Upland Nation

Better shooting, better hunting: a lesson from the NSCA chief instructor

Don Currie is the chief instructor for the National Sporting Clays Association, and also an avid upland bird hunter. He has a ton of advice on shooting better and how to practice on the range. From how to see a bird, to safety considerations in the field, intriguing eye exercises and not-so-basic tips, everyone will find something of use.
We'll find out what to do and not do, how to carry and mount our shotgun, and why your forward hand needs a little TLC.
I'll share a dog training new year's resolution you might want to make as well, and we'll learn about a new set of public acres in Nebraska that utilize "dirty farming" techniques.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

How was your season? Callers recap theirs and remind us of ours.

You will re-live your own season as we recap the highs and lows, surprises and incredible dog work with four callers, another four social media commenters, and a bit of my own year.
Pups and old dogs, first hunts and last, incredible places and wondrous moments in the field - we get perspectives from throughout the nation from experts, amateurs, hard-core hunters and everyone in between. Each has something to offer in the way of planning for next season, fresh hunting tactics and strategies, finding new hunting spots, dog training and care, and appreciating the real reasons we go afield.
Plus, a public-access tip on who might tip you to the "good spots," and I answer a question from a listener in the "Handle It" segment on a pup that is, um, shy on point.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Be a better bird hunter: shoot straighter with a gun that fits

Knock the bead off your shotgun muzzle, and other shooting advice from a pro with 40 years' experience. Instructor, fitter, hunter Brian Bilinski of Fieldsport in Traverse City, Mich. takes us back to shooting school. Avid pursuer of upland birds, he's eminently qualified to suss out our foibles, failures and foulups, steering us toward hitting more birds.
We'll also learn how important it is to fit a shotgun, and why most people are ill-fitted to their current gun. Terms, why's and wherefores of the art of gunfitting are also on the docket. Critical moves for better shots in the field, common mistakes and how to cure them, tips on buying a used gun, why we are athletes and ought to admit it, and how important a "warm up" is and why. Is it worthwhile to pattern your gun?
I'll answer a listener question on why steady to wing-shot-fall is a good goal, and we'll learn about a new online tool for Wisconsin public land hunters.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Pro bird hunting guide helps us train our dogs ... hunt reports, public access, and the future of our sport

Insights and advice from someone who hunts every day, all season: pro guide and manager of Pheasant Bonanza hunt club Trent Leichleiter. Trent is in the field daily, and his dogs must perform - so, his advice on helping our own dogs to peak performance are GOLD.
From steadiness to critical commands, introducing gunfire to necessary equipment, Trent has some tips. From the dumb things we do, to what are the best rewards for compliance? What should we avoid, and what should we always do to ensure great dog work? When, and when not to, use the e-collar.
Trent offers shooting tips and etiquette advice on hunting with multiple dogs and hunters, too.
We look at the three top priorities to ensure our sport's future, as defined by your survey responses; get your hunting reports from last weekend; "Handle It" covers the best food treats, and "This Land Is Your Land" offers you a public-access tip: don't trust your mobile mapping app completely - here's why.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Sharing bird hunting spots ... whose side are YOU on?

Where do you stand? “It depends.”
That’s the upshot of our collective reaction to sharing the good stuff with others. It depends on so many factors from friendship, to weather, to whether you’ve been burned in the past.
We talk about the ethics and etiquette, process and protocol of asking – and offering – help finding hunting spots. Callers chime in on why we should be more generous and welcoming, where to draw the line, how to “earn” your spots from a mentor or some guy on the next barstool.
We’ll talk about the magic of quid-pro-quo … address the minority of buttheads who absolutely refuse to help others in any way, shape or form. We discuss the benefits of bringing more bird hunters into the sport, and then we get to the science and art of research.
We talk about how to get good information from agency personnel from game wardens to biologists, how to get permission to hunt private ground, and how to expand your digital and on-the-ground searches.
From satellite imagery to boots-on-the-ground, what to look for and how … advice from seasoned hunters to wildlife biologist.
We get a rundown on listeners’ past weekend in the field, I’ll share a story from my last chukar hunt, “Handle it” talks about toning down your reaction to an exuberant dog … and our public-access segment previews an Arizona locale I’ll be scouting soon.
... and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Ten more bird hunting questions: strategies, tactics, dog choice, habitat and more

Steve Shurtleff poses ten questions to Scott about everything a relatively-new bird hunter might want to know: from best breed for a first dog owner, shot size and gun choice, habitat types and bird behaviors.
We re-live some epic moments in the field, talk youth hunting, how to hunt without a dog, and how to find publicly-accessible land. Your own hunts are covered in our "Monday Morning Debrief," a new use for your e-collar "tone" function, and a lesson in how being nice might get you onto hard-to-find public land.
... and it's all brought to you by:
Cabela's, Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection, Dogtra, Dr. Tim's performance dog food; Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.
Take advantage of great deals from many of our sponsors: 10% off and free shipping on most purchases over $200 at Dogtra with the code SLUN10 (plus sale prices on many collar-transmitter bundles); 30% off your first order from Dr. Tim's performance dog food with the code UPLANDNATION; and free shipping for your Gunner kennel.

Ten listener questions: on bird hunting, gun dogs, firearms and life!

(Just kidding on that last one) but we cover a raft of topics posed by listener Wayne Harvat, no slouch himself as a breeder-trainer of Epagneul Bretons. Wayne asks me about everything from choke tube choice to dog training, to hunting tactics.
We talk strategy, dog care, various bird species' behavior ... and a little of everything else including introducing young dogs to gunfire. E-collar use and when to keep your hand off the red button is also on Wayne's list.
Everyone learned something - on both sides of the control board - and so will you. (If you want to ask your own ten questions, drop me a line here.)
“Handle It” addresses sunglasses and their potential effect on your dog's ability to understand commands, and the public access segment lists some places to go in Kansas for a first time public-land hunter ... and it's all brought to you by:
Cabela's, Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection, Dogtra, Dr. Tim's performance dog food; Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.
Take advantage of great deals from many of our sponsors: 10% off and free shipping on most purchases over $200 at Dogtra with the code SLUN10 (plus sale prices on many collar-transmitter bundles); 30% off your first order from Dr. Tim's performance dog food with the code UPLANDNATION; and free shipping for your Gunner kennel.

Sharptail primer: hunting "America's bird" ... how, where, when, and why

I'll cover their history, our heritage, places to go and how to hunt them. From Gen. George Armstrong Custer to Theodore Roosevelt National Grassland I’ll give you starting points, some guide-tested unorthodox tactics, and explain as best I can how “America’s bird” thinks and behaves.
We'll cover prime habitat and hunting in a circle, using dogs as blinds, where to go in South Dakota (and other states); I’ll give you a jump-start on chasing these fascinating, native birds. Best dog breeds, equipment and shotgun recommendations, too!
“Handle It” covers the dilemma of hunting two dogs simultaneously – the up and downside. I’ll suggest a ruffed grouse hunt in the Northeast Kingdom, and it's all brought to you by:
Cabela's, Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection, Dogtra, Dr. Tim's performance dog food; Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.
Take advantage of great deals from many of our sponsors: 10% off and free shipping on most purchases over $200 at Dogtra with the code SLUN10 (plus sale prices on many collar-transmitter bundles); 30% off your first order from Dr. Tim's performance dog food with the code UPLANDNATION; and free shipping for your Gunner kennel.