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Cold mornings, fog breaks, and the first real push of birds set the stage for a statewide check-in that connects Shasta and Modoc to Kern and the Salton Sea. We trade opening-week optimism for practical tactics: when to leave work early, how to read those fickle mid-morning flights, and why rice flood-ups are quietly reorganizing the whole game. You’ll hear why mallard-focused hunts demand a different plan, what GPS-banded birds reveal about short-hop movements, and how a simple shift in hide and spacing can turn a “dead” sit into a fast, clean shoot.

George calls in with dog training progress, force fetch tips, and a candid look at Pleasant Grove blinds ramping up as water arrives. We dig into 28-gauge pros and the reality of premium shell costs, plus a couple of December targets that should showcase motion decoys and smart spreads. Then Landon breaks down boat hunts on tidal water, early-season greenhead success, and the kind of discipline it takes to pass gray ducks when you’re living for mallards. He lays out a clear read on wigeon, gadwall, and why spinners help—right up until they don’t.

Finally, Colin brings the Southern California vantage point: Kern’s tight quotas, Worcester’s learning curve, off-refuge wins in the hills, and what the Salton Sea promises when weather and timing click. Expect teal surges, pintail stacking, and the kind of December that rewards patience and precision. If you’re saving days for when it turns on, you might be right. If you’re grinding now, take notes on wind, fog, and the exact minute birds commit—because those patterns repeat.

Join us, compare your logbook, and get ready for a December run that could go hot and heavy. If you enjoy the show, follow ForTheFowlers on Instagram, share this episode with a hunting buddy, and leave a quick rating or review wherever you listen. It helps more than you think.