Podcast
Upduck Podcast
Hosted by Okayest Podcast Network · EN
The Upduck podcast is an intersection between duck hunting and upland hunting, where gundogs and gundog training is the throughline that brings the two worlds together on this new, one-of-a-kind podcast!
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How Wetland Easements Restore Habitat for Ducks, Deer & Pheasants | Nate Fore, Pheasants Forever
2d ago01:13:00Tap to summarizeWhat does a Pheasants Forever wetland easement biologist actually do—and why should duck hunters, deer hunters, upland hunters, and conservation-minded landowners care? This week, Nate Fore of Pheasants Forever joins the Upduck Podcast to break down wetland and floodplain easements, private-land habitat restoration, and the partnership between Pheasants Forever, NRCS, Ducks Unlimited, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, and private landowners. Nate explains how conservation easements work, how landowners are compensated, what they can still do on enrolled property, and how restored wetlands, prairie, and upland buffers benefit wildlife from mallards and pheasants to whitetails and trout. They also dig into prescribed fire, invasive-species management, wetland restoration timelines, public-access opportunities, and how landowners can explore conservation programs through their local NRCS office. Check out Pheasants Forever's Habitat University Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →How to Build a Better Gun Dog From Day One | Dan Ihrke
1w ago01:23:02Tap to summarizeProfessional dog trainer Dan Ihrke of Gun Dog Success joins the Upduck Podcast to talk puppy training, Puppy Foundations, steadiness, positive reinforcement, pressure, and building a better gun dog. Dan breaks down common mistakes amateur trainers make with young retrievers, why success and confidence matter, and how to simplify training when things fall apart. He also explains who the Puppy Foundations program is built for and how it helps prepare duck dogs, upland dogs, and hunt test retrievers for formal training, hunting season, and life in the field. Whether you’re bringing home your first puppy or trying to do things better with your next gun dog, this episode is packed with practical retriever training advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →ReedSpeed: The Duck Call Oil Built for Waterfowl Hunters
3w ago00:56:49Tap to summarizeTyler and Matt sit down with Cade & Luke McBride, founders of ReedSpeed, a new oil and lubricant built for duck calls and shotgun actions. Cade shares how his background in the chemical industry helped him create a product designed specifically for duck hunters, after nearly two years of testing and development. The goal was simple: make a light oil that keeps a duck call running clean without changing the sound, while also helping a shotgun action stay smooth in the blind. The guys talk duck call maintenance, shotgun maintenance, waterfowl gear, hunting product development, and what it takes to launch something new in the hunting industry. Cade also explains why ReadSpeed is made to live on your lanyard, not buried in the blind bag. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Free Waterfowl Calling Classes in Wisconsin | Waterfowl Wednesdays with Spencer Jost
May 2900:17:33Tap to summarizeTyler sits down with Spencer Jost from the Wisconsin DNR to talk about the new Waterfowl Wednesdays series and the upcoming free Intro to Waterfowl Calling Workshop. Spencer breaks down what hunters can expect from the June 10 calling class, including beginner-friendly instruction on duck calls, goose calls, basic cadence, calling technique, and the purpose behind different waterfowl sounds. The conversation also covers why in-person feedback can be so valuable for new duck and goose hunters, how hunters can register through Go Wild, and why these free skills-based classes are a great opportunity for anyone looking to get started or improve before waterfowl season. The episode also previews future Waterfowl Wednesdays topics, including waterfowl retrievers, decoy placement, women’s waterfowl education, duck identification, and regulations-focused refreshers before the season. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Jeff’s Next Chapter with Shot Shell Hunting
May 1800:19:51Tap to summarizeJeff is stepping away from being a weekly voice on the Upduck Podcast, but he is not going far. In this episode, Tyler and Jeff sit down for a short, honest conversation about Jeff’s decision to take a breather from the podcast as Shot Shell Hunting Systems continues to grow. After a big showing at the Open Season Expo and a wave of orders for his turkey rigs, Jeff has been spending late nights building rigs, filling orders, answering customer emails, and preparing for what comes next. The conversation covers the success of Shot Shell Hunting, what Jeff has learned from customer feedback, improvements he is making to his rigs, future show plans, migrator rigs for fall, and what his role with Upduck may look like moving forward. It is not goodbye. It is more of a “see you later.” Jeff will still be around for hunts, recap episodes, and plenty of banter when the time is right. Check out Shot Shell Hunting at shotshellhunting.com and follow Jeff on social at @shotshell_hunting. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Wild Game, Social Media, and Seasoning Science | The Tailgate Foodie
May 1101:23:33Tap to summarizewe sit down with Dean Johnson of The Tailgate Foodie to talk wild game cooking, food science, content creation, and how a Wisconsin ICU nurse turned a side hobby into a full-time business. Dean shares the unlikely story behind starting The Tailgate Foodie, how social media changed the direction of his business, and why creating seasoning blends for venison, duck, turkey, and other wild game became a natural fit. We also dive into recipe development, balancing flavors for wild game, building a brand through organic content, and what it actually takes to create food videos that stop people from scrolling. If you’re into hunting, wild game cooking, social media strategy, grilling, smoking meat, or just hearing honest conversations about building something from scratch, this episode is for you. Topics include: The story behind The Tailgate Foodie Wild game seasoning and flavor pairings Duck, venison, turkey, and upland bird cooking Food content creation and social media strategy Growing a business through organic video content Wisconsin hunting and outdoor culture Packers, Badgers, golf, and Midwest opinions Follow Dean here: Instagram: @tailgate_foodie_recipes Website: The Tailgate Foodie Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Ep. 127 — Why the Wisconsin Sandhill Crane Hunt Failed (and What's Next) with George Ermert, WWA
Apr 2800:15:39Tap to summarizeTyler sits down with George Ermert, board member and policy chair of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, to break down what just happened with Wisconsin's Sandhill Crane hunt bill. The bill passed the State Assembly before stalling in the Senate. George explains the science behind a responsible Sandhill Crane hunt, the Eastern population numbers, USDA depredation tags, the coalition pushing this forward (Delta Waterfowl, Safari Club International, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation), what's coming in 2027, and how Michigan and Ontario are watching. Visit widucks.org for talking points and to get involved. Topics: Wisconsin Sandhill Crane hunt, waterfowl policy, conservation, hunting advocacy, Delta Waterfowl, USFWS, Eastern Sandhill Crane population. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Farming the Profitable Acres: Precision Ag Meets Pheasant Habitat | Scott Stipetich
Apr 2201:04:31Tap to summarizeScott Stipetich, Senior Precision Ag and Conservation Specialist for Pheasants Forever in Wisconsin, joins Tyler and Matt to unpack how yield and profitability data are reshaping habitat conservation on working farms. We dig into identifying marginal cropland, converting unprofitable acres into prairie strips, pollinator plantings, and wetland restoration, and why wider habitat corridors mean better nesting success against fox, skunk, and coyote predation. A must-listen for upland hunters, landowners, farmers, and anyone interested in pheasant habitat, CRP, and practical farm conservation in the Upper Midwest. If you are looking for more information on the topics in this episode, check out these links: Pheasants Forever - Find A Biologist Precision Ag & Conservation in Wisconsin Story Map Precision Ag & Conservation in Wisconsin Minidocumentary Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Hunting Dogs at Risk? Breaking Down the Farm Bill Amendment | Chris Ingram
Apr 1500:15:23Tap to summarizeA major piece of legislation could have serious consequences for hunters, gun dog owners, and the future of dog training. In this episode of the Upduck Podcast, Tyler is joined by Chris Ingram of the United Kennel Club (UKC) to break down the controversial Greyhound Protection Act and its inclusion in the Farm Bill. While intended to target commercial greyhound racing, the bill’s broad language may extend far beyond that—potentially impacting hunting with dogs, field trials, hunt tests, and training with live birds. Drawing from the latest update and announcement released by UKC, we unpack why this language is raising concern across the hunting and dog training communities. We cover: What the Farm Bill is and why it matters to hunters How this legislation could affect retrievers, pointers, upland dogs, and waterfowl hunting The potential risks to gun dog training, UKC events, and conservation practices Why groups like Sportsmen's Alliance are sounding the alarm How you can take action in under 60 seconds using the Sportsmen’s Alliance tools Take action & learn more: UKC announcement Sportsmen’s Alliance action center: House of Representatives & Senate If you hunt, train dogs, or care about the future of hunting and conservation, this is one you need to pay attention to. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →More Than Hunt Tests: The Real Value of HRC Clubs | Bill Kehoe
Apr 801:14:09Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Upduck Podcast, we sit down with Bill Kehoe—President of Badger State HRC—to dive deep into the world of hunting retriever clubs, gun dog training, and the community behind it all. Bill shares his journey from getting his first Labrador Retriever to helping build one of Wisconsin’s HRC clubs, along with lessons learned from decades of training, hunting, and competing with retrievers. We break down how HRC (Hunting Retriever Club) organizations work, why joining a training group can dramatically improve your dog, and how these clubs create lifelong friendships, hunting opportunities, and better hunters. We also cover: The benefits of group dog training vs. going solo How HRC hunt tests work (Started, Seasoned, Finished) Building a retriever to the Hunting Retriever Champion level The role of mentorship, land access, and shared equipment Real-world hunting applications of training The challenges of running an HRC club and organizing events Plus, Bill shares stories from his military career, hunting experiences across North America, and insights into raising and training successful gun dogs. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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