JohnPollmann

John Pollmann

WF360 Central Flyway Migration Editor

John Pollmann is a freelance writer from Dell Rapids, South Dakota, who is an avid waterfowler and conservationist.

All articles by John Pollmann

Practice As You’ll Play

Practice As You’ll Play

Make your retriever training as close to the real thing as possible

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Carve Your Own Decoys

Carve Your Own Decoys

One of the coolest ways to elevate your hunting experience is to spend a morning hunting over decoys that you made with your own hands

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Become a Better Waterfowl Caller During the Off-Season

Become a Better Waterfowl Caller During the Off-Season

Improve your calling and bring more ducks and geese to your spread this fall with these four tips

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On the Road Again

On the Road Again

Simple tips for planning a waterfowling trip

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Hunting the Duck Factory

Hunting the Duck Factory

An expert guide to waterfowling the Prairie Pothole Region from opening day to freeze-up

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Migration Alert: Wild Weather Swings Impacts Duck and Goose Distribution in Central Flyway

Migration Alert: Wild Weather Swings Impacts Duck and Goose Distribution in Central Flyway

Jan. 24, 2025 – Central Flyway – Central Flyway Update

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Banding Together

Banding Together

Information provided by hunters who report the harvest of banded birds is crucial to waterfowl conservation and management

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Migration Alert: Winter Weather Shuffles Deck in Central Flyway

Migration Alert: Winter Weather Shuffles Deck in Central Flyway

Jan. 10, 2025 – Central Flyway

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Moving-Water Magic

Moving-Water Magic

Expert advice on how to hunt late-season ducks and geese on rivers, creeks, and streams

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Winter Retriever Safety

Winter Retriever Safety

Tips on how to keep your retriever safe and healthy in challenging late-season conditions

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Migration Alert: Kansas Duck and Goose Hunters Search for Opportunities

Migration Alert: Kansas Duck and Goose Hunters Search for Opportunities

Dec. 17, 2024 – Central Flyway – Kansas

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Migration Alert: Waterfowl Numbers Climb in Northwest Missouri

Migration Alert: Waterfowl Numbers Climb in Northwest Missouri

Dec. 4, 2024 – Mississippi Flyway – Missouri

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Migration Alert: Cold Front Delivers Waterfowl to Nebraska

Migration Alert: Cold Front Delivers Waterfowl to Nebraska

Nov. 25, 2024 – Central Flyway – Nebraska

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Days You Can Sleep In

Days You Can Sleep In

Here's a look at three waterfowl hunting situations when it pays to sleep in—a little, at least

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Migration Alert: Colorado Hunters Wait on Weather, Migration

Migration Alert: Colorado Hunters Wait on Weather, Migration

Nov. 14, 2024 – Central Flyway – Colorado

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Migration Alert: Hunters Wait on Weather in South Dakota

Migration Alert: Hunters Wait on Weather in South Dakota

Oct. 25, 2024 - Central Flyway - South Dakota

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Migration Alert: Local Duck Production Boosts Early-Season Opportunities in North Dakota

Migration Alert: Local Duck Production Boosts Early-Season Opportunities in North Dakota

Oct. 18, 2024 – Central Flyway – North Dakota

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Minding the Migration

Minding the Migration

Stay one step ahead of the birds this season

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Migration Alert: Strong Goose Numbers Driving Prairie Canada Hunting Success

Migration Alert: Strong Goose Numbers Driving Prairie Canada Hunting Success

Oct. 4, 2024 – Central Flyway – Prairie Canada

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Getting Permission to Hunt

Getting Permission to Hunt

Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just starting out, these five tips can help you gain access to hunt private land

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Migration Alert: Plenty of Optimism for Regular Duck Seasons in Central Flyway

Migration Alert: Plenty of Optimism for Regular Duck Seasons in Central Flyway

Sept. 20, 2024 – Central Flyway – Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma

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Five Opening-Day Secrets

Five Opening-Day Secrets

These expert strategies will help you get your season started with a bang

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Migration Alert: Central Flyway Teal Hunters, Waterfowl Managers Optimistic

Migration Alert: Central Flyway Teal Hunters, Waterfowl Managers Optimistic

Sept. 5, 2024 – Central Flyway Teal Preview

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The Magic of Migration

The Magic of Migration

There is perhaps no greater spectacle than the grand passage of waterfowl

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Classic Spreads

Classic Spreads

Five tried-and-true decoy setups for ducks and geese

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Tune Up Your Shooting

Tune Up Your Shooting

Tips to help you make the most of your time at the range this summer

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Waterfowl Scouting 101

Waterfowl Scouting 101

A crash course in how to find the best hunting spots for the upcoming season

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Off-Season Gear Storage

Off-Season Gear Storage

Enhance your gear's performance and longevity by cleaning, maintaining, and storing it properly during the off-season

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Off-Season To-Do List

Off-Season To-Do List

Get ready for opening day by crossing these tasks off your list

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Training Days

Training Days

Keep your retriever healthy with expert tips on exercise, heat stress, and first aid for a successful hunting season.

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A Look Beyond Labs: Alternative Waterfowl Hunting Dog Breeds

A Look Beyond Labs: Alternative Waterfowl Hunting Dog Breeds

Labrador retrievers are wonderful duck dogs, yet there are several other breeds that also fit the bill for waterfowlers

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Early-Season Destinations: Four Prairie Waterfowling Hotspots

Early-Season Destinations: Four Prairie Waterfowling Hotspots

Plan your next waterfowling adventure

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Goose Calling 101

Goose Calling 101

Five tips for beginning callers

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Practice Like You Play

Practice Like You Play

Five tips to making an off-season plan

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Backyard Basics

Backyard Basics

How to maintain a solid retriever training regimen in small spaces

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Exploring the Duck Factory

Exploring the Duck Factory

A closer look at the Prairie Pothole Region, North America's most important waterfowl breeding area

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Snow Season

Snow Season

Five tips for hunting light geese this spring

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Camouflaging Portable Blinds

Camouflaging Portable Blinds

Here’s how to conceal mobile blinds so you’ll stay hidden from the watchful eyes of waterfowl in a variety of habitats

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Stay Safe Out There!

Stay Safe Out There!

When late-season weather turns dangerous, pay heed to this life-saving advice

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5 Late-Season Waterfowling Secrets

5 Late-Season Waterfowling Secrets

Ducks and geese act differently in January than they do in October. These expert tips will help you improve your hunting success by adapting to changes in waterfowl behavior and habitat conditions

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Dollars for Ducks

Dollars for Ducks

At DU events, members just like you come together to have fun and raise money for conservation

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Youth Movement

Youth Movement

Special hunts for kids can help kick-start a love of waterfowling

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10 Ways to Improve Your Terrible Hunting Content

10 Ways to Improve Your Terrible Hunting Content

In an age where everyone is a content creator, learn how to make yours stand out

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The Future of CRP

The Future of CRP

Building support for this important agricultural conservation program is a top DU priority in the next Farm Bill

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Geese Over Water

Geese Over Water

Expand your goose-hunting opportunities with these special-specific decoy strategies for lakes, flooded fields, marshes, and ponds

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California Dreaming

California Dreaming

A trip to California’s Sacramento Valley delivers a bucket-list hunt for pintails, specklebellies, and mallards in a waterfowler’s paradise

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Five Public Land Hotspots in the Central Flyway for 2021

Five Public Land Hotspots in the Central Flyway for 2021

Among the public hunting opportunities found throughout the Central Flyway are those that bear the mark of Ducks Unlimited volunteers and fellow supporters of wetlands conservation.

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Five Central Flyway Public Land Hotspots for 2020

Five Central Flyway Public Land Hotspots for 2020

Find ducks and geese on public land in the Central Flyway

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Five Tips for Shooting Bluewings

Five Tips for Shooting Bluewings

Bag more bluewings this September

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Going Mobile

Going Mobile

Today's lightweight, portable blinds offer concealment and mobility in the field and on the water

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Five 2019 Public Hunting Hotspots in the Central Flyway

Five 2019 Public Hunting Hotspots in the Central Flyway

Your public-land waterfowling adventure begins here

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Behind the Numbers

Behind the Numbers

Here’s what you need to know about the annual Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey

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5 Things to Consider When Deciding How to Hunt Spring Snows

5 Things to Consider When Deciding How to Hunt Spring Snows

Two experts weigh in on how to decide between freelancing or hiring a guide for spring snows

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5 Shooting Tips for Spring Snows

5 Shooting Tips for Spring Snows

Follow this expert advice to bag more light geese this season

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Strategies for Spring Snows

Strategies for Spring Snows

Helpful tips for hunting light geese on their northward migration

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