Contact Elliott: [email protected]

Support the show: Patreon.com/Freelanceduckhunting

Jeff Coats, better known to many as “Pit Boss,” joins the podcast for a deep dive into a lifetime spent chasing ducks, training retrievers, guiding sea duck hunts, and living waterfowl culture since the early days of internet forums and VHS hunting videos. Jeff shares the story of how he went from football dreams and working blue collar jobs to becoming one of the most recognizable names in sea duck hunting on the East Coast.

We discuss the evolution of sea duck hunting, the rise of online waterfowl culture, old school duck boats, guiding on the Atlantic Ocean, close encounters with sharks while hunting, retriever training, AKC hunt tests, field trials, and what it takes to produce high level dogs. Jeff also opens up about the personal experiences that pushed him toward building a life on his own terms through guiding, dogs, and waterfowl hunting.

This episode is packed with stories, history, dog talk, and insight from someone who has truly lived the waterfowl lifestyle for decades.

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https://www.shottygear.com
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In this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, Elliott sits down with Nate Verdin of Falling Tide TV for a wide ranging conversation about family, fatherhood, duck hunting culture, Louisiana marshes, public land, and the deeper reasons hunters stay connected to the outdoors.

The two discuss how becoming fathers changed their perspectives on life, faith, risk, and priorities. They also dive into childhood hunting memories, the emotional connection hunters have with wildlife, and the unique culture surrounding waterfowl hunting across different regions of the country.

Later in the episode, Elliott and Nate revisit the flooded corn conversation, discuss public land pressure, nonresident hunting, and the growing tensions within the waterfowl community.

This is less of a tactics episode and more of an honest conversation about hunting, identity, and the places that shape us.

Partners:
Flight Day Ammunition
https://www.flightdayammo.com
Code: NAW10

Shotty Gear
https://www.shottygear.com
Code: FDH10

Weatherby
https://www.weatherby.com

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com
Code: NAW18

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates
Search Mammoth Guardian Dog Crate on Amazon or visit:
https://www.mammothpet.com

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

Contact:
[email protected]

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Support the Show: Patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

Contact Elliott: [email protected]

On this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, Elliott is joined once again by good friend and host of the Migration Waterfowl Podcast, Brian Halbleib. The two sit down for a wide ranging conversation covering everything from duck hunting adventures and prairie marshes to family life, nonresident hunting pressure, and even the world of First Amendment auditors.

Brian talks about the emotional transition of becoming an empty nester as his daughters begin careers and move out of state. The conversation then shifts into law enforcement and public filming rights as Elliott asks Brian, a police sergeant, about the growing trend of First Amendment auditors filming inside public buildings.

From there the guys dive deep into waterfowl hunting, including Saskatchewan mallard hunts, hidden marshes loaded with ducks, the Gear Roost storage system, travel hunting, Kansas nonresident regulations, scouting strategies, and how perspectives on waterfowl pressure evolve over time.

This is one of those classic long form conversations that feels more like sitting around camp with friends than a formal interview.

Partners:
Flight Day Ammunition
http://www.flightdayammo.com
Code: NAW10

Shotty Gear
http://www.shottygear.com
Code: FDH10

Weatherby
http://weatherby.com

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com
Code: NAW18

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates
https://mammothpet.com

Patreon:
Patreon.com/FreelanceDuckHunting

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On this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, I give an update on recovering my YouTube channel after being hacked, talk about spending the day training with Chris Jobman and Georgie at Habitat Flats, and share details about an upcoming remote Nebraska fishing trip that I cannot stop thinking about.

I also break down some of my favorite pieces of waterfowl gear and equipment that truly stand out from the rest including decoys, jackets, motors, ammo, backpacks and more.

Topics include:

• Recovering the Freelance Duck Hunting YouTube channel
• Training dogs with Chris Jobman
• Georgie’s hunt test journey
• Upcoming Nebraska fishing trip
• AI data center concerns at the Great Salt Lake
• My favorite waterfowl gear and products

Join the Patreon community:
Patreon.com/FreelanceDuckHunting

Contact:
[email protected]

Partners:

TideWe
Code: FDH18

Flight Day Ammunition
www.flightdayammo.com
Code: NAW10

Shotty Gear
www.shottygear.com
Code: FDH10

Weatherby
www.weatherby.com

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates
Mammoth Pet Products

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

Contact Elliott: [email protected]

Get More Content: patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

This episode starts off all over the map in the best way possible. Elliott and Ben Meyers talk Royals baseball, shotgun issues, pattern testing, Flight Day Ammo loads, and why educated ducks become nearly impossible to finish late in the season. Ben breaks down why certain loads outperform others, the differences between 20 gauge and 12 gauge setups, and what he learned after switching back from bismuth to steel.

The conversation then shifts into private land duck management, flooded corn, refuge systems, duck pressure, and how heavily hunted birds adapt to survive. Ben also shares details about a brand new blind project going in on one of their favorite timber holes and explains how years of water management can slowly “imprint” ducks onto a property.

If you enjoy deep waterfowl conversation mixed with real hunting experience and honest opinions, this is a fun one.

Flight Day Ammunition
https://www.flightdayammo.com

Weatherby Shotguns
https://www.weatherby.com

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates
https://www.mammothpet.com

Shotty Gear
https://www.shottygear.com

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com

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In this episode, I break down real data from over 35,000 logged hunts inside The North American Waterfowler app to answer a question we all think we already know the answer to: what actually impacts duck hunting success?

I dive into how wind speed, temperature, and sunny versus cloudy conditions affect birds per hunt and some of the results might surprise you. If you’re someone who loves understanding the “why” behind good and bad hunts, this one is for you.

I also answer a listener question about spring scouting and how to approach learning new areas this time of year without overthinking what you’re seeing.

To wrap things up, I’m joined by Ben Kraja to talk about a proposed 40,000 acre AI data center near the Great Salt Lake and why it could be a serious concern for waterfowl hunters and the future of that ecosystem.

If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to check out The North American Waterfowler app where you can log your hunts, analyze your data, and learn from hunters across the country.

Patreon: https://patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

Partners & Discounts

Flight Day Ammunition

Shotty Gear

Weatherby

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

TideWe

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Get in touch / Support the show:
Email: [email protected]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

In this episode, I break down one of the worst days I’ve had as a content creator. My Freelance Duck Hunting YouTube channel was hacked, taken over, and ultimately terminated. I walk through exactly what happened, how it went down, and what the next steps look like moving forward.

If you follow Freelance Duck Hunting, this directly impacts you, so I wanted to be upfront about where things stand.

After that, I’m joined by Patreon member Tom Markley as we shift gears into hunting talk. Tom shares his recent Kansas turkey hunt, his background in competitive turkey calling, and we dive into what waterfowl hunting looks like in Ohio.

A mix of real-life chaos and good hunting conversation in this one.

Partners:
Flight Day Ammunition – https://www.flightdayammo.com (Code: NAW10)
Shotty Gear – https://www.shottygear.com (Code: FDH10)
TideWe – https://www.tidewe.com (Code: NAW18)
Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates – Search “Mammoth Dog Crate” on Amazon
Weatherby Shotguns – https://www.weatherby.com

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In this episode, I’m joined by Jake from Chasing Green, one of the most driven and knowledgeable voices in waterfowl hunting today.

We kick things off with a full breakdown of an unforgettable turkey hunt together, from tough conditions to an incredible finish and why those shared moments in the woods mean so much. Then we shift into a deeper conversation around non resident hunting regulations, pressure, and the future of waterfowl hunting.

Jake shares his perspective on providing value to the hunting community, the importance of mentorship, and how hunters can shorten the learning curve and find success on public land.

If you’ve followed Chasing Green or you’re trying to improve as a hunter, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.

Learn from Jake:

Jake’s full public land waterfowl course:
https://chasinggreencourse.com

Chasing Green YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@ChasingGreen

Partners:

Flight Day Ammunition

Shotty Gear

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

TideWe

Weatherby Shotguns

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In this episode, we sit down with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks property manager Cody Stegman to talk through what’s actually happening beneath the surface of these wetlands.

Cody explains how “sand veins” run through these areas like fingers back to the river, and why water that looks perfect one day can be completely gone the next.

We also get into what this means for habitat, how it impacts management decisions, and the challenges of building and maintaining wetlands in areas that simply won’t hold water.

If you’ve ever hunted a spot that looked right but didn’t last, this will help you understand why.

Partners:

Flight Day Ammunition
https://www.flightdayammo.com

Weatherby Shotguns
https://www.weatherby.com

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com

NAW18

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates
https://www.mammothpet.com

Shotty Gear
https://www.shottygear.com

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In this episode, I break down the latest Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks meeting and what it means for waterfowl hunters.

We get into the decision to move to a 3 pintail limit, the science behind compensatory vs additive mortality, and why increasing the limit may not impact the population the way many hunters think.

I also dive into the growing pressure from non-resident hunters in Kansas, the proposed midday hunting restrictions, and what a future draw system could look like.

On top of that, I address a recent comment and talk about the current state of the waterfowl community and why things feel more divided than ever right now.

If you care about where waterfowl hunting is headed, this is an important conversation.

Contact:
[email protected]

Shotty Gear
https://www.shottygear.com

Weatherby Shotguns
https://www.weatherby.com

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com

Flight Day Ammunition
https://www.flightdayammo.com

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

Partners

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