Joe Palumbo holding beautiful green head mallards

I’ve been chasing ducks and geese for as long as I can remember. My dad put a call in my hand when I was three years old back in south-central Pennsylvania, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Thirty years later—and thirteen seasons with Heartland Waterfowl—I still get the same feeling when the alarm goes off before a hunt: a clean reset with my buddies and the curiosity of what the day will bring.

Field Duck Hunting in North Dakota: Decoying Mallards in Open Country

My favorite days are field duck hunts. Give me mallards dropping into a North Dakota corn or wheat field and I’m happy. When a group lines up and starts backpedaling into a landing pocket, it feels effortless—like the whole decoy spread and wind plan finally clicked. And if it doesn’t go perfect, that’s part of it too. We rib each other, we adjust the spread, and we keep it light.

Decoying mallards in a North Dakota field using a clean landing pocket and wind-true spread
Field spread: clean footprint, obvious pocket, wind-true approach.

Late-Season Goose Hunting in Cornfields: Snow, Grind & Payoff

I also love a late-season goose hunt in a snowy cornfield. It’s a grind, but when honkers swing low and commit, that payoff hits different. We set realistic family groups, keep edges tidy, and watch body language. A few groups finishing clean and some good dog work—that’s a win in my book.

Mindset: The Silent Goal, the Respectable Bag & the Brotherhood

We’re competitive, sure—we all feel the silent goal of a limit. But I don’t need it to define the day. I want a respectable bag, a feeling of accomplishment, and time well spent with the crew. If we hit it big, there’s pride and a little celebration at breakfast. If we don’t, there’s some disappointment—but it fades fast once football’s on and plates hit the table. The camaraderie is the constant.

Snacks in the Blind: Keep Spirits (and Energy) Up

I’m big on blind snacks. Even on a tough hunt, nobody is going hungry if they’re sitting next to me. I carry a stash of candy in my blind bag—Snickers has home-field advantage—but I also keep it honest with protein bars when we need clean fuel and a longer window before breakfast.

Blind bag open with snacks, shells, multitool and gloves ready for a long waterfowl hunt
Snacks, shells, multitool—simple things keep the morning rolling.
Late-season goose hunting in a snow-covered cornfield with realistic family groups
Late-season geese: realistic family groups and tidy edges.

Simple Gear That Never Leaves My Kit

I don’t leave the house without a pocket knife or multitool—it solves a lot of small problems before they turn big. And the one piece I brag on the most is my First Lite Wick Hoody. It’s the most comfortable lightweight layer I’ve ever worn; I wear it every day I’m hunting, whether it’s October mallards or January geese.

After the Hunt: Breakfast, Football & Stories

Post-hunt is its own tradition. Nothing beats rolling back to the house or lodge after a good morning, throwing down a big breakfast, and settling in for football. That’s when the stories grow, the banter gets sharper, and the brotherhood tightens up. Season or off-season, our group chat never slows—we’re not just buddies on camera; we’re brothers in real life.

Field ducks, late-season geese, snacks in the blind, and laughter with the crew—that’s why I keep coming back to waterfowl.

Keep the Story Going

For more first-person hunts and waterfowl talk, check out our podcast and gear up in the shop:

Hookups for our crew: Blue Otter PolarizedHW10Dirty Duck CoffeeHW10MTN OPSHEARTLAND

Where we hunt most: Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Saskatchewan (Canada)—with the occasional swing to Cold Bay (AK), upstate New York, the Northeast sea-duck scene, and the Mississippi Delta.