Spaniel Bird Dogs

When most hunters think of bird dogs, their minds jump straight to pointers, setters, or retrievers. Yet for generations, spaniels have quietly earned a reputation as some of the most versatile and enjoyable hunting companions in the field. Compact, energetic, and eager to please, spaniels bring a unique style of hunting that combines close-working efficiency with an enthusiasm that's hard to match.

Upland Boot round-up

Back in 2022, I published an Upland Vest Round-Up on Gundog Central. Three years later, I’m following it up with a new piece: an Upland Boot Round-Up. Just like hunting vests, there are countless options on the market for upland boots. I’ve put together this list to highlight a wide range of choices across all price points, along with links to each manufacturer’s website for easy reference.

I am not affiliated with any of these companies, and I don’t earn anything from these links. The goal of this round-up isn’t to make specific recommendations, but to present clear, detailed specifications for each boot so you can make an informed decision. While this isn’t a fully comprehensive list, I’ve tried to include many popular models as well as a few budget-friendly alternatives.

Upland boots vary widely in size, weight, and purpose. Some hunters prefer lightweight designs, others need insulation, and those in snake country may opt for snake boots. I’ve tried to cover all of those considerations here.

Best hunting 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.

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.

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 significant. Take that dog number, multiply it by 55, and you’ll have one heck of a lot of hours all represented in the dogs that qualified to run across 28 braces in the February 2025 National Championship for Bird Dogs held at Ames Plantation. The first brace of this 126-year old Super Bowl caliber event commenced on February 10th . The final brace ran over two weeks later on February 27, and during that time weather conditions ranged from a soggy, below-freezing 22 degrees Fahrenheit day to a 75-degree Fahrenheit sweat lodge. If you don’t like the weather in Grand Junction then wait five minutes.

A New Grouse Hunter

Sam Scales had just sold his AI Startup to a consortium of Private Equity firms for $1 Billion (his share) and embraced a new-to-him sport: Ruffed Grouse Hunting. He brought to it the same intensity he had to the Startup. He was a math genius with a photographic memory and a control freak, traits that did not equip him for easy companionship. But one trip into Maine abandoned-farm country, where he saw one grouse rise and fall to the shot of his host, hooked him.

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 successful isn’t just important, it’s critical. That prevailing attitude means introductions to the new member of your string requires some thought and planning. After all, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

My Invention

I have always been blessed with just the right amount of intelligence to get neck deep into something, but never enough intelligence to get out successfully. This was one of those occasions. It involves two bird dog bitches and a dummy, me.

How much to puppies sell for?

I’ll occasionally get a phone call, text or email from someone asking how much money they should be asking for their puppies when listing them on Gundog Central. I have a ton of data that I’ve collected on dog prices over the years and decided to put together this quick list showing the average list price for puppies, by breed. I’ve also looked at the trending data for the past five years to see if puppy prices were rising or falling, but didn’t see a lot of movement for the most popular breeds. Below you’ll find the median list price for puppies, broken down by breed, over the past year. These are puppy prices only, it does not include started or finished dogs.

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 they can sink their grubby meat hooks into. Diseased ticks can leave you sick for the rest of your life.

Spring Shuffle Delayed

Oliver Bain sold his AI (artificial intelligence) Unicorn (billion-dollar start-up ) to Microsoft instead of taking it public. He was 58, and unknown to any around him, had a secret ambition he would now satisfy. As a boy growing up on a farm in Virginia, he had walked with his father, a dirt farmer, behind home grown pointers and setters after quail.

Should We?

Hurricane Hattie had requalified with a third place in the last qualifier of the season. Should they enter her was the question occupying her owner, Sam Slade, and handler, Mack Bain. Both were ambivalent and unsure of their judgment on the issue.

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 provide great sport by scattering out down a line, giving the gunners an easy opportunity. Tales of limits by lunchtime and perfectly broke pointers and setters kept my interest high. Like a puppy, I wanted desperately to go with the men on a real bird hunt but was deemed too immature.

All my heroes are gone

As we climbed out of the old Chevy truck, my nostrils were bitten by the cold Kentucky morning. I always loved the way that the cold air pierced your lungs. Such an infusion of life. The cold wrapped around me, but the warmth of excitement invigorated my soul. I had read many times in the old Field and Stream magazines about the venture I was undertaking with my uncle. I had finally made it. I had gotten the invitation to stand over his prize possessions, an old Elhew pointer and a Lewellin setter.

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 pulsed the moss like a summer breeze luffs weeping willow stems. On one such I could see far ahead and Cider and Bee were on point.