MOJO’S Duck Season Somewhere Podcast
EP 521. Honker Hunting Manitoba’s Interlake Region
Located between massive lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba, the fabled Interlakes Region has been an important stop over for migrating Canada geese since forever–especially for that population of big honkers known locally as “Churchills.” The region annually attracts goose hunters like myself that can’t seem to get enough of them. Sometimes the stars align and we’re even there at the same time. Following an action-packed week and a big ol’ celebratory T-bone steak, I meet with Manitoba friends Troy Bennet and Dustin Dola to recount the week’s highlights.
EP 519. Pitboss Waterfowl
Capt. Jeff Coats aka The Pitboss shares decades duck hunting experiences on the Chesapeake Bay, how and why he built a name brand that’s become synonymous with sea duck hunting this waters. Recalling his first duck hunting experiences, he describes important influences in decoy carving, guiding, and life. We discuss “the world’s largest duck boat,” retrievers and training, missing sea ducks, decoy carving, evolving medias since the internet’s inception, and more! Like mach-3 scoters sweeping lover over the long lines, this conversation is going places quickly!
EP 518. Who’s Winning the Klamath Water War?
So critical to Pacific Flyway waterfowl was this region that the Lower Klamath NWR was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as the first waterfowl refuge in the United States. In the 1950s, more pintails were counted in nearby Tule Lake than exists on earth today, and a surprising amount of Pacific Flyway waterfowl are produced or overwinter here! As reported in EP 154. Understanding the Klamath Water War (link below), times have changed–natural droughts have been exacerbated by “policy drought” and conflicting “single species management” as interests compete over scarce water resources, and waterfowl historically rank last priority. Thanks to win-win collaborative efforts, there may be light at end of the tunnel. Jeff McCreary, Ducks Unlimited’s Director of Operations for Western Region, and Jake Messerli, CEO for California Waterfowl Association, provide vital updates, spelling out changes affecting waterfowl, Pacific Flyway hunters, local communities and conservation throughout the United States.
Related Link:
EP 154. Understanding the Klamath Water War
EP 518. Deep-Rooted Double Bayou Duck Hunting Traditions
Located in Chambers County, Texas, the Double Bayou community has a storied, oftentimes truth-is-stranger-than-fiction past. It was there that Blake Moulton learned to duck hunt from his father, who was simply passing along the same torch handed him by predecessors. In some ways, things have changed. In other ways they never will. Beneath a sprawling live oak that’s shaded Moulton’s family for 5 generations, he talks about growing up, the local community, family traditions, and the people that inspired him to be his best at duck hunting and in life.
EP 517. The Dirty Bird North Dakota Waterfowl Hunting Experience
There’s plenty North Dakota waterfowl hunting opportunities for ducks, snows, cacklers, honkers and tundra swans, and depending on what you’re chasing the overall season runs late-September (for non-residents) through bone-chilling, mid-December. For those wanting the convenience of an experienced can-do outfitter, nobody does it better than Dirty Bird Outfitters. Now in their 10th season, owner-founder Matthew Piehl and head viking-guide Nick Marcyes describe how a kindred love-hate spirit for white geese–yeah, they chase spring snows in Arkansas and back, too–and an idea scribbled onto a napkin started the whole thing.
Related Link:
North Dakota Waterfowl Hunt Dirty Bird Outfitters
EP 516. Meet Texas’s First Waterfowl Biologist, Charles Stutzenbaker
As a barefoot little boy playing outside in the late-1930s that later duck hunted when rice predominated the coastal Texas landscape, 90-year-old Charles Stutzenbaker became the first full-time waterfowl biologist for the State of Texas. It was a different world. Plenty work to do. And work he did. Spending many years immersed afield, he became a foremost authority on coastal habitat, authoring definitive books on mottled ducks and wetlands vegetation. He influenced Gulf Coastal habitat conservation and duck hunting as we know it today at state, flyway and national levels; was instrumental in starting early blue-winged teal season and banning lead shot. Mr. Stutzenbaker discusses these topics and more in today’s very interesting conversation.
Related Links:
Aquatic and Wetland Plants of the Western Gulf Coast Book by Charles D Stutzenbaker
EP 515. Texas Duck Hunting Desert Paradise with Speck Ops
West of San Antonio, where the Chihuahua Desert and Brush County collide it’s dry. Real dry. But there exist one of the most unique and best-kept secrets in North America waterfowl hunting. Renowned since forever for world-class muy grande white-tails on vast private ranches, the region also harbors ducks, speckle bellies and sandhill cranes that’ve long been disregarded by locals and remain relatively unpressured. Enter Speck Ops Waterfowl. Luke Bledsoe and wife, Jillian, describe moving to the area, amassing and covering a hunting area best described as a 500-mile triangle, hunting practically every Central Flyway duck species–to include some real prizes–delivering lodging experiences unlike anywhere else, and their long-term vision. Sounds so good that we make plans to maybe do a couples trip there next year!
Related Link:
Texas Waterfowl Hunt Desert Paradise
EP 514. Powder Morning Hunting the North Platte River Nebraska
Hunting western Nebraska is all about the right stuff–the right properties, the right locations, the right people. There’s mallards and geese galore, for sure, but this corner of the Wild West is also crawling with huge mule deer and white-tailed bucks, pronghorn, Merriam’s turkeys, and elk. Born and raised nearby, Powder Morning Hunting Company’s Coy Fisher describes growing up there; what Sydney, Nebraska was like before, during and since Cabela’s; how carbon sequestration is a billion dollar industry out there; putting together and covering over 400,000 acres to include many miles of fabled North Platte River and warm water sloughs; unique waterfowl habitat projects; and delivering great customer experiences. Am headed out there myself early-January 2025 and can’t wait.
Related Links:
Nebraska Waterfowl Hunts with Powder Morning Hunting Company
EP 513. Duck Camp Dinner Experiences Now Served
Getting a feel for who people really are is as simple as putting your feet under the right table. Or in the instance of Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois, just talking food. Proud of his Louisiana duck hunting heritage, Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois shares Sportsman’s Paradise unique culture via Duck Camp Dinners, that’s just completed its 3rd season. Gumbo variations around Louisiana is only the beginning and we’re soon running through an international buffet of topics to include the Chesapeake Bay, Vietnam, France; influences, ingredients, people, favorite recipes, and away-from-home experience collecting. Bon appetite.
EP 512. Benelli Shotgun Features and Performance
Having used Benelli shotguns since the mid-90s because of their utter reliability and superior performance, their continued innovations continue to amaze. Benelli’s Senior Product Manager, Brett Maffet, is a long-time waterfowl hunter and living his dream by working in the outdoor industry. We do a deep dive into Benelli shotguns past and present, cycling through need-to-know topics like various Benelli shotgun platforms, differences between Benelli shotgun models, sub-gauge popularity, new advanced impact system (A.I.) that significantly improves patterns and energy as shot moves downrange, recoil reduction, the 828U shotgun and its new steel receiver, availability of left-handed shotguns, and much more. Whether shopping for a new boom stick or just wanting to know more about state-of-the-art waterfowling shotguns, you’ll find this discussion extremely informative.
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