Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard welcome Cory Overton, California Waterfowl’s new Science Director, for a clear, field-level look at how modern telemetry is rewriting what we know about duck movements—and how that science feeds better habitat work and smarter regs. From the original PINSAT satellite project to today’s GPS/cellular tags and emerging smart bands, Cory explains what the data actually show: longer staging in SONEC/Klamath, pintail that roam like “five-year-olds on espresso,” fog-driven chaos that scatters birds, and why some geese will cross wildfires or even sit down on the ocean to ride out smoke. He also digs into CWA’s role training the next generation with UC Davis and how new assessment tools will tie real duck use to on-the-ground management.

Episode highlights

• Telemetry 101 to now — from old VHF triangulation to GPS/cellular tags and first-gen smart bands that could run for decades
• What PINSAT taught us — SONEC as the spring gas station, and how routes/timing have shifted since the early 2000s
• Fog, storms, and smoke — why pea-soup weeks burn calories, scramble patterns, and sometimes push birds hundreds of miles the “wrong” way
• Pintail vs. mallards — restless travelers vs. homebodies, and how that plays into the new pintail framework
• Klamath staging — more birds lingering north into winter, with some not dropping to the Valley until late (or at all)
• What’s next at CWA — postseason pintail banding, valley-wide habitat assessment tools, and a UC Davis pipeline for future wetland pros

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Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard sit down with Dwight Jones, founder of Closaway Outfitters (Uruguay) and CEO of Okmulgee Fields Inc., to unpack a boutique, American-run operation built for wild birds, predictable shoots, and no-surprises pricing. From why shore blinds mean no waders, to how legal baiting and lead shape reliable duck hunts, to the perdiz over dogs that steal the show—this is a clean, honest look at South American wingshooting done right. Learn travel logistics (LATAM into Montevideo, 2h40 lodge transfer, hunt the day you arrive), what’s truly wild vs. planted, and how Closaway keeps pressure low by resting ponds and limiting hunts. More at closaway.com/about-us

Episode highlights

• Why Uruguay, not just Argentina: high-quality mixed bag (ducks, dove/pigeon, wild perdiz) with shorter drives and afternoon duck hunts that “feel like a war at first light.”
• Predictable ducks, lower pressure: 30–50 ponds prepped each season, legal baiting, and ponds hunted only 2–3 times to keep birds finishing.
• All-inclusive, transparent pricing: airport transfers, daily gun rental, laundry, Wi-Fi, meals, and 125 shells/day included—no surprise add-ons at checkout.
• Guns, shells & safety: quality Beretta/Browning/Bennelli inventory, Magtech ammo, and shore setups that skip horses and chest-deep wades.
• Species & export notes: Rosybill, White-faced Whistling Duck, Speckled Teal—plus context on limited export rules for skins.
• Food & culture: Italian/Spanish-inspired meals, cook your harvest, and lodge life that feels like visiting a friend—not a hotel lobby.

If you’re curious about a wild, fair-chase South American hunt—without the shell-bill sticker shock—this one lays out the full playbook so you know exactly what you’re getting into.

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Carson Odegard sits down with Jeff Smith to break down December’s numbers across California Waterfowl properties—what got better, what got buried under water, and how long tule fog and rolling storms shifted bird behavior. From Staten Island’s goose grind to surprise surges at Potrero Hills and Goose Lake, this is your clear, no-spin field report.

By the numbers (December):

• Staten Island — 3.44 birds/hunter in Dec; season avg 4.3 (leaders: Aleutians, specks)
• Potrero Hills (Suisun) — 3.4 (up from 1.3 in Nov); spoons, GWT, with wigeon coming on
• Goose Lake (Tulare Basin) — 3.35; road-closure cancellations, but big success when open (spoons, ring-necks)
• Grizzly Ranch (Suisun) — 2.24; steady two-bird days (GWT, spoonies)
• Quimby Island (Delta) — 2.16; mallards + wigeon; slight dip from Nov
• Butte Creek Island Ranch (Butte Sink) — 1.83; GWT + ring-necks
• Denverton (Suisun) — 1.8; spoonies + GWT
• Sanborn Slough (Butte Sink) — 1.74; wigeon + ring-necks; flood closures and deep water
• Pope Ranch (Dixon) — 0.71 for ducks (mallards); still a strong wild pheasant option

What shaped the hunt:

• Flooding & safety — county road closures and moving water shut some days down; expect a lag before birds re-concentrate after high water.
• Prolonged tule fog — helped rice country, hurt island visibility/pull at times.
• Migration pops — late-month pushes showed up in the Grasslands and south valley units.

January outlook: Watch for wigeon and pintail to build in Suisun, mallard trickles where floodwaters recede, and more mixed bags at Staten as weather swings churn the Delta.

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