Midwest Flyways Podcast

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the guys sit down with photographer, filmmaker, conservationist, and lifelong hunter Sam Soholt. 

Sam takes the guys through how he actually broke into the outdoor industry, from filming hunts and taking whatever opportunities he could find to eventually turning outdoor photography and filmmaking into a career. They talk about rejection, grinding when nobody knows who you are, and why simply showing up over and over again can eventually open some pretty crazy doors.

And in Sam's case, some of those doors led to filming from helicopters, working on t...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys continue the story of Reelfoot Lake with Part 2, diving into the violent conflict that erupted over who actually had the right to control the lake. After the earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 transformed dry land into water, generations of local families came to rely on Reelfoot for fishing, hunting, and travel. But when private land claims began colliding with those long-standing public uses, the dispute quickly became much more than a legal argument.

The episode gets into the rise of the Night Riders, a masked group that used intimidation and...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Nick Johnson is back for his annual visit to talk waterfowl hunting, traveling the world, and some of the weird stuff he’s tried along the way.

Nick and the guys get into everything from old-school duck hunters and spring goose hunting on James Bay to chasing waterfowl in Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Europe, and beyond. They talk about the places Nick has already hunted, the trips still on his list, and why some of the most interesting waterfowl hunting in the world happens far outside the places most hunters ev...

This week on Sports Guyz Only...

Nathaniel is out, Carter's fantasy roster is already under investigation, and the first week of football has given the guys plenty of evidence to determine who does and definitely does not know ball.

The Vikings lead things off after a rough opening performance from Kyler Murray that immediately has the guys concerned. The guys break down his bizarre first play, the hits he took, Minnesota's struggling offensive line, and whether the Vikings have another long season of quarterback and protection problems ahead of them. There are at least a...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the guys recap a rough Minnesota goose opener and try to make sense of where the birds went.

A lot of the geese that had been around for weeks seemed to disappear right before opener, teal reports were all over the place, and plenty of hunters around the state struggled to put together much of a shoot. Cal and Joey talk through their own opener experiences, hunting with the kids, and why early-season birds can change everything in a matter of days.
From there, the conversation turns to the...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys kick off Part 1 of the story of Reelfoot Lake, one of the most legendary places in American waterfowl hunting history. Before the duck calls, cypress trees, and famous hunting culture, there wasn’t really a lake at all. That changed during the massive New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812, when the ground shifted dramatically, drainage patterns changed, and water flooded into the newly lowered landscape.

The guys break down just how violent those earthquakes were, including eyewitness accounts of the Mississippi River temporarily appearing to run backward and sections of...

This week on Sports Guyz Only...

Everybody is back in the studio, and it takes roughly a minute for Michigan football to send the show completely off the rails. After Western Michigan nearly pulls off the upset, the guys break down the controversial ending, Michigan celebrating a win that came down to a questionable clock decision, and whether Bryce Underwood could already be playing for his job.

That quickly turns into a much bigger argument: has sports gambling gone too far? Cal makes the case that betting has become so intertwined with sports that it's...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey is running the show without Cal and diving into the newly released waterfowl population numbers and he has a lot of questions.

Mallards are reportedly down, several other puddle duck species dropped, and the overall numbers aren't exactly what Joey expected after seeing what looks like an incredible hatch around Minnesota this summer. He and Carter talk through how the surveys are conducted, whether changing water conditions could be pushing ducks outside traditional survey areas, and why the numbers don't always seem to line up with what hunters are...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, Joey breaks down some of his go-to strategies for early season goose hunting. With seasons opening across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota, the focus is on keeping things simple: smaller decoy spreads, good scouting, realistic family groups, and making sure your hide is right before worrying about everything else.

Joey explains why he typically starts the season with just two to three dozen silhouettes spread out in loose family groups, rather than throwing a massive spread at local birds that haven’t seen much pressure yet. He also ge...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew sits down with three-time World Goose Calling Champion and Champion of Champions John Walls at Game Fair.

John talks about getting into contest calling nearly 20 years ago, finishing second at Worlds over and over again, and eventually breaking through to win three straight World Goose Calling Championships before taking home Champion of Champions. The guys get into what finally changed, how much John actually practices these days, and some of the ridiculous callers he's competed against along the way.

From there, they get deep into goose...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew picks up Part 2 of the history of duck hunting by train, continuing Tuesday’s story of how railroads helped transform waterfowl hunting across Minnesota and the Dakotas.

The guys dive into railroad tycoon James J. Hill and his son Louis, who took train-based duck hunting to another level with private railcars outfitted specifically for hunting. At Lake Christina, trains reportedly even blew their whistles along the shoreline to flush massive groups of ducks and create shooting opportunities for hunters.

But this wasn’t just something wealthy rail...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys kick off Part 1 of a history lesson about a time when Minnesota duck hunters didn’t drive to the marsh, they took the train. As railroads expanded across Minnesota in the late 1800s, they opened access to remote lakes, marshes, and prairie potholes that had previously taken days to reach. Hunters followed the tracks, and the railroad quickly became a major part of Minnesota’s early duck hunting culture.

Of course, the guys don’t get very far before the history lesson goes completely off the rails. Between arguin...

It's fantasy football draft day, and all four guys are finally back in the studio to build their teams for the new Sports Guyz Only dynasty league. With only four teams and a loaded player pool, you'd think it would be impossible to screw this up. The guys immediately prove otherwise.

From Gavin taking Josh Allen way earlier than anyone expected to Carter grabbing Brock Bowers in the third round, the trash talk starts almost immediately. Nathaniel goes all-in on youth and unproven running backs, Gavin builds a roster designed to win now and worry about retirement...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Cal and Carter are joined by Gavin for a shorter episode after wrapping up two weekends at Game Fair. With duck season right around the corner, the guys get into a debate about why waterfowl hunter numbers are declining and whether duck hunters simply aren’t as hardcore as they used to be. 

The conversation covers everything from declining Minnesota waterfowl stamp sales and habitat loss to drain tile, public land access, and the changing effort hunters are willing to put in. Are fewer people hunting because there are fewer duck...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys dive into one of the most tragic and legendary stories in Midwest waterfowl hunting history: the Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940. November 11 started unusually warm across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Upper Mississippi River, but it also brought something duck hunters had been waiting all fall to see, the northern migration. As enormous flights of mallards, canvasbacks, redheads, and other waterfowl poured south, conditions began changing faster than anyone expected.

The episode follows firsthand accounts from hunters caught in the storm as temperatures plummeted, winds reached extreme speeds, and...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey and Cal sit down with Shawn Stahl at Game Fair for a wide-ranging conversation about how waterfowl hunting has changed, what makes a great hunter, and why some of the best days in the field have nothing to do with shooting a limit.

Shawn shares his thoughts on the changing landscape of freelance hunting in Canada, including outfitter competition, field access, and why the Canadian prairies may be one of the last places where duck hunters can still scout, knock on doors, and hunt the old-fashioned way. The guys...

This week on Sports Guyz Only...

The boys are back from Game Fair, Nathaniel is out for the week, and it doesn't take long for things to get contentious. After wondering why any college athlete making millions in NIL money would ever want to leave campus, the guys dive into the completely normal world of college quarterbacks making more money than most professional athletes—and whether college football has basically become pro football with classes on the side.

Then comes the argument that nearly breaks the podcast: Josh Allen vs. Tom Brady.

When Ga...

https://www.ducks.org/events/du-national-trip-auction

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey and Cal sit down with Scott Anderson of Ducks Unlimited at Game Fair to talk about what DU actually does for ducks, where conservation dollars go, and why habitat remains the biggest piece of the puzzle when it comes to producing more waterfowl.

Scott breaks down why the Prairie Pothole Region remains such a major focus for Ducks Unlimited, how wetlands are restored, and why hunters may not always see the work happening behind the scenes. The guys also discuss a...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, Cal dives into the history of Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge—the nation's first refuge created specifically for waterfowl. In the early 1900s, the Klamath Basin held nearly 88,000 acres of lake and wetlands, attracting enormous numbers of ducks, geese, and other birds. But market hunting and the lucrative feather trade were putting incredible pressure on the resource, setting the stage for one of America's earliest major waterfowl conservation battles.


The story follows conservationist and photographer William Finley, whose images helped convince Theodore Roosevelt to protect Lower Klamath in 1908. But creating the...

This week on Sports Guyz Only it's a two-man show as Cal and Nathaniel hold down the fort while Carter celebrates his birthday, Gavin is out, and Nathaniel gets ready for another soccer season with expectations already set at a completely reasonable state championship.

From there, it's all about the Vikings and what the move to Kyler Murray means for J.J. McCarthy. With Kyler taking over as the starter and reports suggesting McCarthy's days in Minnesota could be numbered, the guys debate how the Vikings got here after spending a top-10 pick on J.J...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey joins some of the biggest voices in waterfowl for a special roundtable recorded at the Delta Waterfowl Expo. Ramsey Russell, Jeff Stanfield, Jon Sandvik, Billy Campbell, and Joel Brice sit down alongside Joey to talk about something that affects every duck hunter—the need for a stronger, more unified waterfowl community.

From public land competition and social media negativity to declining habitat and hunter recruitment, the group digs into why duck hunters can be so hard on each other and what needs to change. They discuss the unw...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, we dive into the surprising legal battle that helped shape modern waterfowl hunting in America. The story begins in 1914 with an Arkansas hunter, a few coots, and a federal government attempting something brand new: regulating migratory birds across state lines. What started as a relatively small hunting violation quickly turned into a much bigger constitutional question—who actually has the authority to protect a duck that refuses to stay in one state?

The episode follows the early Weeks-McLean Act, the court cases that challenged federal waterfowl regulations, and the confusion hu...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the guys keep it short as they get ready for one of the biggest outdoor events of the year—Game Fair. The crew shares everything attendees need to know before heading out, including where to find the Midwest Flyways crew, what's new this year, and all the giveaways, merch, and events planned throughout the weekend.

The guys introduce The Pit, a brand-new collaboration with Molt Gear on Waterfowl Hill featuring exclusive Midwest Flyways and More Mallards merchandise, daily giveaways, and a chance to hang out with the crew each afternoon. Th...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys explore the origins of America's legendary duck clubs and how simple hunting camps evolved into some of the most influential places in waterfowl history. Long before modern lodges and managed properties, these clubs became gathering places where business leaders, politicians, and passionate hunters came together to experience some of the greatest duck hunting the continent has ever seen.

The episode highlights the rise of iconic clubs like the Chicago Gun Club, the incredible waterfowl habitat that once lined the Illinois River, and the traditions that helped shape modern...

This week on Sports Guyz Only Brian O'Neill's contract extension sets the tone for another lively episode as the guys debate whether the Vikings made the right move, leading to plenty of passionate opinions and a few memorable rants. Along the way, they swap stories about brutal fantasy football losses, gambling heartbreak, and the broke-college meals that somehow tasted like five-star cuisine at the time.

From there, the conversation shifts to the NBA as LeBron James' reported move to Philadelphia sparks a debate about what could be his final superteam. The crew breaks down whether the 76ers...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast we dive into one of the hottest waterfowl topics in Minnesota: the DNR's proposed optional three-duck bag limit aimed at making duck hunting more approachable for new hunters. While everyone agrees that recruiting the next generation of duck hunters is critical, the crew debates whether simplifying regulations is really the solution, or if the real problems lie elsewhere.

The conversation explores the biggest barriers facing new waterfowl hunters, from learning duck identification and navigating regulations to finding quality places to hunt. The guys also discuss public land access, habitat management...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys take a step back from tactics and gear to talk about something even more important: what it really means to be a waterfowl hunter. As duck numbers face ongoing declines and wetlands continue to disappear, they discuss why every hunter has a role to play in protecting the future of the sport and why conservation is about much more than simply improving hunting opportunities.

The conversation explores the realities facing waterfowl today, including declining wild mallard populations, wetland loss, and the importance of organizations like Ducks Unlimited and...

With Gavin out on vacation, Nathaniel returns to the studio just in time for one of the biggest Minnesota sports debates yet: if Anthony Edwards retired today, is he already the greatest Timberwolf of all time? The guys compare Ant's resume to Kevin Garnett, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the rest of the franchise's history while breaking down just how quickly Edwards has climbed the Timberwolves record books. It sparks a conversation about where this current Wolves team ranks among every Minnesota roster and what Ant still needs to accomplish to officially claim the top spot.

From there, the...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey and Cal are joined by Ben Brettingen from onX for a conversation that goes far beyond maps and technology. The discussion explores the growing division within the hunting community, why hunters seem more divided than ever, and what it will take to protect the future of conservation and the traditions we all care about.

Ben also shares updates on onX Fish, how the platform has grown, and where outdoor mapping technology is headed next.

Along the way, the guys swap stories about family life, bird dogs, trout...

This week on Sports Guyz Only, Nathaniel is out sick, which leaves the rest of the crew plenty of time to roast Carter's wedding, question whether jeans belong at formal events, and pitch perhaps the greatest wedding job of all time: making Joey the official beer vendor at a future reception. Then it's time for sports.

The guys dive into one of the biggest debates of the podcast: did the Minnesota Wild have any choice but to pay Kirill Kaprizov? Using Sidney Crosby's historic contract as the measuring stick, they break down NHL salary cap percentages, Florida's...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew tackles one of the most interesting "what would you do?" questions in waterfowl history: market hunting. Rather than looking at it through today's lens, they discuss what it must have been like for hunters whose entire livelihood disappeared when new conservation laws changed duck hunting forever.

The guys also discuss how those same debates over conservation, regulations, and personal freedoms still exist in different forms today.

Then, Joey, Cal, and Carter close out the final Say What?! of the season. The championship comes down to the...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys dive into one of the most fascinating chapters in waterfowl history: the outlaw era. After the Lacey Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act changed the future of duck hunting, generations of market hunters suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of the law. What followed was a hidden world of ducklegging, undercover game wardens, and illegal waterfowl markets that stretched across the country.

The episode explores how poachers operated under the cover of darkness, the elaborate systems used to process and transport hundreds of ducks o...

The guys kick things off with Joey's brutally honest assessment of Team USA after their disappointing World Cup exit, and things somehow spiral into presidential phone calls, VAR controversies, and whether the U.S. accidentally gave Belgium all the motivation they needed.

From there, the conversation turns into a debate over some of the greatest athletes and dynasties in sports history. The crew compares Tiger Woods' unbelievable peak to legends like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James while asking what truly makes an athlete the greatest of all time.

The...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew catches up on everything happening in the waterfowl world before diving into another round of Say What? trivia.

The guys discuss the temporary concerns surrounding copper shot approval and speculate on how changing ammunition regulations could impact waterfowl hunters. Then they share their thoughts on conservation, habitat conditions, and the promising duck hatch they've been seeing this summer. Along the way, the conversation wanders into everything from golf course chemicals and self-sufficient living to travel, history, and some classic Midwest Flyways rabbit holes. To wrap things up, they...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the guys keep things short but pack plenty of laughs into another round of Say What?

Can you beat Cal and Joey in waterfowl trivia? This week's questions cover everything from Hawaiian ducks and conservation seasons to shovelers, Canada geese, coots, wigeon, and some surprising facts from waterfowl history. Along the way, the crew discusses hunting in Hawaii, dives into some fascinating waterfowl facts, and battles through another close round of trivia as the season-long competition heats up.

It may be a shorter episode, bu...

Waterfowl season may still be months away, but that doesn't mean duck hunters have to sit around waiting for opening day. In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys talk about beating the off-season blues and staying connected to hunting when the marshes are quiet.

From organizing decoys, boats, trailers, and hunting gear to attending summer trade shows like Dux and Game Fair, they share some of their favorite ways to keep the excitement alive throughout the summer. They also discuss sporting clays, trap shooting, golfing, chasing better scores, and why now is the p...

This week on Sports Guyz Only, the crew goes all-in on the biggest sporting event on the planet: the FIFA World Cup. Joey jumps into the studio for a soccer-heavy episode as the guys break down the tournament's biggest storylines, the best players in the world, and why this World Cup feels different than any before it.

The conversation starts with a debate over what actually qualifies as a sport before quickly shifting into World Cup fever. The guys discuss Lionel Messi's incredible start to the tournament, Cristiano Ronaldo's pursuit of history, Erling Haaland's dominance, a...

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew shares some of the dumbest, sketchiest, and most questionable decisions they've ever made in an effort to save a hunt.

From dead boat batteries and disappearing decoy spreads to flooded boats, forgotten gear, and wading way deeper than they should have, the guys relive some of their most memorable hunting disasters—and the creative solutions that somehow turned bad situations into successful hunts.

The conversation also takes a turn into a series of waterfowl-themed "Would You Rather" questions. Would you rather hunt publ...

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys dive into the fascinating history of sink boxes—one of the most effective and controversial duck hunting methods ever invented. From the legendary waters of Maryland’s Susquehanna Flats to the heyday of Chesapeake Bay market hunting, they explore how hunters developed a way to disappear among the decoys and bring ducks closer than ever before.

The episode covers the origins of sink boxes, how these unique floating hunting platforms operated, the massive decoy spreads and crews required to run them, and the incredible harvest numbers they...

This week on Sports Guyz Only, the boys kick things off with a birthday controversy, concussion counts, aging athlete problems, and a debate over whether anyone under 30 can truly appreciate how quickly the body starts betraying you. Cal celebrates another trip around the sun, Gavin accidentally misses the birthday by a day, and the crew somehow ends up discussing CTE before they've even touched sports.

From there, it's a full playoff recap as the guys break down the Carolina Hurricanes' dominant Stanley Cup run. They discuss Jordan Staal's unbelievable playoff performance at age 37, whether he's o...