The Migration Waterfowl Podcast

Duck season is officially underway here in Pennsylvania, and we kicked it off Saturday with a great opening day hunt on a small creek system here in southwestern PA.

Brian was joined by his good friend Mike Pomaibo and his dad, Mike Sr., better known as Mick. They had a great morning in the blind, seeing a few dozen ducks and putting birds on the strap. Not a bad way to get the season started!

In this episode, your host Brian Halbleib and Mike Pomaibo break down that opening day hunt, but they also talk about Mike's journey as a waterfowler. He's got three seasons under his belt now, they discuss what he's learned along the way, how his approach has changed, and what goals he's setting for season number four.

They also get into some gear talk, covering the tried-and-true equipment they rely on season after season, along with a few new additions they're bringing into the field this year.

It's a good conversation between a couple of buddies talking duck hunting, lessons learned, and getting ready for another season chasing waterfowl.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Canada waterfowl adventure continues! After checking in from the road following our fifth hunt, I'm back to wrap up the final two hunts of an incredible trip chasing ducks across the Canadian prairies.

In this episode, I break down what it really takes to pull off a successful freelance waterfowl hunt in Canada, from scouting and securing permission to managing the logistics of hunting unfamiliar territory. I also share my thoughts on hunter pressure, why I believe it's largely a non-issue, in the midst of a growing push for nonresident hunting restrictions.

Beyond the hunting, I discuss something equally important: giving back to the farmers and communities that welcome us each fall. Our experience donating wild game to local First Nations communities was a great reminder that waterfowling is about more than filling limits.

Finally, it's time to turn my attention back home. Pennsylvania's duck opener is right around the corner, and I'm talking scouting, preparation, and what I'm expecting as we kick off another season in the Atlantic Flyway.

From the Canadian prairies to the marshes and rivers of Pennsylvania, we're keeping the migration rolling!

Built For The Migration.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five days into our Canada waterfowl trip, and the migration has been good to us.

In this episode, I’m joined by my good friend Jake Maxwell from Chasing Green to break down our hunt so far. We’ve spent the week chasing ducks across the Canadian prairie and have had some incredible shoots, with mallards, pintails, wigeon, gadwall and teal all making their way into the decoys.

We talk about how each hunt came together, what we’ve been seeing during our scouting, the conditions we’ve dealt with, and the decisions that have helped us stay on birds day after day. We also get into some of the highs, the challenges, and those moments that make a waterfowl road trip like this worth all the miles.

Five days. A pile of scouting. Plenty of laughs. And some of the best duck hunting of the season so far.

Join us from Canada for a mid-trip recap from the heart of the fall migration.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could follow a mallard throughout its entire year and see exactly where it goes, when it moves, how long it stays—and what finally triggers it to migrate?

On this episode of The Migration Waterfowl Podcast, your host Brian Halbleib is joined by Cassidy Waldrep of the Eastern Mallard Project to explore what researchers are learning by GPS-tracking hen mallards across eastern North America.

Cassidy breaks down how the GPS and accelerometer technology works and what the movements of individual ducks are revealing about migration timing, weather, habitat use, stopover areas, wintering behavior and hunting pressure. We also dig into some of the movements researchers have documented through Pennsylvania and the Atlantic Flyway, including where these birds are coming from and where they go next.

The conversation also tackles the bigger question behind the research: Why have eastern mallard numbers declined? Cassidy explains the differences researchers are seeing between mallards breeding in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, what scientists are investigating as possible causes, and how this massive tracking project could ultimately influence habitat conservation and waterfowl management.

For duck hunters who have ever wondered what happens to the birds between the days we see them in the marsh, this episode offers a fascinating look at migration from the duck's perspective.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robby Nelson didn’t grow up in a hunting family, but more than 20 years later, waterfowl hunting has taken him across all four flyways, from Alaska to Mexico and beyond.

On this episode of the Migration Waterfowl Podcast, Robby joins your host Brian Halbleib to talk about teaching himself to hunt alongside friends in Georgia, the people who helped shape him as a waterfowler, and how a passion for chasing ducks and geese eventually turned into a lifetime of traveling and hunting new places and species.

They get into Robby’s pursuit of the North American 41, some of his most memorable destination hunts, and why the friendships and experiences have become just as important as the birds themselves. Robby also shares the story behind launching the Southern Flight Podcast, what pushed him to finally get behind a microphone, and what he hopes to build with the show.

From Southern swamps to hunts around the world, it’s a conversation about waterfowl, travel, friendship, podcasting, and passing the hunting tradition on to the next generation.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three days. Three teal hunts. Three limits.

In this solo episode, your host Brian Halbleib breaks down an unforgettable early teal trip to the Central Flyway. Hunt one brought together Elliott Snider, Aden Shorney and Jeremy Ragsdale. Hunt two was Brian and Elliott, and the final morning became a solo hunt. Despite a different group and setup each day, every hunt ended the same way—with a limit of teal in less than an hour.

The biggest challenge wasn’t finding birds—it was beating the oppressive heat. Temperatures reached 100 degrees during Friday’s full day of scouting and remained brutal throughout most of the trip. Instead of joining the crowds at marshes holding the most teal, the crew deliberately chose a spot with fewer ducks and less hunting pressure, betting that having room to work would outweigh chasing the biggest concentration of birds.

Brian also shares the camping side of the trip, including hauling along a generator and window air conditioner to turn a nylon tent into a surprisingly comfortable escape from the heat.

From scouting strategy and hunting pressure to fast limits and air-conditioned “roughing it,” this episode delivers the complete story of three successful days chasing early-season teal in the Central Flyway.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Am-mo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early goose season is here, and we’re kicking things off with Wisconsin waterfowler Greg Tait.

Greg joins your host Brian Halbleib to talk about how he got his start in waterfowl hunting and what early goose season looks like in Wisconsin. We dive into scouting September Canadas, hunting fields versus water, decoy spreads, calling, concealment and the little adjustments that can turn a slow morning into a successful hunt.

We also get into some of Greg’s favorite hunts and memorable moments from the field, what he has planned for the 2026 waterfowl season, and his role with Shotty Gear. Greg spends a good part of the offseason traveling the country with our friend Chase McCollough, working waterfowl and hunting expos, so we talk about the miles, long days and behind-the-scenes grind of the show circuit.

The wait is over. Waterfowl season is underway, and we’re talking Early Goose Season Masterclass with Greg Tait on this episode of The Migration Waterfowl Podcast.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Am-mo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waterfowl seasons are opening across the country, but is your gear actually ready for opening day?

On this episode of the Migration Waterfowl Podcast, your host Brian Halbleib is joined once again by Jaydon Arnold from Cut ’Em Down Waterfowl to talk about getting your equipment ready for another season. They discuss how to take inventory of the gear you already own, what should be inspected before opening day, proper maintenance, and how to decide when it’s time to repair, replace or upgrade your equipment.

They also break down the essential gear a new waterfowl hunter actually needs, where it makes sense to spend your money, the differences between gearing up for ducks and geese, and when new technology provides a real advantage versus simply adding more stuff to the pile.

Finally, Jaydon shares what’s new in waterfowl gear for the 2026–27 season and the products and innovations he’s most excited about this year.

Whether you’re pulling your gear out for the first time since last season or looking to make a few upgrades before opening day, this episode will help make sure you’re ready when the birds start moving south.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Am-mo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elliott Snider from the Freelance Duck Hunting YouTube channel and host of the North American Waterfowler Podcast is back on the show for another conversation about duck hunting, road trips and what the future might look like for a couple of lifelong waterfowlers.

Elliott and I recap our recent time together at the Ducks Unlimited Expo in Memphis and look ahead to our third annual early teal hunting trip together in the central flyway. We talk about conditions heading into teal season, expectations for the hunting and Elliott’s plans for the rest of his 2026 waterfowl season.

We also look a little further down the road and talk about something that’s been on my mind lately: retirement. When you finally have the time to hunt wherever you want, whenever you want, is the dream to own a duck camp and establish a home base—or skip the property, maintenance and expense and spend that money traveling to hunt different parts of the country?

We wrap things up with Elliott’s plans for Freelance Duck Hunting, the North American Waterfowler Podcast and the North American Waterfowler App, including what he’s learned from tracking years of hunting data and where he hopes to take his waterfowl brands in the future.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waterfowl hunting is changing, and hunters need to be paying attention.

Matt Zvolanek, host of the High Prairie Sportsmen YouTube channel, returns to the Migration Waterfowl Podcast and joins your host Brian Halbleib for a wide-ranging conversation about some of the biggest issues facing waterfowl hunters today.

We dive into the ongoing fight over public lands and hunting access, threats to wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region, the controversy surrounding drain tile and conservation easements, and the growing number of states and provinces placing tighter restrictions on nonresident waterfowl hunters. We also tackle hunting pressure, the increasing commercialization of access, and an uncomfortable question for those of us who create hunting content: has social media contributed to some of the problems we're now facing?

Matt also shares what he's seeing after another two seasons in the field, how waterfowl migration and hunting have changed over the years, and what decades of experience have taught him about continuing to learn and adapt as a hunter.

Most importantly, we look ahead. Are we doing enough to protect the habitat, public access and hunting opportunities that previous generations handed down to us—and what will waterfowl hunting look like for the next generation if we don't?

This is about more than killing ducks. It's about protecting the future of waterfowl hunting.

Feel free to reach out to us: [email protected]

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok:

@migrationwaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl Store - Gear Roost & Apparel

https://www.migrationwaterfowl.com

Patreon - Support the show & get more personal content from Brian

https://www.patreon.com/MigrationWaterfowl

Migration Waterfowl is presented by:

Blue Bird Waterfowl

https://bluebirdwaterfowl.com

And also brought to you by these fine partners:

Rig’Em Right Outdoors

https://rigemright.com

Flight Day Ammo

https://www.flightdayammo.com

10% off with code MW10

Aves Hunting

https://aveshunting.com

Retay USA

https://www.retayusa.com

frogg toggs

https://www.froggtoggs.com

The Duck Hole & Company

https://m.facebook.com/duckholecompany

Northern Duck Calls

https://www.northernduckcalls.com

15% off with code MW15

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices