Ducks Unlimited Podcast

Ducks Unlimited’s work in the Southern United States is complex, diverse, and more critical than ever.
In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher continues the regional conservation series with Jerry Holden, Senior Director of Operations for Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Region. Jerry oversees DU’s conservation delivery across the southern portions of the Mississippi, Central, and Atlantic Flyways, managing one of the organization’s largest and most diverse conservation portfolios.
The conversation spans from duck hunting conditions and flyway dynamics to large‑scale engineering, coastal resilience, private‑lands conservation, and some of the most significant land protection efforts in DU’s history.
In this episode, listeners will hear about:
The 2025–26 waterfowl season across the Southern Region and why outcomes varied so widely
“Spatial discontinuity” and how migratory birds create winners and losers each season
The scope and purpose of DU’s Southern Region field offices across the Gulf Coast and MAV
Why engineering is central to DU’s coastal resilience work in Texas, Louisiana, and the Atlantic Coast
How Ducks Unlimited partners with NRC​S to implement Farm Bill conservation programs
Clearing up misconceptions about DU’s work on private land
The growing role of conservation easements and permanent land protection
A historic donated conservation easement in coastal South Carolina
DU’s leadership role in restoring Arkansas’s greentree reservoir systems
Balancing public expectations with long‑term forest and wetland sustainability
Why DU continues expanding the public land base across the Southern landscape
This episode offers an inside look at how DU delivers conservation at scale—often in places where water, land use, and wildlife interests intersect most intensely—and why that work matters now more than ever.
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

The ideas of “fair” and “equitable” in harvest distribution have been a challenging undercurrent for regulatory decisions over the years. Dale Humburg and Ken Babcock join the DU Podcast one last time to discuss zones and splits, “shortstopping” in geese, the frustration it caused, and how managers tried to adapt. Also discussed are lead poisoning, non-toxic shot regulations, and the birth of Adaptive Harvest Management, each of which brought their own need for adaptation.
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

CONVENTION SPONSORS: Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails, Benelli, & Raymond James.
The Ducks Unlimited National Convention is more than a meeting — it’s a celebration of people, conservation, and one of the greatest fundraising achievements in conservation history.
In this episode, host Jimbo Robinson is joined by DU President Bob Spoerl, National Convention Chair Jared Brown, and Managing Director of National Conferences Pattie Kempka for a full preview of the 2026 Ducks Unlimited National Convention in Tampa, Florida. From opening night at the Florida Aquarium to the culmination of DU’s historic $3‑billion conservation campaign, this conversation breaks down why the national convention is unlike any DU event at the state or local level.
The group walks listeners through the full week — fishing tournaments, conservation tours, business sessions, recognition events, keynote speakers, and the energy that comes with gathering more than a thousand committed DU volunteers and supporters in one place.
Whether you’re a longtime volunteer, a first‑time convention attendee, or someone who has supported DU in any way over the past few years, come hear why Tampa is the place to be!
REGISTER NOW! @ Convention.ducks.org

SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

Water drives everything in the western United States — and right now, it’s increasingly scarce.
In this episode, Ducks Unlimited's senior waterfowl scientist, Dr. Mike Brasher, sits down with Jeff McCreary, director of operations for the Western Region, to discuss waterfowl conservation across the Pacific Flyway. From declining snowpack and drying wetlands to competing water demands from agriculture, people, industry, and fish, Jeff breaks down the realities DU faces — and the solutions they’re working toward. He also introduces the new Alaska Initiative and how it will inform the future of conservation in the Pacific Flyway's most important area for breeding waterfowl.
The conversation spans the Central Valley of California, Klamath Basin, Great Salt Lake, and Alaska, highlighting how DU operates in some of the most complex and water‑limited landscapes in North America.

In this episode:
Why snowpack is the single most important driver of wetlands in the West
How declining snow and rising temperatures affect ducks, farms, and cities
Current wetland conditions in California’s Central Valley and Klamath Basin
Botulism risk and innovative water management solutions in Klamath
Why rain helps short‑term but snowpack determines fall habitat
The drying trend across the western U.S. and climate implications
Great Salt Lake: why it matters to millions of birds and people
DU’s $100 million Great Salt Lake Initiative explained
Controlling “the thirsty three” invasive plants: phragmites, tamarisk & Russian olive
Alaska’s outsized role in producing Pacific Flyway waterfowl
DU’s new Alaska Initiative – Born to Fly
Working with native corporations, agencies, and industry in Alaska
Why conservation in Alaska is about understanding — not restoration
Surprising work DU does on endangered fish recovery
Keeping the Junior Duck Stamp program alive in Washington State

This episode offers a rare behind‑the‑scenes look at how DU operates where water is most precious — and why collaboration, science, and community matter more than ever.
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

The 1970s and 80s brought a flurry of activity, including early teal seasons, stabilized regulations, foundational analyses of compensatory vs. additive mortality, new views on harvest management, and the most important development for waterfowl management in at least 50 years – the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Repeat guests Ken Babcock and Dale Humburg rejoin the DU Podcast to continue a discussion about the history of waterfowl harvest management.
SPONSORS:
Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks Unlimited
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.
Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:
Whether you’re winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.