MOJO’S Duck Season Somewhere Podcast
EP 546. A Lifetime Hunting Virginia’s Eastern Shore
Chicoteague, Virginia’s outgoing mayor, Arthur Leonard is a lifelong duck hunter and decoy carver that recalls his family being among the first to inhabit the little island along Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where he grew up plying nearby water for fishes and waterfowl. He takes us on a tour of his storied back yard, discussing island life, duck hunting species, tides, boats, decoys, carving, wild horses, sika deer, changes and much more.
EP 545. The Rifle Project
For combat veteran Andrew Biggio, who’s now on the Boston Police force, a relative’s hand-written letter from the WWII Pacific battlefield compelled him down an interesting life path. He’s collected WWII combat stories from over 500 veterans as told through a M1 Rifle. Through book proceeds and donations, the Rifle Project has returned with over 50 Veterans back to their former battlefields in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands at no cost to the veteran or their family. Biggio shares some great insights and talks in-depth about the Rifle Project and America’s Greatest Generation.
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EP 544. A Classical Decoy Carving Family Tradition
Following a duck hunt along Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Ramsey meets with father-son carvers, Ian and Mark McNair, who are committed to crafting wooden waterfowl decoys using only traditional hand tools and methods. More than simply turning out beautiful decoys, their decoy carving story is about a classical approach to duck hunting as well as to life.
EP 543. Decoys Made with “Never Settle” Determination
With legions of die-hard customers, Dave Smith Decoys have long been regarded as the most realistic and utterly effective decoys available. But who is the man behind these legendary craft decoys, and what does his functional art say about him as a hunter and a human being? You’d have to figure him a serious goose hunter if nothing else. Legendary decoy maker Dave Smith describes growing up hunting and trapping in Oregon, artistic influences, starting a decoy company, and more. We get deep into the many various goose species hunted in Oregon, why regular ol’ honker decoys aren’t effective in luring various species, hunting techniques, leg bands and neck collars, new DSD duck decoys, turkey decoys, what makes his DSD best, and continually striving to be better. Really good stuff.
EP 542. They Really Hunt Coots in Louisiana?! And Much More
Roland Cortez talks about being born and raised duck hunting in South Louisiana’s marshes, his earliest influences and introductions, how and why he’s been guiding duck hunts for a very long time, and even why coots–yes coots–are among his favorite game birds as tablefare. We talk about then versus now, raising young hunters, prevalent species hunted, favored hunting techniques, hopes for the season remainder and future, and much more. Ramsey even adds “attend coot round up with Roland Cortez” to his bucket list!
EP 541. Wild Goose Jack Miner Goes Mainstream
Jack Miner Bible-verse-inscribed leg bands have long been revered as holy grail momentos among in-the-know waterfowl hunters. Formed in 1904 by a former fur trapper and market hunter, the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary once garnered international attention and was Canada’s foremost tourist attraction, connecting legions of both hunters and non-hunters to wild geese and ducks. But times change. Public interests shift. Now in a time where habitat loss is unprecedented, where hunter participation increasingly dwindles, and a more urbanized humanity is disengaged from their wild surroundings, Jack Miner’s legacy seems more important than ever before. Collaborating with 50 Ducks’ streaming migration technology, they’re on an “education is conservation” mission to turn the tide. And need your help. Tune in to learn more about Jack Miner’s past, present and future and how you can join them meaningfully in renewed waterfowl conservation efforts.
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Millions of people in North America are unaware of the critical challenges facing waterfowl and the ecosystems they rely on. With wetlands disappearing at an alarming rate, how can we inspire more people to join the conservation cause? That’s why we created 50 Ducks—in partnership with the Jack Miner Foundation—a pioneering platform that allows you to follow waterfowl in near real-time using GPS telemetry data. By sharing their incredible migration journeys, 50 Ducks connects people to the beauty of these birds and their habitats, fostering a deeper appreciation and driving support for conservation efforts.
From classrooms naming their own waterfowl to hunters and birders exploring near real-time migration data, 50 Ducks brings the “sky to screen,” fostering a deep connection to wildlife and wetlands. With over 1,350 historical birds and dozens of live birds you can follow today—and more added to the map every fall and spring—you can track the movements of waterfowl across North America. It all starts at Jack Miner, but the sky’s the limit for where we can go. Help us help birds by joining today!
Join the movement today and help protect our wetlands! Visit https://50ducks.com/signup/ and use the code GETDUCKS for 10% off your subscription. After signing up, download the app for even more features! Together with Jack Miner, and nonprofits across the continent we aim to educate the next generation of conservationists.
EP 540. The Chesapeake Bay Legends
Saying that museums tell stories, Chesapeake Bay historian and preservationist, C. John Sullivan, takes us on a personal tour of one of the largest private collections amassed, where each artifact represents one of the most storied time periods in American waterfowling history. After a brief visit–where I actually shouldered a 22-pound, 4-gauge, side-by-side blackpowder shotgun–we talk about giant guns, specialized hunting tools, market hunter techniques, wooden decoys, famous carvers, and a completely bygone, but not yet forgotten, way of life on the fabled Chesapeake Bay.
EP 539. West Virginia Duck Hunt
“Almost Heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River,” go the John Denver lyrics. The iconic song never mentions ducks or duck hunting. For good reason. Because they’re few and far between, but not impossible. State 48 was a huge, successful adventure thanks to friend Mike Smith. Following a couple eventful days duck hunting West Virginia, we crack open a couple Busch Lights, recall the weeks events, talk about his growing up and duck hunting in this off-the-beaten-flyway part of Appalachia.
EP 537. Prince Edward Island Duck Hunting
This season’s 6-province Canadian part if the tour terminates 8 miles into the Atlantic–as easterly as personally ever been in North America–on the picturesque Prince Edward Island where my host, Geoff “Woody” Wood welcomes me with fresh Malpeque oysters and kicks things off with as traditional island-style decoys as it gets. Following a couple days memorable black duck hunts and eats, and with a nor’easter blowing outside, we talk about Prince Edward Island duck hunting, species, techniques, food, habitat changes and more.
EP 536. Powered by Inukshuk–And Here’s Why
Our beloved retrievers are our ride-and-die best friends, but they’re also high-performing athletes with singular life missions to recover downed birds regardless of weather conditions. They deserve the very best nutrition. With an if-you-know-you-know, almost cult-like following among serious US retriever circles, Inukshuk Professional Dog Food is sold directly to consumers and has no ambitions of being widely distributed in big-box retailers. Raised into the business, company president Emily Corey describes Inukshuk Professional Dog Food’s humble origins, explaining how and for what purposes their highly digestible, calorie-dense formulas are derived, why Inukshuk is the highest quality dog food available, how their direct-to-consumer model ensures superior freshness, and why a “corporate culture” that keeps them in close, personal contact with customers is win-win-win.
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InukShuk Professional Dog Food
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