Save it for the Blind Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 105 California Duck Banding: Klamath Night Lighting, Pintail Nets & Why Reporting Matters Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Jeff sits down with Brian Huber and Jason Coslovich to unpack this summer’s banding push and preseason pintail work—what changed with more water on the landscape, how night-lighting in the Klamath Basin actually happens, and why your band reports keep California’s harvest models honest.

What’s inside

Sac Valley bounce-back: swim-in traps, summer water, and a strong run of molting mallards and wood ducks.
Klamath after dark: airboats, spotlights, big crates—plus what red-painted bands mean and how crews avoid re-capturing fresh birds.
Transmitters 101: what they reveal about nesting and molt, the tradeoffs for different species, and why units keep upgrading the tech.
Preseason pintail nets: how state/CWA crews coordinate shots, handle big mixed flocks, and keep mortality low.
Oddballs & highlights: redheads and ruddy ducks in force, shorebirds with tiny tags, and a handful of long-lived recaptures.
Do your part: how to return a transmitter, why reporting every band matters, and how those data feed adaptive harvest decisions.
Get involved: Aleutian trapping help, the Colusa Dinner, college camps, and the Rice Levee nesting program (with grower payments).

🦆 If this helps sharpen your season, tap Follow, drop a quick review, and share it with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep. 104 Season Outlook 2025–26: Refuge Managers on Water, Habitat & Access Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Jeff sits down with a panel of California wildlife refuge managers to lay out what hunters can expect this season—water deliveries, flood-up timelines, food on the landscape, and how weather and pressure will shape bird movement from the opener through the late split.

What you’ll hear

Water & habitat status across key refuges: unit-by-unit flood-ups, moist-soil production, and sanctuary plans to hold birds after the first volleys
Access updates: road work, blind repairs, closed-zone adjustments, and any changes to check-station flow or shoot times
Species timing: teal on the front end, mallards and wigeon mid-season, specks/snows and divers as winter builds
Weather game plans: how managers react to storms, fog, and hard freezes—and how hunters can adapt to keep birds finishing
After-season priorities: projects queued up for spring/summer that pay off next fall

🦆 If this helps you plan your hunts, hit Follow, drop a quick review, and share the episode with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep. 103 80 Years Strong: How CWA Raises Dollars and How You Can Plug In Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Director of Fundraising Jason Minsky joins Jeff Smith to break down how California Waterfowl keeps the lights on and the wetlands wet—banquets, sweepstakes, merch, and a statewide volunteer network that turns passion into real habitat, hunter access, and youth programs. From the 80th-anniversary celebrations to new “bingo + Let’s Make a Deal” nights, this one is a clear map for anyone who wants to help.

Episode highlights

Why fundraising matters: where event dollars go across conservation, hunts, education, and advocacy—right here in California.
Volunteer pathways: join a local banquet committee, help “night-of,” or step up to start a new event in your town.
ELP (Event Leadership Program): a 5–6 month training track building state, regional, and district leaders from our volunteer base.
Ways to give beyond banquets: sweepstakes entries, the gun-a-week calendar, and a refreshed merch line (limited hat drops, fall gear).
Membership 101: attending most CWA events includes your annual membership—plus youth Sprig options and life-member perks.
Find your fit: upcoming banquets across the state, plus new, high-energy bingo nights that bring in friends who are new to CWA.

If you’ve ever said “I should get more involved,” this is your step-by-step. Pick a lane, bring a buddy, and help keep California’s waterfowl future strong.

🦆 Join the crew: Hit Follow, drop a quick review, and share this with your blind buddies. Ready to plug in? Head to calwaterfowl.org → Get Involved to volunteer, enter the sweepstakes, or find an event near you.

Ep. 102 The Legacy of California Waterfowling: A talk with Conservationist Yancey Forest-Knowles Pt.6 Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Waterfowl historian Yancey Forest-Knowles closes the series with a tour of California’s fog belt and beyond—Humboldt Bay, the lagoons north and south of Crescent City, Laguna de Santa Rosa, and the Central Coast from Elkhorn Slough to Morro Bay. We trace how tides, eelgrass, railroads, and reclamation shaped these marshes—and what that means for today’s hunters.

Episode highlights

North Coast primer: why this stretch is a critical coastal link in the Pacific Flyway and how fog, rain, and working pasturelands still hold birds.
Humboldt Bay traditions: public-forward Brant hunting, the roots of sculling, and the gear and etiquette that make it work.
Access that remains: boat-in opportunities on flood years, small state parcels, and farm-pond possibilities when conditions line up.
Club lore & culture: from early island and bay clubs to the stories of trains stopping at clubhouses—what’s gone, what survived, and why.
Central Coast check-in: how most wetlands were converted a century ago, and where hunters still find openings around Elkhorn Slough, Salinas, and Morro Bay.

If you’re curious where coastal waterfowling came from—and how to approach it with respect today—this finale ties the history, access, and conservation ethic together.

🦆 Like the series? Tap Follow, leave a quick review, and share this one with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep. 101 Integrated Wetlands at Bird Haven: Mosquito-Smart Water, More Ducks Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Carson and Jeff sit down with John Veon (UC Davis PhD candidate, wetlands & waterfowl) and Andy Atkinson (manager, Bird Haven Ranch) to unpack a five-year experiment in integrated wetland management—using swales, shorter irrigations, and year-round connectivity to cut mosquito production while boosting macroinvertebrates and duck use.

What you’ll learn

Why the Valley needs a reset: California flipped its natural water rhythm and now only ~7–10% of naturally functioning wetlands remain—so managers are rebuilding function, not replicas.
How the system works: keep wet swales connected through summer and swap 10-day irrigations for ~5-day (or less) pulses to protect annuals (think Timothy), grow food plants, and starve mosquito cycles.
Predators, not spray: longer access to water (≈140 days vs. ~20) grows dragonfly/other predators that hammer larvae—nature doing the heavy lifting.
Public health partnership: day-to-day coordination with Butte County Mosquito & Vector Control aligns human health (West Nile) with better wetlands.
Running cheaper, smarter: timing pumps at night avoids brutal demand charges and still feeds the swales—biology and the power bill pulling the same way.
Water source matters: colder well water slows bug production; lift-pump or warmer sources can change bird use patterns.
Measuring results: wood-duck fecal DNA diet work, USGS telemetry, and game-camera grids track how birds and wildlife actually respond.

If you manage a club pond, volunteer on public ground, or just want sharper habitat instincts, this episode lays out a clear, field-tested blueprint you can scale to your place.

🦆 Like the show? Tap follow, leave a quick review, and share this one with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep. 100 Save It For The Blind's 100th Episode Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

We’re celebrating 100 episodes of Save it for the Blind with a friendly, fast-paced trivia throwdown. Our hosts Jeff Smith & Carson Odegard welcome a stacked CWA panel—Brian Huber (Wood Duck Program Coordinator & Waterfowl Biologist), Jason Coslovich (Egg Salvage Program Coordinator & Waterfowl Biologist), and Kevin Vella (Regional Biologist & Land Trust Coordinator)—to test what we all think we know about ducks, geese, history, and the laws that shaped American waterfowling.

What you’ll hear

CWA origins and early club lore—plus the real first name of the organization.
Record-breakers: oldest banded birds, the highest-flying duck, and the fastest verified flight.
Law & policy classics: MBTA (1918), the lead-shot ban (1991), and the first federal duck stamp (1934).
Tools & traditions: the NES Duck Hunt effect, why sink boxes got outlawed, and sound IDs from the sea duck world.
Lightning round stats: IOC’s current species count and other numbers every waterfowler should know.

MOJO Blade Giveaway (Episode 100)

Go to our Instagram or Facebook and find the Episode 100 reel.
Like, comment, and share that post to enter. Do it on both platforms to double your chances.
Deadline: Enter by September 19. Winner notified: September 26.
No purchase necessary. U.S. residents, 18+.

🦆 Thanks for riding with us to 100. If you enjoy the show, tap Follow, leave a quick 5-star review, and share this episode with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations (and the flyway) thriving.

Ep. 99 Working Dog Fundamentals with Karl Gunzer — Nutrition, Training & Hunt-Test Basics Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

Karl Gunzer, Director of Purina’s Sporting Dog Group, joins Jeff and Carson to trace his path from Montana duck hunter to California trainer to industry leader—and to lay out clear, field-tested basics for keeping a retriever healthy, steady, and ready for season. We also talk California’s under-appreciated waterfowl culture and public access opportunities that still produce strong hunts.

Episode highlights

Fuel that works: why performance diets (e.g., 30/20) prioritize fat as a dog’s primary energy source—and how that translates to stamina in the field.
Who feeds what: Pro insights from major championships where a large majority of starters are on Pro Plan.
Grain-free vs. science: Purina’s take on grains, “novel proteins,” and choosing formulas based on evidence—not marketing.
Feeding for performance: why Karl favors one evening meal before work, plus simple hydration tips like floating kibble.
Weather & calories: how cold snaps change energy needs (rule-of-thumb adjustments).
Tests decoded: the real differences between field trials and hunt tests, and why both can make better gun dogs.
Why Purina backs conservation: connecting dog nutrition, rice country, and on-the-ground habitat work with groups like CWA.

🦆 If this one helps your dog work better this season, hit follow, leave a quick review, and share it with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep. 98 The Legacy of California Waterfowling: A talk with Conservationist Yancey Forest-Knowles Pt.5 Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard sit down with waterfowl historian Yancey Forest-Knowles to unpack the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta—its island clubs, levees and tides, and the public access that still lets you chase mallards and specks on big water today.

What you’ll hear

How the Delta was built — from early private island claims and hand-built levees to today’s twin pressures of saltwater intrusion and export pumping.
Club lore & big names — Twitchell Island’s first club (1880), Venice and Mandeville’s eras, and the “Mallard Hole” stories tied to Barron Hilton and Hollywood guests.
Flood risk is real — why peat islands subside and how Jones Tract’s 2004 failure floated a clubhouse away.
Public opportunity — boat-in spots and state-permitted floating blinds at Frank’s Tract (plus Big Break, Stone Lakes, Decker & more), and the on-water etiquette that keeps it working.
Access rules that matter — anchor next to levees to hunt, but don’t set foot on them.
Today’s mix of ag & restoration — CWA ownership on Quimby and habitat work across Medford, Sherman, and sister islands.

From 19th-century market hunts to modern floating blinds, this one maps the Delta’s history and gives practical pointers for anyone looking to do it right on big water.

🦆 Liking the series? Tap follow, leave a quick review, and share this episode with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep. 97 MOJO Outdoors with Terry Denmon: Big Blades, Water Motion & Smarter Spreads Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Jeff and Carson sit down with Terry Denmon, CEO of MOJO Outdoors, for a nuts-and-bolts look at modern motion decoys—why the Big Blade matters, how to run spinning wings around pressured ducks, and where water-motion tech is headed. Terry also walks through MOJO’s newest gear—the reengineered Mallard Machine, the diving Dabbler decoy, and the 25th-anniversary Silver Mallard—plus the season outlook that’s shaping early hunts.

In this episode:

Big Blade, built for the flash game — quiet design, ~700 RPM target speed, and why wing speed matters for long-range pull.
Running spinners on pressured birds — treat them as attractors, not finishers; move the unit ~75 yards off the hide to keep birds working.
What’s new from MOJO — the lithium-powered Mallard Machine (buoy design, hard water push), the diving Dabbler duck, and the Silver Mallard anniversary decoy with a QR-code weekly giveaway; now hitting stores (~$99).
Big Blade availability — delayed by trade issues but shipping to retailers within weeks; a few prototypes already proved out last season.
Season notes — early teal framework trimmed to 9 days and pushed later into September; what that means for timing and travel.
Behavior & weather — more nocturnal use and mid-season shifts demand flexible spreads and better water motion.

If you’re tuning your spread for pressured birds—or deciding which motion tool to add first—this one’s packed with field-ready detail and clear takeaways.

🦆 Enjoy the show? Hit follow, drop a quick review, and share it with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations rolling and the flyway thriving.

Ep.96 The Legacy of California Waterfowling: A talk with Conservationist Yancey Forest-Knowles Pt. 4 Aug 18, 2025

Show notes

Southern California Duck Country: History, Habitat, Tradition

Waterfowl historian Yancey Forest-Knowles joins Jeff and Carson to map the rise and fall of Southern California’s coastal duck country—from the artesian-fed ciénegas of the Los Angeles plain to the estuaries of Ballona, Bolsa Chica, and Newport, and on to the Salton Sea and the San Diego reservoirs. It’s a guided tour through clubs that once dotted the coast, the culture that filled their cookhouses, and the policy and development pressures that eventually shut most gates. We close with what’s still huntable today and the conservation lessons worth carrying forward.

Topics include

How artesian water and heavy winter rains built a maze of natural marshes across the L.A. basin
The Orange County era of managed wetlands—and why city growth and water rules ended it
Coastal club culture: famous names, strict house rules, and why Point Mugu still matters
Salton Sea 101: accident to flyway magnet, depredation history, and what changed on the landscape
San Diego’s reservoir hunts and old-school duck-boat drives
What remains today (San Jacinto, Wister, select coastal/military marshes) and the takeaways for modern habitat work

🦆 If this history hits home, tap follow, drop a quick review, and share the episode with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations moving and the flyway thriving.

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