Upland Nation

Bird hunting: yep, snipe are real and we'll learn how to hunt them at 10,000 feet. Make your hunting dog's road trip stellar too.

Not just a great practical joke! There really is a snipe, and hunting it in the high elevation wetlands is an adventure, says Michael Salamone. He recently authored an article on the topic for Upland Almanac, and he'll spill the beans on the bird usually associated with burlap sacks and unsuspecting rubes literally holding the bag.
We'll get local intelligence on habitat, behavior, strategies, dog choices, tactics, and why this little shorebird hangs out in wet mountain meadows. Shot size and gun gauge are covered, as are the "real" reasons we go. We'll wend our way through fens and over beaver dams in pursuit of the jinking-juking-vexing migratory birds.
I'll offer two tips on making your dog's road trip as fun - and relaxing - as your own, and the entire podcast is brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Bird hunting podcast: America's largest, most durable bird ... sage grouse, Nevada chukars, and why Amazon isn't doing your hunting dog any favors

Outdoor Life's Andrew McKean catches up with one of his former writers - me! We talk everything sage grouse, what he calls “America’s largest, most durable bird.” The myths, magic, mystique, and of course, how to hunt them. Except when you shouldn't hunt them - which might be this extreme-drought season.
We explore strategy and tactics, habitat needs, diet, and the importance of good boots. What you should look for, where to start your hunt, and why the type of sagebrush is critical. We cover dog choices, what he loves most about these iconic birds and their surroundings, and
Our public access feature covers a little spot in Nevada that is way off the beaten path but worth the effort. We also learn why dog food prices have risen four times as much as our own food, and why Jeff Bezos and Amazon are no friends of bird dog owners when it comes to dog food, and the entire podcast is brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
 

Bird hunting: who pays for habitat? Wildlife management? It's not who - or how - you think!

It still amazes me how many hunters believe hunting licenses ... or income taxes ... or property taxes fund wildlife management and conservation. Even at gatherings of long-time hunters, when I mention this topic in a speech, there are more than a few blank stares!
So, please bear with me as I get this off my chest once and for all: in the depths of the Great Depression, hunters went to Congress and asked to be taxed so all forms of wildlife could be more carefully managed and habitat acquired for it.
I'll explain how this magic funding mechanism works, who gets what, and who doesn't pay (hint: "non-consumptive" users from birders to kayakers, backpackers to mountain bikers). When you're done, I hope you'll agree that whether you're a vegan, anti-gun activist or fence-sitter, to help wildlife you should buy a gun, ammo, bow and arrows.
Our public-access feature covers some of my favorite North Dakota spots, and the entire podcast is brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Pro guide and trainer: desert quail strategy & tactics, let a pup be a pup, trust your dog, and where to find chukars and an alligator in Arizona

Our featured guest is Rashawn Gordon, Gordon’s Gun Dogs and Guide Service, Wellton, Arizona. Rashawn, a new guide and seasoned dog trainer, shares his experiences and hard-won advice. Plus public access ground, and news you can use.
First, listeners’ advice to new hunters, from expectation management to what not to do, to how to train the retrieve, and where the heck is the Owyhee River?
Then, Rashawn’s advice: Gambel’s quail strategy and tactics … do hawk calls really work? Let a puppy be a puppy, and a dog be a dog … trust his nose.
Critical training commands, chukars in Arizona? Best dog breeds and why. A rabbit hole is gone down, talking about Bodo Winterhelt (R.I.P.). How his advice changed Rashawn’s life … and many others’ as well.
Rashawn covers developing a pup’s natural abilities, introduction to birds, range, his two most important commands. He likes “wing on a string,” but not for the usual reasons! Rashawn outlines the most common “re-training” problem we dog owners create, and defines the two kinds of dogs he trains: hunting dogs, and competition dogs.
Rashawn shares early on-the-ground observations on Arizona quail populations for this season, a hunting dog that outdoes Lassie when it comes to alerting its owner, tells us when a dog is right to road in on birds, and where to find chukars – and an alligator – in Arizona. We debate 28 gauge vs. 20 gauge, ballistics, and the value of giving away shotguns.
There’s news on the Vermont woodcock opener and when you can get your duck stamp, and our public access segment covers pheasant ground in Minnesota.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Listen this week! Bird hunter's guide to gun care, finding new hunting ground, and great photos

Get the entire podcast here.
The dumb things bird hunters do to our guns, and how to avoid them ... that's one of the topics Fred Bohm covers in this wide-ranging discussion. Fred is founder of Sage & Braker Mercantile, a gun care products company, so he's seen it all. (Host Scott Linden has probably done it all!)
We cover preventative maintenance, cleaning tips, simple ways to avoid making problems worse. But that's just the start. Fred's a big-time hunter, with a Pudelpointer and now, a Setter pup. We'll trade notes on hunting strategies, get the lowdown on ptarmigan hunting, talk scouting new ground, and of course, rejoice in the reasons he - and we - go bird hunting.
Fred is also an artist with a camera, and he'll give us some basic guidance on what makes a great bird hunting photo, whether it's with our cell phone or a fancy-pants SLR.
In "This Land is Your Land," Scott concludes his thesis on the economic benefits of public land hunting ... for the nearby communities.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Bird hunter's guide to gun care, finding new hunting ground, and great photos

The dumb things bird hunters do to our guns, and how to avoid them ... that's one of the topics Fred Bohm covers in this wide-ranging discussion. Fred is founder of Sage & Braker Mercantile, a gun care products company, so he's seen it all. (Host Scott Linden has probably done it all!)
We cover preventative maintenance, cleaning tips, simple ways to avoid making problems worse. But that's just the start. Fred's a big-time hunter, with a Pudelpointer and now, a Setter pup. We'll trade notes on hunting strategies, get the lowdown on ptarmigan hunting, talk scouting new ground, and of course, rejoice in the reasons he - and we - go bird hunting.
Fred is also an artist with a camera, and he'll give us some basic guidance on what makes a great bird hunting photo, whether it's with our cell phone or a fancy-pants SLR.
In "This Land is Your Land," Scott concludes his thesis on the economic benefits of public land hunting ... for the nearby communities.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Kali Parmley, editor in chief of Gun Dog magazine, on mentoring, sharing hunting spots and more

Kali Parmley, editor in chief, Gun Dog magazine is our featured guest, but your voice is also coming through loud and clear ...
You and your fellow hunters’ thoughts on feeding … twice daily, even on hunting days? What are the dangers, physiological, safety, and performance considerations?
Kali talks about the importance of mentoring, the ethics of sharing some hunting spots, why the magazine has a new look and editorial emphasis, and her favorite hunting challenges. She’ll explain her dog breed choices, and the joys of hunting dog ownership. Parmley lists some essential gear she uses, and explains what she finds most fulfilling about upland hunting, from a dog’s first point to a bucket-list hunt or five.
Scott shares some more advice on getting along in hunting country, becoming a “temporary citizen” of rural America.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food; RuffLand performance kennels, HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com. 

Bird hunting trainer & guide takes us from puppies to running roosters, strategy and tactics for training and hunting

A rare treat: a dog trainer who guides. You'll get the best of both worlds in this interview with Ethan Pippitt of Standing Stone Kennels in Kansas. He'll provide insights on puppy training from Day One, to managing dogs and hunters in the fields of South Dakota, where he guides hunters from a lodge near Winner.
On the training side, we'll cover socialization, introduction to guns and birds, and steadiness. Ethan will tell us what kind of rewards best motivate dogs and why, how clicker training works, and what we should do more - and less - of when training our own dogs. In the field, we'll talk safety, better shooting, etiquette and how pointing breeds can handle running roosters.
Finally, Scott will suggest a public-access destination for ruffed grouse and woodcock in Vermont.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, RuffLand performance Kennels; HuntHuronSD.com, UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.