Threats of a closed season in the Mississippi Flyway in 1968 led to intense disagreement, restrictive regulations, and amplified the challenges of managing the resource while considering the interests of people. Collectively, these times generated solid foundations for future progress. Dr. Mike Brasher is rejoined by Ken Babcock and Dale Humburg to discuss these topics, while also introducing an elegant alternative regulation system that began in the 1960s– the Point System.

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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.

One of the most important events in the history of decoy collecting is about to unfold.

Host Katie Burke sits down with Jon Deeter of Guyette & Deeter Auction Company to discuss the Jim & Diane Cook Collection — a 400‑piece assemblage widely regarded as the most valuable and significant decoy collection ever assembled. The collection will be offered at auction beginning this April during the North American Decoy Collectors Association (NADCA) show.

In this episode, Jon shares the story behind Jim Cook — a visionary entrepreneur, avid waterfowler, and early conservationist — and how his passion, resources, and eye for quality shaped a once‑in‑a‑generation collection that spans nearly every major carving region in North America.

In this episode:

• Who Jim Cook was and how the collection came together
• Why this is one of the most important decoy events ever
• How Guyette & Deeter vetted nearly 400 top‑tier decoys
• The role of private collectors in preserving decoy history
• Jim Cook’s early prairie pothole conservation efforts
• Why now is a historic moment for new collectors
• The importance of collection provenance and maker stamps
• Why collections break up — and why it matters for the hobby
• How collectors, museums, and historians benefit from this sale

The conversation then dives deep into highlights from the collection, including works by Joe Lincoln, Elmer Crowell, the Ward Brothers, Robert Elliston, Charlie & Edna Perdue, and Enoch Rindahl — explaining why these pieces matter and what sets them apart.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@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.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector, historian, or simply fascinated by waterfowling heritage, this episode offers rare insight into an extraordinary chapter of American folk art.

Discover how modern women are reclaiming ancestral skills—from raising and processing their own meat to handling unexpected encounters with Florida gators.

Host Bethany Beathard sits down with Tiffany Sanders, homesteader, hunter, nurse, and nuisance‑gator responder, to explore what self‑sufficiency really looks like in today’s world. Tiffiny shares firsthand stories from the field, including the wildest gator call she and her husband ever responded to, how her children got involved, and what it’s like navigating communities that protect nuisance wildlife.

The conversation shifts into the heart of Tiffiny’s work: empowering women to take ownership of their food sources. From home butchering and dispatching animals humanely to growing nutrient‑dense produce, she teaches women that you don’t have to be “born” into homesteading to thrive in it. Her background as a nurse opened her eyes to the connection between diet and health—and sparked her drive to grow and raise food intentionally.

Together, Bethany and Tiffany dig into the historical roots of women feeding their families, the rise in self‑sufficiency post‑COVID, and why today’s homesteaders are simply rediscovering what women have always done.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The wild reality of nuisance‑gator calls—and how Tiffiny ended up in the middle of one neighborhood’s “gator protection squad”
• Why nursing school led Tiffiny to grow, raise, and process her own food
• How women historically provided for their families through gardening, preserving, and animal harvesting
• Why more women are learning dispatching and butchering skills today
• The importance of humane, low‑stress animal processing on small homesteads
• How COVID reshaped food security and sparked a self‑sufficiency movement
• Garden staples Tiffiny never goes without—especially her obsession with red potatoes
• Why perfection isn’t the goal—intentionality is

Follow along with Bethany for more homesteading conversations, practical skills, and stories from women who live close to their roots.