After a lengthy off-season, duck season is cracking open up north and knocking on the door down south. Reports out of Canada and the Dakotas are all over the map—mallards are spotty up there, but a few are finally filtering into Arkansas and beyond. Brent and Cason dive into what’s shaping the season ahead: mounting pressure on ducks that goes deeper than the gun, the idea of smaller limits for better hunts, and the “midpoint theory” that just happens to line up with this week. They wrap it all up the only way they know how—talking ducks, dirt, and a little SEC football chaos.

>>

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The Standard Sportsman Duck Hunting Podcast

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In an era when unity could be our greatest asset, duck hunters seem increasingly divided not just over tactics but also over identity, ethics, and access. In this thought-provoking episode, Brent and Cason unpack the growing tensions within the waterfowling community and where that energy could be better spent.

Some of these debates carry weight, while others are rooted more in opinion than impact. From public vs. private land access to gear choices and regional rivalries, the hosts explore the key issues fueling division and, more importantly, challenge listeners to consider the bigger picture.

This episode is a timely call for collaboration over competition because the true measure of a waterfowler isn’t where or by what method they hunt, but how they contribute to the future of the sport.

>>>

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Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Famer Ronnie Ritter joins the show to share the powerful story behind Hunters Feeding the Hungry. What started as a venison-driven effort has grown into a lifeline for thousands of Arkansans, especially in a state ranked #1 for food insecurity. Ritter walks us through the program’s history, its incredible impact, and why every pound of donated protein matters. For waterfowlers looking for a meaningful way to give back, this conversation will spark inspiration and maybe even your next step toward helping families in need through the harvest.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Arkansas waterfowling personality, world champion duck caller and all around good guy Jim Ronquest with Drake Waterfowl joins the show. Ronquest shares stories from his favorite places outside of Arkansas to chase ducks, the calling contest industry, cutdown duck calls and his days as a duck hunting guide on the public ground of Arkansas.  

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Native Arkansan with a longtime affiliation with the Arkansas public timber, joins the show to discuss issues facing the modern-day public land hunter and possible solutions. Harrell centers on creating a better experience for hunters of all ages and skill sets while improving the success rate in the famed green timber of Arkansas.

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Native Arkansan John Veon has done extensive waterfowl research in Arkansas and the Central Valley of California. Veon shares results from some of his studies on mallard body mass, duck energy days, and roadside noise impact on wintering waterfowl.

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The remarkable history and traditions tied to Arkansas duck hunting get brought to life with opening day. From kids to grown men, the excitement and anticipation skyrockets heading into another Arkansas duck season. On this episode, Brent and Cason revisit some opening day memories from their extended duck hunting history as well as talk about current conditions in Arkansas and expectations for the 2023-24 Arkansas duck season. 

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Dr. Mike Brasher is a Senior Waterfowl Scientist at Ducks Unlimited Inc.’s National Headquarters in Memphis, TN. He is also the co-host of Ducks Unlimited's podcast.

On this episode, Brasher tackles various topics going on with waterfowl, including the new DuckDNA project, imprinting ducks aka site fidelity, duck movements during weather events, and implications of breaking pair bonds. Mike also converses on shortening the period when a person moves from strictly a hunter to a hunter/conservationist with an eye on the future of the sport.

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For over 60 years, Pat Pitt has chased waterfowl worldwide but calls his long-running club, The L'Anguille Lounge in Northeast Arkansas, home in the winter. Pitt talks about the importance of relationships, family, the anti-hunting movement and valuing the mallard hen.  He shares his story of surviving a heart attack while duck hunting and why every single hunt is a gift.

Tune in for excellent insights into the past, present & future of waterfowling from a legend in the sport.

NOTE: Pat's audio is a little rough at the beginning but improves for most of the podcast.

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Arkansas has long held the title of Duck Capitol of the World, but Kansas has improved its brand immensely in the last few years. Good duck hunting has been prevalent in Kansas for a long time but the increased interest has piled up some issues. Cason and Brent sit down with native Kansan Drew Palmer of Mile North Outdoors Co. and compare and contrast the waterfowling world in Arkansas and Kansas from top to bottom.

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Adam Campbell joins the show talking about dogs, ducks, and much more. Campbell has over 450 hunt test master passes to his credit and five dogs in the Master National Hall of Fame. He shares stories of how he got involved in training labs, his style of training, hunt tests, and field trials along with some nuances of selecting trainers and pups. 

We even get into talking a little duck hunting and some SEC football so be sure to give it a listen. 

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Duck and goose guides are an essential part of the Arkansas waterfowl hunting experience. But is the barrier to entry too easy, allowing less authentic actors and/or a heavy influx of out-of-state operations? The guys look at the history of duck guiding in the state and possible solutions to raise professionalism within the industry and improve Arkansas's reputation as a destination for duck and goose hunting.

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The one day you want everything to go perfect, it rarely does. Cason and Brent break down some of their adventures afield on made-for-TV waterfowl hunts and name-brand product photo shoots...all while trying to shoot a duck or two.   

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Cooler weather is finally rolling into the South, and you know what that means...duck season is right around the corner. The guys break down a must-do preseason checklist so you’re ready to be successful when the first flights arrive.

Plus, fresh updates on solar and wind projects headed for the Arkansas Grand Prairie, and Dr. Doug Osborne helps clarify banding data as it relates to harvest from last month’s episode

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Cason and Brent sit down with their mutual friend Lee Kjos about changes in Prairie Canada and the Dakotas. Kjos has decades of experience hunting all across the country and shares some insights into what he sees regarding today's duck-hunting culture and social media. Kjos provides an invaluable perspective on hot topics from the top of the flyway to the bottom with topics he's never tackled publicly. 

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Specklebelly goose hunting is growing in popularity, but is all the early November activity negatively conditioning ducks before opening day? Are outfitters and those that hire them doing right by the resource? Can Arkansas sustain this pace, or are we setting up to be the next Louisiana?

Cason and Brent share their decades of passion for the Greater White Fronted Goose and their move to Arkansas. The guys break down the latest craze that has increased waterfowling opportunities, but maybe not for all the best reasons.

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

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Arkansas (and more specifically, Stuttgart) has held the title of the Duck Hunting Capital of the World for decades...but does it still deserve the label? Are there better mallard hunting opportunities elsewhere or is social media creating a perceived notion Arkansas has lost the crown. Brent and Cason break down the states giving Arkansas a run for their money, and provide some insights into the different hunting circumstances and conditions amongst "rivals".

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

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You may think you know Duck Commander's General Manager Justin Martin but odds are you don't. He's known nationwide for his featured role within the Duck Dynasty franchise, but listeners may not be aware Martin is a wildlife biologist by education. This episode features excellent insights into waterfowl/habitat management, trends within the hunting industry, and how he pulled off the 2022-23 duck season with twins being born.

Martin's engaging delivery and "every man" observations about the sport of duck hunting make this installment a must-listen.

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

Recorded June 2023

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Part Two of our interview of legendary waterfowler and conservationist George Dunklin, Jr. of Humphrey, Arkansas. Dunklin joins the show to discuss his amazing legacy and views on the sport of duck hunting. 

• Five Oaks Ag Education & Research Center
• Five Oaks Duck Lodge
• Why all waterfowlers need to support conservation organizations
• Tennis, Billy Dunavant and DU landing  their HQ in Memphis
• If Mr. Dunklin could change one thing about modern-day duck hunting...

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

Recorded July 2023

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The United States Fish & Wildlife Services (USFWS) recently released the Breeding Population (BPOP) Survey and May Ponds count from aerial observations this past spring.  The numbers could be better...a lot better, but the guys break down what these numbers mean for the duck hunter, share some historical trends, and a few thoughts on how to get the mallard population back on track. 

• 2023 USFWS AHM Report
• 2023 USFWS Waterfowl Population Status Report
• Ducks Unlimited Analysis
• Delta Waterfowl Analysis

Presented by Yeti, Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

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Legendary waterfowler and conservationist George Dunklin, Jr. of Humphrey, Arkansas, joins the show to discuss his fantastic legacy and views on the sport of duck hunting. 

• Family history acquiring prime hunting land across southeast Arkansas
• His introduction to the sport of duck hunting
• Tenure as an Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Commissioner
• Tenure as President of Ducks Unlimited

Part 2 of the podcast with Mr. Dunklin tackles the development of the Five Oaks Ag Research & Education Center, its role in waterfowl and habitat research, and the famed Five Oaks Duck Lodge.

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

Recorded July 2023

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Brent and Cason look back at the history of duck season frameworks, limits and AHM. And, of course, they dive into the famed and complicated point system that lasted from 1974 until 1988. The guys also address who decides duck dates, the questionable clamoring for a 30-day season, hunting beyond January 31, and the  Super Hen theory.

A must-listen for waterfowlers that only know 60 days and six ducks and the "old timers" reckoning back to the perceived good ole days.

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

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All-around duck guru Dr. Brian Davis of Mississippi State University connects the dots with mallards, duck energy days, and the what, when, and where ducks eat in the flooded timber.  Duck science in layman's terms and a great listen for those wanting to know more about the wildfowl we chase. 

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

Recorded June 2023

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Waterfowl enthusiast Jeff Watt shares his experiences and insights into the waterfowl gear and apparel industry based on his time as a manufacturer's rep for Sitka Gear, Rig 'Em Right, and RNT Calls.

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

Recorded July 2023

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As summer fades and the first whispers of the fall flight stir in the north, the waterfowling world is already buzzing.

 Before the season kicks off, Cason and Brent tackle some of the most pressing and fascinating topics shaping the months ahead. They dive into pre-BPOP and May Pond Count insights, unpack how perfectly timed weather can make or break a season, and examine the dramatic plunge in snow goose numbers. They don’t shy away from challenging the “harvest doesn’t matter” mantra and even break exclusive news on a major renewable energy project headed for the Arkansas Grand Prairie.

If ducks, geese, and the future of the flyway are on your mind, this can’t-miss summertime episode delivers sharp analysis, fresh perspectives, and a healthy dose of anticipation for what’s to come.

-

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Learn more about the co-hosts of The Standard Sportsman podcast, the name's origin, and some insight on upcoming episodes.

• Bill Byers Hunter Club
• The Grand Prairie: A History of Duck Hunting's Hallowed Ground
• Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine
• Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame
• Crockett's Bluff Hunting Lodge
• Razorback Baseball

Presented by Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Yeti, Higdon Outdoors, Lite Boots, and Gunner Kennels.

Recorded July 2023

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This past weekend at the wildly successful and well-attended Ducks Unlimited Expo (DUX) held in Memphis, The Standard Sportsman hosted a live podcast in the DU Duck Den booth. Joining us on the show were Kyle Broussard of GatorTail, Dr. Jared Henson with DU, John Stephens of RNT Calls, Justin Martin with Duck Commander, Radcliff Menge of Tom Beckbe, and Karl Gunzer and Ray Voigt of Purina Pro Plan/Sporting Dogs. The guys dive into new products from the respective companies and share a little insight on what to expect this season. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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On this episode, we’re joined by Jimbo Robinson, Ducks Unlimited’s Director of Event Marketing & Field Support, for an inside look at the 2025 Ducks Unlimited Expo. Happening August 1–3 at the Renasant Convention Center in Downtown Memphis, this year’s event is shaping up to be one you won’t want to miss. Highlights include the World Cutdown Calling Championship, hands-on dog training workshops, in-depth waterfowl science sessions, and the latest gear from your favorite brands in the waterfowling world.

We’ll also be recording a special live episode from the DU Duck Den booth at 3PM on Saturday—swing by for great conversation and a few giveaways.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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The technology regarding suppressed shotguns is advancing, but how long will it take to become useful afield? Host Cason Short knows a ton about the subject from a layperson's standpoint and shares where the industry is headed. The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill and its $0 tax stamp on suppressors has generated considerable buzz. The guys also get into pressure and the role that shotgun blasts play. From subgauges to the potential future viability of suppressors to lessen the disturbance of ducks.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Waterfowl bands are the most coveted trophies in waterfowling, while providing essential data to Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM). With the recent news of proposed budget cuts that could impact bird banding, the guys sift through some of the history of banding, discuss how banding has tapered since the 1980s and 1990s and just where Arkansas ducks come from per banding encounters. They also share a handful of entertaining stories on banded ducks and geese from over the years.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Southeast Arkansas farmer and passionate waterfowler Jason Smith joins the show to sift through the hurdles farmers are facing in the current economy and how that impacts the ducks. He also shared intimate knowledge of Cutoff Creek Wildlife Management Area and expounds on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s plan to implement more walk-in-only areas in other WMAs. The guys also delve into the impacts on farmers and subsequently ducks with the passage of Big Beautiful Bill, the effects of a wet spring and early summer in Arkansas, the ethics and consequences of leaving unharvested crops for ducks, and a bunch more. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Retired U.S. Navy Diver John Barklow joins the show to share his remarkable story that led him to his current position as Senior Product Manager for the Big Game product line at Sitka Gear. He connects the dots on how his time as a diver and then training Navy SEAL teams for cold-weather combat made him uniquely qualified to take the company’s product line to a whole new level. Barklow also launched an initiative titled "Knowledge from Storms" to educate hunters and outdoorsmen on how to survive in extreme conditions.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Stephen Findley is a passionate waterfowl hunter with a deep respect for the sport's heritage. Based in Alabama, he owns Vertical, a marketing firm that serves some of the biggest brands in the outdoor industry. For over a decade, Stephen has worked as a photo and video creative in the outdoor industry. His passion for waterfowl hunting runs deep, and it shows in how he approaches his craft and the culture surrounding it. Findley joins the show to share his views on duck hunting culture, the value of taking kids and adults hunting, non-residents, and much more. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has become one of the most talked-about wildlife issues in recent years—raising concern, questions, and plenty of debate. Arkansas and its neighboring states are racing to understand and control its spread after a surge in cases. In this episode, the guys trade duck blinds for deer woods, sitting down with Cory Gray and Ralph Meeker from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and Dr. Marcelo Jorge from the University of Georgia to unpack what the latest research tells us—and what it means for hunters and conservation across the region.

>>

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Scott Perry is a consummate Arkansas duck hunter who respects the sport's traditions and heritage. Along with his twin brother, Jason, he started the iconic McAlister brand from the 1990s, the premium outdoor brand Mountain Khakis, and dusted the cobwebs off Duxbak. Perry shares some behind-the-scenes stories of starting those brands and navigating the outdoor apparel industry. The guys also have a robust discussion of the romance of waterfowling and some identity issues the sport is going through today. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Chris Sprangers is the Managing Partner and Director of Outdoor Brands for North House Outdoors. They are one of the bigger players in the outdoor marketing space, and Chris has spent a few decades in the outdoor industry, including a stint as Brand Partnership Manager at Cabela’s. He joins the show to pull back the curtain on what goes into branding an outdoor company and what it takes to survive in the ultra-competitive waterfowl industry. A dedicated waterfowler and fisherman, Sprangers also shares some stories from brand photo shoots and the trials and tribulations of getting content good enough for public consumption. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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There's nothing to hunt, so might as well talk about it. Despite being at the front end of summer, plenty of things are going on that impact waterfowl. In this week's episode, the guys share some intel about the May Pond conditions, planting season struggles in the deep south, and baby boomers fading out of duck hunting. Even Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill has some good and some bad for ducks. Finally, Cason and Brent kick around a new concept presented at the last AGFC Commission meeting that could impact future duck seasons. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Dave Duncan, Ph.D. (retired), worked across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, focusing on pintails. Throughout his professional career, he’s shown a true passion for this particular duck and how to turn the tide on its decline. Duncan joins the show to discuss the past, present, and future of the pintail population while sharing some concerns with the new regulations set to go into place this coming season. This episode is worth a listen as Duncan shares some keen insights about this magnificent bird.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Lorne Scott has spent a lifetime invested in conservation in Saskatchewan while seeing an inordinate amount of change on the landscape. The family has farmed in the Prairie Pothole Region since 1915 and has seen it all. Scott pulls back the curtain on Prairie Canada with eye-opening insights into what is going on north of the border. The guys discuss non-existent wetland policies in Saskatchewan, habitat deterioration, staggering bird loss, Big Ag, the decline in native Canadians' interest in waterfowl hunting, Americans, tariffs, and out-of-whack drake-to-hen ratios. Listeners will want to stick in until the end, when Lorne provides insights into current conditions right on time with the USFWS/CWS May Pond and BPOP counts underway. 

• Protecting the Prairies: Lorne Scott and the Politics of Conservation
• Lorne Scott Wikipedia
• DU Canada Celebrates Lorne Scott as Saskatchewan Volunteer of the Year

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Waterfowler Matthew Cagle created a groundbreaking decoy weighting system that revolutionized the waterfowl industry. Fast forward to today, and his company is one of the leading gear companies in the game. Cagle joins the show to talk about how Rig ‘Em Right came to be and how the company remains innovative in a copycat world. We also jump into a frank discussion on how the current trade wars and tariffs impact the hunting industry. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine and Ducks Unlimited.

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Duck hunters are skilled at finding scapegoats as to why their seasons don’t go so well. One of the hotter topics is the amount of and the ability to hunt over flooded crops. Namely corn. Is it legal? Should it be legal? When was it allowed? Who governs “normal agricultural practices”? Mike Brasher of Ducks Unlimited joins the show to break down the Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act of 1998 and clarify what it did and didn’t do for duck hunting. 

• Changes to U.S. Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on Baiting Laws - DU Magazine

Thanks to our sponsors: Sitka Gear, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Ducks Unlimited, Purina Pro Plan, Lile Real Estate, Tom Beckbe and Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine.

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Tim Willis has spent nearly 25 years conserving his home state of Arkansas’s flooded timber legacy and numerous Ducks Unlimited habitat projects throughout the country. Willis and his team help state agencies with consulting strategies and maximize conservation dollars. In this episode, he outlines DU’s role in ensuring waterfowl have effective habitats at all ends of the flyway now and in the future. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Sitka Gear, Purina Pro Plan, Ducks Unlimited, and Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine

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There were Technical Difficulties with the early AM upload, so please ignore that version and listen to this one for the full interview.

Bradley Cohen, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology and heads the Cohen Wildlife Lab at Tennessee Tech University. Cohen and his team of students have and continue to shed a lot of light on modern-day mallard behaviors. Cohen talks through landscape conditions and habitat management practices impacting what hunters see afield, including telemetry data, migration timing, refuges, and responses to human interference.

Visit the Cohen Wildlife Lab online at https://www.cohenwildlifelab.com or follow their work on Instagram @cohenwildlab.

Thanks to our sponsors: Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Ducks Unlimited, Purina Pro Plan, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, and Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine.

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If you’re wondering what’s on the minds of the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission regarding turkey zones, the future of Arkansas duck hunting as it relates to private land, public land, non-residents, unruly behavior on the WMAs, habitat, and pressure management, this is an episode you cannot afford to miss. 

Current AGFC Commission Chair JD Neeley and Philip Tappan join the show to have a candid discussion about the state of some hot-button issues in Arkansas that spill across all waterfowl destination states. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Perfect Limit Outdoors, Ducks Unlimited, Tom Beckbe, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine and Lile Real Estate. 

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A new chapter in Arkansas’s waterfowl story is being written. Through the generosity of David Snowden Jr., Merritt Dyke, and a few passionate supporters, a bold vision for the future of ducks and wetlands is coming to life. At the University of Arkansas–Monticello, Dr. Doug Osborne and his team are leading the charge with the creation of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and the Dyke–Snowden Endowed Chair—a first-of-its-kind commitment to research that ties science to the soul of duck country.

Dr. Osborne joins the show to share how this effort took shape, the people and passion behind it, and what it means for the generations of hunters and conservationists who call the Mississippi Flyway home.

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Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited.

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Despite all the duck seasons in North America being closed, plenty is going on within the world of waterfowling. Brent & Cason look at the impact the recent storms will have on this coming duck season, game warden access to private ground without a warrant, USFWS director confirmation hearings and waterfowl destination states desire to reduce pressure by limiting non-residents. Reducing non-residents to a few weekdays is the potential play for Kansas and Oklahoma...but will it work?

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Ducks Unlimited, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine and Live Real Estate. 

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Levi Pillow has over 50 years experience hunting the famed Dave Donaldson Black River WMA in Northeast Arkansas. Going from gentlemen’s agreeement to who hunted where with permanent decoy spreads to today’s chaotic overcrowding, he’s seen it all. Pillow shares that history along with changes he and a group of hunters from the WMA recently proposed to the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission with a non-resident draw as the key effort to manage the unrelenting pressure.

Thanks to our sponsors: Lile Real Estate, Sitka Gear, Ducks Unlimited, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan and Tom Beckbe.

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A diverse background ranging from dirt work to duck guide led Hunter Johnson to managing habitat for a pair of top-notch Arkansas duck clubs. With one on the famed Grand Prairie and the other in the Cache River Bottoms, Johnson employs diverse strategies to attract and hold ducks throughout a sixty-day duck season. The guys discuss habitat, food plots, timber stand improvement (TSI), flooded unharvested crops, pressure management, and scouting. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Ducks Unlimited, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Lile Real Estate and Purina Pro Plan.

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Cason and Brent analyze the rest of the post-season survey responses on numerous issues heavily discussed amongst Central and Mississippi Flyway waterfowlers: spinning wing decoys, season frameworks, pintail limits, outfitters, conservation order, and ecological and cultural issues impacting mid-continent mallards.

Thanks to our sponsors: Sitka Gear, Ducks Unlimited, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Lile Real Estate, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Purina Pro Plan and Tom Beckbe.

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In February, The Standard Sportsman podcast conducted a post-season survey covering various hot topics within the duck hunting community. After collecting responses from hunters across 41 states, the guys are ready to share the results with some intriguing analysis.

The guys also share an opportunity to support winter banding research by the Osborne Lab at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Dr. Doug Osborne has been a repeat guest on the show, and his team's efforts provide valuable insight into the behaviors of the modern-day mallard up and down the Central and Mississippi Flyways. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Ducks Unlimited, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Sitka Gear, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, and Lile Real Estate.

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