The North American Waterfowler

Duck season is getting closer, and it's officially that time of year when the scouting starts, the decoys come back out, and sleep gets a little harder to find. In this episode I talk about why preseason scouting is already underway and what I'm seeing as we get closer to opening day. Then we break down Oklahoma's new commercial waterfowl guide law (SB 2095), what it actually does, why it was pass...

Most duck hunters spend a lot of time thinking about weather, migration, and habitat. But how often do we think about the people growing the crops that waterfowl depend on every fall and winter? In this episode, I'm joined by Nebraska agronomist and waterfowler Jared Samuelson. Jared works directly with farmers throughout the growing season, giving him a unique perspective on modern agriculture an...

Contact Elliott: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.com Support the Show: patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting Every waterfowler has a story, and today you get to meet Zach Seibert. Zach was this month's Patreon Podcast winner, and after the wheel landed on his name, we sat down to talk about how he found his way back into hunting, what eventually pulled him into waterfowl hunting, and why he became completel...

This week I'm joined by former Flyway Federation Executive Director Duke Lowrie for a conversation about one of the most debated topics in modern waterfowl hunting. Over the past several years, studies have shown that species like mallards and northern pintails are completing their fall migration farther north than they did decades ago. The question is why. Duke shares why he believes unharvested...

Joe Harris of Blind Spot Outdoors joins the show to discuss everything from building custom duck blinds to managing productive waterfowl habitat. Joe shares how he turned a simple blind-building idea into a full-time business, the design behind his floating skid blinds, and what he's learned working with duck clubs and private landowners across the country. We also dive into habitat management, mo...

Contact Us: FreelanceDuckHunting@gmail.com Support the Show:Patreon.com/FreelanceDuckHunting Partners: Flight Day AmmunitionPremium non-toxic waterfowl ammunition. Use code FDH10 Shotty GearPremium hunting gear built for serious waterfowlers. Use code FDH10 WeatherbyProudly carrying the Weatherby Element 2 in the marsh. Mammoth Guardian Dog CratesThe safest way to transport your retriever. In this...

Contact Elliott:FreelanceDuckHunting@gmail.com Support the show:Patreon.com/FreelanceDuckHunting Partners:Weatherby – Weatherby.com Flight Day Ammunition – FlightDayammo.comUse code NAW10 Shotty Gear – ShottyGear.comUse code FDH10 Mammoth Guardian Dog Cratesmammothpet.com Patreon member Hunter Johnson joins the North American Waterfowler Podcast to discuss waterfowl hunting on the Oregon coast. Gr...

Most duck hunters have flushed a Sora rail from the cattails at some point, but few know much about these secretive marsh birds. In this episode, wildlife biologist Eamon Harrity joins the show to discuss the fascinating world of rails. We cover Sora migration, nesting habits, habitat needs, population trends, and the unique adaptations that allow these birds to thrive in dense wetland environment...

For years I've watched American White Pelicans migrate through Kansas by the thousands and wondered what we really know about them. Where do they come from? How far do they travel? How do they breed? And what exactly are they doing when they're soaring thousands of feet overhead? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Aimee Van Tatenhove, a quantitative ecologist and former pelican researcher whose...

In this episode, Elliott sits down with award winning wildlife artists Adam and Madison Grimm for a conversation that quickly becomes much bigger than art. At just 19 years old, Madison Grimm is leading one of the most unique grassroots conservation efforts in North America. Through her nonprofit, Second Chance Flight, she rescues duck and upland bird eggs that would otherwise be destroyed during...

Contact Elliott: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.com Support Elliott: patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting In this solo episode, Elliott dives into how social media algorithms reward outrage, controversy, and conflict while often burying positive content. Using real examples from recent North American Waterfowler reels, he explores why discussions around topics like flooded corn, duck numbers, and harvest...

Spencer Lewis returns to The North American Waterfowler Podcast for a wide ranging conversation on modern waterfowl culture, social media toxicity, public land pressure, hunting ethics, and the future of the waterfowl community. Spencer discusses the launch of his new Facebook group, The Humble Outdoorsman, and why he feels more optimistic and re-energized compared to our last conversation. We als...

Contact Elliott: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.com Support Elliott: Patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting In this offseason Q&A episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, Elliott answers listener questions covering everything from duck population trends and migration patterns to hunt tests, old Freelance Duck Hunting seasons, favorite waterfowl species, El Niño vs La Niña hunting success, and futu...

Contact Elliott: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.com Support the show: Patreon.com/Freelanceduckhunting Jeff Coats, better known to many as “Pit Boss,” joins the podcast for a deep dive into a lifetime spent chasing ducks, training retrievers, guiding sea duck hunts, and living waterfowl culture since the early days of internet forums and VHS hunting videos. Jeff shares the story of how he went from fo...

In this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, Elliott sits down with Nate Verdin of Falling Tide TV for a wide ranging conversation about family, fatherhood, duck hunting culture, Louisiana marshes, public land, and the deeper reasons hunters stay connected to the outdoors. The two discuss how becoming fathers changed their perspectives on life, faith, risk, and priorities. They also...

Support the Show: Patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting Contact Elliott: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.com On this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, Elliott is joined once again by good friend and host of the Migration Waterfowl Podcast, Brian Halbleib. The two sit down for a wide ranging conversation covering everything from duck hunting adventures and prairie marshes to family life, non...

On this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, I give an update on recovering my YouTube channel after being hacked, talk about spending the day training with Chris Jobman and Georgie at Habitat Flats, and share details about an upcoming remote Nebraska fishing trip that I cannot stop thinking about. I also break down some of my favorite pieces of waterfowl gear and equipment that trul...

Contact Elliott: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.com Get More Content: patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting This episode starts off all over the map in the best way possible. Elliott and Ben Meyers talk Royals baseball, shotgun issues, pattern testing, Flight Day Ammo loads, and why educated ducks become nearly impossible to finish late in the season. Ben breaks down why certain loads outperform others, th...

In this episode, I break down real data from over 35,000 logged hunts inside The North American Waterfowler app to answer a question we all think we already know the answer to: what actually impacts duck hunting success? I dive into how wind speed, temperature, and sunny versus cloudy conditions affect birds per hunt and some of the results might surprise you. If you’re someone who loves understan...

Get in touch / Support the show:Email: freelanceduckhunting@gmail.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting In this episode, I break down one of the worst days I’ve had as a content creator. My Freelance Duck Hunting YouTube channel was hacked, taken over, and ultimately terminated. I walk through exactly what happened, how it went down, and what the next steps look like moving forw...

In this episode, I’m joined by Jake from Chasing Green, one of the most driven and knowledgeable voices in waterfowl hunting today. We kick things off with a full breakdown of an unforgettable turkey hunt together, from tough conditions to an incredible finish and why those shared moments in the woods mean so much. Then we shift into a deeper conversation around non resident hunting regulations, p...

In this episode, we sit down with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks property manager Cody Stegman to talk through what’s actually happening beneath the surface of these wetlands. Cody explains how “sand veins” run through these areas like fingers back to the river, and why water that looks perfect one day can be completely gone the next. We also get into what this means for habitat, how it i...

Description In this episode, I break down the latest Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks meeting and what it means for waterfowl hunters. We get into the decision to move to a 3 pintail limit, the science behind compensatory vs additive mortality, and why increasing the limit may not impact the population the way many hunters think. I also dive into the growing pressure from non-resident hunte...

In this solo episode, I sit down with my Patreon crew for a live Q&A and cover a wide range of topics from duck hunting strategy to gear, pressure, and real world experiences in the field. We get into the spinner vs water motion debate, how I pack for out of state hunts, decoy spread differences on big water vs small water, and the reality of public land pressure. I also share thoughts on non resi...

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