Ducks Unlimited Podcast

West Texas guide, podcaster, storyteller, and full‑time chaos manager — Andy Shaver — joins the DU Podcast.

Hosts Jimbo Robinson and Matt Harrison sit down with Andy for a fast‑moving, hilarious, and insightful conversation about guiding specklebelly hunts, running the wildly successful Big Honker Podcast, building an outfitting operation, and navigating life at Stanfield Outfitters.
From dove season to specks, jiu‑jitsu to podcast growth, and from flatbed‑trailer disasters to rookie‑guide bloopers, Andy brings the candid honesty and humor that Big Honker listeners love.
In this episode:
How Andy became a full‑time guide at Stanfield Outfitters
The origin story of The Big Honker Podcast and how it evolved
Why geese > ducks (according to Andy)
Running 90+ days of hunts and keeping clients happy
The rise of specklebelly hunting in West Texas
What guides look for when hiring new staff
“Post and ghost” — how Andy handles online comments
Jiu‑jitsu, cauliflower ear, and letting his wife drain it
Best guide stories & funniest client moments
What show season looks like for outfitters today
Why Oklahoma became “the rat race”
Life after season: Mexico, turkey season, baseball coaching & podcast grind
If you like hunting stories, honesty, and behind‑the‑scenes truth from a veteran guide, this episode delivers.
Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

This is one of the biggest Ducks Unlimited Podcast episodes we’ve ever recorded — and for good reason. Host Matt Harrison brings together the full cast and production team behind DUTV, including:
Jim Ronquest
Doug Larson
Fred Zink
Rusty McDaniels
Preston McDaniels
Joe White
Together they unpack the entire 2025–26 DUTV filming season — the highs, the lows, the logistics, the weather challenges, the production hurdles, and the incredible people and places that made the show possible.
In this episode:
What it’s really like filming duck hunts across North America
The messy reality of camera angles, wind shifts, sun glare & “lens flash”
Why pressure, weather, and older birds made this year unpredictable
Telemetry research & how ducks are adapting faster than we think
The role of DU volunteers, biologists, landowners & partners in every episode
The huge workload of producers and post-production teams
Favorite hunts of the year — from mallards in Nebraska to brant in New Jersey
How DUTV chooses hunt locations and builds conservation storylines
The game‑changing importance of drones, new cameras, and modern tech
If you love DUTV, waterfowl storytelling, or want to understand how outdoor TV is really made…this episode is an absolute must‑listen.
Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

At the turn of the 19th Century, market hunting and unregulated harvest was taking a toll on waterfowl and other migratory birds. Growing concern produced the first attempts at federal regulation of migratory birds. In part 1 of the DU Podcast’s series on the history of waterfowl harvest management, Dale Humburg, former DU chief scientist, and Ken Babcock, former DU senior director of regional operations, discuss these early days and the resistance to federal intervention.

He’s a former NFL quarterback, a lifelong outdoorsman, a junior world duck‑calling champion, a YouTube creator, and now the founder of a new lifestyle brand. Today’s guest is the one and only Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
Hosts Matt Harrison and Jimbo Robinson sit down with Duck for a wide‑open conversation covering everything from his days with the Pittsburgh Steelers to his passion for duck hunting, bowhunting, faith, family, and building his new brand — Club Country — which connects the hunting/outdoor lifestyle with the golf world.
In this episode:
How he got the nickname “Duck” (and why he hated it at first)
Breaking Steve McNair’s passing record at Samford
The wild moment he got thrown into his first NFL game
What it was like hunting with Peyton Manning, Luke Bryan & others
The YouTube boom and why he wants to be a positive influence for new hunters
How Club Country was born — and why it bridges golf + outdoors
Balancing business, hunting, and planning a wedding with Lainey Wilson
His favorite hunts, biggest lessons, and where he’s headed next
If you’re a football fan, a duck hunter, or someone who loves the outdoor lifestyle, this is one of the most fun, wide‑ranging episodes of the season.
Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

The history of bird conservation is full of conflict, characters, chaos — and ultimately, hope.

In this special episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher sits down with journalist and author James H. McCommons, whose new book Feather Wars uncovers the dramatic, surprising, and often untold stories behind how America saved its birds from the brink of extinction.
From market hunting and plume traders to poetic bird lovers, political maneuvering, and early wildlife heroes, this book chronicles the people, laws, and events that shaped modern conservation — including stories waterfowl hunters will instantly recognize.
In this episode:
The early days of shotgun ornithologists and egg collectors
How plume hunting and the feather trade ignited a national movement
Why hunters played a crucial role in securing early conservation laws
The real story behind the Lacey Act, Weeks-McLean Act, and MBTA
The wild saga of Ray Holland vs. the Missouri Attorney General
Ding Darling, duck clubs, and the birth of the Federal Duck Stamp
How past conservation battles mirror today’s challenges
If you love birds, hunting history, conservation law, or simply great storytelling — this episode (and this book) are must-listens.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.