Episode Details

This week I'm joined by former Flyway Federation Executive Director Duke Lowrie for a conversation about one of the most debated topics in modern waterfowl hunting.

Over the past several years, studies have shown that species like mallards and northern pintails are completing their fall migration farther north than they did decades ago. The question is why.

Duke shares why he believes unharvested flooded agriculture is one of the factors changing duck distribution, why Flyway Federation is pushing for a large-scale GIS study to quantify how much flooded agriculture exists across the landscape, and why he believes more research is needed before the debate can be settled.

We also discuss:

• Duke's background and how he became involved in waterfowl advocacy

• The origins and mission of Flyway Federation

• The proposed GIS study and what it hopes to answer

• Whether flooded agriculture is changing duck migration

• Moist-soil habitat vs. flooded corn

• Public land hunting and changing duck distribution

• Louisiana harvest numbers and what they may (or may not) tell us

• Duke's appointment to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission

• What the future of waterfowl management could look like

Whether you agree with Duke's conclusions or not, I think you'll find this to be a thoughtful conversation about an issue that continues to generate debate among hunters across North America.

Partners:

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