MOJO’S Duck Season Somewhere Podcast
Just A Mallard? Think Again
Just a mallard? There are about 13 mallard-like subspecies worldwide to include Mallard, Mottled Duck, American Black Duck and Mexican Duck right here in the good ol’ USA. How similar are North American mallard-like species and what are their common origins? Is the American Black Duck really becoming extinct due to hybridization with mallards, and are hybrids easily distinguished? What’s the difference between “New World” and “Old World” mallards and, importantly, how might this distinction impact duck hunting as we know it? Dr. Philip Lavretsky is a wildlife geneticist from the University of Texas at El Paso. A seasoned duck hunter, he answers these questions and more. “Whether you’re a die-hard mallard purist or next-duck-over-the decoys hunter, an ardent species collector or duck nerd, this is likely one of the most thought provoking duck topics you’ve heard in a long while,” says Ramsey Russell.
Our Truest Selves While Hunting
Stalking small game while barefooted, the young boy supplemented his family’s mealtime protein intake, but remembers dreaming way back then of one day hunting leopards. Mentored, in part, by the most iconic archer in history, that boy has since hunted far and wide, and loves duck hunting. Steve Comus has been Editor-in-Chief for Safari Club International’s Safari Magazine for over 2 decades. “We are our truest selves while hunting,” he explains. With experience – and humility – that can only be gleaned from 70-plus years hunting, Steve shares some surprisingly interesting perspectives in this episode of Duck Season Somewhere.
Quack Rack
Quack Rack’s Garrett Walker and Ramsey catch up before the world starts spinning full-swing again. Recalling a couple fun past hunts together in Idaho and Oklahoma, they remember the great folks and other things that made those hunts memorable. Garrett tells about his becoming a duck hunter and how a simple work-smarter-not-harder idea quickly became one of the most recognizable name-brands in waterfowl hunting. He describes how it feels to be American Made, especially during the recent China Flu pandemic – and why this has always been personally important. They wonder what the future holds, how the pandemic might effect outdoor product supply and marketing, and then begin planning future hunts together.
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John Devney, Delta Waterfowl
It’s late-May, the Dakota prairies are in great shape. Already there are bright yellow, little mallard and pintail fuzzballs on the scene, preparing for the flight south this fall. John Devney of Delta Waterfowl is an avid duck hunter, a natural born communicator. He and Ramsey talk about favorite North American duck species (it’ll probably surprise you) and favorite places to duck hunt in the US. Low on the water and coming in hot like decoying ringnecks, their conversation dives into lots of interesting waterfowl hunting topics. What’s going on with specklebellies in the Deep South as compared to the Pacific Flyway? What’s happening with pintails – they’re probably shooting too many in Mexico, right?! And what about all of today’s many modern hardcore hunters traveling to Canada – that’s certainly impacting the fall flight, huh? Federal stimulus dollars galore are being spent to mitigate coronavirus, but how will the 2020 Pandemic affect waterfowl conservation efforts, such as banding and censusing? All of that and more in today’s episode of Duck Season Somewhere.
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Wyoming Duck and Goose Hunting
The fabled North Platte River slithers through the American West, holding enviable numbers of Canada geese and mallards. WyoBraska Waterfowl’s JJ Randolph has guided along Wyoming’s North Platte River since forever. With the storytelling ability of someone that’s guided for decades, he describes getting started, important influences, and why this region holds so many waterfowl – all where one of the Wild West’s most historically significant events occurred.
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Tom Beckbe Traditions
The Tombigbee River flows into the rugged Mobile-Tensas Delta of southern Alabama, the backdrop for today’s guest. Radcliff Menge describes how he became involved in the outdoors industry, and how family hunting traditions shaped Tom Beckbe’s company vision and the classic Tensas Jacket. Roots run deep.
Corey Mason, Dallas Safari Club and Wildlife Conservation
Corey Mason meets with Ramsey during the “COVID Pause.” Growing up hunting with family in west Texas, he chased his passion through college, eventually becoming a waterfowl biologist for Texas, Parks and Wildlife. As Executive Director of Dallas Safari Club, Corey passionately describes to Ramsey the importance of hunting anything anywhere to wildlife conservation worldwide, how hunters from all walks of life can engage collectively to meaningfully move the needle, and why all of us hunters worldwide are in this together.
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Zach Meyer, WildEar
Zach Meyer, formerly of WildEar, meets with Ramsey during Dallas Safari Club, telling him about his earliest introductions into hunting, about how he became a lifelong waterfowler with the single pull of the trigger. They share a few humorous tell-tale stories about shotgun-related hearing impairments (spoiler alert, Ramsey can’t read lips on TV screens). The two part ways after Ramsey receives an invite to experience something he’ll never do in Mississippi.
Ottawa Valley Ontario Canada Goose Hunting
It’s late-April and Ontario’s Ottawa Valley is quiet. But this fall it will fill with raucous, migrating honkers gorging themselves on local crops before beating their way further south. Ryan Reynolds, Apex Waterfowling, and Ramsey touch base during the “Covid Pause.” How does Canada goose hunting in Ontario’s Ottawa Valley differ from western provinces? What’s unique about interior Canada geese as compared to other subspecies? Ryan offers his candid appraisal of shotshells and the two hatch plans for the upcoming season.
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Lee Kjos, Wild Ducks in Wild Places
Lee Kjos and Ramsey Russell visit over hot coffee before Dallas Safari Club Convention, immediately stepping into a memory-filled swamp of hunting wild ducks in wild places, past duck hunts, real duck hunters, waterfowl conservation narratives. Kjos shares his “Walter Mitty Moment.” They then wade through a waist-high slough of ducky topics that hunting buddies usually do.
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