Joel Strickland — your instructorLaunching September 1, 2026
Hunt
smarter.
More than a course — it’s a season-long companion. Master the craft across ten modules and sixty-plus lessons, then put every bit of it to work in the field with BlindBook, where each hunt you log makes the next one sharper. Doors open September 1 — founding members get in first.
Sept 1
doors open
10
modules
60+
lessons planned
$119
founding first year
Your instructor
Decades in the marsh, distilled.
First lessons drop September 1Joel Strickland
Lead Instructor · Waterfowl University
The science of waterfowling, from a guide who has spent decades reading wind, water, and birds. Joel teaches decoy spreads that finish, calling for pressured late-season ducks, hide setups in flooded timber, and the scouting habits that fill straps — the craft he runs through when the camera’s off.
Lessons in production
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Decoy spreads that actually move
Sept 1
►
Calling pressured late-season birds
Sept 1
►
Hide setup in flooded timber
Sept 1
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Reading the wind off a levee
Sept 1
The course
The complete waterfowl education — taught by people who live it.
A full season of hard-won knowledge, structured into ten modules you can work through at your own pace — from your first scouting trip to the last bird of the day. Decoy spreads that finish birds, calling cadences for pressured marshes, and the concealment details that separate full straps from empty ones.
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Sneak peekLesson quizQuestion 1 of 4
A cold front blows through overnight with a hard north wind. Where do you expect fresh birds to settle first?
AOpen, deep water in the middle of the lake
✓Sheltered shallows on the downwind, leeward bank
CThe same field they used yesterday, no matter the wind
DHigh, exposed points facing into the wind
Submit answerPass 4 of 5 quizzes to earn the module badge.
Track your progress
Earn your rank, shell by shell.
Every lesson watched, quiz passed, and hunt logged climbs your rank — from Lead all the way to TSS. Your progress lives in your BlindBook profile. Here’s a preview of the member dashboard.
14
Lessons completed
of 62 · keep going
9
Quizzes passed
88% average score
12
Day learning streak
Don’t break the chain
Ammo-tier ranks
Lead
Rookie
Steel
You are here
Bismuth
Seasoned
Tungsten
Sharp
TSS
Elite
Pass more quizzes and log more hunts to climb from Lead to TSS.
Not just coursework
The marsh is the final exam.
Waterfowl University isn’t lectures you forget by opening day. Learn it on the web, take it to the blind, and log the hunt in BlindBook — where what you study and what you actually shoot climb the same rank.
1
Learn it
A short, focused video, then a quick quiz — so the tactic sticks before you’re standing in the dark.
2
Hunt it
Take it to the field. Every lesson is built to use on a real hunt — not to memorize for a test.
3
Track it
Log the hunt in BlindBook. Your harvest, weather, and spread — and your WU rank climbs right along with it.
The curriculum
Ten modules. Sixty-plus lessons. Coming September 1.
The planned curriculum, mapped out — every module is in production now. Join the founding list and be first in when doors open.
01Scouting & Reading the Marsh
Scouting & Reading the Marsh
- Where ducks want to be: food, water & restThe three things every spot needsSept 1
- Reading a marsh from the truck & the mapE-scouting before you ever get wetSept 1
- Glassing technique & counting birds at dawnSept 1
- Roosts, loafing water & the X — what not to bumpSept 1
- Keeping a scouting journal that actually pays offSept 1
02Decoy Spreads & Rigging
Decoy Spreads & Rigging
- Spread shapes: J-hook, U, and the open holeWhere you want birds to landSept 1
- Motion & the right amount of itSept 1
- Rigging for current, wind & depthSept 1
- Confidence decoys & species mixingSept 1
03Calling Cadences & Reading Reactions
Calling Cadences & Reading Reactions
- The hail call, greeting & comebackSept 1
- Feed chatter & the finishing murmurSept 1
- When to shut up: reading pressured birdsSept 1
04Blind Construction & Concealment
Blind Construction & Concealment
- Brushing a layout so it disappearsSept 1
- Sun, shadow & the angle birds see you fromSept 1
- Movement discipline & face coverSept 1
05Shotgun Patterning & Shot Selection
Shotgun Patterning & Shot Selection
- Patterning your gun at the ranges that matterSept 1
- Choke & load pairing for steelSept 1
- Picking the right bird & the ethical shotSept 1
06Retriever Training & Marking
Retriever Training & Marking
- Steadiness in the blindSept 1
- Marking multiple falls & running blindsSept 1
- Cold-water conditioning & safetySept 1
07Species ID & Regulations
Species ID & Regulations
- Ducks on the wing: ID in low lightSept 1
- Reading the regs: bag limits & zonesSept 1
- HIP, stamps & staying legalSept 1
08Weather & Migration
Weather & Migration
- Cold fronts & the push of new birdsSept 1
- Wind direction & how birds approachSept 1
- Reading the flyway forecast week to weekSept 1
09Public-Land Tactics
Public-Land Tactics
- Beating the crowd: the early-walk gameSept 1
- Running traffic & light spreadsSept 1
- Etiquette & staying safe around other huntersSept 1
10Processing & Table Fare
Processing & Table Fare
- Field dressing & keeping meat cleanSept 1
- Breasting vs. plucking wholeSept 1
- Three duck recipes that win over skepticsSept 1
The BlindBook app
Your season lives in BlindBook Pro.
Waterfowl University rides along inside BlindBook — the hunt-logging app built for waterfowlers. Log every hunt, track your harvest and the weather that moved birds, ID ducks on the wing, and watch your WU rank climb as you learn. Download the app and your course progress, streaks, and stats follow you to the blind.
- Hunt log & harvest tracking — every hunt and every bird, mapped, dated, and counted.
- WingID — point your camera at a bird and identify it on the spot.
- Weather & migration — the conditions that actually put birds in front of you.
- Your WU rank, in your pocket — lessons watched and quizzes passed sync straight to your profile.
Founding members
$149 a year. Founders start at $119.
Every membership includes BlindBook Hunter Pro — learn on the web, log your hunts in the app. Waterfowl University is $149/year — and the first 200 founding members get their first year for $119.
Founding Member
Founding Member
$119 / first year
First 200 members only — renews at the standard $149/year.
- The full Waterfowl Hunting Mastery course
- BlindBook Hunter Pro included
- New lessons as they drop
- One of 200 founding seats
Get in first
Doors open September 1 at $149/year. Founding seats go in list order — join now to claim yours.
Launching September 1, 2026 · $149/year · First 200 founding members pay $119 for year one
Stop guessing. Start filling straps.
Doors open September 1. Join the founding list and be first in.
Join the founding list