Mike Brasher
DUPodcast Co-Host
Appears in 187 Episodes
The 2026 Duck Numbers Are Out: Here's the Early Story...
The 2026 duck numbers are out, and there are a few surprises. In this special update, Dr. Mike Brasher gives a quick breakdown of the newly released Waterfowl Populat...
Why Ducks Unlimited de Mexico Matters to Every Duck Hunter (Ep 802)
Birds don’t recognize borders. Conservation shouldn't either. Host Dr. Mike Brasher sits down with longtime Ducks Unlimited volunteer leaders Rogers Hoyt and Bill Ans...
RELOADED EP131: Waterfowl Identification And You
Host Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss waterfowl identification and its importance for not only waterfowl hunters, but also birders. Mike talks about identif...
Are Changes Coming to the May Survey? (Ep 800)
Learn how the survey behind duck population estimates and hunting regulations is being evaluated for the future. Host Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by Dr. John Yeiser of ...
RELOADED EP81: Using Research to Understand Waterfowl Hunter Dynamics
Dr. Mike Brasher is joined in studio by a trio of special guests to discuss trends in waterfowl hunter numbers and the importance of recruiting our next generation of ...
UPDATE: Why Prairie Wetland Protections Need Your Support Right Now
Follow these links! Direct link to petition: https://ducks.quorum.us/campaign/duckfactory/ Link to DU page and federal register link: https://www.ducks.org/save-the...
Why Waterfowl in the Klamath Basin Need Help Right Now (Ep. 794)
Learn what’s driving a new botulism outbreak in the Klamath Basin and what conservation partners are doing to help protect thousands of waterfowl. Host Dr. Mike Bras...
RELOADED EP346- Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 18: Atlantic Flyway Multi-Stock Harvest Management
This episode wraps up our 18 part series. As eastern mallards declined in the early 2000s, waterfowl managers developed a new approach for setting duck harvest framewo...
RELOADED EP345 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 17: Eastern Mallard AHM, the Beginnings
In the late 1990s, waterfowl harvest managers in the Atlantic Flyway began exploring new approaches to tie harvest regulations for their states to eastern mallards and...
Prairie Conditions & Duck Predictions | 2026 Habitat Update
What will the 2026 duck season look like? It all starts on the prairies. In this annual Ducks Unlimited tradition, host Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by Dr. Scott Stephe...
Texas Coast Wetlands: Habitat, Migration & Conservation in Action (Ep 787)
The Texas Gulf Coast is one of the most important — and most dynamic — waterfowl landscapes in North America. In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by Taylo...
RELOADED EP235 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 16: Pintail AHM & the Role of Harvest in Duck Management
Dr. Scott Boomer, USFWS wildlife biologist, rejoins the show to offer his thoughts on sex-specific regulations and provide a brief update on the ongoing revision to th...
Meet Wade Shoemaker: A New Voice on the DU Podcast (Ep 785)
The Ducks Unlimited Podcast is adding a new voice — and a new perspective. In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher and co‑host Dr. Jerad Henson introduce Wade Shoemaker...
RELOADED EP234 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 15: Beyond Mallards in Modern AHM
First developed for midcontinent mallards, Adaptive Harvest Management has since been expanded to eastern and western mallards, black ducks, pintails, and scaup. Dr. S...
RELOADED EP231 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 14: Sex-specific Regs and Farewell to the Point System
Dr. Jim Dubovsky, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service central flyway representative, rejoins the DU Podcast to provide nostalgic reflection as he share insights on the role...
California’s Central Valley: Water, Wetlands & the Future of Ducks (Ep 780)
California’s Central Valley is one of the most important — and most intensively managed — waterfowl landscapes in North America. In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher...
RELOADED EP230 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 13: Remembering The Point System
Mathematics was once a required practice in the duck blind, courtesy of the point system of the 70s and 80s. Dr. Jim Dubovsky, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service central f...
RELOADED EP224 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 12: AHM – Learning, Legacy, and Influence
In this concluding episode about the implementation of Adaptive Harvest Management, Dr. Jim Nichols and Dr. Mike Brasher discuss the importance of population data, ban...
Duck Science at Scale: AI, Satellites & the Future of Conservation (Ep 776)
Waterfowl science is entering a new era — and Ducks Unlimited is right in the middle of it. In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by co‑host Dr. Jerad Henso...
RELOADED EP223 - Waterfowl Harvest Management Series, Part 11: AHM – Alternative Hypotheses and Optimal Decisions
Is duck harvest mortality additive or compensatory? Is duck production strongly or weakly density dependent? Which habitat features most influence duck production? And...
