Jack Paris

Jack Paris is no Hollywood action star, but he does play a leading role in waterfowl conservation.

Paris, a native of Mandan, North Dakota, has made a living as a "landman" since 1979.

"Most people don't know what a landman is or does," Paris said. "That's the person who goes out and checks court records to see who owns the oil and gas rights under the ground."

A new drama series that premiered Nov. 17 on Paramount+ will certainly highlight the occupation, although Paris says the streaming network's new show portrays a lot more drama than his job has provided for the past 45 years. "Landman," created and written by Taylor Sheridan of "Yellowstone" fame, stars actor Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, a rough and tumble Texan navigating the oil industry's quest for riches.

Paris operates as a landman in western North Dakota, home to the Bakken Formation oil fields and coincidentally, a lot of waterfowl.

"In the early days, we didn't have cell phones, so you'd go out and find the farmer and try to negotiate an oil and gas lease. That's the part I enjoyed the most," Paris said. "A lot of those places were in good duck hunting areas. Sometimes I'd scout in the evening, then shoot a few ducks in the morning before I'd go to work. It worked out awesome."

Paris started hunting ducks at age 9. He recalls hunting teal over rubber decoys in small prairie potholes.

"We had great access, great habitat, and we didn't have to go very far to hunt," he said. "We shot all kinds of ducks. We weren't very picky."

He left behind waterfowl paradise to study regional planning at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. After obtaining his degree, Paris returned to North Dakota to work for oil and gas companies. With the help of a business partner, he built Cody Oil and Gas Corp. The company buys and sells properties, as well as leasing oil and gas exploration rights.

Alongside his career, Paris continued to explore new hunting frontiers, with expeditions to Africa and New Zealand for big game, and waterfowl hunts in Montana, Alaska, and Canada. Throughout his travels, helping to ensure the future of conservation and hunting has always been a priority for Paris.

"I see our hunting heritage as dying," he said. "It's hard to get kids involved. Access is a big problem in North Dakota and everywhere. If you don't have places to take kids, they're not going to go, they're not going to get involved, and they're not going to have their kids involved. I'm all about promoting hunting."

Living in Bismarck, North Dakota, where Delta Waterfowl is based, Paris has long been aware of The Duck Hunters Organization. Through a mutual friend, he met Dr. Joseph Carlson, a prominent surgeon in Bismarck who then was serving as a Delta Board Member.

They quickly became friends, and Carlson helped cement Paris's support for Delta's programs. Paris recently built on his past donations by contributing a new major gift to Delta's Million Duck Campaign.

Launched in 2022, the Million Duck Campaign is Delta's innovative $250 million plan to add 1 million ducks to every fall flight by scaling up Delta's proven Duck Production programs.

"Delta promotes hunting as The Duck Hunters Organization," Paris said. "The Hen Houses and Predator Management programs help tremendously to raise duck populations. It's very important to keep Duck Production up so we don't keep losing hunters."

Brian MacGregor, Delta development director for the U.S. prairie states, appreciates the critical funding Paris has provided to boost duck production and ensure a strong future of waterfowl hunting.

"Jack has been a great advocate for ducks and duck hunters," MacGregor said. "His belief in the mission of Delta Waterfowl and the Million Duck Campaign is growing and we look forward to his continuing and future involvement with us."- Paul Wait