MOJO’S Duck Season Somewhere Podcast
Wyoming Wingmen
As the North American Waterfowl Tour takes him further into Wyoming, Ramsey Russell falls in with Todd Helms, Managing Editor of Eastmans’ Hunting Journal and host of Eastmans’ Wingmen USA podcast. Between a couple epic mornings mallard hunting private stretches of the nearby Shoshone River, Helms tells Ramsey about his waterfowl hunting origins at family “Goose Camp” in Michigan, what life events led him to Wyoming, what duck hunting and living in Wyoming entails. Contemplating the ongoing drought, the 2 duck hunters wonder aloud to themselves where we are as duck hunters and what the future might hold.
Pulling Feathers in Wyoming
After a couple days chasing ducks together, Ramsey Russell discusses Wyoming duck hunting with Levi Kary. Born-and-raised Wyoming, Levi grew up hunting big game with family and only recently began seriously waterfowl hunting. Levi tells about growing up in Wyoming, why duck hunting appeals to him, how he began the Pull ‘N Feathers podcast, and nuances of duck hunting in this part of the US.
Authenticity with Humility: Adventures of Ryan Yarnell
On the banks of an unnamed Montana river absolutely loaded with ducks and geese, Ramsey Russell meets with true friend “Redbeard” Ryan Yarnell after a couple challenging duck hunting days. A couple years in the making, the 2 hunting buddies got way more than they’d bargained, stories to last a lifetime and incentive for another hunt together. Life sometimes happens, but it’s all about playing the hand you’re dealt. Yarnell’s story is living proof. Like hyper-planing over real skinny water down a beautiful Montana river, you never know what’s around then next bend during this episode, but will feel the pounding heartbeat of the absolute hottest up-and-coming brand in waterfowl apparel.
Home for Another Mississippi Opener!
Taking a break from this year’s North America Waterfowl Tour, Ramsey Russell joins son, Forrest Russell and long-time friend Mr. Ian Munn, at camp for the Mississippi duck season opener. They talk about weekend highlights, habitat, life happenings and reminisce about their tradition of sharing the Mississippi Opener for decades.
This Guy Hunts and This Girl Hunts, Eastern Montana
The front porch thermometer read 6 degrees one morning while Ramsey tried filling his swan tag in Eastern Montana. But hunting couple Chad and Tonya Sylvestre from New England had plenty other hunting opportunities to share in an open landscape stretching to all horizons.
Abundant Waterfowl, Endless Hunter Opportunities and Delta Waterfowl, with Dr. Frank Rohwer
Dr. Frank Rohwer grew up duck hunting the Chesapeake Bay, pursued a career in waterfowl-related applied sciences, and is currently President and Chief Scientist for Delta Waterfowl. After spending time together in a North Dakota duck blind, Rohwer and Ramsey Russell discuss Delta Waterfowl’s origins and pertinent North American waterfowl management issues, to include a new proposed management scenario for northern pintails. How’d Rohwer’s earlier hunting experiences influence career direction? What are Delta Waterfowl’s origins? Why are pintail populations struggling? Is the restrictive US pintail bag limit working? Why might increased bag limits be beneficial, and what are the hurdles? How’s the drought going to affect future US bag limits? Does hunter harvest harm duck populations? How does pintail management differ from canvasbacks or mallards? Delta Waterfowl’s vision is abundant waterfowl and endless opportunities for hunters. Never has it been more obvious than in today’s enlightening discussion.
GooseFest in Kenmare, North Dakota
For 33 years, self-proclaimed snow goose capital of the world Kenmare, North Dakota (population 900) has held a week-long, community-wide celebration of local goose hunting traditions. It’s called GooseFest. Ramsey Russell spent the week hunting with locals and enjoying festivities, meeting with organizers Arlen Gartner and Rick Harris to discuss how this event originated and why it remains important to Kenmare and surrounding communities.
North Dakota Diver Hunting Mindsets
Autumn is usually incredible for field hunting ducks and geese in North Dakota, but this hard-boiled collection of dedicated diver duck hunters march to a different drum beat, choosing to chase canvasbacks, bluebills, redheads and more over a massive spread of traditional, hand-carved wooden blocks. Following a brisk morning in the blind, Ramsey Russell joins die-hard diver enthusiasts Jeff Pelayo, Eric Smith and Texan Mike Hruby for conversations about why this kind of hunting most appeals to them.
From the Mississippi Flyway Headwaters: Jim Leafloor, Canadian Wildlife Service
The sun is setting on the rooftops of fabled Delta Waterfowl Research Station across the road, and gregarious Canada goose flocks are trading along the sprawling shores of Lake Manitoba when Ramsey Russell meets with Jim Leafloor, Head of Aquatic Unit for the Canadian Wildlife Service. Responsible for all migratory gamebird management activities throughout Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Leafloor’s team also oversees arctic goose banding programs. A lifelong waterfowl hunter himself, Leafloor covers pertinent, must-hear migratory waterfowl management topics from the Mississippi Flyway headwaters. How’d Leafloor begin waterfowl hunting, what lead to his interest in becoming a waterfowl biologist? How are Canadian bag limits determined and why are they more generous than in the Unjted States? What drives harvest rates, how are harvest rates determined and do spinning-winged decoys detrimentally increase harvest? Why were pintail limits increased from 4 to 8 daily throughout Prairie Canada? What happened when mallard bag limits were lowered in Canada last time? How might prevailing drought conditions affect Canadian duck bag limits in upcoming seasons–and what other important factors are now considered? What proposed modernizations to Migratory Bird regulations could effect waterfowl hunters, why were they proposed? Is there really a new spring hunting season for Canada geese in Manitoba? In a world awash with misinformation derived from intentional bureaucratic obscurity and online armchair quarterback conjecture, it’s sobering to hear it explained straight from the top and backed by scientific data. You do not want to miss this episode.
Wings in the Wind: The Armistice Day Storm of 1940
Monday, November 11, 1940 was a federal holiday. The weather was mild but a cold front was rumored to be blowing in. Everyone went duck hunting. And many never returned. Jon Steffes of La Crescent, Minnesota, wrote the book Wings in the Wind: The Armistice Day Storm of 1940 (link below) based on his father’s first-hand accounts as a 16 year-old duck hunter that was there and with old-timers that remembered that fateful day in US duck hunting history. On the 81st anniversary of the famous Armistice Day Blizzard, this conversation that really hits home. Ask yourself: if you’d been sitting under surprising numbers of ducks the likes of which you’d never before seen, would you have stayed in the blind too?
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