MEMPHIS, Tenn. - July 21, 2020 -This week on DU TV, co-host Ashley Ward joins DU volunteers on a special waterfowl hunt in northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

Minnesota DU volunteer and donor Craig Beason has been hunting across the border in Canada for decades. This time was a little different. Beason and friends joined the DU TV crew for a hunt purchased at the Ducks Unlimited National Convention in Hawaii last year.

Beason fondly remembers why he became a DU volunteer.

"I remember when I was 5 years old and my dad took me to a DU banquet,&dquo; Beason said. "We had a lot of fun and I even won a gun. That&squo;s a lasting memory of DU and what the organization is all about.&dquo;

Beason also discussed what he believes is the heart and soul of Ducks Unlimited.

"It&squo;s not just about the ducks,&dquo; Beason said. "It&squo;s about the habitat, it&squo;s about the resource, it&squo;s about clean water and it&squo;s about the future of waterfowl and wetlands conservation.&dquo;

Saskatchewan has long been known for excellent waterfowl hunting, but the province is also a prime Prairie Pothole duck and goose breeding area.

DU Canada biologist Chuck Deschamps explained the area&squo;s role.

"It&squo;s part of the larger picture for waterfowl breeding and migratory biology in Canada,&dquo; he said. "In order for those ducks to make a successful migration down into the United States, and then back in the spring to breed, these areas are critical.&dquo;

Matt Kostka of Top Gun Guide Service hosted the hunt. He hunts up and down the flyway, following the annual waterfowl migration.

"Traveling the flyway, the way we do it, is amazing,&dquo; Kostka said. "Watching what the birds do in different areas and seeing the migration unfold before your eyes is an incredible experience.&dquo;

The episode ends with an epic snow goose hunt filmed at the start of the southward migration, not the typical spring reverse north. These geese must feed on the high protein grain found on the Saskatchewan prairie before heading south and Ward and crew were there to intercept them.

DU TV airs Mondays at 1 a.m., Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (all times Eastern) on the Pursuit Channel. All episodes, plus bonus content and classic episodes, can be found at www.ducks.org/dutv.

Follow DU&squo;s newest Twitter feed-@DUNews1937-to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14.5 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Media Contact:

John Gordon

901-758-3753

jgordon@ducks.org