Duck Season Somewhere

Bigwater, Ramsey and mutual friend, Ryan Bianchini, share a few pearly pops one afternoon. Bigwater dodged the covid-19 bullet again, and describes why the upcoming Mississippi duck season leaves him with something to be desired. Biggie springs a pop quiz on Ramsey, a question-and-answer session that bounces through places, species, and past times like a smacked bluebill skipping across water.   E...

While at Mississippi hunting camp, Laird Hamberlin, Safari Club International's Chief Executive Officer, meets with Ramsey.  Laird describes his introductions to hunting, who and what he remembers most from his earlier days. He and Ramsey discuss SCI's history, the pivotal role SCI plays as the largest pro-hunting and pro-wildlife organization on earth, how SCI benefits hunters and wildlife.  It's...

BC Rogers of Wren & Ivy retraces his origins to duck hunting among family and friends in cypress-studded, Mississippi Delta oxbows. How did those endearing influences effect him as a hunter, husband, and father?   And what role did they eventually play in his development of a successful outdoor product line that embraces both classic styling and modern functionality?  In today's episode, we learn...

Bill Brewster, former Oklahoma Congressman and retired lobbyist, meets with Ramsey at SCI Convention. They discuss topics ranging from quail hunting back in the good old days to the future of hunting. Bill tells about the time he went to the White House before dawn with shotguns and hip boots to take a US President duck hunting.    Related Links: Safari Club International   Episode Sponsors: Boss...

In its present incarnation, gumbo is a combination of past and present, a delicious mixture of foolproof goodness in a pot. What constitutes "real gumbo" varies widely among regions, zipcodes, camps - even family members. But it's all good. Benny Marascalco was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, a region that's as unique unto itself as roux. In today's episode of Duck Season Somewhere, he a...

At age 30, Trent Dirks is a relative newcomer to duck hunting. Trent describes coping with PTSD after returning from active duty in Afghanistan.  How did service dog, Tracer, help him find life purpose and then lead him to waterfowl hunting 4 years ago? Scott Dewey professionally trained competitive retrievers for over a decade before co-founding Retrieving Freedom. What are these service dogs tra...

Lee Kjos is STOKED about the new website launch and this season's extensive, new BOSS Shotshells product line! Everyone is - and it's downright contagious! Like a red, white and blue cyclone sweeping through a deserted mining town, he and Ramsey plow full-steam-ahead through a range of duck hunting topics. Wondering whether the Canadian border will be open to hunters, the two plan a specklebelly h...

A mallard? There are about 13 mallard-like subspecies worldwide to include mallards, mottled ducks, black ducks and Mexican ducks right here in the good ol' USA. How similar are North American mallard-like species and what are their common origins? Is the American Black Duck really becoming extinct due to hybridization with mallards, and are hybrids easily distinguished? What's the difference betw...

Stalking small game while barefooted, the young boy supplemented his family's mealtime protein intake, but remembers dreaming way back then of one day hunting leopards. Mentored, in part, by the most iconic archer in history, that boy has since hunted far and wide, and loves duck hunting. Steve Comus has been Editor-in-Chief for Safari Club International's Safari Magazine for over 2 decades. "We a...

Quack Rack's Garrett Walker and Ramsey Russell catch up before the world starts spinning full-swing again. Recalling a couple fun past hunts together in Idaho and Oklahoma, they remember the great folks and other things that made those hunts memorable. Garrett tells about his becoming a duck hunter and how a simple work-smarter-not-harder idea quickly became one of the most recognizable name-brand...

It's late-May, the Dakota prairies are in great shape, and already there are bright yellow, little mallard and pintail fuzzballs on the scene, preparing for the flight south this fall. John Devney of Delta Waterfowl is an avid duck hunter, a natural born communicator. He and Ramsey Russell talk about favorite North American duck species (it'll probably surprise you) and favorite places to duck hun...

The fabled North Platte River slithers through the American West, holding enviable numbers of Canada geese and mallards. WyoBraska Waterfowl's JJ Randolph has guided along Wyoming's North Platte River since forever. With the storytelling ability of someone that's guided for decades, he describes getting started, important influences, and why this region holds so many waterfowl - all where one of t...

The Tombigbee River flows into the rugged Mobile-Tensas Delta of southern Alabama, the backdrop for today's guest. Radcliff Menge describes how he became involved in the outdoors industry, and how family hunting traditions shaped Tom Beckbe's company vision. Roots run deep.     Related links: Tom Beckbe   Episode Sponsors: BOSS Shotshells GetDucks.com USHuntList.com   Follow Ramsey Russell's duck...

Corey Mason meets with Ramsey Russell during the "COVID Pause." Growing up hunting with family in west Texas, he chased his passion through college, eventually becoming a waterfowl biologist for Texas, Parks and Wildlife.  As Executive Director of Dallas Safari Club, Corey passionately describes to Ramsey the importance of hunting anything anywhere to wildlife conservation worldwide, how hunters f...

Zach Meyer of WildEar  meets with Ramsey Russell during Dallas Safari Club, telling him about his earliest introductions into hunting, about how he became a lifelong waterfowler with the single pull of the trigger. They share a few humorous tell-tale stories about shotgun-related hearing impairments (spoiler alert, Ramsey can't read lips on TV screens), and the two part ways with an invite for Ram...

It's late-April and Ontario's Ottawa Valley is quiet. But this fall it will fill with raucous, migrating honkers gorging themselves on local crops before beating their way further south. Ryan Reynolds, Apex Waterfowling, and Ramsey Russell touch base during the "Covid Pause." How does goose hunting in Ontario's Ottawa Valley differ from western provinces? What's unique about interior Canada geese...

Kjos and Ramsey visit over hot coffee before Dallas Safari Club Convention, immediately stepping into a memory-filled swamp of wild ducks in wild places. Kjos shares his "Walter Mitty Moment." They then wade through a waist-high slough of ducky topics that hunting buddies usually do. Related Links: Dallas Safari Club Alaska King Eider Hunting Argentina Duck Hunting Rio Salado Episode Sponsors: BOS...

Last week, the Canadian government by-passed parliamentary procedures by implementing a 25 years-old, never-before-used provision to ban "black guns." This week, a real bombshell exploded when it was learned that this "ordering council" creates a real gray area regarding the legality of 12-gauge and 10-gauge shotguns. Fake News? Can American duck hunters take their 12-gauge shotguns to Canada this...

It's late-April and because COVID-19 protocols have prevented his guiding spring snow geese in Canada, Ben Webster of Big Kansas Outdoors is home in central Kansas. Ben tells Ramsey why and when he got into the guiding waterfowl hunts. What are some of the good and bad aspects of operating a professional guide service? What qualities does Ben really look for in prospective waterfowl guide-staff? W...

It's about an hour preceding showtime - hectic opening morning of Dallas Safari Club Convention. While putting finishing touches on the GetDucks exhibit, Ramsey Russell introduces long-time Argentina hostess and trusted friend, Martha Ciaffoni, an integral team member for over a decade. How'd they meet? What funny, stressful, and memorable events shaped their working relationship? What's it like t...

As easily as if they were visiting between volleys, HPOutdoors co-host Dan Hruska shares with Ramsey a few important life events before and during the ongoing "reset."  How did HPOutdoors get started and how does Dan describe their relationship with the online community they've since cultivated? Why should Toronto International Airport Customs definitely be avoided if at all possible? What are som...

It's a cold January morning preceding Dallas Safari Club. Blood Origins producer Robbie Kroger breaks for coffee with Ramsey before interviewing Weatherby Award winners. In a time that sport hunting is increasingly marginalized, Robbie's Blood Origins project has given an authentic, selfless voice to hunting. Why it's "in the blood" speaks importantly to the non-hunting majority and to hunters the...

Brandon Cerecke, BOSS Shotshells, joins Ramsey for a candid duck blind type chat about COVID-19 and the American way of life. How have Brandon's blue-collar roots shaped his work ethic, ingenuity, and innovation? What new BOSS Shotshells products are coming down the pipeline and what's driving their product-line expansion? They wrap up discussing father-son hunting plans for this fall when things...

Bigwater and Ramsey talk about different routines, recent discoveries and new habits since the world stopped spinning as usual, then end up sinking their teeth into food - at home and abroad.     Episode Sponsors (url links) GetDucks.com USHuntList.com Boss Shotshells   Follow Ramsey Russell's worldwide waterfowl hunting adventures across 6 continents Instagram @ramseyrussellgetducks, YouTube @get...

Luke Naylor is Arkansas State Waterfowl Biologist.  Two years ago, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission began intensively managing State-owner greentree reservoirs to include dewatering and timber harvesting.   Why were these activities prescribed? How will duck hunting be affected near-term and in future seasons? Great discussion about a national treasure.   Related links Arkansas Greentree Reserv...