Ducks Unlimited Podcast

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Tom Dokken, owner of Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels, joins the DU Podcast to talk about exciting new products from SportDOG Brand. Dokken brings more than 45 years of retriever training experience to the podcast and he discusses the changes in training over that span. Please subscribe, rate,...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Dr. Dale Wrubleski rejoins the DU Podcast to continue our discussion of the decline and recovery of the Delta Marsh. With common carp identified as the principle trouble-maker, scientists, engineers, and conservationists devised a plan to combat the problematic fish and restore Delta Mars...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  The Delta Marsh in southern Manitoba is the birthplace for some of the most foundational science upon which North American waterfowl management is built. It is also a place steeped in the traditions and history of waterfowling. Dr. Dale Wrubleski joins us to discuss some of this history a...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Host Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss waterfowl identification and its importance for not only waterfowl hunters, but also birders. Mike talks about identifying characteristics of certain species and shares a handful of helpful tips to improve your waterfowl identification. Ple...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  He’s harvested every species of waterfowl in North America except two, and he knows his way around the waterfowl landscapes of Canada like nobody else. Pat Kehoe, DU Canada’s Director of International Relationships, gives an update on late summer habitat conditions in Canada, the border c...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Heading into fall, Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam joins the DU Podcast to discuss his thoughts on the upcoming waterfowl season, a few personal experiences, and provides a State of the Organization. Please subscribe, rate, and review the DU Podcast and contact the DU Podcast via email at...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Is your retriever ready for opening day? Mike Stewart, owner of Wildrose Kennels joins the show to discuss some early-season training options to have them better prepared for the first few days afield. Please subscribe, rate, and review the DU Podcast and contact the DU Podcast via email...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  The DU Podcast kicks off with an introduction show and a re-introduction for many. Hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss the oddities of the current pandemic and how DU has reacted from a conservation perspective. The pair also discuss upcoming episodes and what listens should...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Season 2: The Off Season is a wrap! Hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss the technical difficulties of publishing the show during the summer, and they talk about highlights from the season. The DU Podcast will take a break in August but will return with all-things waterfowl c...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Migratory Bird Hunters, Listen up!  The DU Podcast welcomes back Brad Bortner and Larry Reynolds for an informative and unusually candid conversation about some concerning issues with the Harvest Information Program registration process and how it may influence the data. Importantly, we a...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Brad Bortner, retired Chief of the USFWS Division of Migratory Bird Management, and Larry Reynolds, Waterfowl Study Leader for Louisiana, join the show for a refresher on the Harvest Information Program. We review its importance for enabling hunting seasons, how it works, and why hunter p...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Mike Stewart, owner of Wildrose Kennels, joins Chris Jennings on this podcast to discuss introductions. There’s a right way and a wrong way to introduce dogs, even puppies, to the world of duck and goose hunting. Stewart talks about introducing gunfire, water, blinds, decoys, and the vari...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by Johann Walker, director of operations Great Plains Region, for an update on current habitat conditions throughout the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region. Good conditions early in the summer have continued to provide suitable wetlands and associated habitats. Walker...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Dr. Scott Stephens, director of operations Prairie and Boreal for DU Canada, joins host Dr. Mike Brasher to provide an update on breeding habitat conditions across Prairie Canada. The pair discuss late rains, which may not benefit nesting waterfowl, but will help brood rearing efforts. St...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Jim Ronquest, Rich-N-Tone Calls, joins host Chris Jennings for an off-season conversation. The two discuss summer calling tips, and Ronquest points out a few tactics callers should be doing this time of year to stay ready for duck season. They also dive into new duck calls, look back at l...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss the numbers behind U.S. hunters in Canada and the hypothetical impacts on waterfowl if the border doesn't open for waterfowl season. Will U.S. hunters see more ducks? Brasher brings some interesting non-resident information from the Canadi...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  We continue our fascinating discussion about brood parasitism in waterfowl. In particular, Dr. John Eadie walks us through a most remarkable study of this phenomenon in wood ducks, using innovative tracking methods and state-of-the-art genetics to reveal previously unimaginable behaviors...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  We like to think of ducks as a fairly innocent and an honest group of species, but that isn’t always the case. Nesting hens of some ducks, along with other non-waterfowl species, often deposit their eggs in the nests of other individuals, in a practice known as avian brood parasitism. In...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  A screech owl hatched a couple of wood ducks? Nothing could go wrong there, could it? Listen in as we discuss this oddity of nature and other observations from an ongoing, large-scale study of wood ducks in the eastern United States. Clemson graduate student, Emily Miller and her research...

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 Mike Stewart, owner of Wildrose Kennels to discuss retriever training during the peak of summer heat. Stewart brings to light several training, nutrition, and health tips to keep your retriever in shape and safe from heat stroke. www.ducks.org/dupodcast  

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Phil Bourjaily, Ducks Unlimited magazine shotgunning columnist, joins Chris Jennings for a in-depth conversation about safety in the duck blind. Bourjaily stresses the importance of communicating safety rules and clearly defining what should and should not be done while hunting ducks and...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  The DU Podcast is joined by Mike Szymanski, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, to discuss the results of their 2020 Breeding Duck Survey. By all accounts the numbers are encouraging. The North Dakota wetland index was the 6th highest on record and the duck numbers were the 13th highes...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Partnerships among public and private entities are the lifeblood for successful waterfowl conservation programs across North America. A long-time participant in one such partnership, Dean Harrigal, formerly of South Carolina DNR, joins the podcast to discuss a particularly noteworthy exam...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  Dr. Mark Petrie, Director of Conservation Planning for DU’s Western Region, joins co-hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher to discuss the double-edged sword of abundant populations of Arctic geese. On one hand, they provide expanded hunting opportunities, but on the other they also co...

JOIN US AT THE 2026 DUCKS UNLIMITED EXPO! July 31 - August 2 at the RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER in Memphis, TN  John Pollmann, Ducks Unlimited magazine freelance contributor and South Dakota resident, joins host Chris Jennings for an informative update on what the habitat conditions look like this summer in South Dakota, North Dakota, and eastern Montana. www.ducks.org/dupodcast