From Firehouse to Flyway: Sitka Stories & First Duck Hunts with Josh Kaddatz

Duck season is officially in the rearview mirror, and the boys sit down for an honest, no-guest season recap. From a frustrating early teal season and stagnant weather to late-season lockups, frozen fingers, and a few bright-spot hunts worth remembering, this episode covers it all. Jeff, Matt, and Tyler break down what they learned, what they’d do differently next year, biggest regrets, gear wins (and failures), and how late-season hunting opened some eyes. The conversation drifts—as it always does—into dogs, waders, future trips, and looking ahead to Oklahoma and beyond. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final Migration Report of 2025 is here. With most of Wisconsin frozen out, access was everything. Tyler breaks down end-of-season bird movement in the Southeast and Southwest regions, recaps the North Zone closure, and highlights where hunters still found success on ducks and geese despite brutal conditions. We also cover the upcoming late Canada goose hunt in the Southern and Mississippi River Zones. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Tyler hold down the fort while Matt’s on the road, and this week they sit down with Phillip Jones of GAIM Virtual Shooting, the VR-powered shooting simulator that’s reshaping how hunters train, practice, and prepare for the field. Phillip walks through his wild journey—from growing up in the UK on traditional driven pheasant hunts, to serving in the British military, to moving to the U.S. and helping build one of the most realistic shooting simulators on the market. The guys dig into: How GAIM uses the Meta Quest headset to create ultra-realistic waterfowl, upland, and big-game scenarios Why the new waterfowl VR hunt is shockingly lifelike The massive value VR brings to new hunters, kids, and youth shooting programs Using GAIM for off-season training, building muscle memory, and fixing bad shooting habits Ballistics accuracy, patterning visuals, safe-shot warnings, target ID, and other tech baked into the platform Upcoming features, multiplayer leagues, new scenarios, and the future of VR in the hunting world Phillip also shares some phenomenal stories about driven hunts, dog work, and the surprising way VR bridges the gap between today’s tech-savvy kids and real-world hunting. Click here to learn more about GAIM. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Migration Report, Tyler breaks down fresh updates from across Wisconsin as cold temps, snow, and rapid freeze-up reshape the waterfowl landscape. We cover real-time reports from the Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast regions — including diver activity on Green Bay, the end of the North Zone duck season, late-season honker patterns, and how fast-changing ice conditions are impacting access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh reports are in from all four regions of Wisconsin as the waterfowl season winds down. Tyler breaks down diver numbers on Green Bay, stale mallards in the Northwest, urban-locked birds in the Southeast, and a surprise diver push on the river in the Southwest. Ice, low water, weather swings, and minimal hunting pressure all shaped this week’s migration activity. Tune in for the latest Wisconsin duck migration update and what hunters can expect heading into the final stretch of the season. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Matt are running the show while Tyler is home fighting the family stomach bug, and they’re fresh off their second annual central Iowa pheasant hunting road trip. In this episode of the Upduck Podcast, the guys break down two full days of chasing wild roosters on a mix of private and public ground along Highway 20—hot 70-degree November temps, tough scenting conditions, soaked boots, a surprise loose farm pig in the CRP, and plenty of laughs along the way. They talk through how the dogs, Josie (pointer) and Maggie (retriever), adjusted from a rough Day 1 to lights-out dog work on Day 2, finishing with a pile of Iowa pheasants and a couple bonus ditch-jump ducks. From there, the conversation shifts to a real-time Wisconsin duck hunting and migration report: stale mallards, birds that won’t finish over decoys, crowded weekday marshes, and why this late-season Midwest waterfowl pattern just feels “off” this year. Jeff also looks ahead to their upcoming Oklahoma duck trip and the tradition of Wisconsin gun deer opener—deer camp, the orange army, and going into the season old-school with no trail cameras, just a tree stand and hope for venison. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stable weather and steady south winds have stalled the migration, leaving hunters working educated birds and waiting on the next big front. Still, folks are finding success in the right places. Tyler breaks down conditions and bird activity across all four regions of the state in this week’s Migration Report — from divers up north to local mallards still hanging in the south. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

the crew sits down with Josh Kaddatz, Community Coordinator at Sitka Gear’s Vernon Hills store — and a brand-new waterfowl hunter learning the ropes of his first season. Josh shares his journey from firefighting to working in the outdoor industry, how Sitka develops and tests its gear, and what hooked him on duck hunting after his very first wood duck. The guys dive deep into layering systems, cold-weather hunting gear, and what makes Sitka’s design process different, while also swapping stories about misses in the pheasant field, jealous labs, and what happens when your gloves don’t cooperate with your safety. Plus, Josh previews the Folds of Honor collaboration, upcoming Vernon Hills events, and offers pro tips for staying warm and dry in late-season hunts. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The November 10th Migration Report breaks down the latest waterfowl movement across Wisconsin. From Green Bay to Pool 7 on the Mississippi River, new pushes of mallards, divers, and geese are finally showing up after the first big cold front of the season. Hear bird activity updates, hunter conditions, and migration trends across the Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast regions of the state of Wisconsin. For more information and content, check out the following links: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hunting updates from the Upduck crew: timing ducks before a cold front, layout boat bluebills on Green Bay, Minnesota pheasants, public-land pressure, family hunts, decoy talk & duck recipes. Check out the following links for more information and content Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices