knew from experience that...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 13 min
In December's "Where the Hell are the Mallards" (EP 434), Dr. Michael Schummer described waning migrations of "Halloween mallards," that subset of North American mallards that fly to their southern overwintering haunts in mid- to late-October regardless of wintry temps and snow cover. He promised to climb down that rabbit hole with Dr. Phil Lavretsky if given the chance. Today, Drrs. Shummer and Lavretsky go deep into that briar patch! See, while it's easy to explain weak migrations in the absen...
Feb 12, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 446
"All I knew is that nobody was going to outwork me," says Mojo founder Terry Denmon in describing his abrupt departure from federal government employment decades ago to become an engineering consultant that did not yet even have one single client. Many years later, a new fangled decoy concept dropped into his lap and while it'd be easy to say that the rest is history, it wouldn't tell the entire story. Today's episode is more about working hard, thinking outside the box and never quitting than i...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 445
Back in the Big D and met with my buddy Brandon Roy, who cooks the best damned steak in Dallas. Because he's posting sumptuous smoked meats daily, was surprised to learn how much he really cooks. We blaze through a bunch of good-to-know, expert griller topics including various meat selections and smoking the perfect brisket, covering differences among social media platforms and dealing with vegan trolls. We also talk about an upcoming Mexico hunt together. Related Link: https://www.youtube.com/@...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 23 min
We all know that waterfowl sanctuary is an essential component to managing overwintering waterfowl, but is all waterfowl sanctuary created equal? What are the different sanctuary types? Which do mallards prefer? How quickly do mallards respond to Arkansas duck hunting disturbances, and how does their behavior change? How might private landowners and managers adapt to provide more hunting opportunities and still offer sanctuary? A recent graduate of University of Arkansas Monticello, Ethan Ditter...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 23 min
The landmark 1972 movie Jeremiah Johnson featuring Robert Redford should be mandatory viewing for every red-blooded American, and was based on a book entitled "Crow Killer: The Saga of Liver Eating Johnson." But who was he really, and was his name even Johnson? From the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Nathan Bender tells us all about this part-man-part-myth historical figure. Where'd he come from, why'd he prefer Hawkins guns, what'd he do for money, why'd he fight the Crows and why'd he start ...
Jan 29, 2024•1 hr 18 min
Kind of hard to complain about killing Wyoming greenhead limits when the temperatures are in mid-60s, but that's not always the case. Seasonably warm weather made for hit-or-miss waterfowl hunting in Wyoming, but the show must go on--you don't know unless you go, right?! A waterfowl hunting guide for 35 years, JJ Randolph is also a world-class storyteller and human being. He talks about starting Wyobraska--y'all ain't going believe what he traded for his first blind--why he chose Wyoming, import...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 30 min
The quote above door reads, "Back to the New West. The Wild West I leave to you." While many people have traveled since forever to Cody, Wyoming, to discover the Wild West, many came to disappear or to be reinvented. From the Buffalo Bill Center of the Wild West, Mckracken Research Library, Eric Rossborough provides entertaining accounts of some colorful personalities that did just that, explaining why back in the day locals never asked new folks' names or origins. An amazing storyteller, Rossbo...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 45 min
It's a balmy 12 degrees outside, but inside a blind the size of some small homes, burning heaters have things toasty. We're fixing to throw steaks and eggs on the griddle, too! Hunting guide Duncan Abram talks about Minnesota goose hunting, describing how he got started honker hunting, why its a pretty big deal here, why they run such big blinds, what's his blind breakfast specialty, and much more. MOJO’s Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors: MOJO Outdoors Benelli Shotguns BOSS Shotshells Duck...
Jan 18, 2024•1 hr 39 min
Y'all can chalk today's episode up to interesting things I've never, ever before heard about in goose camp. Or anywhere. According to Elroy Belgaard, vikings--and we're talking real deal Lief Erikson stuff here--visited Minnesota more than a hundred years preceding Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of America. There's plenty evidence to include rune stones, moring stones, and other stuff. Why were they here, what evidence exists, what do 10 human skeletons have to do with anything, why are some...
Jan 15, 2024•1 hr 27 min
We're about 20 miles from the historic Gettysburg Battlefield, the waterfowl hunting has been tough even by Pennsylvania standards, but we got it done. Ramsey meets with long-time friend Nate Metcalf and Jason Cramer to talk about Pennsylvania duck and goose hunting. No differently than bs'ing in duck blinds the world over, we get into some interesting topics to include historic homes, indian sex stones, famous college classmates, and more. The things you hear while duck hunting, huh?! MOJO’s Du...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 31 min
Hunting from an open water blind wrapped in Christmas-smelling evergreens, we were surrounded by hundreds of longlined blocks to include many of Doc's hand-carved "Cleveland-style" decoys, lines worth of Pat's own functional art, and even Coop the Chicken Dog's urn decoy thrown in for good measure--because you can never have too many decoys hunting divers on the mighty Mississippi River! Picking off bluebills, canvasbacks, buffleheads and occaisonal redheads from a nearby miles-long raft of dive...
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 53 min
Growing up deer hunting, dove hunting and fishing with a couple brothers in West Alabama, Sara Burkhalter was just one of the boys, which we talk about in depth. Inspired by her duck hunting husband, their first black lab, and what she percieves as a dramatic shift in the way our children are being influenced by modern technology, Sara interupted her day-to-day job as a contruction company owner to write a children's book. A powerfully articulate communicator, she describes why preserving old sc...
Jan 05, 2024•1 hr 30 min
It's the week of Christmas. Coast to coast, north to south, everyone seems frustrated while awaiting south-bound ducks, asking themselves where in the hell are the ducks?! Is the sky falling? Do we really even have ducks? Or is the answer a little more straight forward? Waterfowl migration guru Dr. Michael Schummer explains what we're seeing--or not! Using his proprietary forecast model, he even makes a prediction for the upcoming week. MOJO’s Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors: MOJO Outdoor...
Dec 26, 2023•1 hr 20 min
How well do ducks and geese really see--and how can understanding this make you a more effective waterfowl hunter? Dr. Bradley Cohen from Tennessee Tech explains waterfowl eyesight to Ramsey, focusing on depth perception, field of view, color discernment and rapid "refresh rates." Citing many years of in-depth research, he paints a pretty clear picture. I mean, there's a reason they sell camo long handles and face paint, huh? Waterfowl's ability to hear and smell are worth mentioning, but this e...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 433
Ramsey scratches Oregon off the duck hunting list, leaving on Virginia and West Virginia remaining. He recounts his visit with host Brandon Potter, who describes waterfowl opportunities, waterfowl species, hunting styles, and what it's like living and raising family in close proximity to Portland, the most left-leaning, woke-assed city in America. *** Correction: In Oregon, dusky geese can only legally be hunted farther east than described in this episode. The dusky goose line is east of Benton,...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 432
Building a world waterfowl collection--and we're talking everything--is a daunting challenge. But for hunter-scientist-curator Andy Englis, it's just another day at the office. Why the collection and its importance, sure, but among the other interesting topics covered are his close-as-a-speartip encounter with a head hunting tribe and longest duck penises in the world. The things you learn, huh?! ***** Recorded during a recent hunter-scientist-conservation effort in Australia. Special thanks to ...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 431
It's as hot while goose hunting as when cutting summertime Mississippi grass, plus there's plenty dangerous critters in the field and water, but geese and ducks are flying! Australia's outback no different than goose camps elsewhere around the world--good eats and good times are had by all. Falling in with the motley assortment of Australian goose hunters that Ramsey considers friends, he learns their stories. Tune in for a conversation that's as likely familiar as it is entertaining and informa...
Dec 11, 2023•2 hr 23 min•Ep. 430
Waterfowl geneticist, Dr. Phil Lavretsky, Ramsey and others hunting the Australia Outback for magpie geese, whistling ducks and other endemic duck species. What makes magpie geese so unique, how are they living fossils between chicken-like birds and duck-goose-swan-type waterfowl as we know them today, and what, if any, is their relationship to reptiles and dinosaurs? Describing the importance of sampling representative species worldwide to both institutional and applied sciences, Lavretsky also...
Dec 07, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 429
Three generations of Australian duck hunters--grandfather Ray, son Glenn, and granddaughter Kareena--describe their family's duck hunting traditions Down Under, emphasizing why it's important to each of them, how it has connected them to the waterfowl resource and to each other, and how they feel about its possible closure. They each share personal anti-duck hunting experiences, too! You'll likely be surprised at how familiar Australia duck hunting is to hunting in your own back yard despite the...
Dec 04, 2023•2 hr 17 min•Ep. 428
Way back before trophy sea duck hunting went mainstream due to the internet and North American species contests--and in a region where the almighty mallard reigned supreme among local duck hunters--the Otto brothers began plying Washington State's Puget Sound for the beautiful waterfowl species that most duck hunters had only seen in bird books and largely ignored. Their youthful obsession spawned lifelong passion where continuously upping their own game, sharing their world with new friends, tr...
Nov 30, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 427
