Hunting Articles

Article

The Italian American Job

As a third-generation descendant of poor Italian immigrants, I have had firsthand experience with the famed culture of frugality for which they are known. This includes some unconventional culinary habits practiced as part of their peasantr.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: May 18, 2026

Article

Changing Cover. Hunting Pheasants in Different Habitats.

Imagine observing roosters run ahead down rows of corn or milo until the birds reach the end of the field and then sneak into an adjoining wetland area, surrounded on one side by a golden field of short-grass prairie with brushy draws. This.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: December 2, 2025

Article

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 day.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: August 18, 2025

Article

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.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: August 10, 2025

Article

Tall Timbers: Burning Down the House

I’ve heard of folks figuring out the price tag on costs to raise wild quail, but I don’t know of anyone who has kept track of the amount of time that goes into the breeding, training and developing of a championship gun dog. Both are si.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: April 15, 2025

Article

Retriever Safety

With a heave, I pulled my foot free of the thick muck, I wondered if another half mile of this was worth the trouble. The edge of this particular beaver pond seemed solid enough, but I had slogged far enough to find out that wasn’t the ca.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: March 18, 2025

Article

Hunting Chromatic Snowbirds

No matter when snow blankets the landscape with white powdery ice crystals, it’s prime time for bird hunters to do what it takes to get after those ring-neck pheasants. If this means layering up like the Michelin Man or donning snowshoes,.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: February 9, 2025

Article

Meet Gen Next

Everyone loves puppies, but not everyone likes dogs. It’s unsurprising that the same holds true in the canine world. Many adult dogs don’t care that much for puppies, and some downright despise them. Making sure that the introduction is.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: December 15, 2024

Article

Read Your Dog

Just because a gun dog can’t speak doesn’t mean he’s not saying anything. Reading the dogs’ body language is key for elevating performance levels, so here are some things pro trainers look for when they cut loose their string.

By: gundogcentral
Posted: October 21, 2024

Article

Tick Check

When it comes to ticks, the only thing you need to know is that they should be avoided at all costs. Nothing good comes from an association with a tick. They’ll latch on to you, your dog, your wife and kids, your horses, and anything else.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: September 23, 2024

Article

Properly Command Your Sporting Dog

Chatter and over-commanding are two common issues between some handlers and their dogs. For some reason, nonstop talking gives some handlers a sense that they’re in control of the dog. They believe the constant communication improves the .. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: July 21, 2024

Article

4 Ways to Stimulate Your Puppy’s Mind

A puppy’s brain and nervous system develops rapidly, much faster than their bodies. Sporting breed puppies have a lot to learn, so here are 4 ways to help stimulate their active minds.
.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: June 10, 2024

Article

The Master

One of my earliest memories is the smell of the Hoppes gun oil my dad would use on his Sweet 16 Browning after a bird hunt. He and my uncles would tell stories of 30 coveys a day, of the “ditch bank birds”, those bobs that would provid.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: April 18, 2024

Article

How to Help Your Dog Learn

When I started training retrievers professionally in 1972, I believed that dogs needed to be worked six days a week, for at least a half hour each day. If you have a big kennel, you know that’s a lot of work. After a few years and trainin.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: April 6, 2024

Article

The Poop Scoop

My brace of setter drifted in and out of view. Their range was typical for their shooting dog genetics, and when I couldn’t see them my focus turned to the long skeins of Spanish moss that dripped from every cypress branch. Wind gusts pul.. more ..

By: gundogcentral
Posted: March 17, 2024