Ep.96 The Legacy of California Waterfowling: A talk with Conservationist Yancey Forest-Knowles Pt. 4

Southern California Duck Country: History, Habitat, TraditionWaterfowl historian Yancey Forest-Knowles joins Jeff and Carson to map the rise and fall of Southern California’s coastal duck country—from the artesian-fed ciénegas of the Los Angeles plain to the estuaries of Ballona, Bolsa Chica, and Newport, and on to the Salton Sea and the San Diego reservoirs. It’s a guided tour through clubs that once dotted the coast, the culture that filled their cookhouses, and the policy and development pressures that eventually shut most gates. We close with what’s still huntable today and the conservation lessons worth carrying forward.Topics includeHow artesian water and heavy winter rains built a maze of natural marshes across the L.A. basinThe Orange County era of managed wetlands—and why city growth and water rules ended itCoastal club culture: famous names, strict house rules, and why Point Mugu still mattersSalton Sea 101: accident to flyway magnet, depredation history, and what changed on the landscapeSan Diego’s reservoir hunts and old-school duck-boat drivesWhat remains today (San Jacinto, Wister, select coastal/military marshes) and the takeaways for modern habitat work🦆 If this history hits home, tap follow, drop a quick review, and share the episode with your blind crew—your support keeps these conversations moving and the flyway thriving.