Ducks Unlimited Podcast

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  When people think of waterfowl habitats in California, places such as Humboldt Bay and San Francisco Bay probably aren’t the first that come to mind. However, these areas provide valuable habitat for hundreds of thousands of wintering waterfowl annually. On this episode, we visit with DU...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Mike Lewis, Arkansas Duck Call Collector and Current Chairman of the Board of Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, joins hosts Mallori and Katie to talk about his journey into call collecting. Lewis speaks about what drew him to Arkansas duck calls and the state’s rich histo...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Ducks Unlimited’s goal of abundant waterfowl populations depends fundamentally on a robust base of productive wetlands across North America. In many regions, wetlands face persistent threats from the exotic, invasive plant known as Phragmites. Today we visit with Emily Tarsa, PhD student...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Luke Naylor, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission waterfowl program coordinator, joins the DU Podcast to discuss current conditions going into the 2020-2021 Arkansas waterfowl season. Naylor explains that the state is fairly dry, yet remains optimistic about the opener, and the season to fol...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  John Pollmann, DU magazine contributor, joins host Chris Jennings to talk about all-things blinds. The two discuss different approaches for various styles of waterfowling blinds and address the benefits and drawbacks to each one for waterfowl hunters. Please subscribe, rate, and review th...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  In this concluding episode, Drs. Dave Mauser and Mark Petrie discuss recent developments that have further eroded the ability of Refuges in the Klamath Basin to effectively manage wetlands for waterfowl. The consequences of these developments are likely to include fewer birds, less huntin...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  The mid-20th Century was a period of variation and transition for Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges, in the hey days supporting upwards of 6 million migrating pintails, but in troubled years being an avian botulism hotspot. The emergence of endangered fish species in t...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Located in southern Oregon and northern California, the Klamath Basin was once known as the most important migration region for waterfowl on the planet. On this episode, join us and our guests, Dr. Dave Mauser and Dr. Mark Petrie, to learn about the region, its historical importance, and...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeios joins the DU Podcast to talk about his new project promoting duck-camp cooking and recipes from south Louisiana. He also shares a handful on cooking tips and rants about the ethics of Instagram chefs. Please subscribe, rate, and review the DU Podcast and contact t...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Phil Bourjaily, DU Magazine shotgunning columnist, joins Chris Jennings to talk about the 20-gauge as a viable waterfowl gun. Bourjaily is currently testing out several models and shares his opinions of the 20-gauge. The two discuss new models, improved ammunition options, and other highl...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Hunter reports on snow geese suggest everything from a horrible hatch to great production, but what do researchers say? Lacking data from goose banding operations, we turn to field-based surveys of staging geese in prairie Saskatchewan. Worldwide snow goose expert, Dr. Ray Alisauskas, pro...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Aaron Yetter of the Forbes Biological Station in Havana, Illinois, joins the DU Podcast to provide an update on waterfowl numbers in the Illinois and Mississippi River Valleys during late October and early November. We also discuss recent reports of hunting success and hear about the craz...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Waterfowl hunt clubs have played an important role in waterfowl and wetlands conservation since the mid-19th Century. The Winous Point Shooting Club, at the southwestern end of Lake Erie, stands as North America’s oldest, continuously running duck club. In this episode, we visit with John...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Hosts Dr. Mike Brasher and Chris Jennings have a quick discussion on the basics of what separates these waterfowl types. Brasher explains anatomy, feeding types, and other differences between these ducks, while Jennings brings a handful of fun facts to the show. Please subscribe, rate, an...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Host Chris Jennings is joined by John Pollmann, Ducks Unlimited magazine contributor, to take a deep dive into lifetime skills for waterfowl hunters. Pollmann wrote a piece that relates to this topic for ducks.org , but the pair go even further into the discussion about becoming an all-ar...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Continuing with a focus on winter weather and how it is influencing waterfowl migrations, we are joined by Dr. Mike Schummer, SUNY ESF, to discuss his use of weather metrics to forecast duck migration in the eastern U.S. We also get an update on conditions in the Northeast and discuss the...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Jay Anglin, DU’s Great Lakes Region Migration Editor joins the show to talk about the current state of migration. Multiple weather systems have pushed ducks and geese into historical migration corridors and Anglin provides a glimpse into the current hunting conditions. He also explains th...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  As a series of strong mid-October cold fronts settles across the prairies and Midwest, there are widespread reports of frozen wetlands, snow-covered fields, and an exodus of waterfowl out of Canada.  On this episode, we go back to our trusty source of intel from the Canadian Prairies, Dr....

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Guest hosts, Mallori Murphey and Katie Burke, are joined by Marty Hanson, world-renowned decoy carver, to discuss how he became a carver and much more.  Hanson gets into detail about different species and even individual species he prefers to carve.  The trio talk about his unique approac...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Waterfowl hunters are certainly familiar with leg bands on waterfowl, but there are sometimes other markers they should look for and report. One example is web tags. Clemson University grad student Jake Shurba joins the podcast to tell us about web tags and provides a Public Service Annou...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  With the regular waterfowl season opener in Missouri creeping closer, Tony Vandemore joins the show to talk about habitat management, the upcoming season, and new changes at Habitat Flats. Vandemore shares some information about local habitat in comparison to last year, and what we he is...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  A remarkable wildlife success story and amazing table fare, the growth and expansion of the eastern population of sandhill cranes is providing a delightful new opportunity for migratory bird hunters in portions of the eastern U.S. Dr. John Brunjes rejoins the podcast to share insights on...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Many waterfowl hunters and migratory bird enthusiasts have crossed paths with sandhill cranes somewhere along the way. Dr. John Brunjes, Kentucky Dept of Fish and Wildlife Resources, joins the podcast to educate us on their ecology, distribution, taxonomy, management, and changes in their...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Dan Drust, Filson director of wholesale sales, joins Chris Jennings to talk about the fantastic history of Filson and how the iconic brand transitioned into the markets of today, yet maintained their quality standards. Drust also shares information on several new products from a lifestyle...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  As the overall number of waterfowl hunters continues to decline, it is increasingly important that we invite and welcome new hunters from all backgrounds. An encouraging trend is a recent increase in the number of women participating in hunting. In part 2 of our discussion on Women in Wat...