Recorded at the Ducks Unlimited National Convention in Tampa, this episode brings together leaders from conservation and the outdoor industry to discuss where things are headed.

Bob Spoerl, DU’s new Chairman of the Board, and Ken Eubanks, CEO of Rather Outdoors, join host Jimbo Robinson to talk about leadership transitions, conservation milestones, and the challenges facing hunting and fishing today. The conversation explores how outdoor participation is changing, why younger generations are harder to engage, and what it takes to build the next wave of hunters, anglers, and conservationists.

From technology and innovation to storytelling and mentorship, this episode offers a candid look at what the future may hold — and what needs to happen to protect it.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Dr. Jim Dubovsky, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service central flyway representative, rejoins the DU Podcast to provide nostalgic reflection as he share insights on the role of sex-specific duck regulations, how they were formulated under the point system, and what determined if a bird was worth 10, 15, or 35 points. Despite being conceptually sound, the point system was withdrawn in 1994, largely due to challenges with the practicality of its implementation and enforcement.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Today’s hunters don’t just rely on skill — they rely on the tools that get them there.

In this episode of the DUX Series, host David Schuessler is joined by co‑host Logan Nevins and guest Seth Dortch of Rough Country, one of the fastest‑growing vehicle accessory brands in the outdoor space.

From truck lifts and bed systems to fully outfitted UTV builds, Seth shares how Rough Country has evolved from a suspension company into a full‑scale outdoor lifestyle brand — and how that evolution parallels the way modern hunters access, transport, and experience the outdoors.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Seth Dortch’s background growing up in West Tennessee and DU banquets
• The early partnership between Rough Country and Ducks Unlimited
• How Rough Country grew from a small suspension company to a major manufacturer
• The role of aftermarket accessories in hunting and outdoor lifestyles
• Why modern hunters rely on UTVs and fully customized vehicles
• The rise of UTV accessories and how the category exploded in the last decade
• How Rough Country designs products specifically for hunters and outdoorsmen
• Bed caps, cargo systems, and the “full system” approach to gear
• The complexity of fitting products across vehicle makes and models
• How innovation and competition drive better gear for consumer
• American manufacturing and the impact on local communities
• What Rough Country is bringing to the DUX show in Memphis

This episode highlights how gear and mobility have become essential parts of the modern hunting experience — and how brands like Rough Country are helping drive that evolution.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

California’s Central Valley is one of the most important — and most intensively managed — waterfowl landscapes in North America.

In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by Matt Kaminski, Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist, and Dr. Dan Smith, DU Waterfowl Scientist, for a deep dive into habitat conditions, conservation challenges, and the future of wetlands in the Pacific Flyway.

From highly engineered water systems to changing land use and declining snowpack, the conversation highlights how water management decisions shape waterfowl populations across the entire annual cycle — from breeding to migration and wintering.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Current breeding habitat conditions in the Central Valley
• The role of snowpack and water supply in wetland availability
• Why California remains critical for wintering AND breeding ducks
• Declines in mallard production and possible causes
• Changes in agriculture, especially rice, and impacts on ducks
• The importance of watergrass as a key food resource
• Highly engineered water systems and wetland infrastructure
• Seasonal vs. semi‑permanent wetlands explained
• The concept of “reverse cycle wetlands” and brood habitat
• Why summer water is critical — but difficult and expensive to maintain
• DU and partner programs incentivizing habitat for breeding waterfowl

This episode provides an inside look at one of the most complex conservation landscapes in North America — and how Ducks Unlimited is working with partners to keep it productive for waterfowl.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Mathematics was once a required practice in the duck blind, courtesy of the point system of the 70s and 80s. Dr. Jim Dubovsky, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service central flyway representative, joins Dr. Mike Brasher for a trip down memory lane to discuss the origination, objectives, implementation, and critiques of the old point system, a once common regulatory alternative for duck harvest. Although liked and enjoyed by managers and hunters alike, it wasn’t without its challenges.

 
Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Behind every vintage shell box, calendar, or advertisement is a story — not just about products, but about the history and culture of hunting itself.

In this episode, host Katie Burke is joined by Lee Schulz, a long‑time collector of sporting art and hunting-related advertising, live from the North American Decoy Collectors Show. From hotel rooms turned antique shops to decades of collecting rare pieces, this conversation explores a side of the waterfowl world many hunters overlook — the art and artifacts that helped define it.

Lee shares how collecting evolved over the last 40 years, the artists behind iconic advertising, and why these pieces still resonate with hunters today.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• What sporting art and advertising collectibles are
• How Lee got started collecting shell boxes and antique advertising
• The role of hunting culture in shaping early American advertising
• Why companies like Winchester and Remington relied on fine artists
• Legendary artists like Philip Goodwin, Lynn Bogue Hunt, and Frank Benson
• The connection between early advertising art and duck stamp artists
• How artwork was designed to sell products and tell stories
• Why nostalgia and outdoor heritage are driving renewed interest

This episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of art, history, and hunting — and why preserving these pieces matters for future generations.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Rice fields aren’t just agricultural landscapes — they’re one of the most important waterfowl habitats in North America.

In this episode, host Dr. Jerad Henson is joined by Dr. Ryan Askren of Five Oaks Ag Research & Education Center and Patrick Dill, Ducks Unlimited’s Manager of Agricultural Programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV), to break down the science, management, and real‑world decisions behind rice agriculture and waterfowl habitat.

From energy-rich food resources to water management and farming practices, the group explains why rice fields have become a cornerstone of wintering habitat — and what’s at risk as modern agriculture continues to evolve.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• The history of rice agriculture and its connection to waterfowl
• Why rice fields function as “surrogate wetlands” in the MAV
• Duck Energy Days explained and why they matter
• The massive difference between harvested vs. unharvested rice fields
• How modern harvesting techniques affect food availability
• Residue management (burning, rolling, disking) and its impact on ducks
• Why water depth (2–8 inches) is critical for feeding waterfowl
• The importance of invertebrates and diverse food sources in rice fields
• How infrastructure (levees, impoundments) helps hold water on the landscape
• The role of geese, weather, and timing in food depletion
• Why early flooding and late-season water retention matter
• How pressure, disturbance, and refuge areas affect duck behavior
• The realities of farming decisions: input costs, markets, and water scarcity
• Emerging trends in rice production (row rice, AWD irrigation, ratoon crops)
• Habitat loss risks when rice acres shift to other crops
• Practical tips for managing rice fields specifically for waterfowl

This episode connects agriculture and conservation in a way that shows how farm-level decisions directly influence continental duck populations.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

In this concluding episode about the implementation of Adaptive Harvest Management, Dr. Jim Nichols and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss the importance of population data, band returns, and harvest estimates in AHM mechanics. This episode wraps up with a reflection on 25 years of liberal regulations, the legacy and influence of AHM beyond waterfowl management, where it ranks in the history of waterfowl management, and thoughts on why it has withstood the test of time.

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

REGISTER FOR DUX 2026!

Innovation in waterfowl hunting gear doesn’t happen by accident — it comes from hunters solving real problems in the field.

In this episode of the DUX Series, hosts Jimbo Robinson and David Schuessler sit down with Art Diaz, Community Manager for Banded Hunting Gear, to explore the evolution of one of the most recognizable brands in waterfowl — from its roots in Avery Outdoors and Greenhead Gear to its modern identity under the Banded name.

The conversation blends culture, history, and innovation, diving into how gear has changed, what drives new product development, and why authenticity still matters in a crowded outdoor market.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Art Diaz’s journey from musician to outdoor industry professional
• Growing up hunting in South Dakota and discovering waterfowl
• The connection between music, creativity, and the outdoors
• The legacy of Avery Outdoors and Greenhead Gear
• Game‑changing innovations like breathable waders and detailed decoys
• Behind‑the‑scenes stories from the early days of GHG
• How the internet changed product perception and adoption
• Why honesty and problem‑solving drive Banded’s design philosophy
• The importance of community and real hunter feedback
• What sets Banded gear apart in today’s saturated market
• The continued demand for high‑quality decoys and technical gear
• Influencers, ambassadors, and real‑world experience in product validation
• The growing connection between outdoor culture and broader audiences
• What to expect from Banded at this year’s DUX show
• A preview of major upcoming innovations (without giving too much away)

This episode is a deep look at how heritage brands evolve — and how Banded is positioning itself for the next generation of waterfowl hunters.

REGISTER FOR DUX 2026!

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Waterfowl science is entering a new era — and Ducks Unlimited is right in the middle of it.

In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by co‑host Dr. Jerad Henson and guest Dr. Patrick Donnelly, Research Scientist with Ducks Unlimited’s Western Region, for a deep dive into how emerging technologies are transforming the way we understand ducks, wetlands, and flyways.

Patrick brings decades of experience from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, joint ventures, and academia, and now applies cutting‑edge tools like AI, cloud computing, GPS telemetry, remote sensing, and environmental DNA to answer some of the most important conservation questions at continental scales.

In this episode, listeners will hear about:

• Patrick Donnelly’s journey from the Fish & Wildlife Service to Ducks Unlimited
• Movement ecology and why scale matters for migratory birds
• How GPS transmitters revolutionized waterfowl research
• Using satellite imagery to map wetlands across 40+ years
• “Functional wetland loss” and why water matters as much as land protection
• The role of snowpack, hydrology, and climate in western wetlands
• Disease risk, botulism, and crowding during molting periods
• Linking bird movements, habitat conditions, and time
• The Western Mallard Project and tracking 800 birds across the Pacific Flyway
• Sentinel and Landsat satellites explained in plain language
• Cloud computing and why conservation can now run at scale
• Using citizen‑science data (eBird) alongside satellite data
• New applications of environmental DNA (yes — duck poop)
• How AI helps identify patterns humans can’t see
• Training the next generation of conservation scientists
• Why this moment feels like a “second revolution” in waterfowl science

This episode pulls back the curtain on how Ducks Unlimited is using modern science to maximize conservation return on investment, ensuring that every dollar delivers the greatest benefit for waterfowl now and into the future.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: [email protected]

SPONSORS:

Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
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.

Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.