Duck Season Somewhere

A fabled Arkansas duck hole. A hard-knuckled caretaker. Outlaws, outrageous characters and enough wild stories to make you wonder how much is even legal to tell. 

Johnny Riley was larger than life--a fearless duck hunter, notorious personality and legendary caretaker of Claypool's Reservoir (EP 719. Wallace Claypool's Wild Acres). From clouds of mallards to colorful characters, questionable decisions and his own brand of backwoods justice, grandson Robert Riley--who knew him simply as Pop--brings Johnny Riley's extraordinary life and a bygone era of Arkansas duck hunting roaring back to life.  Stories you couldn't make up--or even imagine--in a million ye...

Small, if-you-know-you-know migratory gamebird. Huge migration. And a conservation story every duck hunter will appreciate. Kean Jones and Louisiana biologist unravel the fascinating world  of the elusive American woodcock--whose biology, habitat and hunting traditions reveal why healthy cover matters for woodcock, waterfowl and hunters alike. Think you really know the properties you hunt? You might never look at a patch of cover the same way again.

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Alberta Professional Outfitters Society

Benelli Shotguns

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Fat Idaho greenheads. Superior western habitat. And a hunting experience that's about more pulling the trigger. Joey D'Amico and Jeff Rosser take us inside a-league-of-its-own Whiskey Creek Ranch, where smart stewardship, world-class waterfowl and upland game bird habitat and a deep passion for hunting come together to produce unrivaled experiences.

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Benelli Shotguns

Bow and Arrow Outdoors

Create the X Habitat Management App

Ducks Unlimited 

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What makes a man walk away from a life calling behind the pulpit to spend his days carving duck decoys? For Colorado Waterfowler Mike Marino, the answer runs deeper than wood, paint and a passion for waterfowling. Similarly to the shaping of wood blocks, he shares how faith, family, loss and the outdoors shaped his life--and how he sees people, hunting, hard knocks and life itself.  From meaningful tributes to lasting friendships, his is a passion to carve just one more. 

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California public-land duck hunting ain't for the faint of heart, but there are some that'd have it no other way.  Sky Chief Waterfowl's Aaron Visger remembers Sutter and Gray Lodge days, learning ducks the hard way, the first spinning-winged decoy ever laid eyes on, and how pressure, technology and changing times transformed the game. From Brown Spoon Duck Club to Sky Chief, it's an old-school conversation about gains, losses, and whether today's public lands hunters are actually better--or just way more efficient. 

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What determines "trophy"--a number, an animal, or the hunt effort? Boone and Crockett Club's Tony Schooner and Mike Opitz join Ramsey to challenge modern trophy culture, unpack Fair Chase, technology and hunting ethics, and explore why records matter far beyond bragging rights. It's a candid conversation about accomplishment, conservation, and keeping the hunt bigger than the trophy. 

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The Land of Living Skies, tornadoing mallards, waves of white, brown and gray geese lapping into the spread--Saskatchewan Canada waterfowl hunting is the stuff dreams are mad of! Outfitter Joey D'Amico talks about incredible hunting experiences, sure, but also about building Tekton Saskatchewan Outfitters from the ground up, hard-earned lessons, and faith is reshaping his purpose in the field and beyond. Sometimes the best paths are built. They're followed.

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Pulling the trigger is only half the experience. Outdoor Appetite's Romy Brant talks ducks, wild-game cooking, whole-bird use, alpha-gal, and turning hard-earned birds into unforgettable meals. Listen in--and make your next duck dinner one to remember.

Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible:

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Benelli Shotguns

Bow and Arrow Outdoors

Create the X Habitat Management App

Ducks Unlimited 

Flash Back Decoys

GetDucks.com

Migra Ammunitions

onX...

(Part 2/2) More than a million acres of marginal Delta cropland were retired and planted in bottomland hardwoods. Thirty years later, those trees have grown and--if we want to ensure wildlife utilization and habitat quality--the next chapter is serious hardwood management. Wildlife biologist Kevin Nelms explains how changing soils and hydrology shape the new landscape, how timber stand improvement improves wildlife habitat, timber stand improvement techniques, how putting sunlight back onto the ground benefits ducks, deer, songbirds and more. Most importantly, how do landowners, agencies and NGOs accomplish this without a viable hardwood pulp market? A must-listen episode for bottomland...

What happens when some of America's most important waterfowl habitats no longer have the people, equipment and resources needed to make them work?  After a 33-year Service career spanning 7 states and 2 flyways, lifelong duck hunter and former refuge manager Gary Zahm (now a renowned outdoor photographer and writer) has watched the waterfowl landscape change from the ground up. From California's Grasslands and Kesterson to the larger continental habitat system, Zahm brings a lifetime of hard-earned perspective to what we've lost, what still works--and what--and who --it will take to rebuild. Because if we want abundant ducks, we need abundant h...

(Part 1/2) More than a million acres of marginal Delta cropland were retired and planted in bottomland hardwoods. Thirty years later, those trees have grown and--if we want to ensure wildlife utilization and habitat quality--the next chapter is serious hardwood management. Wildlife biologist Kevin Nelms explains how changing soils and hydrology shape the new landscape, how timber stand improvement improves wildlife habitat, timber stand improvement techniques, how putting sunlight back onto the ground benefits ducks, deer, songbirds and more. Most importantly, how do landowners, agencies and NGOs accomplish this without a viable hardwood pulp market? A must-listen episode for bottomland...

What if having everything you thought you wanted actually took you somewhere you never intended to go? Shane Allen grew up hunting, dove headlong into heavy metal and a hard-living lifestyle, then one day woke up a very lucky--and changed--man. Today, the wildlife biologist and Hedge Hailer Game Calls founder lives by three simple phrases: Love God. Love People, Hunt Ducks. But getting there required a reckoning. Today's story is about ducks, choices, consequences--and becoming a different man.

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Everyone wants more ducks. But when ducks disappear, where do you go looking for answers? As duck numbers continued declining around their Mississippi hunting grounds, Pete Fulgham and friends asked a pointed question: "Where's our raft?" The search for answers le to a nearby refuge struggling with fewer employees, fewer resources, less habitat--and fewer ducks than anyone could remember, let alone during its heyday. Complaining was pointless. They decided to do something. Their efforts became Yazoo Waterfowl Partners--and has since inspired a much bigger idea about hunters putting more skin in the game to restore America's national wildlife refuges. A...

Life's storms leave scars. But sometimes those scars become lifelines for someone else. Ricky Matthews discusses the heart of his new book, Finding Hope: 25 Lifelines for Life's Storms, and hard-earned stories behind it. We explore suffering, faith, purpose and why the worse chapters of your life might be exactly what another person needs. Finding hope is one thing. Passing it forward is another.

Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible:

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Benelli Shotguns

Bow and Arrow Outdoors

Traditions survive because someone carries them forward by sharing stories. Dale Bordelon grew up among Louisiana marsh men, unforgettable old-timers carrying generational knowledge and stories of bygone life ways. Historian Jason Theriot spent 25 years doing likewise, exploring Louisiana's cultural heritage across Gulf Coast communities. Together, we revisit old camps, cane calls, vanished marshes, unbelievable hunts and colorful characters from a yesteryear Louisiana that few remember today. Duck hunters. Tradition bearers. Last remaining marsh voices.

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LEARN MORE--Center for Louisiana Studies Wildlife and Waterfowl Heritage, Documenting Louisiana's Wetlands, Waterfowl and Other Outdoor Traditions and Youtube V...

Most pretty girls don't grow up drag racing. Taylor Bright did. We sat down at DUX to talk about growing up at the drag strip, her dad's influence and learning to drive, discovering waterfowl hunting, and the unlikely road eventually leading her into the outdoor industry with Migra Ammunitions. From fast cars and Scottish roadtrip hunts, to boat ramp tours and duck blinds, Taylor puts the pedal to the metal when she sets her mind to it!

What makes an old piece of wood worth $10,000--or way more? Antique duck-call collector and broker Ryan Graves and I explore the fascinating world of collectible calls--legendary makers, rarity, provenance, craftsmanship, and the stories that create investment-grade value. But beyond price tags, we get to the people and traditions these calls represent, and how some shaped duck hunting as know it today. Because the greatest old duck calls aren't valuable because they're old--the matter because of the stories they carry.

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Terry Denmon and I have shared duck blinds for 20 years, chasing birds from Louisiana to Argentina and beyond. Sitting down live at DUX, we revisited hunts that we'd relive tomorrow if time machines existed, unforgettable characters, close calls, traditions, shovelers, blue-winged, Mexican mallards and more. After a couple decades, number of ducks that hit the water. But memories  of people, places, jokes, and stories keep getting better with age.

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You've seen the iconic black-and-white photos—more mallards than you knew could possibly exist in one place. And you've heard the legendary name: Claypool's Reservoir. Now hear the true story behind it. Historian Dr. Wayne Capooth takes us back to Wallace Claypool's Wild Acres—the vision, investment and monumental effort behind an astonishing, never-before-or-since concentration of wintering mallards ever documented. Hear how those famous photographs were made, and how, in December 1956 the spectacle of hundreds of thousands of mallards taking flight was broadcast live into American homes. Today's incredible episode is about the fascinating history of the land, the peopl...

Jeff Foiles has walked through nearly every chapter the waterfowl world offers--from growing up hunting the Mississippi River back in the good ol' days and building one of the most recognized brand names in waterfowl calls, to a federal wildlife case that cost him his freedom and forever changed his life. We talk about the rise of Foiles Migrators, the decline of waterfowl in his neck of the woods, hard lessons learned along the way, what it means to move forward and what that daily walk really looks like. Recently inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of...

Forty years of guiding Kansas mallard hunts taught Roy Carter that shotguns don't kill ducks--diesel does. The Carter's Big Island outfitter talks location, habitat, flooded timber, moist-soil management, sanctuary and hunting pressure with his familiar, both-barrel blunt and politically incorrect candor. But the conversation turns deeply personal as Roy reflects on life beyond ducks. And no--we didn't delete any of it. Not a single word. You've been warned.

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Six duck hunting podcast hosts---Joel Brice The Voice of The Duck Hunter, Billy Campbell Dr. Duck, Jeff Stanfield the Big Honker, Joey Vasallo Midwest Flyways, Jon Sandbeck The Filthy Spoon and myself--sit down together at Delta Waterfowl Expo to talk public-land pressure, hunting behavior, and getting along. We may not solve the bigger problems facing duck hunting today, but one question matters most before opening day: How are we going to treat each other this season?

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Marty Sands has spent decades studying the massive guns that helped shape our waterfowling history. From 4-, 6-, and 8-bores to punt guns, fine English doubles and black powder, he explains why these guns were built, how they were used--some pretty amazing shooting feats even by modern-day standards--what they taught us about ballistics, how the "gauge" metric was originally determined, and how yesteryear fowling firearms shaped today's duck hunting. In hearing some of these stories, was reminded why we may oftentimes feels sentimental towards some of those killing sticks in our closets whether they're "collectible" or not.  Boom!

Finding our ways through the hills and hollows west of St. Louis, we pulled into Josh Ditch's Fowl Focus Avian Taxidermy studio to pick up a couple spell-binding dead mounts for upcoming expos, we walk past a small waterfowl aviary with "beer drinking bench," and into a surgically clean, well-organized shop. Sharing his then-and-now journey into waterfowl taxidermy and local duck hunting, he imparts need-to-know tips for turning treasured memories into memorable mounts--selecting prime specimens, caring for them afield, storing them at home, shipping them to.a taxidermist, choosing the right pose and much more. 

Vi...

Everybody sees the face paint. Few understand the job. Professional rodeo bull fighter Noah Krepps steps inside the arena where split-second decisions stand between fallen cowboys and two thousand pounds of pissed-off bull. He shares behind-the-scenes preparation, life-shaping mentors, close calls, unforgettable wrecks, life on the road and times spent in an Arkansas duck blind. 

Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible:

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Benelli Shotguns

Bow and Arrow Outdoors

Create the X Habitat Management App

It's not every day that we can be heroes, but here's your chance! Cape not needed, just 3 minutes of your time!! North America's duck factory is under imminent threat. A little-know federal rule now under review could determine whether millions of acres of Prairie pothole wetlands--the breeding grounds that produce about 1/3rd of the continent's ducks and were purchased with generations of duck stamp dollars--will remain intact. DU's Scott Stephens and Dr. Mike Brasher explain in less than 20 minutes what's at stake, why you should care, and what you can do before the August 7 public comment deadline. ACT NOW...

It was as simple as sticking his boat in the mud while joy riding with his wife. And sharing it. The Wetland Gypsy built one of the most recognizable names in waterfowl hunting boats--but discovered there might be more to life than followers and fame. Former US Marine Spencer Lewis talks public-land ducks, social media, how fatherhood affected it all, and finding solid footing when the roar of the motor fades. 

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Think about it--most duck and goose calls look pretty much alike, don't they? Gilbert Randolph's don't. I mean, who ever heard of a cedar-and-slate "goose box"?! The maker behind Art Ducko Calls talks about various outdoor pursuits that lead to waterfowl hunting, call making inspirations and mishaps, goose boxes, no-two-alike creativity, hunting identity, and why duck hunting maybe needs more originality and less conformity.

Hunting's future won't be decided by seasoned veterans alone--it depends on who come next, how and what they'll learn. Bringing her legendary humor and candid insights to bear, Carli Bodiford discusses breaking into hunting without family roots, building credibility in the social media age, firearms safety, and why mentorship matters. Beyond the likes and followers, we explore what it really takes to influence the next generation of responsible hunters.

Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible:

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Benelli Shotguns

After 4 years absence, finally returned to the remote Argentina wetland called Rio Salado. In tow were some hunters that had always wanted to return along with some others that'd always wanted to go. It was wet. Real wet. Getting there--and as we learned later, getting back out--were huge adventures. Why bother? What compels some people to go so far off the beaten path, what's it like hunting on the bare fringes of the grid, how'd it compare to times past, and will we ever again return?

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For generations, American duck hunters have traveled north to hunt Canada's prairies. Freelancing opportunities, especially, seemed endless. But times are changing. Saskatchewan recently imposed number-of-day restrictions non-resident hunters, Manitoba instituted a draw system for non-resident freelance hunters, and Alberta has tightened the number of hunting days for non-residents.  Rob Olson explains what's driving these changes, growing pressures, land access, resident opportunity, illegal outfitting and what it all means for North America's greatest waterfowl destination. Whether you hunt Canada every fall or hope to some day, this conversation offers important perspectives on where prairie waterfowling--and beyond--may be heading.

Fresh off the annual hosted couples trip in La Paz, Argentina--where hunters bring along their non-hunting spouses--Ramsey huddles up over coffee with the husbands and wives to talk about ducks, doves, pigeons, surprises, laughs, long dinners, big shoots, city tours, new friendships and things learned when birds-of-a-feather folks that didn't know each other beforehand gather for a week-of-a-lifetime trip. Whether interested in a fun family adventure yourself or just wondering why it's such a popular annual event, you'll enjoy this conversation.

More Info: GetDucks La Paz Argentina Combo https://www.getducks.com/hunts/argentina-duck-hunt-la-paz/

Mark your calendars! There's absolutely nowhere else you'd rather be--or wish you'd been--than Ducks Unlimited Expo in Memphis, July 31-August 2!!!  DUX brings the entire duck hunting world under one roof. Logan Nevins joins me to talk about the Ducks Unlimited Expo--gear, events, retrievers, calling, conservation, family and friends. More than another outdoor show, DUX is where duck hunters meet the brands, biologists, dogs, callers and conservation work shaping the future of ducks and duck hunting. You can't get it scrolling online!  Stop by and say hello to me and Char Dawg, there's nowhere else we'd rather be and look fo...

Talk about a fresh perspective! Doug Osborne (Osborne Lab, Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, University Arkansas Monticello) and I spent a week together not only hunting ducks but, importantly, laying groundwork for first-ever duck banding and GPS studies in Argentina. Why's it needed there, what's really known about Argentina ducks, their movements and behaviors? How's the habitat compare to North America--and what might be learned of benefit to us? What are the challenges and cultural barriers, and how's the North American Model look from south of the equator? Plenty interesting stuff to think about. 

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Mark your calendar--Delta Waterfowl's Duck Hunter Expo will be in Des Moines, Iowa, July 24-26. Chris Williams and Eric Lindstrom join Ramsey to preview the calls, dogs, gear, banquets, conservation work, partnerships and duck hunting culture that'll all be packed into one amazing weekend y'all don't want to miss! Come by and say hello to me and Char Dawg, we look forward to seeing y'all there.

DETAILS: Delta Waterfowl's Duck Hunter Expo, Des Moines, Iowa, July 24-26 https://deltawaterfowl.org/delta-waterfowl-expo/

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Nothing at all to do with duck hunting. Everything to do with discovery. Catching up with one of my oldest buddies, Kurt Munding, we recall memories from way, way back when. It was Summer 1990.  Times were different. We were as young, as strong, as polar opposite, and as free as we'd ever be. Together, we discovered coast-to-coast America--and ourselves--at about 50 miles per day.  On bicycles.

Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible:

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Alberta Professional Outfitters Society

Benelli Shotguns

Bow and Arro...

Mark your calendars--Dallas Safari Club's Summer Expo and Foundation Gala lands July 23-26 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas, bringing outfitters, gear, hunting stories, conservation, auctions, family events and the broader hunting community under one roof! Dallas Safari Club's Brian Fienhold, tells us all about it, describing event happenings, explaining the bigger conversation behind such events and why hunters from all walks of life will have a great time!  RECEIVE 25% DISCOUNT ON DAY PASSES USING PROMO CODE "DUCKS25" https://www.biggame.org/summer-expo-information/

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Melissa Ridgeway didn't set out to become one of the South's best-known antique decoy dealers. What began as collecting a few decoys for her husband became a 40-plus-year journey through antique decoys, sporting art and hunting collectibles. And the stories she can tell! We discuss Mason decoys, collector favorites, what makes old decoys valuable, what buyers should look for and avoid, and why these working-class artifacts still speak to both hunters--and non-hunters--of all ages.

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Corey Lucas doesn't just create decoys--he creates stories. We talk about the pink-eared travel decoy project, its conservation impact in Australia, the inspiration behind Cedar Run's new Storyteller package and Mason line, and why craftsmanship still matters in today's mass-production world. It's a conversation about hunting, friendship, faith, community, purpose--and leaving something meaningful behind.

Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible:

MOJO Outdoors 

Alberta Professional Outfitters Society

Benelli Shotguns

Bow and Arrow Outdoors

Create the X Habitat Management App

...

Madison Grimm was the youngest artist to win the National Duck Stamp Contest at age 6--and went on to win it 3 times. Her father, Adam, is a 3-time Federal Duck Stamp winner, too, but this father-daughter conversation goes beyond wildlife art. Encouraged by neighboring farmers, Madison founded Second Chance Flight to rescue duck eggs and ducklings during spring operations, later releasing them back into the wild. What began as a simple concern for prairie ducks became a hands-on education in community, permits, politics, patience, and real-world, every-duck-matters conservation. It's  a story about what happens when someone decides that doing so...