While baseball fans will understand the phrase, “Ducks on the Pond,” what is one to make of “A Goose in Shallow Right Field”? Last night America watched as a greater white-fronted goose took up temporary residency in Dodger Stadium. The DU Podcast caught up with Dr. Jay VonBank, a leading expert on the species, for his opinion about what may have caused this bird to fly “afowl” of normal behaviors. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Oct 13, 2022•8 min
On this episode, host, Katie Burke, sits down with Doug Lodermeier, author of Minnesota Duck Calls and Minnesota Duck Decoys Vol.1-2 . Doug is an expert on all things Minnesota Duck Calls and Decoys. The two chat about the state’s abundant waterfowling history. Doug describes his path into collecting Minnesota’s waterfowling history, as well as, his journey as the chronicler of these stories over the past 20 years. For a copy of Doug’s latest book visit: http://www.dougandpaul.com/index.html...
Oct 12, 2022•1 hr 1 min
High-quality bird taxidermy is an art that freezes a unique hunting moment in time forever. Micah and Alyssa Godwin of Feathered Arts strive to make every duck and goose they mount cherished by their clients. Find out the story behind this dynamic husband and wife taxidermy team on this special Ducks Unlimited Podcast edition recorded on location at Spread Oaks Ranch in Texas. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Oct 10, 2022•38 min
Host Chris Jennings is joined by Kevin Kraai, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department waterfowl program leader, to discuss habitat across the state of Texas. The two discuss habitat conditions last season and how late cold fronts and precipitation helped some hunters in the Lonestar State. This season, Kraai explains that the conditions are very dry throughout much of the state, but these conditions can change. Kraai also shares some insights following the early teal season. www.ducks.org/TheDUpodca...
Oct 07, 2022•33 min
Partnerships are the key to conservation, and state fish and wildlife agencies have long been some of DU’s most reliable and critical partners. With a focus on Louisiana, Mike Carloss and Cassidy Lejeune (DU) join Jason Olszak (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries) to discuss the people, programs, and funding that fuels this work. They also share recently completed projects that are already providing benefits to waterfowl and hunters in Sportsman’s Paradise. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Oct 05, 2022•40 min
Special guests Mike Carloss (DU), Dave Kostersky (DU Canada), and Jason Olszak (Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries) join the podcast to discuss the important partnership that exists between DU and state agencies. The Fall Flights program is a powerful vehicle by which states and DU leverage resources to fund vital wetland and grassland conservation on the breeding grounds, in turn producing ducks that are enjoyed by waterfowl hunters across North America. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Oct 03, 2022•39 min
Host Chris Jennings is joined by John Pollmann, Ducks Unlimited magazine contributor, to talk about why early-season Canada goose hunts can cause you fits. The two discuss tips and tactics for bagging these big Canadas and some best practices to follow during these early hunts. Pollmann and Jennings share some personal experiences from past hunts where they utilized unique tactics to bag honkers on a consistent basis. This is a must-listen if you are planning to hunt Canadas this fall. www.ducks...
Sep 30, 2022•27 min
Earlier this year, DU celebrated 85 years of conservation success at our National Convention in New Orleans. Join us as we visit with Mike Benge, DU volunteer and board member, and Pattie Kempka, DU director of national meetings and conferences, on the history of DU national conventions, what it takes to put one on, and the unique experiences and events that awaited this year’s attendees. Listen in and get inspired to join us in 2023 in Las Vegas! www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 29, 2022•44 min
We’re back with more adventures from retired USFWS pilot biologist Fred Roetker! This episode is highlighted by memorable observations, including a wolverine, barren ground grizzlies, expansive beaver ponds, a military intercept in Mexico, and a rare sighting of the elusive prairie skinny dipper! Fred concludes with sage advice for young people looking to enter the waterfowl profession, and DU extends a sincere “thank you” to Fred and his fellow pilot biologists! www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 28, 2022•50 min
Retired USFWS pilot biologist Fred Roetker reflects on his 32-year career of surveying ducks and geese across North America and shares stories of the places he saw, people he met, and experiences he amassed over that time. With nearly 500,000 air miles to his credit, ranging from the Yucatan to the Arctic Circle, some say that Fred has seen more waterfowl habitat than anyone else in North America. After listening to his stories, they might be right! www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 26, 2022•40 min
Host Chris Jennings is joined by Field Hudnall, YETI Ambassador and owner of Field Proven Calls, and the pair chat about YETI’s new book, Ducks . Hudnall was instrumental in helping YETI piece this coffee-table style book together, and the book will be sold with a portion of proceeds going to wetlands conservation. The two also catch up on Hudnall’s season last year, expectations for the coming season, and what’s the latest with Field Proven Call. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 23, 2022•42 min
Inspired by a listener challenge, on this episode Dr. Mike Brasher visits with Kelly Warren, DU regional biologist in western Oregon, for an update on what the latest surveys reveal about the status and opportunities around the many goose species that call the Pacific Flyway home. Covering emperor geese, brant, snow geese, white-fronts, and 3 subspecies each of cackling and Canada geese, if you’re a Pacific Flyway goose hunter, this episode is for you. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 21, 2022•50 min
Hunting resident Canada Geese takes patience and skill to ensure success. Join host John Gordon as he talks with Tennessee hunters, Alec Brown and Will Preuett, who have both mastered these skills. Listen to the latest DU Podcast to learn how they put more resident geese on the ground every September. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Sep 19, 2022•48 min
Host Chris Jennings is joined by Jim Ronquest, Vice President of Development for Drake Waterfowl on this episode. The two discuss Ronquest’s new role within Drake Waterfowl, along with some of the exciting products the company has. Ronquest shares some memories of great days afield and both talk about memorable moments from hunts past. www.ducks.org/dupodcast
Sep 16, 2022•53 min
Meet the black-bellied whistling duck, one of the more intriguing stories among North American waterfowl. With an ever-expanding range and growing population, this species is triggering numerous research studies, providing new harvest opportunities, and demonstrating remarkable abilities to adapt to pressure. Dr. Jerad Henson, associate professor at Christian Brothers University, joins us to share insights from his research and others on this most interesting species. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr 11 min
Revised restrictions by USDA APHIS are now in place that allow hunters in Canada to bring their harvested birds back into the U.S. Dr. Karen Waldrop, DU’s chief conservation officer, joins the podcast to discuss the new restrictions and how DU helped inform them. Also covered are data that made the difference, hunters that provided the data, importance of partner voices, significance of HPAI as a threat to U.S. poultry, and USDA APHIS’s willingness to make a change. www.ducks.org...
Sep 12, 2022•34 min
Host Chris Jennings is joined by Phil Bourjaily, Ducks Unlimited magazine shotgunning columnist, who brings a wealth of knowledge to the show regarding introducing young hunters to the basics of shotgunning. Bourjaily has mentored, and taught young hunters for decades, including his own children and he coached a high school trap and sporting clays team. The two discuss the first steps on introducing guns to young hunters, all the way through their first hunt. Anyone looking to mentor or introduc...
Sep 12, 2022•37 min
Extreme drought continues in the western U.S., and Jeff McCreary and Dr. Mark Petrie join us for the latest update. How severe is the drought? What were its impacts on breeding waterfowl? Why are National Wildlife Refuges going dry? What can western hunters expect for waterfowl habitats and hunting opportunities? What is Ducks Unlimited doing to help, and how can you make a difference? These topics and more on today’s episode. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 09, 2022•41 min
While DU has been involved in TV and video for many years, never has it taken on a feature length film, until now! George Dunklin, DU volunteer and board member, and James Roberts, DU director of development, share the exciting story of Wings Over Water, DU’s first ever foray into IMAX films. Learn about how the idea was hatched, the people and partners that made it happen, and why it is important for the future of wetlands conservation. For more information, check out www.wingsoverwaterfilm.com...
Sep 07, 2022•27 min
Host Chris Jennings is joined by John Pollmann, Ducks Unlimited magazine contributor, to discuss a common theme of missing bluewings. The pair talk through an article Pollmann once wrote where he shared tips from veteran waterfowlers on how they consistently shoot bluewings. These acrobatic, flighty little puddle ducks make difficult shots in the early-morning light, and there are ways to improve your odds. Give this show a listen. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Sep 05, 2022•26 min
The DU Podcast visits with Dr. Dale James, past director of conservation and science for DU’s southern region, to provide additional insights about his recent article on prehistoric waterfowl that appeared in the July/August issue of DU magazine. From the Demon Duck of Doom to the Wonderchicken, ancient waterfowl are no doubt entertaining! We also thank Dale and offer him an opportunity to reflect on his 18 years of service with DU as he embarks on a new chapter in his career. www.ducks.org/DUPo...
Sep 02, 2022•36 min
Hosts Dr. Mike Brasher and Chris Jennings dive into North America’s most populous waterfowl species in this episode. Brasher and Jennings expand the mallard conversation into its entire life cycle, preferred habitats, and even close relatives. This is the all-things mallard episode you’ve been waiting for. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Aug 31, 2022•52 min
RE-AIR OF Ep. 275 Hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher join forces to bring you the first in a series of species profiles covering our North American waterfowl. The blue-winged teal enjoys the spotlight in this episode. One of our most unique dabbling ducks, spending summer in the prairies and winter in the mangroves of Mexico, bluewings are the last to arrive on the breeding grounds and the first to head south, providing hunters with an early opportunity to return afield after a long hot s...
Aug 29, 2022•43 min
Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher continue their discussion about the 2022 Waterfowl Population Survey results and what they mean for you. Looking flyway-by-flyway, species-by-species, and other unique ways of summarizing the data, this episode provides insights on breeding populations, habitat conditions, prospects for summer production, an uptick in Eastern Mallards, and what it all means for waterfowl hunters in the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic Flyways. www.ducks.org/DUPodcas...
Aug 26, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Chris Jennings, Dr. Mike Brasher, and DU Magazine Editorial Director Matt Young begin a deep dig into the 2022 BPOP results. Matt shares 30-years of perspective on what the BPOP data mean to seasoned waterfowlers and how times have changed. The group then reviews 2022 results, discusses implications for mid-continent hunters, explores the pintail predicament, ponders Great Lakes mallards, and touches on harvest regulations. This episode is chock-a-block full! www.ducks.org/DUPodcast...
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr 7 min
THIS IS A RE-AIR of EP. 289 Green-winged teal are the smallest of our North American dabbling ducks with a short neck and small bill. Dr. Mike Brasher and Chris Jennings go into the details about this fascinating species. The pair discuss the species’ breeding habits, migrating, and wintering distribution. Prized by hunters for their abundance and as table fare, there’s a lot to learn about Green-wings. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Aug 23, 2022•52 min
Hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher jump into the new season with the recently announced 2022 Waterfowl and Habitat Survey. The pair breakdown the overall numbers released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and set the table for future discussions focusing on induvial species. To get the full report and species chart, visit https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-surveys/2022/duck-numbers...
Aug 19, 2022•19 min
On this special episode, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams joins co-hosts Dr. Karen Waldrop, Chief Conservation Officer, and Dr. Mike Brasher, Senior Waterfowl Scientist, to talk about her love of the outdoors, priorities for the USFWS, the importance of hunters and private landowners to conservation, the longstanding partnership between DU and the USFWS, and much more. Status of the highly anticipated Waterfowl Breeding and Population Habitat Survey is also mentioned!...
Aug 11, 2022•44 min
This DU Podcast features Browning Arms Media and Events Manager Shaundi Campbell. Hear Browning history, what’s new in shotguns for 2022, and learn more about Browning’s commitment to wetlands conservation, DU TV and more!
Jun 29, 2022•30 min
“Volunteers are the gasoline that makes the DU engine work.” On this episode we sit down with Doug Schoenrock (DU President), Chuck Smith (DU 1st Vice President), Kurt Cazayoux (Louisiana DU State Chair), and Jay Owen (DU Regional Vice President) to discuss the important role that annual state conventions play in celebrating our volunteers for their contributions to DU’s mission. From Roadkill Cookoffs to Bingo tournaments, learn about state conventions and why you should attend. www.ducks.org/D...
Jun 27, 2022•27 min
