Midwest Flyways Podcast

There was a time when hunting required no permission. If you could reach the marsh, you could hunt it.

In this episode, we explore how that changed—and why.

As waterfowl populations collapsed in the late 1800s, states began asking a new question: who owns the wildlife? What followed was the birth of the hunting license—an idea that sparked resistance, challenged tradition, and reshaped the future of hunting.

From early pushback in places like Minnesota to the enforcement era, the Lacey Act, and the rise of hunter-funded conservation, this is the story of how conflict turned into stewardship.

Because the hunting license didn’t start as conservation—it started as confrontation.

And today, it represents something bigger:

Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on Sports Guyz Only, the law offices of Kolles and Kolles are officially open. Gavin fights tooth and nail to make the Kaprizov contract make sense. Nathaniel sits back and enjoys the show while Carter adds fuel to the fire.

We also discuss the change baseball has seen with the pitch clock. Is it changing the way the game is played for the better? We’re seeing a whole new era in pitching. Finally, the NFL Draft provides a renewed look at the coming season for some, and the NBA Playoffs are heating up and injuries are becoming part of the game.

Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

In this episode, Cal, Joey, and Carter dive deep into waterfowl culture, breaking down the truth about goose calls, why gear matters (and when it doesn’t), and how different regions shape the way hunters hunt.

But this one goes way beyond hunting. The guys get real about chasing passions, building Midwest Flyways over the past decade, and what it actually takes to balance family, work, and an obsession with the outdoors.

From hilarious stories and industry insights to a raw conversation about dream lifestyles—owning land out west, building cabins by hand, and refusing to give up the things that make life worth living—this episode hits on what it means to build a life you’re proud of.

If you’ve ever felt the pull to hunt more, create more, or just live differently… this one’s for you.

Plus: gear talk, giveaways, and why a $20 goose call might be holding you back. Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

The guyz are back—well, mostly. With Cal out, Nathaniel, Gavin and Carter dive into a packed week in sports. From the Minnesota Wild battling the Dallas Stars in a gritty playoff series to heated debates about physicality, dirty play, and whether fighting still belongs in hockey.

They also break down the growing frustration with NBA officiating, foul-baiting, and how it’s impacting the flow of the game—plus whether players are forced to adapt to the system to win.

To wrap it up, the crew looks ahead to the NFL Draft, debating quarterback value, trade scenarios, and whether proven talent is worth more than a risky first overall pick.

A mix of live reactions and bold takes this week. Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week Joey Vassallo and Cal Ness are joined by our friend, Logan Webster. Earlier this year, Logan was invited to hunt a very special and unknown spot in the gulf and he tells us all about his experience. This is the type of place you can really only dream about and hearing a first hand account of all the little details that go into making a truly one of a kind hunting experience. Above all, hearing about the tradition that is being preserved is what stands out to us. We also talk about hunting in general and our different experiences. Please make sure to check out everything Logan is working on including Camoretro and Chicken Sheet! Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

In this Ten Minute Tuesday History Lesson episode, Cal traces the full evolution of the shotgun and how it shaped waterfowl hunting from the earliest days of market hunting to today.

We start in the pre-1800s era of flintlock muskets, smoothbores, and punt guns—when ducks were harvested for survival and commerce, not sport. From there, we move into the birth of the true shotgun in Europe with early innovators like Joseph Manton and Purdey, and follow its arrival in America as wingshooting begins to take form.

The episode breaks down the biggest turning points in shotgun history: the invention of the self-contained shell, the rise of breech-loading doubles, and the golden age of American makers like Parker, L.C. Smith, Ithaca, and Remington. We then explore how repeating shotguns changed everything—Winchester 1897 pump actions, Browning’s Auto-5 semi-auto revolution, and the regulatory response that followed, including the 3-shell federal limit that still shapes waterfowl hunting today.

From mid-century workhorses like the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 to the global shift brought by imports from Beretta, Browning, and more, we track how accessibility and reliability transformed the average hunter’s experience.

Finally, we land in the modern era with purpose-built waterfowl platforms like the Weatherby Sorix, advanced materials, steel and tungsten shot, and the ongoing debate that has echoed for over 150 years: how much firepower is “too much” for fair chase hunting?

From black powder to precision machines—this is the story of the shotgun, and the culture of waterfowl hunting it built.

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on Sports Guyz Only, we’re lucky to be joined in studio by our good buddy Logan Webster. Logan spent 4 and a half years photographing all sorts of sporting events and media happenings from press conferences to football, basketball and you name it for the University of Arkansas. He got a good look at the grind that is collegiate athletics across the board. We hear all about his experiences behind the scenes. Then we pivot to a little of this and a little of that around the sports world. Nathaniel pretends he actually picked Rory and back to back and we all know he didn’t. Carter believes Kyler Murray is the answer to all the Vikings problems and Gavin can’t take much more of it. We wrap up with another one of Carters diabolical games set as a trap for Gavin, but things quickly derail. Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey Vassallo and Cal Ness break down one of the biggest waterfowl conversations Minnesota has seen in years: the Minnesota Duck Summit.

Held in Nicollet near Swan Lake, the summit brought together more than 300 hunters, conservationists, biologists, and agency officials to ask a simple question: where have all the ducks gone? Joey and Cal dive into the biggest topics from the event, including declining mallard numbers, the push to reduce the hen mallard limit from two birds to one, concerns over early September seasons, hunting pressure, and whether Minnesota’s current regulations are doing more harm than good.

The guys also discuss the growing belief among hunters that ducks are being pressured off public water too early and too often. At the summit, 78% of attendees said hunting pressure is pushing ducks off public land, while 93% supported creating or expanding duck refuges. Many hunters also supported later openers, ending September duck hunting, and earlier daily closing times to give birds more rest.

Are Minnesota’s duck problems being caused by habitat loss, modern agriculture, predators, hunting pressure, or all of the above? Joey and Cal sort through the arguments, the science, and what changes could shape the future of duck hunting in Minnesota.

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

We wanted to give you guys all a small example of what we’re doing and talking about on Flyways Hunt Club every week! What we’ve learned a month into Flyways Hunt Club is that there is still a passionate community of waterfowl hunters that are eager to learn, grow, and connect with other hunters! We’ve seen people exchanging buddy hunts, talking about specific hunting questions, and sharing their success and failures in the field. If you’re tired of the social media game and you’re looking to be a part of a new kind of waterfowl community, please check out Flyways Hunt Club!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

Joey Vassallo and Cal Ness are back this week with a Ten Minute Tuesday that was brought to us by one of our listeners! They asked: what was your top a-ha moment as a waterfowl hunter? Joey and Cal break down a couple of things each that stand out to them as significant moments where they learned something that really shifted their thinking about duck and goose hunting and how to be more successful as a hunter. In truth, the learning never stops because the birds are always changing and anything can happen tomorrow. Each area is different, each set of birds is different and nothing is constant in waterfowl hunting. Have you had moments in your hunting career that stand out to you now that you’ll always be thinking about on each scout and hunt? Thanks so much for listening and be sure to subscribe and review!

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP