Upland Nation

Author, film maker, columnist Tom Huggler

“You hunt memories,” says author/columnist Tom Huggler. And this guy has a few, with three decades of writing about the things we love: grouse, grouse woods, and bird dogs. You’ve seen his videos, some of the first in a fledgling industry back then. You’ve read his books, and you find his column in magazines every month.
Tom talks about hunting strategy and tactics, the allure of woodcock, and how to hunt without an e-collar in the thick stuff. He explains his literary dog names, is forced to pick his favorite book by himself, and tells a hair-raising tale of hunting on the Crimean peninsula.
All that, plus a publicly-accessible spot for you to hunt, an upland trivia question and a prize, dog training tip and a ton of fun without all the superfluous gab and attitude.

Spaniel trainer, trialer, champion Todd Agnew

"We all have expectations to different degrees. Our expectations at Craney Hill Kennel are extremely high for our dogs. The theory is that if we set our standard to an almost unattainable level, when we fall short our dogs will still be very talented animals.”
If that’s not enough to intrigue you, consider Todd’s recent accomplishments: the 2017 National Open High Point and developed and won the 2018 National Open Championship. The guy gets results. And whether you're a spaniel guy, retriever or pointer man, you will learn something to apply today in your own relationship with your dog.
But do field trial blue ribbons make better bird hunters? Find out, and learn more about how Todd views what we do as “development,” not training. What works and what doesn’t, how clicker and treat training fit his training strategy, even tips that are as relevant to pointer guys as flusher guys.
This guy understands dogs as well as any more well-known training guru and we dig deep into the why’s and wherefores of his methods. You’ll be a better trainer when you finish listening.
We go from setting realistic goals as we enter hunting season and how to clean up when the season ends; to why hunting flushers with pointers is usually a bad idea unless you’re a plantation owner. Todd explains why you shouldn’t rush your dog’s training, and gives us his take on the biggest training mistakes we make.
You may not agree with Todd’s philosophy, but you’ve got to give him credit for turning out incredible dogs.
Plus, a trivia question and prize, public-access tip, dog training tip, and NO BS. Your time is valuable – get the good stuff here without all the junk that clutters your phone ... and your head!

Your tax dollars at work: Ed Carter, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, talks Pittman-Robertson, wildlife management, and where your money goes

Hunters really ARE the original conservationists, and today you’ll be armed to defend that audacious statement. Ed Carter, president of the Association of Wildlife Agencies, walks us through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, aka Pittman-Robertson Act. That’s the excise tax firearms manufacturers pay to the feds, which then is routed to state wildlife agencies for conservation and management. The fund has generated billions of dollars and we hunters are the ones who ultimately paid into it through our purchases.
We’ll learn where the money comes from, what your money is spent on, and what it can’t be used for, where endangered species fit, why mountain bike riders, hikers and wildlife watchers don’t pay (yet), and how P-R funds can now be used for hunter education and shooting range development. Ed answers questions from listeners Spiro Mavroidis, Jim Kuzilik and Pete Aplikowski, there’s a dog training tip on “place learning” and how it affects performance, we look at publicly-accessible land near Mott, ND, and the Upland Trivia question offers a YETI Rambler as the prize.