Duck Season Somewhere

From formidable spur-winged geese to driven guineafowl bolting from cover like shot cannonballs plus there's unique scenery, hunting styles, food and culture. The South Africa duck hunting combo is an incredible adventure that many guests rank foremost among lifetime hunts. But why?  Today, GetDucks guests describe their South Africa duck hunting experiences, recalling their most memorable moments...

Juvenile gray birds are stretching their wings for the first time, usually diving into the decoys with reckless abandon, and even those savvy adult white birds seem to have forgotten the preceding hunting season, making autumn a great time for hunting snow geese in the Land of Living Skies. Ramsey Russell joins long-time friend Nova Scotian Brian Mason and his merry band of "newfies" for their ann...

Ramsey Russell concludes the Texas blue-winged teal hunting portion of the 2021 North American Waterfowl Tour with a visit to long-time friend and USHuntList outfitter Steve Biggers's new lodge near El Campo Texas. Following a couple memorable morning hunts, they visit briefly about blue-winged teal, the migration, habitat, Steve's new lodge and retrievers.    Related Links: Best Texas Blue-winged...

The Blood River forms the headwaters of wetlands hunted in Kwazulu-Natal Province South Africa. Clayton Comins grew up in the South Africa wingshooting business. He and Ramsey discuss Zululand's habitats, unique species, waterfowl management, hunting styles, people and extra special considerations.    Please s ubscribe, rate and review Duck Season Somewhere podcast. Share your favorite episodes wi...

Two-time World Champion Texas BBQ Pitmaster Grant Pinkerton explains real Texas BBQ to Ramsey Russell, setting him straight once and for all on why beef is indeed real BBQ.  Pinkerton has been duck hunting for as long as he can remember, cooked his first steak in grade school, began smoking brisket before he could drive, and smokes what Ramsey describes as the bar-none very best BBQ he's ever eate...

Nevermind thermometer readings soaring beyond 90 degrees, it's blue-winged teal season and Ramsey Russell's 2021 North American Waterfowl Tour is underway when he swings through Joe Briscoe's JB Custom Calls shop to pick up some new teal calls. But there's no such thing as quick visits between these 2 buddies. Their conversation runs the gamut from teal hunting to moonshine, from Texas blues music...

Most of South Africa can be described similarly to parts of South Texas: sprawling, brush-covered properties teaming with game animals managed under endless miles of high-fence. While watching a sporty dove and rock pigeon shoot, professional game manager Weynand De Jager describes the arduous undertakings required in reconciling herd numbers with habitat availability, and an enormous industry of...

Ramsey Russell joins Texas waterfowl hunting historian and author Rob Sawyer for a fast-paced, Texas-style blue-winged teal hunt at the beautiful Spread Oaks Ranch in coastal Matagorda County. After an incredible breakfast that included platter-sized country ham steaks smoked on-site, their conversation starts briefly with blue-winged teal hunting and habitat management before channeling through a...

Following an epic blue-winged teal hunt in Chambers County, Texas, Ramsey visits with Mr. Gene Campbell at Oyster Bayou Hunting Club.  Gene's observations are based on more than a half-century of duck hunting and managing habitat in this fabled region. While good deal of their discussion pivots around habitat management practices (both moist-soil and submerged aquatics)--and y'all will want to hea...

Waterfowl season is fast approaching the Deep South and preparing for the upcoming season is perfect timing to consider next year's habitat management. Natural Resources Conservation Services Wildlife Biologist, Kevin Nelms, joins Ramsey Russell for another highly informative Wetlands Management for Waterfowl discussion. Fall disturbances, how and when to flood, invertebrates and other seasonal to...

Rianna Bösman manages the 7-room Highveld Splendour Boutique Hotel in South Africa, treating guests to her amazing South Africa hospitality.  GetDucks hunters sure love this stop along their South Africa hunting tour!  What notable South Africa dishes does she prepare guests? Where'd she learn to cook and how'd she get into the hospitality business? What does she mean by having her heart and hands...

It's teal season! Alligator sauce piquant--and all kinds of other great stuff--are stinking the pot, the fish fryer and grill are going, there's a bouray game underway, LSU is on TV, cajun music is playing. Laughs and drinks galore. Just a typcial Saturday night in South Louisiana, but it's September so we've all been blue-winged teal hunting. The 2021 North American Waterfowl Tour is underway and...

Born and raised in a small farming community in southwest Louisiana, Damon Hebert of Hebert's Custom Decoy Rigs, lives less than a mile from his family home. He moved due to recent storm damage. How'd he start duck hunting and hunt does he most remember with his dad? What's it like hunting in this region, what habitat types are hunted, what are prevalent species? How are crawfish farmed, what's th...

It's a chilly night in South Africa. Ramsey Russell and longtime Professional Hunter Mike Currie are huddled around a crackling fireplace with some of the best bird dogs on earth as their conversation about experiencing real South African wingshooting continues. Getting down to the nitty-gritty of a proper South Africa duck hunting combo, they run through a variety of fun subjects to include drive...

Boudin is a south Louisiana cultural staple and everyone has their favorites. Find fresh-made boudin and you'll find all kinds of uniquely south Louisiana pork delicacies for which the region is truly famous. What is cajun boudin and how does it differ from place to place? How'd it become so deeply rooted in Louisiana culture? Where'd the recipe for one of Ramsey's favorites originate and why's it...

Free spirit Tori Loomis grew up across the river from historical Natchez, Mississippi, where she now lives, plying her trade and paying her dues in the service industry. Formally trained in culinary arts, her lifestyle is an immersive combination of art, food and nature. How did culinary arts school conflict with her upbringings, and what valuable skillsets did she walk away with? What's her conne...

Long-time friend and Professional Hunter, Mike Currie, joins Ramsey for a fireside chat about South Africa wingshooting--and whole lots more! Africa hunting conjures images of stalking spiral-horned game animals or fending off charging lions. What was it really like growing up on a South African farm? When did Currie know he wanted to be a PH? What all goes into delivering South Africa hunting exp...

Long before BOSS Shotshells, Lee Kjos had established himself foremost among commercial photographers, working with a long list of the the hunting world's hottest brands. At lister's requests, today we explore this fascinating subject of meaningful influence. What is it an iconic photo and when do you really know it's great? What do such photos do? What photos most stand out in Kjos's career (bet...

It's that special time of year again, the September blue-winged teal season is underway. Following a typical teal hunt at their South Delta Mississippi camp, Ramsey Russell, Mr. Ian and Forrest remember hunts together from the past 20 years, discussing likes and dislikes about blue-winged teal hunting in a deep south flyway state. Ramsey starts his 2021-22 North American waterfowl tour next week,...

In retirement, perpetually smiling Werner Böing helps orchestrate driven guineafowl and rock pigeon hunts, flipping South Africa's best hamburgers with catcher's mitt-sized hands. Formerly, he was for decades among South Africa's most elite environmental task force, the Green Scorpions. What drives someone like Böing, what lead him into this career path? What species kept them busiest, how were co...

To migratory bird hunters, Labor Day marks the real New Year. Summer temps are finally waning, cotton defoliant wafting on soon-to-be-autumn air. It's finally dove season. Everything else soon follows. Mississippi Delta native Chuck Cage has been guiding since the late '70s, only recently retiring. He and Ramsey discuss dove hunting, duck hunting and lots more in today's Duck Season Somewhere epis...

"Stinking da' pot." That's how Chris Meche describes making traditional South Louisiana gravy. His is best-of-the-best. World-class. After getting a duck and sausage gravy started, then prepping a mile-long countertop worth of sides, he describes growing up in South Louisiana, taking Ramsey on a cultural tour of good eats. How'd Meche get started hunting and what was his first "duck"? Where'd he l...

Following an exciting day shooting driven guineafowl and "rockies" in Free State, South Africa, Pierre Aucamp and Ramsey Russell talk about South Africa bird hunting. What is South African hunting like for locals? In a country predominated by game animals, what attracted Pierre to bird hunting?  How important is hunting tourism to South Africa and what's Pierre's business model? Any favorite  guin...

There's X's etched onto the earth to which waterfowl have always flocked. Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, is one of them. Born and raised there, Catfish Flautt remembers when duck hunting wasn't the religion that it is today and describes the region to Ramsey Russell in colorful detail. Why has this part of Mississippi always attracted so many ducks, why are there 2 county seats, what are some o...

As prelude to soon-to-be-released Life's Short GetDucks South Africa duck hunting short-film, Jake Latendresse and Ramsey Russell reminisce about their epic South Africa wingshooting adventure together that included ducks, geese, upland game birds. They discuss the lasting impressions of people, food, landscape, hospitality, the works. From high-volume goose hunts and driven guineafowl to spot-and...