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The 2025–2026 duck season proved one thing: success depended on where you stood and when you showed up. With mallard numbers down and dry conditions gripping much of the Mississippi Flyway and Central Flyway, many hunters faced a hurdle right out of the gate. Then, just as the season wound down, a blast of snow, sleet, and ice slammed the Deep South, locking up habitat and reshuffling birds overnight. For some, it was a last-minute gift that sent the season out on a high note. For others, it marked an early curtain call. On this episode, Cason and Brent break down how the season unfolded, compare it to years past, and talk candidly about what these shifting conditions mean for the future of waterfowling. They also dig into how hunters can work together through conservation, habitat, and advocacy, to make sure we’re all pulling on the same end of the rope when the next season rolls around. >> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry-Raymond James, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Iconic North American waterfowler and legendary outdoor photographer Lee Kjos joins the show, carrying with him a lifetime of sunrises, wingbeats, and miles traveled beneath open skies. From the disappearing prairie potholes of Saskatchewan to the river bottoms of Missouri, Kjos shares what he’s seen this past season and the realities of duck hunting's struggles. His reflections are honest and, at times, sobering, but they are also rooted in a deep love for wild places and the birds that bind us together across flyways and seasons. From Minnesota’s northern marshes to Louisiana’s coastal plains, and everywhere in between, Kjos speaks to what truly matters if we hope to keep the heartbeat of duck hunting alive. With the quiet wisdom of someone who has watched both abundance and decline, he offers heartfelt guidance, especially for the next generation, a reminder that the future of our traditions depends on how fiercely we choose to love, protect, and prioritize habitat and ducks today. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry-Raymond James, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Perry Partain was raised in the L’Anguille River bottoms of East Arkansas, tagging along with his Depression-era grandfather on squirrel hunts and growing up in a time when ducks were abundant, unpressured, and limits could be taken without a duck call or a single decoy. Fast forward 40 years, and the world he knew has changed almost beyond recognition. In this episode, Partain offers a steady, clear-eyed look at what’s happening in Arkansas’s public flooded timber, what’s driving the decline, what’s being misunderstood, and what practical steps could help turn things around. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry-Raymond James, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Two of the sharpest minds in waterfowl science are back and they aren’t here to sugarcoat what's going on with the sport. Brad Cohen (Cohen Wildlife Lab) and Doug Osborne (Snowden Center for Waterfowl Excellence) dig into the hard truth behind duck hunting’s recent decline, what’s actually driving it, and more importantly, what we can do about it. They cut through the noise, separate fact from folklore, and lay out what truly matters versus what should fall further down the priority list. It’s a balanced, no-nonsense conversation that looks at every issue from both sides of the coin without losing sight of the big picture. If you listen to this episode and don’t learn something…you weren’t paying attention. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry-Raymond James, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

After a much-needed reset filled with friends, family, and chasing greenheads, Cason and Brent are back behind the mic just in time for the stretch run of duck season. In this episode, the guys kick around a handful of timely topics, from a measured take on the Woodruff County baiting bust to boots-on-the-ground observations of how the season has unfolded so far. They also dive into the challenges of unseasonably warm weather, the full-moon blues, and why even a little rain could change things for the short term. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry-Raymond James and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

We hope everyone is experiencing a wonderful holiday season and the ducks are finding your decoys. With all that is going on this time of year, The Standard Sportsman is re-airing shows from this past summer that we believe are worth another listen. New episodes will return January 8, 2026, as duck season gets on the downhill slide. The New Year's edition replays an interview with Saskatchewan farmer and conservationist Lorne Scott...wise words from a tenured Canadian farmer who truly cares about wild things in wild places.  >> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry/Raymond James and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

With the holidays upon us and schedules packed, we’re taking a moment to revisit two favorite segments from this past summer. We start with Jason Smith, a southeast Arkansas rice farmer and duck hunter, followed by Scott Perry, founder of McAlister and Mountain Khakis and a traditional waterfowler in every sense of the word. Happy holidays, and thank you for being part of The Standard Sportsman. >> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Noah Perry/Raymond James and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Duck hunters' wish and want lists are a mile long. More water, less water, colder temps, warmer weather; everyone wants something different to tip the odds in their favor. But those wants often ignore the cause-and-effect shaping the hunt. Cason and Brent play devil’s advocate, unpacking the most common refrains heard in the blind and challenging whether they actually help ducks or hunters. The guys also share what they’re hearing after the recent cold snap, including updated duck numbers, the avian flu outbreak on snow geese and more sick specklebellies than in years past. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine,  and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

What do Arkansas’s world-class trout streams have to do with duck hunting? A lot more than most people realize. Fly fishing guide and avid duck hunter Jordan Case joins the show to reveal the unexpected ways these two passions intersect—and why Arkansas is facing a pivotal moment in protecting the habitat and culture that sustain both. Jordan also looks back on his early days in the duck woods, his journey as a competitive junior caller, and the invaluable lessons he learned under the mentorship of Hall of Famer Butch Richenback, founder of Rich-n-Tone Duck Calls. A conversation about heritage, habitat, and the fight to keep Arkansas’s outdoor traditions alive. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Duck season is officially underway across the Mississippi and Central Flyways, and the guys break down what they’re seeing both locally and across the region. They share early-season observations, discuss emerging patterns, and offer insight into how conditions are shaping hunters’ experiences so far. The conversation also turns to rules and regulations, including a preliminary proposal from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Arkansas’s upcoming two-year regulation cycle. Expect thoughtful discussion around non-resident participation, pressure management, season frameworks, and the ongoing effort to balance opportunity with a high-quality hunting experience. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Christian Frierson’s duck hunting journey started with 8-hour weekend hauls from northwest Louisiana to the legendary Dave Donaldson Black River WMA in northeast Arkansas. Those road-warrior trips forged an obsession that eventually carried him into the Red River bottoms of southwest Arkansas, where his family acquired a piece of ground with raw potential. What followed was a decade-long evolution from wide-eyed public-land hunter to a meticulous habitat manager and committed steward of the resource. That same drive pushed Frierson to build the Designated Puller, an automatic jerk-rig system born from long days in the timber and a tinkerer’s mind. In this episode, Frierson opens up about the early adventures that shaped him, the transformation of his family’s property, and the pressure-management strategies he uses to consistently hold ducks from opening day through the final buzzer. >>>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

What does picking up trash at a public boat ramp have to do with reshaping the future of duck hunting? Arkansas hunter Ich Stewart joins the show to break down the rise of The Public Timber Project and how a simple cleanup effort became a movement, where it’s headed next, and a few big announcements that go far beyond trash bags and parking lots. The guys also dive into a candid conversation about public-land hunting culture, the “us-versus-everybody” mindset, and what it will take to build a healthier, more united community in the woods and on the water. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Duck hunters love to debate season dates and often, those opinions line up perfectly with their own decoy spread. But for those who manage habitat, timing isn’t just about convenience; it’s about biology, migration timing, and season-long sustainability for private and public land duck hunters. Aligning habitat strategies with season frameworks requires balance, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of what ducks need—and don't—before, during, and after the season. Plus, David Schuessler, Ducks Unlimited’s National Director of Event Fundraising, joins us to talk about DU’s Into the Vault Auction — where hunters and collectors alike can bid on rare waterfowling treasures old and new, with every dollar supporting the wetlands and wildlife we all depend on. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

After a lengthy off-season, duck season is cracking open up north and knocking on the door down south. Reports out of Canada and the Dakotas are all over the map—mallards are spotty up there, but a few are finally filtering into Arkansas and beyond. Brent and Cason dive into what’s shaping the season ahead: mounting pressure on ducks that goes deeper than the gun, the idea of smaller limits for better hunts, and the “midpoint theory” that just happens to line up with this week. They wrap it all up the only way they know how—talking ducks, dirt, and a little SEC football chaos. >> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited. The Standard Sportsman Duck Hunting Podcast Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

In an era when unity could be our greatest asset, duck hunters seem increasingly divided not just over tactics but also over identity, ethics, and access. In this thought-provoking episode, Brent and Cason unpack the growing tensions within the waterfowling community and where that energy could be better spent. Some of these debates carry weight, while others are rooted more in opinion than impact. From public vs. private land access to gear choices and regional rivalries, the hosts explore the key issues fueling division and, more importantly, challenge listeners to consider the bigger picture. This episode is a timely call for collaboration over competition because the true measure of a waterfowler isn’t where or by what method they hunt, but how they contribute to the future of the sport. >>> Thanks to our sponsors: Tom Beckbe, Lile Real Estate, Perfect Limit Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Sitka Gear, Greenhead: The Arkansas Duck Hunting Magazine, Diamond M Land Development, and Ducks Unlimited. Send us a text All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.