Born-and-raised Arkansas native Rusty Creasey was manager and head guide at legendary Coca-Cola Woods Duck Club for 20 years, continuing the legacy of his uncle Harvey, who managed the property for the 40 years prior. Recognized for his learned-from-a-lifetime-doing-it expertise, Rusty shares his thoughts on Arkansas flooded timber hunting, thoughtfully covering the topics of growing up in rural Arkansas, life lessons and important influences, a lifetime spent in Coca Cola woods, habitat...

Regional Director, Ryan Watson gives us a great then-and-now overview of Delta Waterfowl and how they fit in the grand scheme of conservation both locally and continentally. We talk about the origins of Delta waterfowl, predator management, accomplishing the Million Duck initiative, hen houses, nest boxes, working with other conservation orgs, volunteering and, importantly, how chapters can put conservation on the ground locally.     Visit MOJO’s Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors:   ...

One of North America's most unique webless gamebirds, sandhill cranes are oftentimes referred to as "ribeyes of the sky" and included among popular waterfowl slam listings. Alabama biologist Courtnay Conring has studied them extensively and hunted them seriously. We do a deep dive into sandhill cranes to include migrating and non-migrating populations, which populations are hunted and protected, differences between greater and lesser sandhill cranes, habitat, diet, habitat conservation, new...

You've traveled far away from home for a dream hunt and--all things equal, some days better than others--waterfowl are a constant. It's the everything else that really makes a huge difference.  Which is why on the heels of another epic 3-day waterfowl hunt at Prairie Limits Outfitters, I met with Brian Cramer to gain insight on "controlling the controllables" and delivering superior, made-to-feel-at-home hospitality. Because too few do it as well.     Related Links: Prairie Limit...

Hunting trips are no place to lose a few pounds. To the contrary, you should be ready to loosen your belt, eat like kings, enjoy. Which is exactly why Chef DJ is among the most popular people at Prairie Limits Outfitters in Saskatchewan, why his specialties are in high demand by returning guests, and why everyone gravitates towards his kitchen throughout the day. Sharing some hallmark recipes along the way, Chef DJ talks about growing up in rural Canada, his interest in cooking, learning to...

What's it like growing up a young, avid waterfowler in the north-of-the-border Land of Plenty? How's it similar to the USA--and how's it different? What might you wish be different, and for what might you be most thankful? In a random turn of events, Ramsey falls in with 3 die-hard, young-gun Manitoba hunters who show him what it's like growing up a goose hunter these days in Canada and share some interesting and downright surprising insights. And to think it all started with a shiny new...

Located between massive lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba, the fabled Interlakes Region has been an important stop over for migrating Canada geese since forever--especially for that population of big honkers known locally as "Churchills." The region annually attracts goose hunters like myself that can't seem to get enough of them. Sometimes the stars align and we're even there at the same time. Following an action-packed week and a big ol' celebratory T-bone steak, I meet with Manitoba friends Troy...

Capt. Jeff Coats aka The Pitboss shares decades duck hunting experiences on the Chesapeake Bay, how and why he built a name brand that's become synonymous with sea duck hunting this waters.  Recalling his first duck hunting experiences, he describes important influences in decoy carving, guiding, and life. We discuss "the world's largest duck boat," retrievers and training, missing sea ducks, decoy carving, evolving medias since the internet's inception, and more! Like mach-3 scoters sweeping...

So critical to Pacific Flyway waterfowl was this region that the Lower Klamath NWR was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as the first waterfowl refuge in the United States. In the 1950s, more pintails were counted in nearby Tule Lake than exists on earth today, and a surprising amount of Pacific Flyway waterfowl are produced or overwinter here! As reported in EP 154. Understanding the Klamath Water War (link below), times have changed--natural droughts have been exacerbated...

Located in Chambers County, Texas, the Double Bayou community  has a storied, oftentimes truth-is-stranger-than-fiction past. It was there that Blake Moulton learned to duck hunt from his father, who was simply passing along the same torch handed him by predecessors. In some ways, things have changed. In other ways they never will. Beneath a sprawling live oak that's shaded Moulton's family for 5 generations, he talks about growing up, the local community, family traditions, and the people...

There's plenty North Dakota waterfowl hunting opportunities for ducks, snows, cacklers, honkers and tundra swans, and depending on what you're chasing the overall season runs late-September (for non-residents) through bone-chilling, mid-December. For those wanting the convenience of an experienced can-do outfitter, nobody does it better than Dirty Bird Outfitters. Now in their 10th season, owner-founder Matthew Piehl and head viking-guide Nick Marcyes describe how a kindred love-hate spirit...

As a barefoot little boy playing outside in the late-1930s that later duck hunted when rice predominated the coastal Texas landscape, 90-year-old Charles Stutzenbaker became the first full-time waterfowl biologist for the State of Texas. It was a different world. Plenty work to do. And work he did. Spending many years immersed afield, he became a foremost authority on coastal habitat, authoring definitive books on mottled ducks and wetlands vegetation. He influenced Gulf Coastal habitat...

West of San Antonio, where the Chihuahua Desert and Brush County collide it's dry. Real dry. But there exist one of the most unique and best-kept secrets in North America waterfowl hunting. Renowned since forever for world-class muy grande white-tails on vast private ranches, the region also harbors ducks, speckle bellies and sandhill cranes that've long been disregarded by locals and remain relatively unpressured. Enter Speck Ops Waterfowl. Luke Bledsoe and wife, Jillian, describe moving to...

Hunting western Nebraska is all about the right stuff--the right properties, the right locations, the right people. There's mallards and geese galore, for sure, but this corner of the Wild West is also crawling with huge mule deer and white-tailed bucks, pronghorn, Merriam's turkeys, and elk. Born and raised nearby, Powder Morning Hunting Company's Coy Fisher describes growing up there; what Sydney, Nebraska was like before, during and since Cabela's; how carbon sequestration is a billion...

Getting a feel for who people really are is as simple as putting your feet under the right table. Or in the instance of Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois, just talking food. Proud of his Louisiana duck hunting heritage, Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois shares Sportsman's Paradise unique culture via Duck Camp Dinners, that's just completed its 3rd season. Gumbo variations around Louisiana is only the beginning and we're soon running through an international buffet of topics to include the Chesapeake Bay,...

Having used Benelli shotguns since the mid-90s because of their utter reliability and superior performance, their continued innovations continue to amaze. Benelli's Senior Product Manager, Brett Maffet, is a long-time waterfowl hunter and living his dream by working in the outdoor industry. We do a deep dive into Benelli shotguns past and present, cycling through need-to-know topics like various Benelli shotgun platforms, differences between Benelli shotgun models, sub-gauge popularity, new...

Grizzly bears, wild sheep, bison, elk, white-tailed bucks, waterfowl--we all have outdoor dreams.  But South Carolina-based Outdoor Dream Foundation is making outdoor dreams reality for youths facing some of life's toughest challenges. "It gives them light at the end of the tunnel, something to live for," one of today's guests says. Disappointed that similar foundations were not granting firearms- and hunting-related wishes, they decided to do something about it. ODF members Leroy Martin,...

Following a 2-week, 3-province, 5-lodge, waterfowl-and-upland-gamebirds South Africa duck hunting safari that'll be memorable for many reasons--it's like we saw and did everything--the adventure is recapped with hunters Mark Hagar and Seth Arbogast. One collected lots of game room trophies, the other did not, because it's mostly about experiences involving new lands, people, foods, all united around hunting ducks and geese. Whether considering such an adventure yourself or just wanting to...

Fifth-generation Florida native Travis Thompson was born-and-raised Florida duck hunting. In the absence of mallards, their mainstays are blue-winged teal, Florida mottled ducks, whistling ducks, and--of course--ring-necked ducks, which are discussed in depth along with local hunting traditions, gators and cattle, where and how ducks are hunted. "But when you're not at the table, you're on the menu," says Thompson, pivoting to the rapid loss of wintering habitat and hunting rights in Florida....

For Larry White, an interest in cooking began as simply as being around grandmother's kitchen, and while he learned a lot of techniques in the military it wasn't until afterwards that a passion for crafting wild game dishes emerged. His interesting takes on carpaccio, prosciutto, wild turkey, wild ham, fish and other favorite spins are discussed, but check out his The Wild Gourmet Blog for more.    Related links: thewildgamegourmet.com https://www.thewildgamegourmet.com    Visit MOJO’s...

Raised a 4th-generation northeast Arkansas public land duck hunter, Maggie Williams says the first girl her daddy ever even saw in the woods was the 10 year-old daughter he'd brought along himself. Treated just like one of the boys, the rest was history. A genuine duck hunter--that just happened to be a girl--was born on the spot. Maggie Williams describes growing up hunting Arkansas public dirt, how beauty pageants enabled her insatiable high school duck hunting appetite while teaching...

Cutting his teeth in Oregon, Shawn Swearingen--that's spelled like the guy in Deadwood series, he says--migrated to the outskirts of DC, where the hunting is in some ways different but in many ways similar. Besides a legislative career, he makes duck calls and, like a ravenous honker in a plowed corn field, roots out interesting then-and-now hunting and fishing stories as an outdoor writer.     Visit MOJO’s Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors:   MOJO Outdoors  Benelli Shotguns BOSS...

Launched last season, duckDNA is an immensely successful citizen-science initiate spear-headed by Ducks Unlimited and University of Texas at El Paso. waterfowl Scientists Dr. Mike Brasher, Dr. Jerad Hinson and Dr. Phil Lavretsky explain some of last season's fascinating findings to include hybrids, "blonde mallards," Florida Mottled ducks, America Black ducks, Brewer's ducks, game farm mallard abundance and distribution, and much more! Importantly, they describe how you, too, can participate...

Moving out west with "an anti-hunter from Toronto" to pursue an electrical career was one thing, but the sheer abundance of waterfowl hunting opportunities in Alberta changed Ben Commodore's life. He's now on Cloud 9. Literally. As part of the renowned Ranchland Outfitters team, Commodore delivers some of the most amazing waterfowl hunting experiences on the North American continent. We cover a variety of interesting topics to include current habitat conditions and landscape changes, hunting...