MOJO’S Duck Season Somewhere Podcast
Free State of Tallahatchie Duck Hunting with Catfish Flautt
There’s X’s etched onto the earth to which waterfowl have always flocked. Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, is one of them. Born and raised there, Catfish Flautt remembers when duck hunting wasn’t the religion that it is today and describes the region to Ramsey Russell in colorful detail. Why has this part of Mississippi always attracted so many ducks, why are there 2 county seats, what are some of the famous Tallahatchie County landmarks? Who taught Catfish to duck hunt, what was the “firm” 3-day agricultural rule he learned? When’s the first time he hunted from a mummy boat and what became of that design? How long has Catfish been guiding duck hunts, how’d he start, and how does his hunting style mimic Tallahatchie County natural flooding patterns? Who was the region’s most famous federal agent, why was he sent to Tallahatchie County, Mississippi—and what Christmas song do some remember him singing one particular morning?! Tallahatchie County has always been one of all-time duckiest places Mississippi. Y’all don’t want to miss this episode!
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South Africa Duck Hunting Safari with Jake Latendresse
As prelude to soon-to-be-released Life’s Short GetDucks South Africa duck hunting short-film, Jake Latendresse and Ramsey Russell reminisce about their epic South Africa wingshooting adventure together that included ducks, geese, upland game birds. They discuss the lasting impressions of people, food, landscape, hospitality, the works. From high-volume goose hunts and driven guineafowl to spot-and-stalk cherry-picking hard to find duck species, Jake’s through-the-lense perspective combined with Ramsey’s over-the-barrel view of the world paint a vivid portrait of what this customizable bucket-list destination is all about and what viewers can expect to see in the upcoming Life’s Short GetDucks South Africa episode.
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Lusco’s Embodies Past Times and the American Dream
Back in his adopted heart-of-the-Mississippi-Delta hometown of Greenwood, Ramsey Russell meets with 4th-generation Lusco’s Restaurant owner Karen Pinkston. A true southern belle, her stories range from hilarious to heart-felt. How and why did the restaurant start? Who were the Banana Men, why are there private dining booths, who are the only people ever allowed in the kitchen, where’d the recipes originate? What are their famous sauces and signature dishes? What might be in the safe and why hasn’t it been opened since forever? What strange phenomena became a local “tradition” and why’d it cease? Why’d most customers have long-standing waitstaff favorites, and what are memorable stories about them? Why is Lusco’s closing – and why haven’t they yet? For 90 years guests were greeted by smiling wait-staff that quipped, “Onion rings fried golden brown, best in town,” but the history of this iconic, small-town restaurant symbolizes the American Dream and past times in the Mississippi Delta.
*Update – Lusco’s Restaurant will officially close on September 25, 2021. News of its closing has garnered national attention, and long-time patrons (including Ramsey and family) are coming in from all over the US to enjoy custom steaks, spicy shrimp, broiled pompano and other favorites one last time.
Riceland Custom Calls Bill Daniels
From his Riceland Custom Calls studio in Hayes, Louisiana, Bill Daniels tells Ramsey Russell and growing up, his early introductions into waterfowling and how he got started in the call making business. He shares his thoughts on recent hunting seasons and how specklebelly behavior seems to be changing. Besides waterfowl, Bill Daniels and Ramsey Russell also share a mutual passion for certain unique gamebird. Bill tells about the time he got invited to Russia to hunt over live decoys. Soft-spoken and modest, what he never even mentions are the countless awards that Riceland Custom Calls has earned in calling contests.
“Just Add Water,” says Chef Richard Young at SWC Sportsmans Lodge
Whether fish bite or ducks fly is beside the point. As camp chef at Southern Way Charters’ Sportsmans Lodge in Venice, Louisiana, Richard Young says he gets to see folks at their best while he’s telling jokes we couldn’t air and serving man-sized portions of cajun-creole inspired goodness that stretches belts and induces food comas. Whether feeding 4 people or 40, Chef Richard’s self-taught style involves keeping it simple and measuring by personal taste. In todays episode, Chef Richard runs down a list of camp staples and favorite recipes to include blackened redfish with creole cream, ceviche, sashimi, coconut soup, gumbo, chicken skin boudin, duck poppers, shrimp and crawfish boil, and more. He also shares his top secret for cooking for larger groups. Bon appetit!
Related Link: Venice Louisiana Duck Hunting and Fishing Charters
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Art LeJeune Making Faulk’s Calls for 53 Years
Explaining that times were tough back then, Art LeJeune still remembers hunting south Louisiana rice fields with his grandfather, fetching ducks, filling seed sacks with them. He started working at Faulk’s Calls 53 years ago. At age 73 still arrives at 6:30 each morning, turning calls in the dusty, memory-infused shop that’s remained unchanged for a half-century except for recently installed air-conditioning. How’d LeJeune’s family store ducks in the absence of refrigeration and what was the limit? What’s he remember about the Faulks? Why’d Patin Faulk take him duck hunting the first time? How large is the cane patch used for raw materials and where’d it originate? Why’d Mr. LeJeune quit duck hunting—and why does he really still come to work? Faulk’s Game Call Company was founded in 1951, back when folks were practical, expecting stuff to last generations. In one of the most enjoyable conversations remembered in a long while, Art LeJeune’s stories vividly depict those almost forgotten times.
Sea to Sky Outfitters Is Worlds Apart
Ramsey Russell’s arms are still tired from hauling in redfish and speckled trout when Orin Lonadier arrives, but they fly into a great conversation about real American Dream living. Where did Orin grow up, when did he know he wanted to be a guide, and how’d he get into the outfitting business? What’s it like working year-round in parts of the world that are polar opposites? What’s the most interesting leg band he’s ever seen? Any favorite fish and crane recipes? Is guiding as easy as he makes it look in social media? How important is people skills? What most compels Orin, what’s he like most about his job? Hold the rod with both hands and hang on, folks, because Orin starts stripping line and running like a big bull redfish from the get-go. Fun episode.
Related Link: Texas Panhandle Goose-Crane-Duck Hunting with Sea to Sky Outfitters
Understanding the Klamath Water War
Way up near the Oregon border in northern California’s Klamath Basin are 6 national wildlife refuges. The Lower Klamath NWR was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as our nation’s first waterfowl refuge–and in the 1950’s, more pintails were counted at nearby Tule Lake Refuge than even exists in the world today! But for the most complex water system in the world, times have changed. “Policy drought” is being exacerbated by unprecedented natural drought conditions and as everyone clamors for their fair share of water, Pacific Flyway waterfowl for which this region is famously essential, are dead last in line. Why is the ecosystem out of balance? What failing “single species management” policy has broken it nearly to the point of collapse? What various interests are competing for scarce water resources and who is doing what about it? Why is this Plan B, and why isn’t the initial plan in play? What’s being done to mitigate avian botulism? Why will rescuing this vital ecosystem require win-win-win collaboration? Third-generation farmer, Scott Seus, and Director of Operations for DU’s 9-state Western Region, Jeff McCreary, explain this complex topic excellently, spelling out how its affecting ducks, hunters, local communities and all of America.
Related Link (Video): Klamath Water War–American Grown: My Job Depends on Ag
Is the Great Salt Lake Biting the Dust?
As one of the last functioning inland saltwater ecosystems in the United States, and certainly the largest, the Great Salt Lake’s wildlife value as expressed in numbers is eye-popping: stages two-thirds of North America’s swan population; yields 1/2 of North America’s cinnamon teal; satisfies 40% the world’s aquacultural brine shrimp demand; benefits 10 million birds comprising 338 species annually, to include 1/3 of phalaropes and 95% of eared grebes existing in the world. Hunters and society have subsequently benefited, too. But severe drought conditions are greatly exacerbating long-standing water politics. The outlook is dire. Rich Hansen from Utah DNR briefly gives current updates on waterfowl productivity and habitat management implications, describing why they’ll luckily be spared major avian botulism outbreaks. Jaimi Butler from the Great Salt Lake Institute then provides big-picture assessments of the Great Salt Lake’s importance and drought-induced effects, describing catastrophic consequences and offering possible solutions. We true duck hunters know what Theodore Roosevelt meant when he said, “Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.” This thought-provoking episode speaks to that.
Related Link: Obituary for the Great Salt Lake: Even Lakes Are Not Immortal
Growing Up Venice Louisiana
The lonely Bell Chasse Highway runs down the Mississippi River’s west bank, terminating at the end of the world in Venice, Louisiana. From there to the Gulf is nothing but the kind of marsh for which Louisiana is truly known as “Sportsman’s Paradise.” Jesse Morris got his first boat while 13 years old, plying local waters for shrimp, crabs, whatever he could catch, on his way to becoming a 5th-generation commercial fisherman. But the Lord works in mysterious ways. What was it like growing up 70 miles from the nearest McDonald’s? What’s the difference between brown, white and tiger shrimp? How’d Jesse get into guiding duck hunts and fishing charters, and what’s the duck hunting like out of Venice? How has the marsh changed in his lifetime–and does he really eat coots? Jesse is soft-spoken man of few words, like someone that’s spent a lifetime fishing, but his informative insights speak volumes about this amazing region. Related Link: Louisiana Duck Hunt – Coastal Marsh Venice.
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