Aaron jumps in to everything with both feet. From Ironman competitions to training his first GSP.  A first year hunter,who already has a Dakota trip under his belt. He and "Spokes "  have earned a prize 1 NA score, and a few legs towards AKC Master hunter. This guy will carry the torch for the next generation of upland/waterfowl dog loving hunters.

Shane Mahoney is life long conservationist and hunter who sheds some light on our ancestral hunting roots with dog and man. Why we hunt may be as simple as why we still huddle around a fire, or why we watch our favorite quarterback pick his target on a field. This was an eye opening conversation for me and should be for you as well. 

Bob Plott carries on the family traditions from his great-great-great grandfather who sailed to the Americas in 1750 with 5 dogs from Germany. To settle in the Carolinas and establish the most well known breed of big game dogs,that helped to settle the frontier. Hunting with a Plott Hound is like shaking hands with history

This may be my favorite episode ever!!  Bob Plott follows in the footsteps of his great-great-great grandfather,who traveled to the Americas in the 1750s with 5 dogs and established them into the frontier culture of the Carolinas. 200 plus years later they are known as one of the best big game dogs ever, Bob still breeds and hunts these dogs. When you hunt with one, its like shaking hands with American history.

Christine is a hardcore bird hunter in a hardcore land. She packs snowshoe with her when she chases birds, and reads the tide charts before she heads out for ducks. She has more guns and dogs than most of us and in her spare time writes articles on the outdoors and even has a book published!!  Women Hunting Alaska.  its on my summer reading list. 

Justin Daily and his best friend/Lab named Loney, hits the the waterfowl,dove, quail and pigeons of sunny southern California. He's the next generation of young, dog loving hunters, who put there time in the fields and marshes. His Grandparents family traditions, more so than parental guidance, lead him into this great life that we all share.

Mike and I talk about his hunting opportunities in California, his Dad and Grandpa helping to shape his passion, and his obsessive hunting addiction. he pushes the limit when it comes to marital bliss vs. hunting season. and we talk about a covey of quail that his family has been chasing for over 20 years!!

Brent Pike brings us some info on the Michigan Sharptail Grouse Association. On top of being president of our local RGS chapter, Brent is helping the MSTGA to get new members to sign up and help promote a great group of conservationists/hunters to help yet another cause. Bringing awareness to the sharptail grouse and its future here in Michigan. We also talk guns, gun fit, pointers that dont retrieve and some of our favorite hunting stories.

Robin Watson gives us the low down on English Labs and his life long passion of working,breeding,testing and hunting with Labs,Cockers and Spainels. From 5 years old he has been involved with the hunting lifestyle. Now here in the USA Robin is the managing director of canine operations for British Gundogs on a 7000 acre training and hunting facility. Listen and learn

Very interesting way to hunt turkeys. Tracey is a well rounded hunter. So well rounded he uses his dogs to pursue his favorite upland bird. I will be trying this in the fall!!! might get my first Michigan turkey. We also talk about a couple of dogs that Tracey bought from me when I was a very novice breeder. He may join in the class action law suit with many others who got some of my first pups.

Steffan has owned more dogs than me!!! Always a hound dog lover, but dabbles in Versatiles and Earthdogs as well. Very interesting dog man, with a very understanding wife!!  Runs dogs as much as a person can,and still work and raise a family.

A short thank you from me, and a short talk on how lucky we all are to see our dogs thru their entire life cycle. So many times I read a note about how people's dogs have passed. I reflect on how, if were lucky,we get to experience this many times. and a new promo to get stories from YOU and have them read on a future podcast. I will be back in full podcast mode soon. Just had a little thing call work that screwed of my recording schedule. Thanks for listening

I use to dream of retiring in the west, After this episode I'm giving my self a transfer and relocating to North Dakota. Truly a wingshooters dream. Tyler and I chat about his (free) newspaper dog and all of the opportunities that ND offers. 3 species of upland in his own backyard, ducks and geese, spring snow goose, and sandhill cranes. His job, which gives him a huge advantage in locating game rich areas, and a few other subjects from shot guns to decoys,and beer to bourbon.

Alaskan upland hunting. Don and Scott tells us what it takes hunt birds in the great state of Alaska. Think its easy? Think again. With only 4900 miles of paved roads in a state that's 1/5th the size of the lower 48. Not to mention keeping bear spray handy as well as a sidearm. But there are a few diehard,dog loving,bird hunters. One of the first things they need to do with their young dogs, is train them to sit still on a snowmobile!!!

Floyd Green brings 30 plus years of mountain lion hunting experience to the table. This is not a sport for the weak of body, mind, or soul, in fact one might think of lion hunting as going back in time to when man first bonded with the dog and they hunted game capable of killing man or dog. But together, man and hound can best em, (almost all the time) Floyd will go as far as to jam a large branch in the lions face to get it to bite down on that, instead of one of his dogs heads. Now that a dog loving man, in my opinion.

Larry McKurtis his friend Jesse and a Setter named Ava, hunt Chuckar in the mountains of Nevada. Which apparently are a warm up hunt, for their pursuit of Himalayan Snowcock!! This bird lives in only two mountain ranges and hang out on the highest peaks. If you can even get to 11,000 ft you might only hear their alarm call and get a glimpse of them rocketing down hill in the direction you just came up!!! Larry is also Nevada chairmen of  Back Country Hunters and Anglers and we talk about the importance of that and other sportsman's groups who are fighting the good fight for all of us.

I talked with Paul Mcgagh. and learned so much about English Cockers and Spainels that I can hardly wait to get one. Paul has a deep background in both Cockers and Spainels, so much that I'm ready to put a deposit on one. We learn about the history, and ability of this very old breed. You might think I'm kidding, but this is one of my favorite interviews ever. its a little long, but I couldn't bear the thought of ending this conversation. Paul lives a life that revolves around trialing,hunting, training, and mostly loving hunting dogs. We talk about picking puppies and picking a dog for breeding. and what we look for most in a hunting dog.

Konrad Schmit former pro baseball player turned chuckar hunting addict. Konrad spends the bulk of his fall hiking throughout Nevada. After hunting behind his friends two GWPs, Konrad started to search for his own dog. These days Konrad and Earl his German Wirehair, put the smack down on chuckar. All over the abundant public lands of Nevada.

Scott Leysath "The Sporting Chef"  joins us today to talk cooking and hunting. Scott has had English Setters and Gordon Setters since he was a teenager. Taking off to college in AZ he didn't start out cooking.  We hear all about his early years and his TV shows and his current dogs, Larry and Cooper. Get a pad of paper out and take notes. We will all be a little better in the kitchen after this episode. 

Justin Mcgrail always make for a great episode. We focus on some listener questions, and cover some basic spring puppy training. We cover deer and porcupine avoidance training. early gun fire, flusher/pointer training together and  anything else we can kick around. Justin shares a little of his hunting/guiding season. and we even make a few comparisons of wives and dogs.....  enjoy

Shawn Wayment is a wingshooter/dog lover/ 16ga. enthusiast and, oh yeah he's also a Veterinarian (when he comes in out of the field). I learn a bunch form this episode about the hunting opportunities in the Rocky Mountain State.  We swap a few stories about our common passions.  Shawn hunts over 3 great dogs, and go figure one of them is an English Cocker!!! From a line in one of my favorite movies"I gotta get me one of these"

And please dont forget to comment and rate on Itunes. or if you don't use Apple products to listen to the show?? send me some cigars. We'll call it good.

Marty jumped in to bird dogs in spite of living in an apartment and getting a dog from a Craigs List add.  The odd were against him, but Marty did everything needed to enjoy his Brittany that turn out to be a Springer!! He hunts Illinois public land for pheasants and dove. Proof that a good dog is a good dog. My hats off to Marty and all is efforts to do what we all love. Just proves what desire and a good dog can do for anyone.

Ryan Eder is the co-founder of the Upland Gundog Assoc.  Its a new venue out there for those folks that are new to sporting dogs,and for those with experience. The best thing about UGA is its for both Pointers and Flushers!!!  talk about filling the gap in the dog testing world. Ryan and his friend Mike Moncada decided to throw everything they had at starting the UGA.  We also talk a little Illinios, duck duck goose. A little about shotguns, wives that tolerate our habits. Having 5 labs in the house, and we go down a few other rabbit holes.  Enjoy and please dont forget to subscribe and comment on Itunes.

Great talk with Shane Bevel. An Oklahoma Quail hunter who puts his time into all things hunting quail. Shane helps with Quail Forever, leads the Tulsa Bird Dog Association,and hunts, tests, and trains his Llewellin Setters. We cover our love of old shotguns,dogs,public land in Texas, our preferred drink of choice,Quail Forever, and a little about a farm bill that may not be in hunters best interest.

Hank Shaw spends some time with us, to teach us a few things about what to do, and what not to due, when we cook are upland birds, rabbits, and waterfowl. This podcast could be called to pluck,or not to pluck. Apparently I have been wasted alot of tasty skin over the years.  I admit, I hate plucking birds, but that's gonna change starting now!!!

Pay attention and take notes on this very informative episode. Hanks books, Duck Duck Goose, and Buck Buck Moose, are the only books you need to enjoy your wild game to Haute Cuisine... Trust me