The Standard Sportsman

The 2025–2026 duck season proved one thing: success depended on where you stood and when you showed up. With mallard numbers down and dry conditions gripping much of the Mississippi Flyway and Central Flyway, many hunters faced a hurdle right out of the gate. Then, just as the season wound down, a blast of snow, sleet, and ice slammed the Deep South, locking up habitat and reshuffling birds overnight. For some, it was a last-minute...

Iconic North American waterfowler and legendary outdoor photographer Lee Kjos joins the show, carrying with him a lifetime of sunrises, wingbeats, and miles traveled beneath open skies. From the disappearing prairie potholes of Saskatchewan to the river bottoms of Missouri, Kjos shares what he’s seen this past season and the realities of duck hunting's struggles.

His reflections are honest and, at times, sobering, but they are ...

Perry Partain was raised in the L’Anguille River bottoms of East Arkansas, tagging along with his Depression-era grandfather on squirrel hunts and growing up in a time when ducks were abundant, unpressured, and limits could be taken without a duck call or a single decoy.

Fast forward 40 years, and the world he knew has changed almost beyond recognition. In this episode, Partain offers a steady, clear-eyed look at what’s happening in...

Two of the sharpest minds in waterfowl science are back and they aren’t here to sugarcoat what's going on with the sport. Brad Cohen (Cohen Wildlife Lab) and Doug Osborne (Snowden Center for Waterfowl Excellence) dig into the hard truth behind duck hunting’s recent decline, what’s actually driving it, and more importantly, what we can do about it.

They cut through the noise, separate fact from folklore, and lay out what truly m...

After a much-needed reset filled with friends, family, and chasing greenheads, Cason and Brent are back behind the mic just in time for the stretch run of duck season. In this episode, the guys kick around a handful of timely topics, from a measured take on the Woodruff County baiting bust to boots-on-the-ground observations of how the season has unfolded so far. They also dive into the challenges of unseasonably warm weather, the ...

We hope everyone is experiencing a wonderful holiday season and the ducks are finding your decoys. With all that is going on this time of year, The Standard Sportsman is re-airing shows from this past summer that we believe are worth another listen. New episodes will return January 8, 2026, as duck season gets on the downhill slide.

The New Year's edition replays an interview with Saskatchewan farmer and conservationist Lorne S...

With the holidays upon us and schedules packed, we’re taking a moment to revisit two favorite segments from this past summer. We start with Jason Smith, a southeast Arkansas rice farmer and duck hunter, followed by Scott Perry, founder of McAlister and Mountain Khakis and a traditional waterfowler in every sense of the word. Happy holidays, and thank you for being part of The Standard Sportsman.

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Thanks to our sponsors: Tom B...

Duck hunters' wish and want lists are a mile long. More water, less water, colder temps, warmer weather; everyone wants something different to tip the odds in their favor. But those wants often ignore the cause-and-effect shaping the hunt. Cason and Brent play devil’s advocate, unpacking the most common refrains heard in the blind and challenging whether they actually help ducks or hunters. The guys also share what they’re hea...

What do Arkansas’s world-class trout streams have to do with duck hunting?
A lot more than most people realize.

Fly fishing guide and avid duck hunter Jordan Case joins the show to reveal the unexpected ways these two passions intersect—and why Arkansas is facing a pivotal moment in protecting the habitat and culture that sustain both. Jordan also looks back on his early days in the duck woods, his journey as a competitive juni...

Duck season is officially underway across the Mississippi and Central Flyways, and the guys break down what they’re seeing both locally and across the region. They share early-season observations, discuss emerging patterns, and offer insight into how conditions are shaping hunters’ experiences so far.

The conversation also turns to rules and regulations, including a preliminary proposal from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and ...

Christian Frierson’s duck hunting journey started with 8-hour weekend hauls from northwest Louisiana to the legendary Dave Donaldson Black River WMA in northeast Arkansas. Those road-warrior trips forged an obsession that eventually carried him into the Red River bottoms of southwest Arkansas, where his family acquired a piece of ground with raw potential. What followed was a decade-long evolution from wide-eyed public-land hunter ...

What does picking up trash at a public boat ramp have to do with reshaping the future of duck hunting? Arkansas hunter Ich Stewart joins the show to break down the rise of The Public Timber Project and how a simple cleanup effort became a movement, where it’s headed next, and a few big announcements that go far beyond trash bags and parking lots.

The guys also dive into a candid conversation about public-land hunting culture, the “u...

Duck hunters love to debate season dates and often, those opinions line up perfectly with their own decoy spread. But for those who manage habitat, timing isn’t just about convenience; it’s about biology, migration timing, and season-long sustainability for private and public land duck hunters. Aligning habitat strategies with season frameworks requires balance, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of what ducks need—and don&a...

After a lengthy off-season, duck season is cracking open up north and knocking on the door down south. Reports out of Canada and the Dakotas are all over the map—mallards are spotty up there, but a few are finally filtering into Arkansas and beyond. Brent and Cason dive into what’s shaping the season ahead: mounting pressure on ducks that goes deeper than the gun, the idea of smaller limits for better hunts, and the “midpoint theor...

In an era when unity could be our greatest asset, duck hunters seem increasingly divided not just over tactics but also over identity, ethics, and access. In this thought-provoking episode, Brent and Cason unpack the growing tensions within the waterfowling community and where that energy could be better spent.

Some of these debates carry weight, while others are rooted more in opinion than impact. From public vs. private land acces...

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has become one of the most talked-about wildlife issues in recent years—raising concern, questions, and plenty of debate. Arkansas and its neighboring states are racing to understand and control its spread after a surge in cases. In this episode, the guys trade duck blinds for deer woods, sitting down with Cory Gray and Ralph Meeker from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and Dr. Marcelo Jorge fro...

A new chapter in Arkansas’s waterfowl story is being written. Through the generosity of David Snowden Jr., Merritt Dyke, and a few passionate supporters, a bold vision for the future of ducks and wetlands is coming to life. At the University of Arkansas–Monticello, Dr. Doug Osborne and his team are leading the charge with the creation of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and the Dyke–Snowden Endowed Chair—a first-of-its-ki...

Back in 2017, Arkansas native Austin Foster started experimenting in his shop with one goal — to build the ultimate turkey load. What began as tinkering turned into obsession: countless tests, tweaks, and trial runs until he landed on a shotshell that blew his hunting buddies away. Word spread fast, and before long Rocky Ridge Ammo Co. was born.

Today, the brand is redefining performance with premium, handcrafted TSS and stacked ste...

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Shawn Daniel grew up chasing mallards in the Arkansas timber, and after eight combat deployments with the Rangers and a stop in the corporate world, he’s come full circle. Today, Daniel leads Darby’s Warrior Support, a nonprofit dedicated to introducing military special operators to the traditions and healing power of duck hunting.

In this powerful episode, Shawn shares how the camaraderie of the duck blind...