Episode 13 - Chasing Mallards Through Timber: Rusty Creasey on Management, Migration, and Mentorship

A veteran timber hunter reveals hard-earned lessons that transform everyday duck hunters into true waterfowl students. Sam sits down with Arkansas waterfowl legend Rusty Creasey to talk ducks… all ducks. Rusty has spent decades managing world-class flooded timber, running traffic on pressured mallards, studying migration shifts, and teaching new hunters the ins and outs of calling, concealment, and habitat strategy. This episode feels like stepping into the timber with someone who has lived the lifestyle since childhood. Rusty shares how early mornings in rural Arkansas shaped his obsession with hunting and fishing, why the Coca-Cola Woods became his crash course in waterfowl management, and what it took to step away and chase new opportunities. You’ll learn how he builds rest areas, why small-gauge guns change everything in green timber, and how thoughtful access routes can extend a property’s productivity deep into the season. He also breaks down modern migration patterns—short-stopping, weather trends, food availability, and how private and public land interact more than most hunters realize. Beyond tactics, Rusty dives into the responsibility seasoned outdoorsmen have to new hunters. From duck calling basics to ethical decision-making, he shows why mentorship matters more now than ever. Whether you hunt public timber, prairie potholes, or river corridors, this episode blends practical waterfowl wisdom with the kind of stories only decades in the woods can produce. Follow the show for more weekly hunting and fishing conversations. Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/ Get to know your host, Sam Soholt: https://www.instagram.com/samsoholt/ Check out Rusty Creasey’s work: https://www.instagram.com/rustycreasey/?hl=en Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/ This podcast is powered by Moultrie, the official trail camera of Field & Stream: https://www.moultrie.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices