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Best dog breeds for upland hunting
There are several dog breeds that excel in upland hunting, and the best breed for you depends on your specific preferences and hunting style. Whether you’re flushing bobwhite quail in the piney woods of the Southeast, chasing sharp-tailed grouse across the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains, stalking ring-necked pheasants in the grain fields of the Midwest, pursuing chukar in the rocky terrain out West, or hunting ruffed grouse and woodcock in the dense young forests of the Great Lakes region, each breed is tailored to a different type of hunt. Finding the right one for your hunting situation can be key to success in the field.
Whats in a breeding contract
When it comes to purchasing a dog from a breeder, it's common practice for breeders to require buyers to sign a contract. While some buyers, especially first-timers, may initially find this step intrusive, it's crucial to understand that the contract serves a vital purpose.
A Broken Plate
After a long hiatus I have returned to a sport I loved for many years. As I turn my pups loose now and watch them sail across the south pasture, I reflect on the many turns in the road that placed me here.
The Last Lone Star Birds
Prior to European settlement, the historical range of the Greater Prairie Chicken occupied a massive chunk of North America. Mid-continental grasslands boasted jaw dropping amounts of birds too great to number. What felt like an inexhaustible population would eventually fall prey to humanity’s insatiable greed for more, however. Market hunting and modern land development have delivered two colossal blows this icon of the plains will sadly never recover from fully. And while Greater Prairie Chickens aren’t necessarily on the edge of extinction, there is a subspecies of the bird facing perilous times in the coastal prairies of Texas.
KUIU Precision Gloves Gear Review
I was way ahead of the game when KUIU debuted their new Precision Gloves in the early part of May 2025. Eight months earlier in August of 2024, KUIU had overnighted me a prototype pair along with their new Upland Field Vest. My job – to evaluate both pieces of gear exhaustively as I hunted spruce grouse and ptarmigan in the Alaskan backcountry.
Getting to the Point
My journey with pointers began like many of my adventures—with curiosity, a measure of daring, and a willingness to chase an idea as far as it would take me. If it was an Icarus sort of thing, I can’t say I regret flying too close to the sun. The height—the thrill—was worth it. Pointers are a lot like that. They can lift you up, make you feel unstoppable, and occasionally scorch your wings if you’re not paying attention.
You have a dove problems
As the dove season progresses, wingshooters should continue to scout, practice camouflage and concealment techniques, determining set-up in relation to the field and doves, and apply the use of decoys and their placement. These tactics will increase the chances of success significantly. Understanding dove behavior is critical for maximizing the hunting experience. Below are three additional suggestions for dove hunters to keep in mind that are often ignored or forgotten about.
Adjusting Your Training
When you have trained multiple dogs, once you find what works for you, it is natural to stick with the same method for each dog you train. If the way you introduce them to gun fire works, why change? If your drills for steadiness are successful, keep it up. That was the way I always felt. But as it turns out, we can get into that mentality and it is extremely difficult to break out of it when the time comes that we need to.
You’ve got dove problems
September 1st signals the annual arrival of dove season and the start of the upland bird season for so many bird hunters. Shooting doves is for many wingshooters, the beginning of a glorious time in the outdoors. It readies the soul for days afield to chase other feathered game in the coming months. Days prior to the dove opener, shotguns are pulled out of their cases, camo attire is selected, and lots and lots of shells are purchased. With all these preparations, several blunders will befall many dove hunters.
In Praise of Butterballs
It was a dazzling mid-October day. A set of blocks sat motionless on the lake's glasslike surface, the sun glistening sharply off their ridiculously bright forms. The day had been slow at best; a handful of mallards had given us a few looks early in the morning, but we had nothing to show for our efforts besides a few mosquito bites and the beginning of a sunburn.
Rabbit Massacre
After eating my way through the holidays last year, I desperately needed some exercise, so when a couple of my buddies said they wanted to go pheasant hunting, I called my friend, Casey, who’s got access to thousands of acres of prime habitat in Oklahoma’s panhandle and booked a trip. Considering the limited success I have, it’s a miracle that I still go, but such is my relationship with pheasant hunting. If I happen to bag a bird, great, but if not, it’s not the end of the world, as there are peripheral benefits to be found on every pheasant hunt. I get to stretch my legs. I get to watch the dogs work. And whether I bring a bird home or not, I get to make another memory.
The Smith Setter Celebration
It’s tough to beat the warm days and cool nights of Georgia in the Spring. The high heat and humidity, the kind that drives field trailers in droves to the Dakotas, the Rockies, or Canada, hasn’t yet hit. The sounds of songbirds float on the light-variable winds, while the thundering gobbles of Eastern wild turkeys echo through the fields and draws. Bird doggers hear them, but they’re really listening for the ‘poor Bob White’ whistle. Gentleman Bob has been an important part of life on the land off of Ben Hatcher Road for a long time.
Field Armor V2 Waterfowl Vest Review
As waterfowlers and gun dog enthusiasts, we all want what is best for our faithful companions. Our dogs face the severe conditions of freezing cold, sharp debris, and long swims in cold water, all without hesitation. Because of this, we owe it to them to get them the best gear available. At least this was my philosophy when I purchased a vest for my Labrador, Libby, from Field Armor.
Initial Point
My Mississippi farmstead begins and stretches north and east from a big slab of granite known as the Initial Point of the Choctaw Meridian, which is an established survey monument, one of only a dozen or so in the United States, established in the early 1800’s. A dingy brass medallion with an X inscribed on its face, sits dead center of the stone. From that X, lands to the north and east, as far way as Tennessee and Alabama measure their boundaries exactly back to the small grove of beech trees and ultimately to the shaded brass marker therein. Along with coordinates and other official seals inscribed on the stone, are the words,….. ‘NEVER TO BE MOVED.’
