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

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