This week, Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard sit down with California outdoors legend Yancey Forest‑Knowles—a waterfowling and conservation icon with over 70 years in the field. Dubbed the “embodiment of the authentic outdoorsman,” Yancey’s journey began duck hunting at age 10 in the Bay near Palo Alto and evolved into a life filled with adventure, leadership, and preservation (cohof.org).

A former elementary-school principal from Santa Rosa, Yancey’s passion for wildlife runs deep. He’s leased marshland for duck clubs, guided white-water rafting trips for over a decade, and even raced yachts across the Pacific and Atlantic. A champion sporting-clays shooter, he’s traveled the world hunting and fly fishing, and he co-authored Pacific Flyway – Historical Waterfowling Images.

In leadership roles like Chairman of the California Waterfowl Association, Secretary of the Klamath Water Committee, and as a key advisor with the Pacific Flyway Center, Yancey has fought for water rights and wetland restoration—meeting with Interior Secretaries to secure dedicated water for Lower Klamath Refuge. He’s also been inducted into the International Order of St. Hubertus and contributed to the Golden Gate Salmon Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and more. We dive into:

• The journey from early marsh leases to modern duck-club management
• True tales from Suisun Marsh and the Pacific Flyway
• How Yancey helped shape California’s waterfowl heritage through policy
• Field stories and lessons from seven decades sharpened by boots-on-the-ground experience

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