Upland Nation

Brian Hare, Ph.D., does have suggestions on that question, including an age when a pup actually can exhibit the traits of a great bird dog, and we'll get his answer on this and dozens more. He's a core member of Duke's Center of Cognitive Neuroscience, professor and with over 100 scientific papers and dozens of pups run through his home and hundreds through his research he's uniquely qualified to help us raise better bird dog puppi...

Audio exclusive: Avid chukar hunter Coby Rowe is just back from his state's opening weekend with an on-the-ground report on habitat conditions, bird numbers and some insights into how chukars are behaving in the face of feed challenges and population dynamics.

We get a blow-by-blow account of some beautiful finds by his Epagneul Breton, and vivid descriptions of the land and its challenges. You'll take away some insights on hunting...

Marilyn Vetter joins me to cover all things strategic at Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. From where the money comes from and where it goes, to why the Farm Bill matters, to the reason well-managed privately-owned ground benefits all bird hunters ... the "what's in it for me?" question we all ask.

We'll talk about the big wins for PF/QF, what's ahead in the way of challenges, and look at the future of conservation in the U.S. W...

Audio exclusive: Friend of the show and founder of Sage & Braker, Fred Bohm is the consummate hunter: exotics, big game, and his first love, upland birds. Fred is just back from the Rockies, where he hunted dusky grouse.

It's a rough-and-tumble high-altitude family affair with a number of highlights: a first bird for his 11-year-old son, a young setter paired with a seasoned dog, big birds, and stunning scenery. But I'll let Fr...

Friend of the show Lynn Glock checks in with a blow-by-blow description of his first few days of the season, including yesterday's pheasant hunt. Weather and some surprises as well as remarkable dog work are the top line for Lynn.

Working a young dog with a mature one (both Griffs) offered Lynn some surprises, and a variety of habitats including an interesting observation about cattails are also part of our discussion.

And it's all...

Audio exclusive: Here's our opening weekend, including guesses on bird population dynamics, where we found them and didn't, other hunters' thoughts on the same. The dog work was stellar, with some real standouts. The shooting, well, um, you'll hear. 

It was our annual opening camp with old and new friends, and the camaraderie that comes from spending quality time with folks who love dogs and wild places.

It's a dry year, full ...

Spencer Greene has more degrees and professional bonafides than any other three people I've met. What matters to bird hunters and their dogs is his expertise in toxicology, with a specialty in venomous snakes including the ones we'll meet in the field.

Former fire fighter, MD, professor at Univ. of Houston, and emergency room physician, this guy has seen it all, and treated it. We'll dig deep into poisonous snakes (pardon the pun),...

Fresh off a two-week, two-state early season odyssey, Randy focuses on an unsung wild-bird state: Wyoming. We'll talk about Montana, too, but the things he has to say about the Cowboy State are both helpful and cautionary. 

We'll re-live some of his best hunts in the high-elevation grasslands and deep woods, recounting a trip where he shot at sage grouse, sharptails, Huns, chukars and dusky grouse. (He hit many of them). 

Curtis Fry has handled his own and other dogs to NAVHDA Invitational and AKC hunt test titles, is an avid hunter, seminar leader, and hunt test judge who translates esoteric, theoretical concepts into actionable training tasks. 

We'll cover everything from breeding for performance, to creating a love for water, to better ways to train retrieving (particularly in water). Do they work? Curtis runs English Setters who will swim w...

Audio exclusive: avid hunter, friend and author, pro trainer George DeCosta joins me to debrief his recent Montana trip ... overcoming low bird numbers to share a couple wonderful stories about a dog's growth and owner's light-bulb moment. We get some advice on bird behavior and habitat, too, plus some lessons in how going along helps you get along in bird country. There's a lesson in being mobile and nimble, too.

Thanks George!

Su...

If you've ever left the dog behind, forgotten your license or bought a new sleeping bag enroute to your bird camp, this Insider episode is dedicated to you. Over the years, and with help from many of you, we've compiled a comprehensive list of just about anything you'll need on a bird hunt. Here's your reminder. 

Here is the link (all lists are in this master list): Ultimate Upland Checklist

Insider editions are brought to you...

Audio exclusive: My friend Eric Thompson sums up his recent prairie grouse adventures, from how to overcome thin bird numbers to epic dog work, the development of a young Braque, mud and Canadians. Eric is the poster child for walking another mile (or 17) to find elusive birds. We'll find out why.

We cover sage grouse, Huns, and Sharptails on this excursion into productive cover that might be a little bit different than you'd expec...

My friend and pro guide Al Gadoury walks us through a recent prairie grouse hunt. The predictions were dire, but in true 6X Outfitters fashion, Al came through for his client, turning it into a stellar day. You'll learn something about birds, habitat, behavior, and enjoy the tales of his young dog's adventures, among other things.

Subscribe today to make sure you get these new audio exclusive hunt debriefs!

And it's all brought to ...

In this Insider edition, Brent Pike joins me to preview some of his Pyke Gear company's newest and soon-to-be-available products and provide insights into the how and why of design and manufacturing. we'll get a "consumer's guide" to what makes a quality pant, vest and more.

From materials, to innovation, to why you really do get what you pay for, Brent has some thoughts that might help you with your next investment.

We'll talk hun...

Heading our way? There's a lot to pack ... and to unpack ... about hunting here in the West. From planning and strategy to safety and um, er, getting along with the locals (human and otherwise), I'll outline some of the things you should think about. Even seasoned western hunters might find something they forgot.

In this audio exclusive "Insights" edition, a quick compendium of some of the important considerations you might find of...

A panel of active hunters from across the country share their opinions and perspectives on this hot topic. We enjoy an enlightening and informative, civilized debate on a topic that induces white-hot beard-on-fire rage in a few folk (who, invited multiple times, agreed to participate then didn't show up).

Brave, outspoken and perceptive participants included Matt Millbauer or Washington, Matt Soberg of Covey Rise magazine, Robert P...

This week in our continuing series on pheasant-rich states, we focus on Kansas. Who better to clue us in than the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks' upland game bird program coordinator, Jeff Prendergast? Jeff gives us the 30,000-foot-level view of the state's prime regions, then breaks down the factors that make them so good. We'll do the same with bobwhites, including key food sources, cover types, hunting strategies and tacti...

Bryan O'Connor manages the state's upland bird programs and has an intimate knowledge of their habitat and habits. He'll share his observations on bird numbers and populations dynamics, some of the better places to start your hunt, and insights into the state's walk-in program. Bryan has a long list of things he does differently from other hunters that we might try, advice on tactics and strategies, too.

"Fix It" finds a semi-brigh...

We continue our journey through pheasant country (with a few detours along the way), as I debrief North Dakota's wild bird experts from their Dept. of Game & Fish. Joining me are Jesse Kolar, upland game bird supervisor, and his right hand, RJ Gross. Their perspective as biologists, coupled with their extensive hunting experience, will be of service no matter where you hunt.

We talk good starting points for ringnecks, Huns and ...