Spring Habitat Matters: Waterfowl Management Academy on Better Wetlands for Ducks (Ep 758) — Ducks Unlimited Podcast

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Spring is one of the most important—and most overlooked—periods in the waterfowl annual cycle. In this episode, host Dr. Mike Brasher sits down with the creators of Waterfowl Management Academy to discuss how private landowners can dramatically improve duck habitat by making simple adjustments in late winter and spring.

Guests Kale Flaspohler, Mike Flaspohler, and Dan Crigler bring more than 70 years of combined experience in wetland management, public land habitat work, and private land technical guidance. Their new online platform—WaterfowlManagement.com—is designed to bring that expertise directly to landowners and managers who want to improve their wetlands.

In this episode:

What Waterfowl Management Academy is and why they built it
Why spring habitat is critical for ducks, from migration to nesting
Moist-soil management fundamentals and how timing influences results
Protein, invertebrates, and the nutritional demands of breeding birds
Why pulling boards right after season misses the most important window
How private land (75–80% of remaining wetlands) can change population outcomes
Regional considerations: Midwest vs. Gulf Coast vs. flyway-wide applications
How simple changes like holding water longer can support shorebirds & waterbirds
Mentorship, trial‑and‑error, and the value of lifelong learning in habitat work
What’s next for WMA and how landowners can get hands‑on guidance

Whether you’re a wetland manager, private landowner, or someone wanting to “give back” to ducks after hunting season, this episode can change how you think about habitat.

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org

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