Duck Call Room: "Justin Martin Wrestles with Boyhood Parenting"

Release Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Justin Martin, John-David Owen, John Godwin, Jay Stone, Phillip McMillan, Jacob Mayo
Special Guests: Clay, Heath
Absent: Si Robertson (deer hunting in Texas)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deeply into the chaos and comedy of parenting young boys, the eccentricities of the Duck Commander crew, and the joys (and pitfalls) of building lasting male friendships. With Si away, Justin Martin leads the conversation, reflecting on life as a father wrestling with the energy of his sons, the dilemmas of hunting, and the humor woven into everyday mishaps. Throughout, the group pokes fun at each other, reminisces about past adventures, swaps stories about Duck Dynasty fame, and explores the oddities of growing older and family dynamics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Parenting and Halloween Antics

• Justin describes the “daylight trick-or-treaters” routine:
  • His sons dressed as “little mallard drakes.”
  • Justin trained his kids to “blow the duck call” when asked “What does the duck say?” Instead of saying "quack."

    “They were going quack. So I was like, no, you blow the duck call.” – Justin, [03:18]

• Reflections on Christian participation in Halloween:
  • The family plays worship music while trick-or-treating.

    “We were playing worship music going down the trick or treating. So... we were out there sharing the love of Jesus while we were...” – Justin, [04:04]

  • Candy complaints: Justin critiques his boys’ “candy bucket evaluation skills,” admitting his wife doesn’t let the kids eat much candy (they take whatever looks prettiest).

2. Growing Old (Sort Of), Friendships, and Fitness

• Gentle ribbing about age, model posters, and physical health:
  • Clay’s larger-than-life poster at Academy stores causes much laughter.

    "When did you become a part time model?" – Justin, [06:07]

• Running and lifting weights as masculinity markers:
  • Justin and Heath’s competitive dynamic: trying to “race a mile after lifting heavy weights” – and Heath (the elder) ultimately wins.

    “There’s this thing in old men where they cannot let you win. Can't do it.” – Justin, [10:18]

3. Comedic Tangents & Life at Duck Commander

• Stories of pest infestations:

  • Heath’s mouse-in-the-house drama leads to a deep clean. Talk about naming animals (like “Crunchy” the beaver), and hunting dilemmas emerge.
  • Parenting challenge: The dilemma of teaching young boys about hunting when they name the wildlife.

    “Now you can't kill him...I can't just...I couldn't do it. Not with them naming the be. I couldn't do it. He's killing. I could not do it.” – Justin, [17:56]

• The infamous beaver ‘Crunchy’:

  • Kids want to jail, not kill, ‘Crunchy.’ Phil Robertson’s old-school approach is invoked for laughs.

    “Phil would have taken the opportunity to shoot said beaver and then... talk to a 3 year old about here. This is where little beavers go...” – Justin, [18:05]

4. Community, Family, and Odd Treasures

• The metaphor of the broken duck decoy:

  • Boys find a battered decoy. Justin connects this to spiritual rebirth and redemption in Christ.

    “We are this broken thing that won't hold water...We’re a terrible form of what a human should be. And then you have Christ come together...you're just made new.” – Justin, [31:34]

  • The decoy stays (in broken form) as a teachable moment.

• Collecting “treasure”:

  • Boys pick up broken decoys, “May Pops” (wild fruits), and trash – which, to a 3-year-old, are all treasures.

5. Duck Stamps, Shopping, and Living History

• Tech upgrades for hunters:

  • Duck stamps now bought digitally at duckstamp.com.

    “It’s the best $25 you can spend. You'll spend more than that on just a tank of gas getting to the duck call duck hole.” – Justin, [24:31]

• Reflections on rising hunting costs and “the good old days”:

  • Ammo, decoys, waders—all more expensive, but conservation supported by the duck stamp program remains a point of pride.

6. Hair, Aging, and Barber Shop Banter

• Barbershop loyalty and hair maintenance:

  • From discussing barber visits, hair coloring (natural sun-bleach!), and the agony of cruise ship braids, the crew reflects on aging:

    “I have these weird new hairs on my shoulders...Now I’m looking down, I'm like...it's a lot of, like, weird long black. And I'm like, I don't think I like this.” – Justin, [23:18]

• Comedy, Prop Comics, and Standup:

  • Clay and Heath explore differences among comedians, poking fun at “prop comic” stereotypes.

7. Family, Adoption, and Family Trees

• Diving into complicated family structures:
  • Stories of double first cousins, adoption, and the Louisiana-Arkansas divide.

    “Two brothers married two sisters...older ones had him, the younger ones had me.” – Clay, [56:08]

8. Boyhood, Rocks, and Real-Life Lessons

• Classic kid shenanigans:
  • The saga of boys throwing prized rocks, despite repeated warnings – at one point, one son hits another with a rock.

    “We don’t throw rocks...Don’t throw rocks at the truck. Don’t throw rocks at the side by side. Don’t throw rocks at each other. And he has yet to get the...” – John-David, [40:27]

  • Laughter over the universal appeal of hurling rocks at signs, as recalled from their childhoods.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Parenting and Naming Wildlife:

  "Now you can't kill him...I can't just...I couldn't do it. Not with them naming the be[aver]. I couldn't do it."
  — Justin, [17:56]

• On Trick-or-Treating as Christians:

  “We were playing worship music going down the trick or treating. So... we were out there sharing the love of Jesus while we were...”
  — Justin, [04:04]

• On Friendship and Age Gaps:

  “I found that I struggle...I don’t do well with peers...Either much older or much younger. I love kids. Even 4 year old, 3 year olds...But outside of that...the closer we get to being a peer, the more I struggle.”
  — Justin, [08:08]

• On Hunting Childhood Treasures & Redemption:

  “We are this broken thing that won't hold water...just a terrible form of what a human should be. And then...you're just made new.”
  — Justin, [31:34]

• On Family Dynamics:

  "Double first cousins...two brothers married two sisters. The older ones had him, the younger ones had me."
  — Clay, [56:08]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:14–02:51: Show opens, Halloween stories, Si's absence, family updates
• 03:02–04:26: Duck call kid costumes, parenting approaches, Halloween as Christians
• 06:01–07:30: Clay’s Academy billboard story, model banter
• 07:55–09:12: On old friends, age gaps, "old souls" versus "immaturity"
• 10:05–10:46: Martin and Heath’s competitive run and workout stories
• 13:30–15:02: Eccentric prop stashes, cleaning up after pests
• 16:00–18:03: "Crunchy" the beaver, naming animals and the hunter's dilemma
• 31:06–32:23: The broken decoy—spiritual metaphor and parenting
• 40:00–41:22: The rock-throwing saga and learning boundaries
• 56:02–56:13: Double first cousin explanation and adoption proudly related

Themes & Takeaways

• Boyhood Parenting: Authentic approaches to raising sons—letting them find “treasures,” but also establishing boundaries, all with a sense of humor and humility.
• Faith in Everyday Life: Integrating and living faith “even” at Halloween and during hunting, with lessons from childhood leading into discussions on spiritual transformation.
• Legacy and Family: The show’s signature blend: celebrating family ties, the eccentricities of kin, and the joy of generational connections—whether by blood, adoption, or friendship.
• Male Friendship: The crew’s banter highlights how men build trust—through teasing, competition, storytelling, and shared experiences, from running miles to discussing vasectomy reversals.

Summary for New Listeners

If you need a snapshot of Southern rural life, old-fashioned parenting, good-natured ribbing, and faith woven into daily chaos, this episode is a perfect entry point. It’s a blend of practical parenting, hunting camp antics, and the genuine heart that has made the Duck Commander crew beloved beyond their TV fame. The show never gets too serious, yet never quite lets go of its core message: family, fun, and faith matter—especially when you’re ankle-deep in candy wrappers, duck decoys, and rocks.