Upland Nation

Blue sky, dry ground ... a pretty good chukar and valley quail hunt

If you haven't had your close-to-perfect hunt yet this year, re-live mine and maybe learn something. Or get inspired to do one more trip. Either way, there are tips and observations, suggestions and hints from an uphill walk in Great Basin country.
"Fix It" has a cold-weather shooting tip, and listeners share their artful dead bird photos.
You get another chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Pro bird dog trainer on gun intro, retrieving, steadiness and the first two years

If you have a young dog or are getting one, listen carefully!
Jim Van Engen's Right Start Kennel has cranked out almost 200 field trial champions thanks to his unique specialty: the first two years of a dog's life. He'll outline his overall philosophy, as well as practical tips on everything from managing a dog's range to introducing gunfire. We'll cover retrieving and steadiness, verbal commands and e-collar use, too.
Jim's specialty is Labradors, but he's owned shorthairs for decades, hunting them primarily for fun but also competing in NSTRA trials, so there's something for everyone in this episode.
We'll review listeners' dog breed preferences from the Upland Nation Index survey, and "Fix It" offers a shooting tactic that might add a bird to your bag once in a while.
You get a chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Public access bird hunting: some starting points for your next trip west or southeast

Finding more places to hunt just got a bit easier. I'll give you some starting points for your pheasant foray out west, or bobwhite hunting in the southeast. You'll also get insights on finding places and negotiating the walk-in bureaucratic maze. There are tips on information sources, scouting hints, and even some hunting stories. I've been to most of the places I'll talk about; reliable friends have been to the others, and they're all open to public hunting.
"Fix It" has a warning about online mapping apps, you'll have a chance at the next Fur Feathers Friends prize if you listen and learn the Word of the Week. This month, it's a pair of the new Chad Hodges upland chokes from Trulock Chokes. And we'll dig into the Upland Nation Index survey, from favorite dog breeds to what you want help with next year.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

George Hickox: legendary bird dog trainer, trialer, hunter on what dogs really want and why

Break out a pen and paper and get ready to take copious notes. You will learn something. Trainer/handlers of the winningest field trial dog in history, George has been helping dogs excel in the field for decades. Author, video teacher, writer, hunter, his approach to dogs' learning abilities is built on a foundation of insights and perspective.
We'll go from big-picture stuff like what truly motivates a dog (not what you think), to practical ways to steady a dog (again, not what you think). Whether you own a flusher or pointer, George has recommendations that will alter your thought process about dog training. Think you're using your e-collar right? Think again. Think your dog wants to please you? Uh-uh.
"Fix it" offers a hack for those having trouble getting a young dog to "hold" on a retrieve ... we cover some of the survey issues you said were important from how to save our sport to how many of you spoil your dog during the holidays, and you have a chance to win great prizes in the Fur Feathers Friends initiative if you know the Word of the Week.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Chukar hunt! C'mon along on a recent foray into the wild-bird country of the Great Basin.

Need a chukar fix? How about a few valley quail too? I'll debrief a recent hunt of mine ... sort of a bookend thing, with stunning dog work at both ends. We pull a few thousand feet of elevation, miss a few birds and connect on others. I'll talk terrain, habitat, strategy and tactics plus some pure dumb luck too. A fascinating find or two, as well.
"Fix It" has a few theories on why birds scatter this time of year, and we'll take a sneak peek at the Upland Nation Index and your responses to the longest-running, largest private-sector survey of upland hunters. Favorite dog breed? What are the key issues you face? We'll take a look.
You get a final chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

BONUS: Bird hunting and beer ... a primer to drinking, buying, storing and pouring - and celebrating the hunt

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, mazeltov ... what better way to celebrate than enjoying fresh, locally-brewed beer? And after an epic hunt, even more so!
Here's your guide to craft brews in hopes you'll venture beyond Corporate Beer to the good stuff, made near your hunting spot by local folks. It's literally a taste of your hunt, a chance to imbibe local culture and enjoy the hunt in a frosty (not too frosty) glass.
Gulp down a heaping helping of bird hunting!
From various beer styles to ingredients, buying, pouring, storing and sharing, I'll share what I've learned from talking with brewmasters, writing about beer, helping brew in commercial facilities and at home, and er, drinking a few pints here and there in bird hunting country. I'll list some craft brewpubs worth visiting in bird hunting country, too, along with hunting tips for each beery bird hunting town.
Don't say I didn't get you anything for Christmas!
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Bird dog of the year: owner & handler share their secrets, training and hunting tips

Crosswind's Envy a Trip to the Train Station, call name "Rip," is the Dog of the Year for the National Shoot to Retrieve Association and while he didn't have much to say, his owner and handler offer plenty of help to fellow hunters in this episode. I'll get the inside scoop from Sara Thorne, Rip's owner, and handler Brandon Ralston. Getting to a lofty pinnacle in the field trial world yields benefits for owner, handler and dog that translate directly to bird hunting and we'll explore that intersection.
From training tricks to conditioning advice, diet, strategy in the bird field and trial course, Brandon and Sara will share the hard-won tips that put Rip at the top of the heap. We'll also answer the question: can a trial dog also be a bird hunter?
"Handle It" is now "Fix It," and this week there's a shooting tip for you. Listeners share their Christmas wish list - and their dog's too. And we launch the 2025 edition of our Fur Feathers Friends tradition with some early prizes if you listen and enter with our Word of the Week. Prizes and entry information here.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Bird dog training - on a hunting trip? Why not? Here's how.

If you're like me, the um, standard of excellence you expect from your dog (and he from you) has devolved since opening day. That got me thinking: why can't we train our dogs during a hunt, or a hunting season? Well, you can. You may not do as much, or as frequently, but there are a ton of things you can do to help your dog stay on his "A" game during a hunt. I'll offer some suggestions.
I'll also get a bunch of related observations and suggestions off my chest that might help you finish the hunting season on a high note. Simple stuff, things you haven't thought about for a while, or never knew.
"Handle It" might help your dog avoid a broken toe; and we find out who does and doesn't wear eye and ear protection in the field.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.