We welcome back one of our favorites here at The Southern Roost, Dr. Kevin Ringelman of LSU to give us an indepth look at the Rise of the Black Belly Whistling Duck (BBWD). AKA Mexican Squealers. Have you ever wondered why you always see Wood Ducks and BBWDs use wood duck nesting boxes? Are Mexican Squealers hurting our native Wood duck population? How do swans come into this? On this episode we answer these questions and many more about a species on the rise here in Louisiana and across the south.

A link to a video on BBWD research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtX8XrQgjt0

Link to Dr. Kevin Ringelman website: https://faculty.lsu.edu/ringelman/index.php 

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

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Today’s episode brings back Dr. Kevin Ringelman from LSU! We Dive into the fascinating world of “Dogris”, Cajun/ South Louisianan for Scaup. Recently, like Mottled Ducks, LA hunters were faced with a bag season change of 1 for the first 15 days of the season, and then you can harvest 2 thereafter. We try to answer “why”? How hurricanes affect the population of Dogris on Lake Pontchartrain. Some years you see millions and the next year you see none- we have that answer. What about parasites, invasive species, and heavy metal intake of this species, and can humans get these same parasites from eating this duck? What can hunters do to control invasive species and see what the future holds for Louisiana’s favorite diving duck, the Dogris, on this episode of The Southern Roost.

***Want to help in Waterfowl Research***:

If any of the listeners of The Southern Roost regularly shoot a bunch of Scaup/ Dogris in Louisiana, Send Dr. Ringelman an email.

[email protected]

Link to Dr. Kevin Ringelman website: https://faculty.lsu.edu/ringelman/index.php 

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

Today’s episode brings us Dr. Kevin Ringelman from LSU! #GeauxTigers. We continue with our Mottled Duck Mini Series. He shares fascinating research on THE “Flagship Species of LA”. Learn about Mottled Duck nest success, and how hurricanes can affect the landscape of duck habitat both short term and for long term changes to our duck hunting. Learn about programs for landowners to help MODU and what we can do as hunters to help this FLAGSHIP Species for our state. 100K Motts in 2010 and we are down to around 40K now. We can make a difference!

Link to Dr. Kevin Ringelman website: https://faculty.lsu.edu/ringelman/index.php 

2023 GCJV MODU Conservation Plan Update: https://www.gcjv.org/docs/Conservation_Plans/Lancaster%20et%20al%202023%20Mottled%20Duck%20Conservation%20Plan%20Update.pdf

If people want to know more about the LSU hunting program there is a series of 3 short videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ3WQlOpQYk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naOjb2jkouM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3jrvxzTriI

And one longer one by DU:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8Nwx-Qlfzs

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

In this episode we interview John Roden. One of our collective’s long time hunting companions. This hunt takes place on November 26th, And someone forgot their rain jacket and waders, on an absolute deluge of rain, lightning, and DUCKS! While we are on the midseason grind, Recap a memorable hunt with us on this episode of The Southern Roost.

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

Have you ever heard of a Duck Hunting Tournament? Well our boys John H and Dustin P have just the thing any waterfowler dreams of here on the gulf coast of Texas. Come on down to the Red Head Blast (RHB) on Jan. 12-13, 2024 to get in on all the public land action for Red Heads and Pintails. Located in Port O'Connor Texas, this tournament is a really great time with loads of good people with all the proceeds going to an even greater cause. Find out more on today's episode as we share stories from previous years and some of the prizes you could win. Cajun Invasion will be there. Will you?

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out The Flyways & Highways Collective (flywaysandhighways.com) for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

Contact Info:

John Hafernick: 361-920-1075

Dustin Peterson: 361-404-0146

Facebook: Search RHB Outdoors. 

(6) RHB Outdoors | Facebook

Make sure to get in on early registration prizes before the window closes!

Tourney Dates:

RHB: Jan 12-13th, 2024

Sheepshead Derby: Dec. 8-9th, 2023

What exactly is a Mottled duck? Today we get down to the cellular level to answer many questions that will change your view ducks forever… Today we are talking Duck Genetics! Why are mottled ducks non migratory? Did you know there are two different species of mottled ducks? What about Dusky Ducks? Dr. Phil Lavretsky is here today to answer all things duck genetics as it relates to mottled ducks. You don’t want to miss it!

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

Don’t forget to checkout the Waterfowl Ecology course:

Waterfowl Ecology and Management Course - 23SPWECS101 (utep.edu)

If you’d like to reachout to today’s guest:

email:[email protected]

web page: https://www.utep.edu/science/lavretskylab/

donation page: https://givingto.utep.edu/conservation

DUCK DNA. Not just talking about it, doing it! Yes, that's right. You as a hunter can actually participate in collecting genetic samples of ducks that you hunt and send them off to a lab for analysis. Ever shot a duck and you didn’t know what it was or thought it was a hybrid? Could’ve sworn you shot a cinnamon teal in early teal season? Thought you killed a Black Duck in Louisiana? Now is your chance to prove yourself right (or wrong). We welcome Dr. Phil Lavretsky from UTEP for an exciting episode about how you as a Hunter can be a part of the bigger picture in the World of Waterfowl Science.

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

If you’d like to reachout to today’s guest:

email:[email protected]

Duck DNA: www.duckdna.com

web page: https://www.utep.edu/science/lavretskylab/

donation page: https://givingto.utep.edu/conservation

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Owen Best, North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Coordinator for LDWF, Louisiana.. Join us as we pick his brain on using some of the best tactics to harvest a mottled duck, even in this time of restricted bag limits.

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

Enter the World of Mottled Ducks. We are MODU.. Today we interview one of my closest hunting companions who just so happens to be a BIG deal in the waterfowl world in Louisiana (and formerly TX). Our guest of honor, is Mr. Owen Best, North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Coordinator for LDWF, Louisiana. We dive into a species he has worked many years on in both LA and TX, The Mottled Duck (MODU for Short). We will answer many questions about MODU including: Why are our bag limits being closed for MODU for 1st 15 days of the season?What's going on with the Mottled Duck habitat, and their numbers? Answer all things Mottled Duck Conservation. You DO NOT want to miss this episode of The Southern Roost!

***Friendly Reminder, pick your targets wisely this Teal Season and help our Mottled Ducks***.

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.

In this episode, we wrap up our conversation with Ramsey from GetDucks.com and talk about miscellaneous topics from what he includes in his blind bag, big game hunt in Africa, as well as a final message as to what hunters can do to fuel conservation going forward.

Follow our collective and its many adventures! Check out flywaysandhighways.com for our awesome blog titled, “The Wayward Waterfowler.”

Instagram: @flywaysandhighways 

Facebook: @The Flyways and Highways Collective

Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5 star review! It really does make a difference.