Now among the scarcest waterfowl habitat in the delta, it was emergent wetland-type habitats that sustained overwintering migratory in their heavily forested, ancestral Deep South wintering grounds. What exactly are emergent wetlands, and why are they so desirable when managing for duck habitat? Building on our previous discussion (EP 483.), wildlife biologist Kevin Nelms deftly slogs mid-thigh deep into this swampy topic, explaining emergent marsh productivity relative to other habitat types, important need-to-know water depths and timing, hemi-marsh concepts, plant communities, hands-off benefits, type invertebrates and their critical importance to both ducks and habitat managers. Under the right conditions, it's almost as easy as just putting your boards in and walking away, and after hearing this conversation it's possibly something worth considering.   As USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wildlife Biologist in the Mississippi Delta, Nelms has spent decades designing and developing numerous private-lands waterfowl impoundments. He’s worked extensively with private landowners throughout the region, improving desirable waterfowl habitat conditions, enhancing duck utilization, even putting together a handbook that's considered a must-have staple for waterfowl habitat management (see related links below for your own PDF copy). Contact Kevin Nelms at [email protected].     **********   Related Links: Wetlands Management for Waterfowl Handbook (PDF) Managing Moist-Soil Impoundments (YouTube)   Other Need-to-Hear Habitat Episodes: EP 125. Wetland Management for Waterfowl Habitat 1/3 EP 127. Wetland Management for Waterfowl 2/3 EP 129. Wetland Management for Waterfowl 3/3 EP 175. Wetlands Management for Waterfowl: Fall Considerations EP 235. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Producing Desirable Moist-soil Vegetation EP 237. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Controlling Problem Plants EP 245. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Planting Agricultural Hot Crops EP 254. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Good Intentions, Bad Ideas, Mismanagement EP 483. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Rethinking "Seed Mentality"   **********     Visit MOJO’s Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors:   MOJO Outdoors Benelli Shotguns BOSS Shotshells Ducks Unlimited Flash Back Decoys HuntProof Premium Waterfowl App Inukshuk Professional Dog Food  Tetra Hearing Tom Beckbe Voormi GetDucks.com USHuntList.com     Please subscribe, rate and review Mojo’s Duck Season Somewhere podcast. Share your favorite episodes with friends! Business inquiries and comments contact Ramsey Russell [email protected]       EP 485. Long Point Ontario Diver Hunting   Mallards may be the so-called rockstars of the duck hunting universe, but not if you were born and raised on Long Point, Ontario, where massive diver rafts on Lake Erie form ravenous swarms that strafe your ice-encased layout rigs when the weather's just right. And especially not if you're a third-generation diver hunter and boat builder like Jayden Bankes, who excitedly describes bluebills, redheads, and king cans starved for lush wild celery beds so thick they bog outboards! Jayden takes us deep into his north-of-the-border duck hunting world, telling fascinating stories about the men, the ducks, the traditions and the legendary boats that forever shaped his big water world view. We should all be so lucky!   Visit MOJO’s Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors:   MOJO Outdoors Benelli Shotguns BOSS Shotshells Ducks Unlimited Flash Back Decoys HuntProof Premium Waterfowl App Inukshuk Professional Dog Food  Tetra Hearing Tom Beckbe Voormi GetDucks.com USHuntList.com     Please subscribe, rate and review Mojo’s Duck Season Somewhere podcast. Share your favorite episodes with friends! Business inquiries and comments contact Ramsey Russell [email protected]