Ducks Unlimited Podcast

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DUX SERIES: The Reeds Story & the Ducks Unlimited Expo Experience (Ep 774) May 19, 2026

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This episode kicks off a new DUX Series on the Ducks Unlimited Podcast, hosted by Jimbo Robinson and David Schuessler, highlighting the companies and partners shaping the DUX event and the broader outdoor lifestyle.

In this first installment, the hosts are joined by Adam and Drew Arnold of Reeds Family Outdoor Outfitters, a third‑generation, family‑owned business based in Walker, Minnesota. What started as a small bait shop in the 1950s has evolved into one of the most respected retail and destination outdoor brands in the country.

From retail to resorts, customer experience to conservation partnerships, the Arnolds share how Reeds became more than a store — it became a destination.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

The origin story of Reeds and its roots on Leech Lake
Growing a family business across multiple generations
From sports shows to e‑commerce: adapting to industry changes
Building a destination retail experience like Buc‑ee’s
The importance of partnerships with top outdoor brands
How Reeds supports Ducks Unlimited events and chapters
The evolution of Sportsman’s Night Out and DUX events
Why in‑person events still matter in a digital world
Creating all‑inclusive outdoor experiences at Trapper’s Landing Lodge
How fishing, retail, and hospitality connect into one ecosystem
The future of the outdoor retail industry
What makes DUX a true destination for families and hunters

Whether you’re a hunter, angler, retailer, or outdoor enthusiast, this episode offers insight into how experience, service, and partnership drive success in today’s outdoor industry.

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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.

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RELOADED EP223 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 11: AHM – Alternative Hypotheses and Optimal Decisions May 16, 2026

Show notes

Is duck harvest mortality additive or compensatory? Is duck production strongly or weakly density dependent? Which habitat features most influence duck production? And how are optimal duck harvest regulations selected in the face of this imperfect knowledge? The DU Podcast is again thankful to be joined by Dr. Jim Nichols, retired senior scientist and Adaptive Harvest Management expert, to dig deeper into the workings of AHM and how annual duck regulations are selected.

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Seeing Beyond the Duck: Conservation at Scale in the Great Lakes & Atlantic Region (Ep 773) May 14, 2026

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The Great Lakes and Atlantic Region may be Ducks Unlimited’s largest and most diverse — and it’s where conservation relevance is helping drive growth in habitat delivery.

In this episode, DU podcast host and Senior Waterfowl Scientist, Dr. Mike Brasher,continues our trip around the regions with Jamie Rader, Ducks Unlimited's Director of Operations for the Great Lakes & Atlantic Region. Spanning 21 states from Maine to Minnesota, Jamie oversees one of DU’s fastest‑growing conservation teams and shares what it takes to deliver wetland conservation at scale in landscapes shaped by people, agriculture, and development.

Jamie reflects on his path from West Tennessee duck hunts to graduate work in Hawaii, mentorship under legendary waterfowlers, and leadership across nearly every DU region before taking the helm in Ann Arbor. From there, the discussion turns to breeding conditions, migration, and the innovative partnerships driving record conservation growth across the region.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

Jamie Rader’s career path through Ducks Unlimited and field biology
Mentorship, duck hunting culture, and lessons learned in the blind
The scope of the Great Lakes & Atlantic Region (“the five M’s”)
Explosive growth in staff, funding, and conservation delivery since 2020
Spring breeding conditions across the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Northeast
Flooding, snowfall, and late‑season wetland replenishment
Major conservation programs including H2Ohio and Chesapeake Bay initiatives
Water quality funding as a pathway to waterfowl habitat gains
Working lands conservation with farmers and producers
Soil health, wetland restoration, and nutrient reduction strategies
Expanding DU’s relevance beyond traditional waterfowl audiences
“Seeing beyond the duck” in coastal, urban, and population‑dense regions
Why relevance, partnerships, and innovation are essential to future success

This episode highlights how Ducks Unlimited continues to adapt — delivering habitat for waterfowl while meeting the broader environmental needs of people and communities across the Great Lakes & Atlantic Region.

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People Still Matter: Conservation Policy, Advocacy & the Power of Relationships (Ep 772) May 12, 2026

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Conservation isn’t just about habitat — it’s about people, relationships, and showing up when decisions are being made.

In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher sits down with Bill Cooksey, Partnerships Program Leader for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, to talk about a career spent at the intersection of conservation, policy, industry, and grassroots advocacy. Bill brings decades of experience from Avery Outdoors, National Wildlife Federation, and now TWF, offering a unique perspective on how conservation decisions actually get made — and why personal relationships still matter more than emails, posts, or press releases.

The conversation spans conservation advocacy, wildlife policy, changes in the hunting community, misinformation, and how sportsmen can still shape the future if they’re willing to engage directly.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

Bill Cooksey’s path through the outdoor industry, conservation NGOs, and policy
The role of state wildlife federations and how they differ from national organizations
Why conservation advocacy is ultimately about relationships and trust
“Pick up the damn phone” — why real conversations still move the needle
How sportsmen influence policy at the state and federal levels
Protecting hunting rights through proactive engagement
A landmark Tennessee case involving duck hunters and municipal restrictions
Why misinformation spreads faster than science — and how to respond productively
Changes in how hunters get information and engage with conservation
The decline of CRP, habitat loss, and consequences for duck populations
The chronic underfunding of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Why engagement — not social media outrage — creates real impact
Practical advice for contacting legislators and making your voice heard
Reasons for optimism about the future of waterfowl conservation

This episode is a reminder that conservation success still depends on individuals willing to speak up, build relationships, and advocate for the resources they care about.

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RELOADED EP220 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 10: AHM – Champions, Objectives, and Regulations May 09, 2026

Show notes

Dr. Jim Nichols rejoins the DU Podcast to share stories about early champions of Adaptive Harvest Management and how they promoted it as a better way of setting harvest regulations, with unexpected support resulting from unusual political maneuverings in the mid-90s. Dr. Nicholas and Dr. Mike Brasher also begin discussing key components of AHM, including harvest management objectives and regulatory packages, with a goal of demystifying some of the “black box” of AHM.

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The Duck Factory: Grasslands, Easements & Why Permanence Matters (Ep 771) May 07, 2026

Show notes

If North America’s duck populations are the engine of waterfowl hunting, the Prairie Pothole Region is its factory—and keeping that factory running requires permanence, partnerships, and people on the land.

In this episode, DU Senior Waterfowl Scientist and host, Dr. Mike Brasher, continues the regional operations series with Dr. Johann Walker, Director of Operations for the Great Plains Region, based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Johann brings more than two decades of experience working in the heart of the prairie duck factory and offers a candid, detailed look at habitat conditions, conservation delivery, and the role of permanent easements in sustaining duck populations and rural communities.

The conversation covers current wetland conditions across the Dakotas, migration timing, and how improved spring moisture may influence breeding distribution this year. From there, it dives deep into DU’s most important conservation tool in the prairies: voluntary grassland and wetland easements.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

Spring habitat conditions across the Prairie Pothole Region
Wet years vs. dry years and what Johann has seen over 22 years on the prairies
How migration timing interacts with available wetland conditions
Why permanent grassland and wetland easements are critical for the future of duck production
How the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Small Wetlands Acquisition Program works
Why easements are voluntary, minimally restrictive, and landowner‑driven
How Duck Stamp dollars directly fund prairie easements
Threats to conservation easements and what DU is doing to defend them
Why permanence matters for both wildlife and working ranches
The rancher’s perspective on protecting grassland for future generations
Philanthropic support accelerating large‑scale habitat protection
Additional DU programs restoring grasslands, wetlands, and migration habitat
Expanding public access while supporting private landowners
Why protecting prairies today matters for hunters tomorrow

This episode offers one of the clearest explanations yet of how Ducks Unlimited protects the prairie duck factory—and how every duck stamp buyer plays a role in that success.

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3x World Champion: Goose Calling, Competition & Craft with Chance Wadsworth (Ep 770) May 05, 2026

Show notes

Becoming a world champion doesn’t happen by accident — it happens through discipline, repetition, and an unrelenting desire to improve.

In this episode, host Matt Harrison sits down with Chance Wadsworth, a three‑time undisputed World Live Goose Calling Champion and founder of Quill Creek Calls, to talk about competition calling, practice mentality, design philosophy, and how elite calling translates to real‑world hunting success.

Chance shares his journey from growing up in the outdoors to discovering contest calling, the mindset required to win at the highest level, and why greatness comes down to doing the fundamentals over and over — even when it’s not fun.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

How Chance first got into waterfowl hunting and goose calling
Discovering contest calling and chasing a competitive edge
What separates world champions from everyone else
Why “desire and repetition” matter more than talent
How Chance approached practice early in his career
Using focused, intentional practice to refine skills
The mental process of stepping onto the world stage
Why defending a title is harder than winning the first
What judges listen for in elite live‑goose routines
The importance of cadence, flow, and realism
Common mistakes beginners make in goose calling
Accepting failure and building a strong calling foundation
Starting a call company and designing the Quill Creek Mark I
Translating contest calling into real‑world traffic hunts
Staying motivated after winning at the highest level

Whether you’re a competitive caller, a die‑hard goose hunter, or simply someone who appreciates mastery of a craft, this episode offers insight into what it takes to truly separate yourself from the field.

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RELOADED EP219 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 9: An Intro to Adaptive Harvest Management May 02, 2026

Show notes

Concern for waterfowl populations and frustration with the status quo of duck harvest management in the late 80s stimulated new ideas for setting annual regulations and learning about their effects. Dr. Jim Nichols, retired senior scientist from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and one of the godfathers of Adaptive Harvest Management, joins the DU Podcast to introduce waterfowl harvest dynamics, adaptive management, and the regulatory atmosphere that ultimately produced AHM.

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Water, Nature & Community: Inside DU’s Evolving Partnership with Dow (Ep 769) Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Ducks Unlimited and Dow have partnered for decades to deliver real conservation outcomes — but this relationship is now entering a new and innovative phase.

In this episode, host Dr. Jerad Henson is joined by Dr. Amy Beasley, Sustainability Director for Water and Nature at Dow, and Dr. Ellen Herbert, Ducks Unlimited’s Sustainability Director, to explore how a long‑standing corporate conservation partnership has expanded beyond traditional project delivery into a strategic, science‑driven collaboration. The discussion traces the 70‑year history between Dow and Ducks Unlimited, highlights milestone conservation achievements, and then digs into how the two organizations are now working together to help Dow evaluate land assets, water and nature risks, and community connections in ways that benefit wildlife, the environment, and long‑term business resilience.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

Dow’s journey into sustainability and why water and nature are inseparable
A 70‑year partnership between Dow and Ducks Unlimited
Early landmark conservation investments tied to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
Wetland restoration projects in Michigan’s Shiawassee Basin
Canadian Prairie Pothole and parklands forage programs benefiting ranchers, ducks, and water security
How DU’s science and geospatial expertise supports corporate land‑use decisions
The shift from project delivery to strategic conservation planning
Why watersheds, habitat, and community access matter to both conservation and industry
Real‑world examples, including Dow’s Carrollton, Kentucky facility
Measuring impact, building a business case for conservation, and scaling success
How private industry can reduce water risk while improving habitat and community outcomes

This episode offers a rare, transparent look at how conservation organizations and global companies can work together — not just to restore habitat, but to create long‑term resilience for people, wildlife, and communities.

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Southern Region Conservation: Wetlands, Water Control & the Future of Duck Habitat (Ep 768) Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Ducks Unlimited’s work in the Southern United States is complex, diverse, and more critical than ever.

In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher continues the regional conservation series with Jerry Holden, Senior Director of Operations for Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Region. Jerry oversees DU’s conservation delivery across the southern portions of the Mississippi, Central, and Atlantic Flyways, managing one of the organization’s largest and most diverse conservation portfolios.

The conversation spans from duck hunting conditions and flyway dynamics to large‑scale engineering, coastal resilience, private‑lands conservation, and some of the most significant land protection efforts in DU’s history.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

The 2025–26 waterfowl season across the Southern Region and why outcomes varied so widely
“Spatial discontinuity” and how migratory birds create winners and losers each season
The scope and purpose of DU’s Southern Region field offices across the Gulf Coast and MAV
Why engineering is central to DU’s coastal resilience work in Texas, Louisiana, and the Atlantic Coast
How Ducks Unlimited partners with NRCS to implement Farm Bill conservation programs
Clearing up misconceptions about DU’s work on private land
The growing role of conservation easements and permanent land protection
A historic donated conservation easement in coastal South Carolina
DU’s leadership role in restoring Arkansas’s greentree reservoir systems
Balancing public expectations with long‑term forest and wetland sustainability
Why DU continues expanding the public land base across the Southern landscape

This episode offers an inside look at how DU delivers conservation at scale—often in places where water, land use, and wildlife interests intersect most intensely—and why that work matters now more than ever.

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