Meet the Crew
A Ride The Ducks tour of Branson is fun, educational, entertaining and engaging. So, we need captains and adventure specialists that can do all that. This isn’t your run of the mill “to the right and to the left” tour, it’s a Duck Tour!
Captain Amazing
might be considered a rose among thorns since she is currently the only female duck captain in Branson. She grew up in Canton, Ohio, but Texas is now her home for the majority of the year. Captain Amazing is also a mom, a professional photographer and she loves to make people smile. She worked in the photo department and as an attractions team member at Ride The Ducks before other captains encouraged her to take the plunge. One day during training she wrote the word Amazing and it stuck.
Captain Blue
has been married to his lovely wife for 41 years. He grew up in Maryland, but now calls Branson home. Blue was a Sales Manager at a car dealership for 24 years, but he took a duck ride and was hooked. He’s in his second year as a captain at Ride The Ducks and took his name Blue from 15 years of umpiring. He spends his free time golfing, reading and going to shows in Branson.
Captain Boggy
managed his own electric sign manufacturing company before becoming a duck captain. He lives on Table Rock Lake and has been an avid boater for more than 50 years. Captain Boggy got his captain’s handle from a family friend who called him Grandpa Boggy. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas and likes golf, softball and RVing. Boggy also likes being in front of people and the history of the Ozarks, so being a duck captain is right up his alley.
Captain Cook
has managed restaurants and is the Food Service Director for a local school district. He loves to cook and his co-workers thought Cook was the perfect captain’s handle. Cook has never met a stranger and loves entertaining guests. He loves to ride bikes and motorcycles, travel and go scuba diving. He’s a first year captain and thinks this might just be the best job ever.
Captain Crunch
is a bit of a celebrity, playing an extra in Winter’s Bone that was filmed right here in the Ozarks. He lives north of Branson on the banks of Swan Creek and grew up in Springfield and Taney County, Missouri. He enjoys camping and working with the Royal Rangers scouting group.
Captain Dan
was a radio broadcaster and sports editor before his tenure as a duck captain. He grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and has fond memories of the Indianapolis 500. Captain Dan was nearly kidnapped on one of his trips by a group of lady auto workers from the St. Louis area or at least that’s the story he tells. He has a cat named Betty Lou Grable and likes songwriting, playing guitar and model detailing. Dan lives in Reeds Spring, Missouri.
Captain Foghorn
has been a duck captain for 13 years and loves making people laugh – at him and at themselves. He’s a Texas native and used to teach high school choral music. He’s also a classically trained vocalist. Captain Foghorn came up with his name when he was studying sound signals during captain training. He is loud like a foghorn and gets to do two things he loves – driving and talking. Foghorn likes to travel by RV with his wife Captain Amazing and he’s a UT sports fans.
Captain Gramps
calls Branson West home and likes the weather and the people in the area. He grew up in Indiana and used to work as a Production Manager. Gramps has been a duck captain for six years and when he’s not entertaining visitors you’ll probably find him fishing.
Captain Hoot
is a Network Manager for a telephone company in real life and a duck Captain for fun. He’s also a musician, playing the guitar for the past 40 years as a solo act locally and in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the winter. Hoot has been a Captain for 9 years and gets a thrill out of entertaining people and making them laugh. He has a cat named Puppy that looks like Garfield and fetches like a dog!
Captain Jed
took his captain’s handle from his initials and is not really related to Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies. He's an avid tennis player and also enjoys wood working, gardening and radio controlled airplanes. Jed has been a duck captain for 11 years and lives on the Long Creek arm of Table Rock Lake. Former students probably know him as Mr. Davidson since he served as the Division Chair of Construction Technology at Ozarks Technical College before becoming a duck captain.
Captain Jessie
grew up in Gene Autry, Oklahoma and was the Entertainment Director at Dogpatch USA in Arkansas before becoming a duck Captain. He spends the school year as a high school music director in Oklahoma and has spent the last 19 summers as a duck Captain in Branson. Jessie likes golf, fishing, music and interacting with guests from all over the world.
Captain Korn
says he’s a duck Captain because his wife forced him into a job and it has lasted for 13 years now. Joe grew up in San Diego and probably earned the nickname Korndog from his surfer dude days. Now Captain Korn spends his off time in the outdoors and traveling the world. He’s sort of a clown, so it is no wonder that his favorite moment as a Captain was taking a group of clowns on a duck ride.
Captain Mark
lives in Hollister, Missouri now, but he grew up in Southern California. Mark was a Purchasing Agent for the Santa Fe Railroad for 27 years. He moved to the Branson area in 1992 and he’s been a duck captain now for 20 years. Mark likes the great Ozarks weather so he can golf, fish, do yard work and spend time with his dog Pepper and cats Newton and Bynx.
Captain Preach
loves hiking, camping, kayaking and bicycling. He’s lived all over the USA and says every place he’s lived has been a new adventure. Preach has been a duck captain for three years. He’s also a Pastor (the origin of his captain’s handle Preach) and was a professional barber for 17 years. Preach lives in Cape Fair, Missouri and loves being a part of each visitor's experience in Branson.
Captain Science
was a science teacher for 30 years before he became a duck captain. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas and now calls Branson home. Science spends his free time boating and participating in Corvette Club activities. He drives a shiny red Corvette and says his time in the classroom prepared him to entertain guests, especially kids.
Captain Scott
was born in Chicago, but grew up on a farm in Verona, Missouri. He’s been a duck captain for nine years and enjoys boating, canoeing, camping and traveling. Scott was a captain on the former Polynesian Princess in Branson before coming to Ride The Ducks and also worked for the Sammy Lane Boat Line doing pirate cruises.
Captain Smiley
grew up in Howes Mill, Missouri and worked in a lead mine. He came to Branson on vacation with his family and decided he wanted to have fun as a captain at Ride The Ducks. He’s always smiling and laughing, so Captain Smiley was a great handle. He says being a husband and dad helps him find humor in life. He loves meeting people from around the world and he’s an avid NASCAR fan.
Captain Stump
says his big mouth qualified him to be a captain for Ride The Ducks. He grew up in Southern California and used to raise horses for a living. Stump enjoys tennis, boating, motorcycles, scuba diving and water skiing. He’s been a duck captain for 7 years and likes making people laugh.
Captain Trapp
was told to quit acting silly and talking so much in high school. He’s been doing that now for 12 years as a captain at Ride The Ducks. Trapp is a Native American and Marine Corps Combat Veteran. He was an EOD Tech known as “the booby trapper” in his military days and shortened that nickname to Trapp for his captain’s handle. He handcrafts Native American wooden flutes and plays the harmonica, flute and guitar. Trapp lives in Branson West, Missouri.
Captain Who
claims to be the youngest duck Captain ever! Yes, he does have an official captain’s license from the US Coast Guard and not just a souvenir certificate that he printed himself. He grew up in California and attends Missouri State University where he plays trumpet. Kevin has a dog, three cats, loves to make guests smile and isn’t one bit shy. He chose the name Who so when someone asked a guest on his duck “Who was your Captain?” the answer was really easy.
Captain Woody
was born and raised in the Windy City of Chicago. He retired from Amoco Oil with 35 years of service as a commodities relocation expert – otherwise known as a gasoline transport driver. He now lives in Kimberling City and likes to fish, cook, play cards and travel – especially cruising! Woody has transported ducks to other Ride The Ducks locations around the country and now enjoys being a captain right here in Branson. You’ll find him at the movies on Tuesdays – free popcorn!