Home - FowlWeather

Forecasting for the hunt.

The only science-based duck migration forecast available. Aiming to inform, entertain, and enhance the duck hunting experience.

Listen on Spotify

Current Episodes

Recent Episodes

Episode 141 – Effects of Ag Markets on Duck Habitat w/ Dr. Mark McConnell

Agriculture is the number one reason for wetland and grassland loss in North America, but it is also a necessity, feeding the planet is a necessity and farm policy also plays a huge role in keeping duck habitat and the ducks with us. Today we visit with Dr. Mark McConnell of Mississippi State University’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. Mark is the James C. Kennedy Endowed Chair in Upland Gamebird Ecology and Bryan Endowment for Bobwhite Restoration. His work may center around upland gamebird conservation, but his breadth of knowledge about ag policy affecting conservation for all wildlife is his real gift. Dr. McConnell is well-known for his understanding of precision agriculture and trade-offs and compliments between healthy farms and healthy wildlife populations. Join us today to learn more about how ag policy is affecting grassland and wetlands habitat across duck country USA and beyond.

SPECIAL ALERT – ARE THE DUCKS DONE FOR? w/ special guests Dr. Scott Stephens and Dr. Mike Brasher

My friends across duck country, I ask you one question, are the duck done for? Are you willing to let duck populations fade into oblivion. We talk about the weather and how it affects duck migration a-lot on the FowlWeather Podcast, but we know one thing for sure, if ducks are never produced, it does not matter what the weather does, ducks that don’t hatch can’t come south each duck season. We also know that ducks need wetlands to produce more ducks. But here we are, the USFWS for some reason isadvancing a proposal that could reduce the 1.7M acres of wetland easements that they hold. And remember these are wetland easements paid for with your Duck Stamp dollars, and as far as we can see, they may be gone in the coming years, wetlands possibly gone forever. With over half of the prairie pothole wetlands already gone and duck numbers struggling, we don’t want to lose more acres. As noted on the FowlWeather social media posts and on this Monday mornings episode, we were working to get waterfowl experts on to dissect and help us learn about what is happening with FWS prairie pothole wetland easements and we aimed high because we have both Dr. Scott Stephens, Senior Director of Conservation Strategy and Dr. Mike Brasher, Senior Waterfowl Scientist with us tonight. Both of Ducks Unlimited, these men are passionate duck hunter-conservationists and we are honored to have them on the FowlWeather Podcast to help us learn about this important topic. The way I like to state it when people ask about this potential FWS policy change…… the FowlWeatherPodcast position and what we tell them is this “this all could be worse than bad”.

Episode 139 – The Coming Duck Season Through 3 Lenses, Why To Be Curious, Why To Be Concerned, and Why To Be Excited

In this episode we are going to talk to you through 3 lenses, why you should be curious, why you should be concerned, and why you should be excited about the coming duck season. Among the general themes you will hear about breeding ground conditions, the coming El Nino, policy surrounding waterfowl conservation and management, more local state policies about draw systems and habitat management, and the state of waterfowl education and science in US.