MOJO’S Duck Season Somewhere Podcast
EP 248. Best-Dressed Biologist for Good Reason
Ed Penny spent years mucking through wetlands as a field biologist, plying his learned know-how to improve waterfowl habitat from Mississippi to California. Nowadays his work attire is oftentimes suit and tie, but for damned good reasons. As southern regional Director of Public Policy for Ducks Unlimited, Penny spends many long days across the table from legislators, championing the preservation of remaining wetlands habitat without which we duck hunters are S.O.L. He and Ramsey catch up, learning they cut their duck hunting teeth in the same river bottom, discussing changes since those days and on-going challenges.
EP 247. 28-Gauge Super Black Eagle and Other Benelli Topics
A sub-gauge revolution is sweeping across the country as more waterfowl hunters are reinventing their game, swinging 20- and 28-gauge shotguns instead of their trusty ol’ 12. George Thompson, Director of Product Management for Benelli, tells Ramsey about adding 28-gauge to the successful Super Black Eagle platform, covering a range of other Benelli-related innovations. Where’d the philosophy “carry a 20-gauge but shoulder a 12-gauge” originate? Why’d they choose 28-gauge and what were some of the challenges–and will there be a .410? What are some of the subtle differences between SBE and Ethos shotguns, and how has the 28-gauge been received by customers? Will the proprietary Benelli Surface Treatment be available in other colors? What makes the 828 U Over-under shotgun unique? How have “performance shop” Benelli shotguns been modified, and why? Whether you’re a long-time Benelli shooter or just looking to make a well-informed decision about your next shotgun purchase, you’ll enjoy this highly informative episode.
EP 246. Her Recipe for Connecting Food, Nature and Life
Lured to Ramsey’s Mississippi hunting camp by the prospect of cooking black bear venison for her first time–and it was absolutely amazing–The Gatherin’ Girl, Chef Tori Loomis, takes a break from the kitchen to visit. After describing the several ways she’s preparing venison heart, tenderloins, backstrap and shank, Loomis tells Ramsey about recent life happenings stretching from Florida to Utah and all points in between during her 35th journey around the sun. Loomis’s recipe philosophy is like a pathway connecting her to people, places, nature and ultimately, a life well-lived. Always full bellies and full hearts when she’s around.
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EP 245. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Planting Agricultural Hot Crops
There’s a time and place everything. Kevin Nelms and Ramsey discuss planting agricultural hot crops such as corn, rice, and various millets to provide high-energy food sources for wintering waterfowl, complimenting natural moist-soil habitat to form a waterfowl complex. What are the pros and cons? How do site limitations affect crop selection, what excellent online resources are available to landowners for determining your property’s soil type limitations? What is chiwapa millet and where’s it available? What about “grassy corn”? But wait-there’s more! Much more! As USDA NRCS 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 Ramsey considers must-have essential for managing waterfowl habitat (refer to related links in the episode description for your own PDF copy). This is the third episode of a 4-part series that duck habitat nerds both new and old will appreciate.
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EP 244. Connecting Animal Planet Influences to Duck Hunting
The times they are a-changin’. Hook-and-bullet waterfowl managers are becoming replaced by a new generation inspired into wildlife management more by watching nature channels than by formative hunting experiences. But isn’t it kind of important that they recognize hunting’s importance–the real dollars-and-cents support that we duck hunters bring to agency budgets? Joel Brice and Cyrus Baird explain why Delta Waterfowl thought it was very important and what they did about it. Describing why hand-me-down hunting traditions are declining, they tell Ramsey about getting Delta’s University Hunting Program into many universities, recruiting students to participate, immersing them into the entire field-to-table experience. Coming from a place very few listeners can understand, some student feedback underscores this program’s vital importance.
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EP 243. South-of-the-Border Waterfowl Conservation, Dos
In last week’s episode we learned that Mexico is vital to many of our favorite North American duck species. Managing waterfowl that spans North America’s entirety requires collective efforts, continental scale. After all, a chain’s only as strong as its weakest link. What are habitat conditions like in Mexico, how productive are they, how much do they have? What are some of the greatest habitat threats? At the human level, how do you foster appreciation for such vital wetlands in a country where relatively few citizens hunt? What can be done to conserve wetlands and who’s doing what? Eduardo Carerra, CEO of Ducks Unlimited Mexico (DUMAC) covers these topics expertly as he and Ramsey continue their fascinating conversation about meaningful waterfowl conservation in Mexico.
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EP 242. Tom Beckbe’s Family Lore
It’s the classical story of art imitating life, of creative works being inspired by actual events. See, Tom Becke isn’t a person; it’s the original namesake of a very specific place on a map. And it was near there, as Radcliffe Menge describes in great detail, that ancestors ignited in him a passion for hunting. Importantly, the old school values they instilled are evident throughout his company’s growing product line that in many ways pay tribute to those old-timers’ family lore.
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EP 241. South-of-the-Border Waterfowl Conservation, Uno
Many iconic North American duck species–some of our most favorite– overwinter South-of-the-Border in Mexico sunshine and wetlands, but what awaits them down there? Is unregulated hunting why we’re shooting so few pintails in the Lower 48?! Eduardo Carrera is a professional biologist and CEO of Ducks Unlimited Mexico (DUMAC). He and Ramsey have a fascinating, in-depth conversation that you definitely do not want to miss! Getting deep into the tules, Carrera covers waterfowl distribution, species, harvests and determining bag limits. A lot of time is spent talking about blue-winged and cinnamon teal, black-bellied and fulvous whistlers, Mexican Ducks and Northern Pintails before wrapping up with fact-based discussions about waterfowl harvest estimates and Mexico’s relatively generous bag limits. Tune in next week as this incredible conversation continues!
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EP 240. Bird Flu–Should We Be Worried?
Internet news agencies are adding avian influenza headlines daily, and as waterfowl migrate northwards our social media feeds are streaming with ducks and geese succumbed to bird flu. Should we be worried? What’s bird flu, how long’s it existed, how does it spread, what are its different forms? Why are waterfowl important vectors? Will it be deleterious to waterfowl populations? Dr. Rebecca Poulson is an assistant research scientist at University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study. Her specialties are virology and wildlife disease. Keeping it simple and conversational, she sheds much needed light on the bird flu topic in today’s highly informative, must-listen episode.
EP 239. When the Levee Breaks
First recorded in 1929, did you know that the acclaimed Led Zepplin song “When the Levee Breaks” was about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927? On April 21, 1927, following months of unprecedented rainfall throughout a watershed covering much of the United States, the mainline Mississippi River levee crevassed north of Greenville, Mississippi, creating the worse US national disaster until Hurricane Katrina. The event shaped the Delta, Mississippi, national flood control policy. Some claim it even changed America itself. Ramsey Russell and Hank Burdine are both natives of the Mississippi Delta with strong connections to Greenville. Keeping it light and conversational, they meet in the South Delta to discuss this epoch event 95 years later.
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A couple really great books have been written on this topic to include Deep’n as It Come: The 1927 Mississippi River Flood and Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America
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