Midwest Flyways Podcast

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey is running the show without Cal and diving into the newly released waterfowl population numbers and he has a lot of questions.

Mallards are reportedly down, several other puddle duck species dropped, and the overall numbers aren't exactly what Joey expected after seeing what looks like an incredible hatch around Minnesota this summer. He and Carter talk through how the surveys are conducted, whether changing water conditions could be pushing ducks outside traditional survey areas, and why the numbers don't always seem to line up with what hunters are seeing on the ground.

The conversation also gets into some of the criticism Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been getting online. Joey pushes back on blaming conservation organizations for the survey numbers and talks about why he'd like to see more research and additional survey areas before everyone starts jumping to conclusions.

Before all of that, Joey recaps Wisconsin goose opener and taking his two-and-a-half-year-old son into the blind. No geese for Joey, but plenty of frogs, snakes, donuts, and a pretty memorable first hunting experience. The guys also talk Minnesota opener, scouting resident geese, teal, dry conditions, wood ducks, and why this year's duck season could still be a very interesting one.

Topics Covered:
•Taking a two-year-old goose hunting
•Wisconsin goose opener
•Getting kids into hunting
•Minnesota early goose season
•The latest waterfowl population numbers
•Reported declines in mallards
•Getting ready for duck season

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

 

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New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

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In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, Joey breaks down some of his go-to strategies for early season goose hunting. With seasons opening across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota, the focus is on keeping things simple: smaller decoy spreads, good scouting, realistic family groups, and making sure your hide is right before worrying about everything else.

Joey explains why he typically starts the season with just two to three dozen silhouettes spread out in loose family groups, rather than throwing a massive spread at local birds that haven’t seen much pressure yet. He also gets into when he starts adding more decoys, how molt migrators can completely change the setup, why early season calling should usually stay simple, and why watching how real geese behave in the field is more valuable than following a rigid spread formula. There’s also plenty of discussion about layout blinds, A-frames, silage fields, grass hides, and why early season goose hunting can be frustrating when hot weather keeps birds from moving.

If you’re getting ready for goose opener or trying to improve your early season Canada goose hunting, this episode is a straightforward look at scouting, decoys, calling, concealment, and knowing when not to throw the kitchen sink at the birds.

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

 

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New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

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Live Free: Turtlebox

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This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew sits down with three-time World Goose Calling Champion and Champion of Champions John Walls at Game Fair.

John talks about getting into contest calling nearly 20 years ago, finishing second at Worlds over and over again, and eventually breaking through to win three straight World Goose Calling Championships before taking home Champion of Champions. The guys get into what finally changed, how much John actually practices these days, and some of the ridiculous callers he's competed against along the way.

From there, they get deep into goose calling. John talks about the sounds he still can't quite figure out, his favorite calls to use on hunting birds, reading geese, knowing when to back off, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is put the call down and let the birds work.

John also shares stories from his time working for Fred Zink, tuning goose calls all day, learning from some of the best callers and hunters in the industry, and an unbelievable September hunt in New York where thousands of migrating Canada geese poured across the border.

The guys also talk bands, including John finding a goose band sitting in the bottom of a stream, losing entire lanyards, his most meaningful band, hunting the Eastern Shore, and everything he's learned chasing waterfowl around the country.

Topics Covered:
•John's three straight World Goose Calling Championships

•Winning Champion of Champions

•Nearly 20 years of contest calling

•Reading birds and knowing when to call

•John's most meaningful goose band

•Eastern Shore goose hunting

•An insane September Canada goose migration in New York

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

 

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New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, the crew picks up Part 2 of the history of duck hunting by train, continuing Tuesday’s story of how railroads helped transform waterfowl hunting across Minnesota and the Dakotas.

The guys dive into railroad tycoon James J. Hill and his son Louis, who took train-based duck hunting to another level with private railcars outfitted specifically for hunting. At Lake Christina, trains reportedly even blew their whistles along the shoreline to flush massive groups of ducks and create shooting opportunities for hunters.

But this wasn’t just something wealthy railroad owners were doing. Regular hunting parties traveled across Minnesota and into Dakota Territory using specially equipped railcars, with one documented expedition taking 634 ducks and 250 geese, along with other game.

The conversation also explores how railroads helped establish legendary Minnesota waterfowl destinations like Lake Christina, Mud Lake, Lake Traverse, and Ten Mile Lake. As hunters discovered productive areas, permanent camps and prestigious gun clubs began appearing, helping shape the early duck hunting culture we still recognize today.

And, naturally, the history lesson gets sidetracked by private train cars with garages, punt guns, dirty pop cans, airplane drinks, and the guys debating exactly what year they'd choose if they could go back for one day of Minnesota duck hunting.

Topics Covered:
•Duck hunting by railroad
•James J. Hill and Louis Hill
•Private hunting railcars
•Lake Christina's waterfowl history
•Trains flushing ducks for hunters
•How railroads changed waterfowl hunting
•Going back in time for one historic duck hunt

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

 

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New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys kick off Part 1 of a history lesson about a time when Minnesota duck hunters didn’t drive to the marsh, they took the train. As railroads expanded across Minnesota in the late 1800s, they opened access to remote lakes, marshes, and prairie potholes that had previously taken days to reach. Hunters followed the tracks, and the railroad quickly became a major part of Minnesota’s early duck hunting culture.

Of course, the guys don’t get very far before the history lesson goes completely off the rails. Between arguing about how smooth trains were in the 1800s, debating old railroad technology, and imagining what a modern duck hunting trip by train would look like, there’s plenty of joking around mixed in with the history. Eventually, they get into specialized hunting cars equipped with sleeping quarters, kitchens, game storage, and dog kennels, along with the actual Railroad Gun Club, whose train car essentially served as a mobile duck camp. The episode finishes at Lake Christina, where railroad access helped turn the famous canvasback lake into one of Minnesota’s legendary waterfowl destinations.

This is only Part 1 of the story. Part 2 continues Thursday on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, with more railroad history, duck hunting stories, and probably a few more arguments about trains.

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

 

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

It's fantasy football draft day, and all four guys are finally back in the studio to build their teams for the new Sports Guyz Only dynasty league. With only four teams and a loaded player pool, you'd think it would be impossible to screw this up. The guys immediately prove otherwise.

From Gavin taking Josh Allen way earlier than anyone expected to Carter grabbing Brock Bowers in the third round, the trash talk starts almost immediately. Nathaniel goes all-in on youth and unproven running backs, Gavin builds a roster designed to win now and worry about retirement later, and everyone spends most of Cal's picks trying to convince him he's making a horrible mistake. Everyone tries to balance winning this season with actually having a functional dynasty roster three years from now.

Once the draft ends, it's time to decide who actually won. The guys rank all four rosters and make their predictions for who finishes first—and who is destined for the basement. Somehow, even after 28 rounds, nobody is willing to admit anyone else's team might be better.

Plus:
•The best and worst reaches of the draft
•Deshaun Watson's future in Cleveland
•The NFL getting rid of the Pro Bowl
•Minnesota's latest NBA additions
•Discovering the wonderful world of netball

It's fantasy football strategy mixed with questionable dynasty planning, immediate draft regret, and four guys completely convinced everyone else's roster sucks. Good luck with your own fantasy drafts, and thanks so much for listening to Sports Guyz Only! 

 

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New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Cal and Carter are joined by Gavin for a shorter episode after wrapping up two weekends at Game Fair. With duck season right around the corner, the guys get into a debate about why waterfowl hunter numbers are declining and whether duck hunters simply aren’t as hardcore as they used to be. 

The conversation covers everything from declining Minnesota waterfowl stamp sales and habitat loss to drain tile, public land access, and the changing effort hunters are willing to put in. Are fewer people hunting because there are fewer ducks and fewer places to hunt, or have modern hunters become less willing to walk into a field, knock on doors, battle bad weather, and put in the work?

That leads into a bigger discussion about how technology has changed the outdoors. OnX has made finding landowners easier, modern hunting gear is better than ever, and tools like LiveScope have completely changed fishing. The guys debate whether technology is lowering the barrier to entry or simply changing what it means to be a hardcore outdoorsman.

Plus, the crew recaps Game Fair, talks about the excitement of early goose season getting closer, and Gavin explains why he still keeps detailed notes on everything from weather and wind to the exact conditions surrounding a successful hunt.

Topics Covered:
•Why waterfowl hunter numbers are declining
•Are today's duck hunters getting soft?
•Drain tile and waterfowl habitat loss
•Knocking on doors vs. paying an outfitter
•How hunting technology has changed
•Getting ready for early goose season

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.


 

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New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys dive into one of the most tragic and legendary stories in Midwest waterfowl hunting history: the Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940. November 11 started unusually warm across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Upper Mississippi River, but it also brought something duck hunters had been waiting all fall to see, the northern migration. As enormous flights of mallards, canvasbacks, redheads, and other waterfowl poured south, conditions began changing faster than anyone expected.

The episode follows firsthand accounts from hunters caught in the storm as temperatures plummeted, winds reached extreme speeds, and rain transformed into driving sleet and snow. Hunters became stranded on islands and in river bottoms, boats swamped, visibility disappeared, and some burned handmade wooden decoys just to stay alive. Others attempted desperate swims through freezing water or survived the night huddled around fires. Tragically, not everyone made it home. The guys also explore the staggering scale of the storm across the Midwest and how the disaster ultimately exposed weaknesses in America's weather forecasting system.

For waterfowl hunters, the Armistice Day Blizzard remains both an incredible piece of duck hunting history and a sobering reminder of how quickly the perfect migration day can become something completely different.

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on the Midwest Flyways Podcast, Joey and Cal sit down with Shawn Stahl at Game Fair for a wide-ranging conversation about how waterfowl hunting has changed, what makes a great hunter, and why some of the best days in the field have nothing to do with shooting a limit.

Shawn shares his thoughts on the changing landscape of freelance hunting in Canada, including outfitter competition, field access, and why the Canadian prairies may be one of the last places where duck hunters can still scout, knock on doors, and hunt the old-fashioned way. The guys also dive into how geese adapt to hunting pressure, why less calling can sometimes be more effective, and how tactics continue to cycle as birds become conditioned.

The conversation shifts into waterfowl conservation, declining duck production, habitat loss, predation, domestic mallards, and what hunters can actually do to help put more ducks on the landscape. Shawn also reflects on how his own approach to hunting has evolved—from chasing limits and big groups to appreciating smaller hunts, good friends, new places, and simply being outdoors.

To wrap things up, Shawn offers a simple piece of advice for improving the waterfowl community: just be nice. Whether it's another hunter at the boat ramp, someone on public land, or a newcomer asking for advice, there's a lot more to gain by helping each other than fighting over birds and hunting spots.

Topics Covered:
•Freelance waterfowl hunting in Canada
•Outfitters and access to hunting fields
•Hunting pressure and changing goose behavior
•Shawn's waterfowl hunting bucket list

Sea duck and layout boat hunting
•Habitat, predation, and waterfowl conservation
•How priorities change as hunters get older
•Shawn's advice for new and experienced duck hunters

Thanks for listening to the Midwest Flyways Podcast! Be sure to check out the Flyways Hunt Club for even more exclusive content every week.

 

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP

This week on Sports Guyz Only...

The boys are back from Game Fair, Nathaniel is out for the week, and it doesn't take long for things to get contentious. After wondering why any college athlete making millions in NIL money would ever want to leave campus, the guys dive into the completely normal world of college quarterbacks making more money than most professional athletes—and whether college football has basically become pro football with classes on the side.

Then comes the argument that nearly breaks the podcast: Josh Allen vs. Tom Brady.

When Gavin makes the case that Josh Allen could be the best quarterback of the last 20 years based on pure talent, everyone immediately pushes back. Is Allen actually a more talented quarterback than Brady? How much should mobility, arm strength, accuracy, durability, football IQ, coaching, and supporting cast factor into the conversation? And at some point, don't Brady's seven Super Bowls have to matter?

What starts as a quarterback ranking turns into a full-blown debate over how we judge greatness in sports. The guys compare Brady's ability to win in impossible situations with Allen's physical gifts, argue over fourth-quarter comebacks, drag Matthew Stafford into the discussion, and inevitably end up at Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. By the end, the horse isn't just dead—it's been beaten into the ground.

Elsewhere, the crew debates the best defensive linemen of the last 20 years, including J.J. Watt, Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Julius Peppers, and Jared Allen, before diving deeper into the increasingly ridiculous money surrounding college sports. With massive NIL valuations, constant transfers, enormous coaching salaries, and rosters costing tens of millions of dollars, the guys debate whether college football finally needs its own version of a salary cap.

Plus:
•Why college stars would ever leave for the NFL
•Fixing the transfer portal
•The value of NFL preseason
•Myles Garrett vs. the greatest pass rushers of the last 20 years
•The Vikings' greatest defensive linemen
•MLB salary cap talk and the Dodgers' spending
•The Twins somehow still drawing fans
•The absurd money in college coaching

It's GOAT debates, questionable statistics, college football money getting completely out of control, and one Josh Allen take that turns a friendly quarterback discussion into an all-out war. Thanks so much for listening to Sports Guyz Only and be sure to subscribe and review! 

 

Join Flyways Hunt Club and get 1 month free! Flyways Hunt Club

New Waterfowl Film out now! Out West | Waterfowl Hunting in Montana

Stay comfortable, dry and warm: First Lite

(Code MWF20) Go to OnXHunt to be better prepared for your hunt: OnX

Learn more about better ammo: Migra Ammunitions

Weatherby Sorix: Weatherby

Support Conservation: DU

(Code: Flyways) Stop saying "Huh?" with better hearing protection: Soundgear

Live Free: Turtlebox

Add motion to your spread: Flashback

Better Merch: /SHOP