Ep. 94 Managing Northeastern California Wetlands with Greg Heydeman
Update: 2025-08-04
Description
Regional Biologist Greg Heydeman (California Waterfowl Association) joins Jeff Smith and Carson Odegard for a deep look at habitat work and hunting realities in the high desert of Modoc, Klamath and Shasta Valley.
In this conversation you’ll learn:
- Why the 2025-26 season starts with optimism—heavy snowpack and strong water deliveries are putting more acres back under flood across the Northeast Zone
- The Butte Valley makeover—over 2,000 acres of former ditch water converted to managed seasonal wetlands and improved hunter access
- Public-first project strategy—roughly 80-85 percent of CWA habitat dollars in Greg’s region go to state and federal areas, not private clubs
- How ice drives every decision—from property acquisitions to draw systems, one hard freeze in early December can shut an entire ranch down
- New migration quirks—summer-resident snow geese and specks are now common sights, underscoring shifting flyway patterns
Pull up a chair and hear how smart engineering, targeted grants and on-the-ground hunting experience combine to keep birds—and opportunity—on the landscape.
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