Ramsey connects with friend-client Jon Esposito for a few days duck hunting in the “Constitutional State” of Connecticut, learning that in some ways it’s anything but. What’s easier to get in Pakistan than in Connecticut? How and what do they duck hunt in second-smallest US state? Connecticut duck hunters are a whole ‘nuther level of seriously committed as this conversation explains.
Isn’t it interesting that the oldest waterfowl hunting decoys know to exist on earth were found the the driest state in America? After 3 days hunting swans and ducks in Nevada, Ramsey meets with Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Waterfowl Staff Specialist, Russell Woolstenhulme, to discuss waterfowl hunting and management there. What’s up with swan hunting in Nevada, and how are swan managed differently in the Pacific Flyway than elsewhere? How is waterfowl habitat managed in America’s driest state, what hunting opportunities exist, what are predominate species? How might the landscape have changed since those 2,000 year-old decoys used? What role might The Harvest Initiative and “splash limits” have in future waterfowl management? When you least expect it, expect it–even while chasing waterfowl in the driest state in the US.
Now in his 13th season guiding ducks and geese in Kansas, Big Kansas Outdoors’ Ben Webster takes a few minutes out of a hectic mid-season hunting schedule to meet with Ramsey. The 2 cover a range of topics to include duck and goose hunting in Kansas and in Canada, where Webster’s Prairie Limits Outfitters is going into his 6th season, Canada’s pandemic policies, dealing with problem clients and spring snow goose hunting in Kansas and Saskatchewan. The Dream Job is a tough life, but someone has to do it!
Related Links:
Kansas waterfowl hunting, Big Kansas Outdoors
Saskatchewan Canada waterfowl Hunting, Prairie Limits Outdoors
Guiding in the mallard-rich southeast Kansas duck bottomlands comes naturally to Drake Carter. He was born into it, accompanying his dad, Roy, and member-guests to the duck blind for as far back as he can recall. And it was there in the duck blind that he developed skillsets that serve him well at Carter’s Big Island, where he guides duck hunters daily. Between duck hunts, Drake describes some of those life lessons to Ramsey, explaining how he’s continuing family traditions in a pretty special corner of the world.
Related Links:
Carters Big Island Kansas Duck Hunt
Connect with Drake Carter @cbihuntclub
Following an incredible morning duck hunt along a fabled river name he’d never before heard uttered, Ramsey meets with Roy Carter to learn more about this extremely unique and mallard-rich Kansas corner that’s as wooded as Missouri’s Bootheel region. Carter plows full steam ahead, describing why this area overwinters so many darned mallards, how his family’s long history on the island began, why “diesel kills ducks,” why he started Carter’s Big Island Hunting Club decades ago–and much, much more! Carter’s Big Island offers some of the very best mallard hunting over water in the US. After hearing the larger-than-life, tireless ball of energy that is Roy Carter, you’ll better understand why!
Related Links:
Carters Big Island Kansas Duck Hunt
Connect with Roy Carter @roycbi
Ramsey Russell shares a great duck hunt on Colorado’s South Platte River with Colin Mulligan and family. Their paths crossed while hunting in North Dakota. Mulligan tells Ramsey about growing up duck hunting in Colorado, his capstone project that has become bigger than he’d ever imagined, and where he sees himself and duck hunting going. Great glimpse into the future.
Colorado’s Front Range has a surprisingly good goose hunting and an interesting history. In the small town of Severance, Colorado, the billboard located in town center pretty much spells it out. In today’s episode, Ramsey Russell swings through for a morning goose hunt and lunch, sharing a conversation with locals about why “geese fly and bulls cry” here. Bon appetit.
From a small generator-powered cabin nestled beneath whispering cottonwoods on the South Platte River bank, Ramsey Russell meets with Flashback decoy inventor Tyler Baskfield between hunts. In a world slap full of gimmicky duck hunting stuff that usually doesn’t doesn’t perform as intended or last as long as we’d hoped, Baskfield’s new American-made flashback decoy is a genuine ace up the sleeve in the “arms race” of duck hunting gear. In hearing Baskfield’s interesting story, Ramsey learns that what makes the flashback decoy special is not just its patented motion but the Real American duck hunter’s heartbeat that goes into each one. You’ll appreciate that, too, in hearing this incredible conversation among duck hunters.
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The North Platte River winds it’s way snake-like through the tumbleweed-infused Wild West on its eventual passage to the Gulf of Mexico, making this part of Wyoming a waterfowl-rich area that attracts many mallards and Canada geese. But it’s not the only reason this region has exceptional waterfowl hunting. Wyobraska Waterfowl’s personable JJ Randolph has been hunting and guiding along the North Platte River near here since forever. An incredibly articulate storyteller, he describes the local hunting and culture to Ramsey between the volleys. Fantastic episode!
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Cody, Wyoming, was established in 1895 and epitomizes Wild West Wyoming. It bears Buffalo Bill Cody’s name, but what was his true involvement in the town’s origins? What was the area like when Cody was established, what was the significance of its location, what were some of the local industries, who were some colorfully notable characters? And how’d the Shoshone River derive its name? Taking a brief break from duck blind, Ramsey Russell adds cultural context to his Wyoming duck hunt by meeting with Eric Rossborough, librarian at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum in Cody, Wyoming. Hang on boys and girls, this one bucks around at times like a bareback bronc–and they only scratched the surface of this fascinating topic!