The Voice of the Duck Hunter – A Delta Waterfowl Podcast
Welcome to The Voice of the Duck Hunter — the official podcast of Delta Waterfowl, the Duck Hunters Organization. Each episode dives deep into the world of duck hunting, wetland conservation, and the people driving the future of waterfowling.
From prairie potholes to Capitol Hill, we share stories and insights from biologists, policy leaders, gear experts, and dedicated hunters who live for migration. Discover how research, habitat conservation, duck production tools, and smart policies keep ducks flying — and why your voice as a duck hunter is more important than ever.
Tune in for:
-Waterfowl population trends and breeding-ground science
-Habitat restoration and conservation policy breakdowns
-Gear innovation, retriever training, and hunting strategy
-Hunter recruitment and education (First Hunt, University Hunting Program)
-Conversations from the marsh — stories, heritage, and community
Whether you’re chasing ducks in the prairies, pursuing divers along the coast, hunting them in southern timber, or just a passionate waterfowl enthusiast, this show connects the science and stories that make healthy duck populations and duck hunting possible.
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen — and join the movement that uses science-based solutions to produce ducks, conserve prairie wetlands, and ensure the future of waterfowl hunting.
Visit deltawaterfowl.org to learn more about our efforts to achieve our vision of abundant ducks and endless opportunities for all waterfowl hunters.
The Voice of the Duck Hunter – A Delta Waterfowl Podcast
Spring Duck Production Forecast | ep. 63
Welcome back to The Voice of the Duck Hunter podcast. I’m your host, Joel Brice.
In today’s episode, we’re going to “read the tea leaves,” so to speak, by taking a biologist’s approach to forecasting spring duck production—a key factor in the quality of hunting seasons—by analyzing breeding habitat conditions, current weather patterns, last year’s breeding population, and more. We’ll focus on the prairie pothole region, a key source of continental duck production, while also covering key contributors to the Atlantic and Pacific Flyways.
It may seem too early to be breaking out our crystal balls, but mid-to-late March conditions go far toward setting the stage for early nesting in April, peak nesting in May, and late-season re-nesting in June.
For a second consecutive podcast, I’m joined by two Delta colleagues…this time Mike Buxton and Jim Fisher.
As you may recall from our last episode, Mike a key member of our duck production team. In addition, he produces those exceptional breeding habitat conditions maps you see in the Delta Waterfowl magazine, online and in social media. He’ll share insights on some of the intel that goes into producing these maps for us duck hunters, plus current wetland conditions he’s tracking across Delta’s Predator Management sites and beyond, and what they signal for duck production.
Jim Fisher, Delta’s VP of Canadian policy, is a leading voice for ducks, duck hunters, and the conservation of small, duck-producing wetlands. He will help us break down habitat conditions across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—key breeding grounds that can greatly impact duck numbers and hunting success across the continent.
Ready to talk ducks? Let’s get started!
Host: Joel Brice, Chief Conservation Officer
Guest: Mike Buxton, Waterfowl Programs Director
Guest: Jim Fisher, VP of Canadian Policy
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