Ducks Unlimited Podcast

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Hunters have observed and debated changes in duck migration and winter distributions for as long as both have existed. Now, new research helps answer some of the biggest questions.
In this special collaboration between the Ducks Unlimited Podcast and the North American Waterfowler Podcast, DU's Senior Waterfowl Scientist, Dr. Mike Brasher, joins Elliott Snider; Dr. Lisa Webb, Supervisor, USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Program; and Dr. Heath Hagy, Project Leader, USFWS Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, to break down the findings of two recent studies that shed light on this captivating and hotly contested topic. 

The studies and conversation explore more than 60 years of waterfowl band recovery, harvest survey, and distribution data to examine whether ducks are wintering farther north than they once did. The group discusses what the studies found, where migration patterns appear to be changing, where they're not, and why answering these questions is far more complicated than many people realize. 
Topics Covered
Are ducks wintering farther north?
What 60 years of band recovery data reveals
Differences between mallards, pintails, and blue-winged teal
Why migration changes vary by species and month
The role of weather, habitat, and agriculture
What hunters see versus what large-scale datasets show
How migration science is studied and evaluated
What questions still remain unanswered
How none of this would be possible without hunters
Access to the study evaluating changes in 15 species of ducks: https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22521
Access to the more detailed study on changes in mallards, pintails, and blue-winged teal: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.11331
Access to the DU Magazine article and additional maps: Understanding Waterfowl: Ducks on the Move | Ducks Unlimited

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org
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Few books have shaped the understanding of waterfowl history like The Outlaw Gunner.
In this episode, host Katie Burke sits down with Joe Walsh, son of legendary author Dr. Harry M. Walsh, to discuss one of the most influential books ever written about Chesapeake Bay waterfowling and market hunting.
Joe shares stories about his father’s life, his deep connections to the Eastern Shore watermen and market gunners, and the passion that drove him to preserve their stories before they were lost forever. The conversation explores everything from punt guns and battery guns to sink boxes, gunning lights, and the unique culture that developed around waterfowling on the Chesapeake.
The discussion also highlights Harry Walsh’s role in preserving waterfowling heritage, his early collecting efforts, his relationship with Ducks Unlimited, and the conservation ethic that ultimately emerged from witnessing the decline of waterfowl populations and traditional hunting communities.
Topics Covered
The story behind The Outlaw Gunner
Harry Walsh’s life and conservation legacy
Market hunting on the Chesapeake Bay
Punt guns, battery guns, and sink boxes
Gunning lights and historical hunting methods
Eastern Shore waterfowling culture
Preserving hunting heritage through collecting
The origins of the Waterfowl Festival
How conservation ethics evolved over time

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org
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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.

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Katie Burke welcomes returning guest Dan Thiel to discuss the founder of Ducks Unlimited, Joseph P. Knapp. In telling the history of Knapp, the two discuss the creation of More Game Birds for America and the evolution that inspired the same group to create Ducks Unlimited. The pair layout out the timeline of events plus Knapp’s role that ultimately lead to our organizations’ creation.
 
Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org
SPONSORS:
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.

Monthly Sponsors:
North Dakota Tourism
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A few weeks ago, the Klamath Basin was facing a potentially devastating botulism outbreak. Today, there’s some much-needed good news.
Dr. Mike Brasher, DU's Senior Waterfowl Scientist, reconnects with Jeff McCreary, Director of Operations for the Western Region, to share an important update from the Klamath Basin and the efforts that helped prevent a catastrophic die-off of ducks.
Following months of drought, low snowpack, declining water levels, and an emerging botulism outbreak, conservation partners, water users, agencies, and tribes worked together to move critical water into the Klamath Refuges. Combined with cooler temperatures and rain, those efforts dramatically improved conditions and halted this year's botulism threat. As a result, tens of thousands of newly hatched ducks will be taking flight this fall, boosting the hopes of duck hunters throughout the flyway. 
Topics Covered
What changed in the Klamath Basin since the last update
How collaborative water management helped stop a larger outbreak
Why additional water made such a difference
The role of cooler weather and rainfall
Waterfowl production estimates for the region
What this means for Pacific Flyway hunters this fall
The future of the flow-through water concept
Why DU’s conservation work matters on the ground

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org
SPONSORS:
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.

Monthly Sponsors:
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Monthly Sponsors:
North Dakota Tourism
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Set yourself up for a successful season by tuning in to this expert discussion of the latest Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey results.

Waterfowl specialists from Ducks Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and guest panelists from across North America share what the numbers mean for bird populations, habitat conditions, and hunting prospects for the 2026-2027 season. Stay ahead of the season with timely insights from the experts who help shape waterfowl conservation and management.
Special thanks to our partners in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, and state and provincial member agencies of the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic Flyway Councils that lead the programs through which these vital data are collected.
LEARN MORE: https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-surveys

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org
SPONSORS:
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.

Monthly Sponsors:
North Dakota Tourism
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