Since my recent conversation with Josh Goins, there’s been a lot of debate about duck numbers, hunting pressure, flooded corn, and the Adaptive Harvest Management system. In this episode, I step back from the noise, dig into the actual data, and explain what I’ve learned.

We break down how AHM works, why seasons have remained liberal despite declining mallard numbers, and what the science says about additive vs compensatory mortality. I also compare current duck populations and prairie pond conditions to long-term averages and historic drought years to put today’s numbers into context.

I’ll also revisit my recent reel about ducks going nocturnal around flooded corn and discuss what we actually know — and don’t know — about its impact on migration.

Finally, I tease an upcoming Patreon-only livestream interview with Dr. Mike Brasher, Chief Scientist at Ducks Unlimited, where we’ll go even deeper into habitat, harvest management, and the future of waterfowl hunting.

This episode is about facts, context, and understanding — not outrage.

Flight Day Ammunition

Premium bismuth loads built specifically for waterfowl hunters. Reliable performance and clean kills.

Use code NAW10
https://www.flightdayammo.com

TideWe

Affordable, dependable hunting gear built for real conditions. Waders, blinds, backpacks, apparel, and more.

Use code NAW18
https://www.tidewe.com

Weatherby

High-performance shotguns trusted by serious waterfowl hunters. Built for reliability, durability, and performance in harsh conditions.

https://www.weatherby.com

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

Heavy-duty aluminum crates designed to keep your dog safe in the field and on the road.

Use code GUARDIAN15
Search “Mammoth dog crate” on Amazon or visit the Mammoth Pet Products store

Shotty Gear

Rugged, affordable gear built by hunters for hunters. Blind bags, shell pouches, gun cases, lighting, apparel, and more.

Use code FDH10
https://www.shottygear.com

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

Josh Goins, founder of Flyway Federation, is one of the most controversial figures in modern waterfowl hunting. Supporters call him a truth teller fighting for everyday hunters. Critics say his claims oversimplify complex science. In this rare appearance, Josh sits down to explain his views on flooded corn, short stopping, migration changes, and the future of duck hunting across North America.

This conversation dives into the data, the history, and the growing divide within the waterfowl community. Whether you agree with him or not, this is a perspective every hunter should hear.

Love him or hate him, Josh Goins has changed the conversation.

Support the companies that support this podcast:

Flight Day Ammunition

TideWe

Shotty Gear

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

Weatherby Shotguns

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

After Episode 250, the feedback poured in from hunters across the country. Some agree. Some strongly disagree. Many are seeing completely different realities depending on where they hunt.

In this episode, Elliott reads and responds to real listener comments about duck numbers, migration patterns, hunting pressure, public vs private access, and what success actually looks like across different regions. From concerns about declining mallards to debates over effort, habitat, and expectations, this episode captures a wide cross section of opinions from the waterfowl community.

No experts. No scripts. Just honest reactions to what hunters are experiencing on the ground right now.

Shotty Gear
Waterproof, durable gear built by hunters for hunters. From shell pouches to gun cases, this is rugged equipment made to survive real conditions.
🔗 https://www.shottygear.com
Code: FDH10

TideWe
Affordable, reliable hunting gear for every season, including waders, apparel, optics, and more.
🔗 https://www.tidewe.com
Code: NAW18

Weatherby Shotguns
Dependable performance and fit right out of the box, trusted by hunters for generations.
🔗 https://www.weatherby.com

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates
Safe, rugged transport for your hunting partner, whether in the cab or the truck bed.
🔗 https://www.mammothpet.com
Code: GUARDIAN15

Flight Day Ammunition
Maximum payload steel loads designed for dense patterns and reliable performance in the field.
🔗 https://www.flightdayammo.com
Code: NAW10

Support the show and connect with Elliott’s core community of serious waterfowl hunters. Patreon members get bonus content, hunt giveaways, live events, and more.

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

🤝 PARTNERS🔒 JOIN THE INNER CIRCLE

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

Jordan Fromer of the Duck Gun Podcast joins Elliott for the first off-season recap of the year. With duck and goose seasons closed across most of the country, it’s time to look back at what worked, what didn’t, and the lessons learned from months in the field.

Jordan hunted six different states this season, logging serious miles and experiencing a wide range of conditions, bird numbers, and hunting styles. In this episode, he breaks down his travels, favorite locations, toughest hunts, gear insights, and the realities of chasing birds across the country.

If you’re already thinking about next season, this conversation is packed with perspective that can help you hunt smarter, scout better, and prepare during the off-season.

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

Shotty Gear
https://www.shottygear.com

Weatherby Firearms
https://www.weatherby.com

TideWe Hunting Gear
https://www.tidewe.com

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crate

PATREON — Extra Hunts + Annual Hunt Giveaway

Get access to full hunt videos not released on YouTube, bonus content, and entry into the annual hunt giveaway on private flooded timber in Missouri.

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

In this episode of The North American Waterfowler, I sit down for a civil and honest debate with a critic who took issue with a recent reel of mine about duck hunting effort, success, and responsibility. Instead of trading comments online, we chose to have the conversation face to face. We talk about flooded corn, migration changes, regional expectations, frustration in the waterfowl community, and where personal effort fits into the bigger picture.

This episode is not about winning an argument. It is about listening, challenging assumptions, and having the kind of conversation hunters should be willing to have with one another.

Support the show and get access to exclusive full length hunt films, bonus podcast episodes, live streams, and giveaways by joining Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

Partners of The North American Waterfowler

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

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

In this episode, I break down my entire duck season using logged hunt data from start to finish. I split the season into early, mid, and late segments and walk through harvest totals, shooting percentages, shots per hunt, satisfaction ratings, and species breakdowns for each phase of the year.

Early season covers September 1 through October 31 and was dominated by blue wing teal and gadwall with high efficiency and solid satisfaction. Mid season runs November 1 through December 15 and shifted heavily into mallards, with more pressure, lower shooting percentages, and reduced satisfaction. Late season spans December 16 through close and became a mallard focused grind with more shots per hunt, higher difficulty, but improved satisfaction when things came together.

I then zoom out to the full season totals, including 37 hunts, 129 ducks harvested, 239 shots fired, a 57.322 percent shooting percentage, and an average hunt satisfaction of 6.51. I also break down species totals across the entire season.

Using those stats, I outline five offseason wants for 2026. These include TideWe heated gloves, the Lucky Twin Pack 2.0 mallard spinning wing decoys, the Higdon Pulsator PRO drake and hen combo, shotgun and ammo changes including 18i 5s, Muller choke considerations, and a possible move to a 20 gauge Weatherby Sorix. The final offseason want is a bigger motor, upgrading from a 35 horsepower surface drive with a goal of reaching upper teens speed when fully loaded.

This episode is a full season review driven by real data and a clear look at what I am changing heading into next year.

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

Weatherby
https://www.weatherby.com

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

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com

Shotty Gear
https://www.shottygear.com

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

In this episode of The North American Waterfowler Podcast, Elliott sits down with Michael Flaspohler, Kale Flaspohler, and Dan Crigler from the Waterfowl Management Academy to talk about one of the most overlooked drivers of duck numbers: spring habitat.

The discussion breaks down moist soil versus flooded corn, why invertebrates are critical during spring migration, and how water depth, timing, and habitat diversity directly impact duck production. With decades of experience managing public and private wetlands across Missouri and the Mississippi Flyway, the Waterfowl Management Academy team explains how spring habitat determines how many ducks make it back to the breeding grounds in good condition.

They also introduce the Spring Habitat Campaign and explain how private landowners, hunters, and supporters can play a role in improving habitat during the most important season of the year.

Learn more about the Waterfowl Management Academy and their spring habitat resources at
https://www.waterfowlmanagement.com

Spring Habitat Campaign shirts support Ducks Unlimited, with proceeds helping fund habitat work on the breeding grounds.

Support the podcast and get access to exclusive content, livestreams, and giveaways by joining Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/freelanceduckhunting

Podcast Partners

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com

NAW18 for 18% off

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

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

In this episode I wrap up the 2025–26 waterfowl season and break down my final numbers, including harvest totals, shooting percentage, and what made this my second best season ever. I recap my final hunt of the year in brutal cold, ice hole mallards, and some absolutely unreal dog work that capped the season the right way.

I also answer listener questions pulled from Instagram, covering topics like finding open water during deep freezes, boat choices for marshes and reservoirs, teal decoy setups, off season plans, and whether marshes or reservoirs are more enjoyable to hunt.

Finally, I dig into a topic I keep hearing over and over. Is duck hunting really being “ruined”? By social media, guides, influencers, or pressure. I give my honest take based on decades in the field and why effort still matters more than anything else.

If you’re wondering what to do now that the season is over, how to stay sharp in the off season, or you just enjoy honest waterfowl talk, this one’s for you.

As always, thanks for listening and supporting the North American Waterfowler podcast.

Partners:

Shotty Gear

Flight Day Ammunition

TideWe

Weatherby Shotguns

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

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

North American Waterfowler App
https://www.thenorthamericanwaterfowler.com

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

Episode Description

In this episode, Elliott sits down with Chris Jobman for a wide ranging late season conversation that hits everything from weather driven duck movement to why some regions see more bands than others. They talk about the hunt giveaway crew, band stories, and the wild odds of killing two mallard pintail hybrids in the same spot just days apart.

They also dig into habitat and food. Millet versus corn. Imprinting birds on a new marsh. Why ducks shortstop when conditions stay warm. Then they tackle the flooded corn debate head on, including the claim that it stops migration and the argument that it is baiting. Chris gives his take and Elliott adds perspective from Kansas and the Central Flyway.

To wrap it up, Chris answers a listener question about force fetching a soft dog and why training the owner is often harder than training the dog.

If you want to watch these recordings live and be part of the chat, join the Patreon community.

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
Discount Code FDH10

TideWe
https://www.tidewe.com

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

In this episode of The North American Waterfowl Podcast, Elliott sits down with Harrison Collins of Hark Outdoors to talk North American waterfowl, chasing birds across the flyways, and the idea behind pursuing all 41 species. Harrison shares his path into waterfowl hunting, from not growing up hunting at all to traveling for ducks, hunting Arkansas public land, and building a product that celebrates the full spectrum of North American waterfowl.

They dig into public land pressure, Arkansas timber hunts, migration struggles, dog work, and why the 41 species goal resonates with so many hunters. This conversation is about the culture of waterfowl hunting, the memories behind the birds, and finding meaningful ways to remember the hunts that matter.

TideWe

Mammoth Guardian Dog Crates

Shotty Gear

Flight Day Ammunition

Weatherby Shotguns

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