The Voice of the Duck Hunter – A Delta Waterfowl Podcast

In this episode of The Voice of the Duck Hunter, Joel Brice sits down with Cyrus Baird, Chris Hoon, and Ryan Brunson to discuss Oregon's Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), also known as the PEACE Act. Together, they break down what the petition proposes, why they believe it poses a serious threat to hunting, fishing, trapping, ranching, and farming, and why they strongly oppose the measure. The c...

In this special Field Notes episode, host Joel Brice sits down with Chris Williams, Senior Director of Industry Partnerships at Delta Waterfowl, to give listeners a preview of the 2026 Duck Hunters Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. Whether you're attending for the first time or returning for another year, this episode gives you an inside look at what makes the Duck Hunters Expo a must-attend event fo...

From daily limits and transport rules to tagging requirements, gifting birds, and freezer storage, this episode dives into the laws every duck hunter needs to understand to stay legal. Rich shares real stories from the field, common violations hunters unknowingly commit, and the small details that can turn into big problems. #hunting #fyp #duck #duckhunting  Website and Social Media Links:  Delta...

What exactly is a possession limit? How many ducks can you legally have in your freezer? Can your buddy “give” you birds? And what are the most common mistakes hunters make without even realizing it? In Episode 101 of The Voice of the Duck Hunter, host Joel Brice sits down with former U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Special Agents Rich Grosz and Jay Pilgrim to break down one of the most misunders...

100 episodes later, we’re taking a look back. To celebrate the 100th episode of The Voice of the Duck Hunter, Joel sits down to revisit a handful of memorable moments from the podcast over the years. From duck production and conservation to research, and stories from guests along the way, we look back at some of the conversations that helped shape the show. Join us as Joel reacts to past clips, sh...

Delta Waterfowl’s 2026 Research Roster is here, and in Episode 99 of The Voice of the Duck Hunter podcast, Dr. Jay VonBank and Dr. Todd Arnold join host Joel Brice and break down the science shaping the future of ducks and duck hunting across North America. From duck production and nesting success to migration tracking, predator management, geolocators, drones, banding research, and waterfowl popu...

You hear about wars, politics, and trillions being spent—but as a duck hunter, where do you go to understand the policies that actually impact ducks and the future of hunting? Right here. In this episode, we break down the real work being done behind the scenes to produce more ducks and protect the future of waterfowl hunting. From Delta’s Working Wetlands Program to the Prairie Pothole Water Qual...

Each spring, official waterfowl surveys help shape the outlook for duck seasons across North America—but at Delta Waterfowl, we don’t wait for reports. Our teams are on the ground year-round across the Prairie Pothole Region, tracking habitat conditions, weather patterns, and wetland health long before the data is released. In this episode, host Joel Brice sits down with Delta Waterfowl Programs D...

Delta Waterfowl is leading the charge among non-government conservation groups to rebuild the staffing and infrastructure of America’s national wildlife refuges through its Restoring Our Refuges initiative. Stronger public lands mean better habitat for migrating waterfowl—and more quality hunting opportunities for hunters across the country. In this episode, Joel sits down with U.S. Fish and Wildl...

Nearly 50 years ago, waterfowl hunting changed forever. What started as a targeted conservation effort—requiring non-toxic shot in select areas—quickly expanded across North America and reshaped the way we hunt ducks and geese. Today, entire generations of hunters have never experienced hunting with lead shot. But the transition wasn’t smooth. Early steel loads in the late 1970s and 1980s were wid...

In this episode, Delta Waterfowl celebrates a monumental milestone: 100,000 people introduced to waterfowl hunting through Delta’s First Hunt program. This achievement marks a historic moment and highlights a bright future for duck and goose hunting across North America. Joining Joel to discuss the significance of this milestone are two of Delta’s most tenured leaders—Chief Policy Officer John Dev...

Welcome back to another episode of Delta Waterfowl’s The Voice of the Duck Hunter.  Two retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents join us for a powerful and eye-opening conversation. Rich Grosz — one of our most requested guests — returns, and this time he’s joined by his longtime colleague and friend Jay Pilgrim.  In this episode, we dive deeper into one of the most controversial and...

Welcome back to another episode of Delta Waterfowl’s The Voice of the Duck Hunter.  Two retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents join us for a powerful and eye-opening conversation. Rich Grosz — one of our most requested guests — returns, and this time he’s joined by his longtime colleague and friend Jay Pilgrim. In this episode, we dig into one of the most controversial and commonly...

🚨 CHECK OUT OUR GIVEAWAY VIDEO! 🚨 Details and entry info are linked in that videos description. Subscribe to The Delta Network:   ⁨@TheDeltaNetwork⁩   Enter the Giveaway: https://deltawaterfowl.org/pull-up-a-chair-giveaway/ Welcome to Delta Waterfowl’s Voice of the Duck Hunter podcast. When hunters experience a poor season, the natural response is to want to fix it — to take responsibility and b...

Welcome to another episode of Delta Waterfowl’s The Voice of the Duck Hunter.  In October of 2015, Kansas City firefighters John Mesh and Larry Leggio lost their lives in the line of duty while battling an arson fire. A wall collapse claimed both men—an unimaginable loss felt deeply by their families, their fellow firefighters, and their community. John Mesh grew up in a family of eight brothers a...

If you hunt waterfowl on public land, this is an episode you need to hear. In this episode of The Voice of the Duck Hunter Podcast, host Joel Brice is joined by Cyrus Baird, Delta Waterfowl’s Vice President of Government Affairs, to break down one of the most important — and least understood — policies impacting hunters today: the National Wildlife Refuge System’s Hunt Fish Rule. Cyrus is on the f...

What happens after the shot matters just as much as the hunt itself. In this episode of Delta Waterfowl’s Voice of the Duck Hunter,  Joel Brice sits down with Blake Robbins, a graduate student in meat science at Oklahoma State University, and Dr. Morgan Pfeiffer, professor of Animal & Food Sciences, to break down best practices for caring for waterfowl meat from field to table. Whether you’re...

Delta Waterfowl has just announced what may become one of the most significant efforts in our organization’s history — the Restoring Our Refuges initiative. This groundbreaking project focuses on two critical missions: • Restoring vital habitat for migrating waterfowl across the flyways • Rebuilding hunting access lost as habitat on National Wildlife Refuges and state wildlife areas has declined J...

Part 2 of our interview with retired U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Special Agent Rich Grosz. In this episode he shares some of the most unbelievable stories from his years in the field—cases, encounters, and operations most people never hear about. Website and Social Media Links: Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org Facebook: /DeltaFans/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfow...

Join us on Delta Waterfowl’s Voice of the Duck Hunter Podcast as Joel Brice sits down with Rich Grosz, retired U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Special Agent and lifelong waterfowl hunter. Rich spent his career standing on the thin green line, taking down dangerous poachers, protecting migratory birds, and carrying on the legacy of his father, legendary warden Terry Grosz. In this episode, Rich sh...

In our busy lives, finding time to hunt can be tough—whether it’s before work, before church, or between other commitments. But even a one-hour hunt can be productive if you approach it the right way. Joining me is longtime Delta contributor and outdoor writer Brian Lovett, who shares practical tips for setting spreads, getting shots, and maximizing your time in the blind. If you’ve ever felt like...

In this episode, host Joel Brice sits down with two of the newest members of Delta’s research team—Dr. Todd Arnold and Dr. Jay VonBank. Todd, a longtime professor at the University of Minnesota, and Jay, formerly with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, bring decades of combined field and academic experience to Delta’s mission. Together, they’ll share their back...

In today’s episode, host Joel Brice sits down with longtime Delta leader and newly appointed CEO, Jason Tharpe. A lifelong waterfowler from Louisiana, Jason has dedicated over 23 years to advancing The Duck Hunters Organization. Now at the helm, he shares his vision for Delta’s future—covering everything from producing ducks in the modern era to creating new, quality opportunities for hunters acro...

Welcome to The Voice of the Duck Hunter presented by Delta Waterfowl. In this episode, host Joel Brice sits down with Delta’s Chief Policy Officer, John Devney, to unpack why agricultural policy—especially the U.S. Farm Bill—matters more to duck hunters than you might think. From the groundbreaking Working Wetlands initiative (now the Prairie Pothole Water Quality and Wildlife Program) to the futu...

Delta Waterfowl President & Chief Scientist Dr. Frank Rohwer and Chief Policy Officer John Devney break down the results of the 2025 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey. What do this year’s duck numbers reveal? How will habitat conditions shape the upcoming hunting season?  Tune in as Delta’s experts explain the science, the surprises, and what it all means for waterfowl hunters a...