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Where are the ducks? In this episode of Delta Waterfowl’s Voice of the Duck Hunter Podcast, host Joel Brice is joined by Dr. Mike Schummer—renowned waterfowl ecologist, founder of FowlWeather.co, and the scientist behind the internet’s only Duck Migration Forecast. Together, they dive into the science of duck movement, shifts in distribution, and what it all means for hunters across the flyways.

Dr. Schummer shares the methods and insights behind his weekly forecasts, discusses Delta-backed stable isotope research, and unpacks what’s really going on with Eastern mallards, teal, gadwalls, and wigeon. Whether you're a duck hunter, conservationist, or just curious about the future of waterfowl, this episode is packed with info you won’t want to miss.

📊 Check out the Duck Migration Forecast at https://fowlweather.co

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Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: /DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
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Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

In this episode of The Delta Waterfowl Podcast, host Joel Brice sits down with two of the most trusted voices in waterfowl science—Dr. Chris Nicolai, Delta’s Waterfowl Scientist, and Dr. Frank Rohwer, President and Chief Scientist of Delta Waterfowl. Together, they dive deep into the Breeding Population Survey (BPOP)—the backbone of how duck populations are counted and managed across North America.

As questions circulate about the survey’s accuracy and relevance, the Delta team brings their decades of experience to unpack what’s real, what’s misunderstood, and what’s simply wrong. Whether you're a dedicated hunter, conservationist, or outdoor enthusiast, this episode offers valuable perspective on how the waterfowl community should interpret BPOP data—and why it matters.


Website and Social Media Links:
Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: /DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Welcome to Delta Waterfowl’s “Voice of the Duck Hunter” podcast. Host Joel Brice shares a conversation that takes us into some entertaining and thought-provoking directions. Namely, we dig into what makes duck hunting meaningful—what some might call the romance of it all—in ways that are complex, powerful, and motivating. That could mean a weathered duck call passed down from a grandfather or mentor, good coffee shared with better friends, or the quiet solitude of a wintery marsh as sun glints off the frosty reeds.

It has less to do with shooting ducks. 

Don’t get us wrong—everyone likes ducks over decoys. But the romantic aspects of waterfowling can allow us to be a lot more content when we shoot a bird or two and a lot less disappointed when we don’t. 

But has this type of ethic fallen out of favor with duck hunters, and at what cost?

The primary question we’ll explore is this: Has modern technology and social media taken away some of the magic of waterfowling—that sense of awe, romance, wonder and adventure—that turned so many of us into lifelong waterfowlers? And are veteran hunters just as likely as newcomers to fall prey to the social media comparison trap?

Weighing in are a pair of longtime friends and respected, Pennsylvania-based voices. They are Guests: Kyle Wintersteen, who as editor of the Delta Waterfowl magazine and Tyler Coleman, whose Full Circle Waterfowl is a brand built very much around the romance and traditions of duck hunting. 

All that and more coming up. 

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

“Where are the ducks!?”

You want answers and we don’t blame you. This episode explores some hard truths affecting where and when ducks arrive in the southern United States. Our expert panel includes host, Joel Brice, Chief Conservation Officer, with guests John Devney, Chief Policy Officer, Dr. Frank Rohwer, president and chief scientist of Delta Waterfowl, and Dr. Chris Nicolai, waterfowl scientist.

You've been asking. We've heard you. There are five key parts of duck distribution:

Duck Production – When conditions are dry on the prairies, like they’ve been for years now, few ducks are produced. That means there are fewer juvenile birds in the fall flight.  Birds of the year are easier to hunt, so the overall numbers seen and taken drops.

Weather Variability – We talk to long-time hunters and farmers in Canada and the Dakotas. They tell us it’s staying warmer, longer in the north country. Here in North Dakota, it used to be 50/50 whether we’d be frozen out by Halloween. Now the water commonly remains wide open and fields stay bare of snow until Thanksgiving, even Christmas. Ducks are staying north longer.

Changes in Agriculture – There’s a lot of internet chatter about migrations and wintering areas shifting, but the data mostly shows otherwise. However, in the core wintering areas, agricultural practices have changed and that impacts exactly where within those areas those the birds hang out. 

Public Land Issues – Public lands – HISTORICALLY FAMOUS places to provide habitat and high quality hunting opportunities [BM1] – are falling to ruin due to declining resources for maintenance and management. On the other hand, private lands are being managed more beneficially than ever, so that too impacts where ducks spend their time.

Hunter Expectations and Regulations –At Delta WE ARE THE DUCK HUNTERS ORGANIZATION. We understand expectations are influenced by what you’ve experienced, the kind of seasons you’ve lived through, the variety of regulations you’ve hunted under in your lifetime, and – today – by social media. What you’ve personally lived through determines what YOU consider a LOUSY duck season or a GREAT one.

The dedicated team at Delta doesn’t take any of this lightly. We’re digging in, and doing the analysis.

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Welcome back to The Voice of the Duck Hunter podcast. I’m your host, Joel Brice.

In today’s episode, we’re going to “read the tea leaves,” so to speak, by taking a biologist’s approach to forecasting spring duck production—a key factor in the quality of hunting seasons—by analyzing breeding habitat conditions, current weather patterns, last year’s breeding population, and more. We’ll focus on the prairie pothole region, a key source of continental duck production, while also covering key contributors to the Atlantic and Pacific Flyways.

It may seem too early to be breaking out our crystal balls, but mid-to-late March conditions go far toward setting the stage for early nesting in April, peak nesting in May, and late-season re-nesting in June.

For a second consecutive podcast, I’m joined by two Delta colleagues…this time Mike Buxton and Jim Fisher.

As you may recall from our last episode, Mike a key member of our duck  production team. In addition, he produces those exceptional breeding habitat conditions maps you see in the Delta Waterfowl magazine, online and in social media. He’ll share insights on some of the intel that goes into producing these maps for us duck hunters, plus current wetland conditions he’s tracking across Delta’s Predator Management sites and beyond, and what they signal for duck production.

Jim Fisher, Delta’s VP of Canadian policy, is a leading voice for ducks, duck hunters, and the conservation of small, duck-producing wetlands. He will help us break down habitat conditions across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—key breeding grounds that can greatly impact duck numbers and hunting success across the continent.

 Ready to talk ducks? Let’s get started!

Host: Joel Brice, Chief Conservation Officer

Guest: Mike Buxton, Waterfowl Programs Director

Guest: Jim Fisher, VP of Canadian Policy

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Welcome back to Delta Waterfowl’s “The Voice of the Duck Hunter” podcast with host Joel Brice.

Today, we have an exciting episode lined up because my guests are two men I’ve collaborated with for years on one of Delta’s most well-known, popular, and effective initiatives: enhancing duck production on breeding habitat through targeted predator management and Hen House programs. 

Mike Buxton, a waterfowl biologist with extensive expertise in the effects of predators on nesting ducks, focuses on making predator management more efficient, effective, and widely implemented.

And then there’s Matt Chouinard, our expert in optimizing and expanding Delta’s thousands of strategically placed, elevated cylindrical nesting structures known as Hen Houses. You won’t want to miss his insights on why Hen Houses provide hen mallards the best chance of success, how Delta continually works to maximize ducks produced per dollar invested, and essential considerations if you’re thinking about building and installing your own Hen House.

Together, Mike and Matt form the backbone of our efforts to get a huge number of ducks into the fall flight. In our conversation, we discuss why Delta’s work is increasingly vital, how Hen Houses, predator management, and habitat conservation support one another, and what the future of large-scale duck production looks like as Delta ramps up its Million Duck Campaign.

Guests:

Mike Buxton
Waterfowl Programs Director
Innovator—continues pushing PM’s efficiency and effectiveness to new heights.

Matt Chouinard
Waterfowl Programs Director
Known as Delta’s Hen House guru

Kyle Wintersteen
Delta Waterfowl Magazine Editor 

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Is free access to quality, private-land duck hunting a thing of the past?

 Welcome back to Delta Waterfowl’s “The Voice of the Duck Hunter” podcast! I'm your host, Joel Brice.

In this episode we’re going to explore probably the most exciting thing aside from a flock of back-pedaling greenheads that can happen to a duck hunter: Asking for permission to hunt a nice patch of private land and … getting a yes!

 Now mind you, there are regions where this is really tough, some would even say impossible, to just knock on a door like it’s the 1950s, shake the farmer’s hand and gain access to hunt. Urban sprawl is on a constant march, and many exceptional spots are leased, owned by a fancy duck club or otherwise spoken for.

But impossible?  I’m joined today by a pair of guests who attest that even in 2025, private land hunting access is achievable with hard work, the right strategies, and a whole lot of luck. 

 Garrett Trentham is Delta’s Director of Events for the South Team. A resident of Missouri with deep connections across the southern United States to the Carolinas, he’s keeping unpaid hunting access alive in places where most think it’s a thing of the past. As you’ll hear in this episode, Garrett uses his charisma and smarts to his advantage both at Delta fundraising events and in growing his network of potential hunting invites. And he offers a variety of clever tips, but one’s especially intriguing: How to gain occasional access to private duck clubs when otherwise doing so is financially out of reach. 

Then there’s Brett Shaffer, a Delta volunteer and avid waterfowler from central Pennsylvania. As the owner of Grumpy Duck, a preferred Delta vendor, Brett’s built a name for himself through crafting eye-pleasing, lightweight and ergonomically sound bolt handles for semi-auto shotguns. And when it comes to hunting, Brett is just as innovative—he’s never paid for access to private land, he’s savvy when it comes to finding just the right spots, and he works hard to maintain permission to hunt

So stick with us as Garrett and Brett share their hard-earned tricks, some stories behind how they’ve found success, and advice on what it takes to find and continue to secure your duck hunting honey hole. Let's get started!

Host: Joel Brice
Guest: Garrett Trentham
Guest: Brett Shaffer

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

In this episode of The Voice of the Duck Hunter, host Joel Brice sits down with Patrick Gaylord, a former pro baseball player turned hunting enthusiast and coach. Together, they explore the intersection of youth athletics, the challenges of modern life, and how activities like travel sports and screen time are competing with hunting for kids' time and attention. Patrick shares his journey from growing up in Texas, excelling at the University of Houston, to coaching high-level prospects in North Dakota, where he rediscovered his passion for the outdoors.

Join us as we discuss hunter recruitment, the dynamics of hunting families, and how to connect the next generation to the joys of the hunt—while reminiscing about baseball and warmer days.

Host: Joel Brice
Guest: Patrick Gaylord

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Join us as we sit down with Bill Miller, Delta Waterfowl’s Communications Director and a 2023 inductee into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame. With decades of experience as an outdoor communicator, magazine editor, TV personality, and author of countless articles celebrating the hunting lifestyle, Bill brings unmatched expertise to the conversation.

In this episode, we dive into Delta Waterfowl’s Duck and Goose Hunting 101 course, an online curriculum designed to help novice hunters safely and confidently begin their waterfowling journey. Bill shares the inspiration behind creating this program, its unique features, and how it aims to bridge the gap for those starting from scratch—offering practical advice and motivation for newcomers.

We also explore Bill’s personal journey into duck hunting, gaining insights into the challenges modern hunters face, from limited access to mentors and land to an increasing disconnect from nature. Whether you’re a seasoned hunter looking to mentor others or someone eager to try waterfowling for the first time, this episode is packed with valuable stories and actionable tips.

Don’t miss this engaging discussion about the future of hunting, the power of mentorship, and how Delta’s innovative program is creating a new generation of waterfowl enthusiasts.

And check out Duck and Goose Hunting 101.

Host: Joel Brice
Guest: Bill Miller

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/

Why are dogs so exceptional at understanding humans? Dr. Brian Hare, professor of psychology, evolutionary anthropology, and neuroscience at Duke University, joins the Delta Waterfowl Podcast to share what science has to say about canine intelligence. 

From his youth in Atlanta, Georgia where he grew up with hunting dogs, to Duke research labs, Dr. Hare brings a lifetime of interest and expertise to the conversation. Discover how dogs communicate, collaborate, and excel in tasks ranging from pets and hunting to serving alongside the U.S. military. 

Whether you’re a duck hunter, dog lover, or science enthusiast, this episode delivers insights and stories you won’t want to miss.

Host: Joel Brice
Guest: Dr. Brian Hare
Guest: Kyle Wintersteen

Delta Waterfowl: https://deltawaterfowl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/