Mike Brasher
Ducks Unlimited Podcast Science Host
Appears in 56 Episodes
Ep. 596 – Dr. Scott Stephens – Summer Rains Provide Major Boost to the Prairies
After 4 years of extended drought, spring and summer rains finally provide relief to the US and Canadian prairies, but what does it mean for the fall flight? Dr. Scott...
Ep. 595 – Game-Farm Genes Affect Mallard Movements and Behavior – Evidence from the Great Lakes
Much has been said about increasing prevalence of game-farm genes in mallard populations, but evidence has been scarce on whether these genes produce differences in be...
Ep. 594 – Mallards of the Great Lakes – New Research into Population Declines
Great Lakes mallards are an important source of local harvest for hunters in the region, but their population has declined by nearly 60% since 1997. Recently completed...
Ep. 592 – Transition of Power – Meet DU’s New President, Bob Spoerl
Every 2 years, there is a transition at the top of DU’s volunteer leadership, as the membership approves a new President and the outgoing president takes the helm as C...
Ep. 591 – The Value of a Wetland: Exploring the Benefits of Wetlands to Waterfowl, Wildlife, and People.
On this episode of the Ducks Unlimited podcast, Dr. Jerad Henson hosts Dr. Mike Brasher, senior waterfowl scientist, and Dr. Ellen Herbert, senior scientist for Sustai...
Ep. 590 – Pintails, Guns & Gear, Mediocre Habitat, and Avian Flu
Thanks to a newly approved pintail harvest strategy, waterfowl hunters in the Lower 48 may soon have the opportunity for a 3-pintail bag limit for the first time since...
Ep. 589 – $100 Million for the Prairies and 1 Million Acres of Conservation Delivery
Dr. Karen Waldrop, DU’s chief conservation officer, joins Dr. Mike Brasher to share two unprecedented announcements reflecting DU’s continued growth and impact for wat...
Ep. 587 – Eat Beef…Produce More Ducks
Ryan Taylor, DU’s director of public policy and self-professed “rancher in residence” for the Great Plains Region, joins Dr. Mike Brasher to share stories as a 4th Gen...
Ep. 584 – Congressman Bruce Westerman: A Champion for Conservation
Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR), joins Dr. Mike Brasher and guest host Adam Putnam, Ducks Unlimited CEO, for an ins...
Ep. 583 – Bumping Birds: What Are We Learning About Ducks, Sanctuary, and Hunters?
Sanctuary…it is perhaps the most controversial and poorly understood aspect of habitat management for wintering waterfowl, yet potentially most important. In Part 2 of...
Ep. 582 – Studying Mallard Ducks in Western Tennessee
A research idea, born in a duck blind, matures into a $2 million cutting-edge study, is funded heavily by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Tennessee Wildlife Res...
Ep. 580 – Can Ducks Drink Salt Water?
Freshwater is a basic requirement of all birds, but it can be in short supply during extreme drought and in marine environments. In these situations, how do birds cope...
Ep. 579 – Rain on the Prairies, But Was it Enough?
Reports of recent rain in the Dakotas and Canadian Prairies have stirred optimism among duck hunters already looking forward to the fall. How much rain fell, was it en...
Ep. 575 – Bringing Respect Back to Snow Geese
“Sky carp” and “Saving the Tundra” are phrases that have become commonplace in the vernacular of light goose hunters across North America. Although born from well-inte...
Ep. 574 – Texas Ends their Use of the Light Goose Conservation Order
Beginning in spring 2025, for the first time in over 25 years, light geese wintering in Texas will find it a quieter and more welcoming place. That is because in April...
Ep. 573 – Help! A Mallard is Nesting in My Flowers!! What Should I Do?
Spring is a time for waterfowl nesting, and it’s also a time when our feathered friends venture into our neighborhoods and back yards looking for a safe place to lay e...
Ep. 568 – Discussion Topics for Duck Hunters this Spring
Host Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher sit down and discuss the hot topics of discussion for duck and goose hunters this spring. It may be turkey season, but avid du...
Ep. 566 – Why are Scientists Banding Scaup, Canvasbacks, and Redheads on Pool 19?
Lesser scaup are one of several duck species in North America that have experienced long-term population declines, and despite decades of research, the exact cause of ...
Ep. 565 – Prairie Conditions, the Specter of Restrictive Seasons, and a Commitment to Conservation
Dr. Johann Walker, DU’s director of operations for the Great Plains region, joins Dr. Mike Brasher for a mid-March update on the status of drought in the prairies and ...
Ep. 564 – Dedication to a Place – 130 Years of Waterfowl and Wildlife Science in the Illinois River Valley
The Forbes Biological Station in Havanna, Illinois, is North American’s oldest inland wildlife research station. Over its 130-year history, it has become one of our gr...
Ep. 562 – Trust In Food and DU Partner to Deliver Sustainable Ag and Ranching Practices
America’s farmers and ranchers feed and clothe our families and steward our lands. More than ever, they are among DU’s strongest partners in accelerating the pace and ...
Ep. 558 – Adventures on the High Seas with Polar Expeditionist and Ornithological Badass, Dr. Sarah Gutowsky
First-time guest and recent DU Canada postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Sarah Gutowsky, joins Dr. Mike Brasher for a trip around the world studying birds, leading polar exp...
Ep. 556 – "One of the Worst Hunting Seasons in Memory”—The 2023–24 Season in Review
Well, here it is— a look back on what has been referred to as “one of the worst hunting seasons in memory.” Co-hosts Chris Jennings and Dr. Mike Brasher are joined by ...
Ep. 554 – Monthly Roundup – Season’s End, Duck Science, Snakes in the Pit, and Upcoming Projects
A hard freeze followed by rapid warm up and widespread rain made for an interesting and somewhat productive end to the 2023-24 hunting season. Chris Jennings, Katie Bu...
Ep. 552 – Young Ducks Team up with an Old Dawg for Ring-necks and Conservation
Dr. Mike Brasher recently joined the crew from Campus Waterfowl for an opportunity to reconnect with his roots, as he shared a soggy morning in the cypress swamp with ...
Ep. 549 – Sydnie Wells and Barstool Take Over the DU Podcast!
Buckle Up for fun and laughter as Sydnie Wells of Barstool Outdoors joins Dr. Mike Brasher on this special episode with first-time duck hunters Wonton Don and Feitelbe...
Ep. 548 – Species Profile: Brant (re-air)
In this special edition re-air of the brant species profile, Dr. Mark Lindberg shares insights from his 30+ year career as a waterfowl scientist on arguably the most f...
Ep. 547 – Pacific Flyway Update and “The Big Four” of DU’s Western Region
Dr. Mike Brasher is joined by Jeff McCreary, director of operations for DU’s Western Region, for a recap of the 2023-24 waterfowl season and the struggles it delivered...
Ep. 546 – Edge of the Bering Sea: Life and Learning at a Brant Research Camp
Dr. Mike Brasher reunites with graduate students Jordan Thompson and Caroline Blommel and research assistants Lydia Martin, Laura Wallace, and Jacob Tepsa to recount t...
Ep. 544 – Monthly Roundup: Questions from Listeners, Arctic Blast, and Family Bonds of Duck Hunting
Dr. Mike Brasher and Katie Burke are on location at a family hunting camp in the Mississippi Delta for the January roundup. Joined by DU Podcast producer, Chris Isaac,...