Upland Nation

Avid hunter, world traveler and former chief instructor for the National Sporting Clays Association, Don Currie shares his decades of experience helping people like us to shoot better. We'll focus on transferring on range skills to the field, quick gun fitting fixes, what to look at when mounting your shotgun, and the critical parts of a good gun mount.
We'll cover ways to ensure you're in the right place at the right time on flushing birds, how foot position helps, our most common shooting errors and more. We'll get Don's take on adjusting choke tube constrictions to shotgun gauge, and he'll share a recent Argentina hunt where he shot four different bird species. 
"Fix It" suggests an under-utilized information resource for finding new hunting spots; and in our social segment, listeners and viewers share their advice on training steadiness in a pointing dog. 
And it's all brought to you by: Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, CableGangz, TrulockChokes, Pointer shotguns, ClayCopter, USA Clay Target League, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Audio exclusive! Here's the list of things I carry - and where - to ensure a safe and productive hunting trip. We go from front bumper to roof rack and touch on the gear that you too might want to carry. From safety and rescue stuff to dog-care, I'll share my inventory in hopes there's something there you might want to pack.
I'll also mention a few things in my hunting vest you may not have considered that could save your dog's life.
Insider editions are brought to you by CableGangz tie-out systems. [Take 10% off your next order at CableGangz.com with the promo code CG10.] with additional support from USA Clay Target League, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, ClayCopter, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Kicking off our series on bird-rich states and their resident experts, Alex Solem joins me from South Dakota. Senior upland biologist for the state's game, fish and parks department, this avid bird hunter has the 4-1-1 on America's most popular game bird.
Our wide-ranging discussion covers bird habits and habitat, a day in the life of a rooster, a list of best starting points on the map, hunting strategies for the day after the opener, and how to find public access ground. He clues us in to how successful hunters differ from the rest of us, and the myriad ways to hunt cattail patches. 
"Fix It" steadies your pointing dog with one move, and listeners and viewers share photos of their favorite bird cover (and not surprisingly, their dogs in that cover). 
And it's all brought to you by: Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, CableGangz, TrulockChokes, USA Clay Target League, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

A short essay on how opening day is more than 24 hours long. Starting the last day of the season, we assemble dreams, practical stuff, memories and hopes to construct a first day of the season. 
Insider editions are brought to you by CableGangz tie-out systems. [Take 10% off your next order at CableGangz.com with the promo code CG10.] with additional support from USA Clay Target League, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, ClayCopter, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

What goes into making a great upland bird hunting magazine? Matt Soberg is ideally suited to answer that question, having edited the Ruffed Grouse Society's magazine for years, and is now at Covey Rise magazine. Avid hunter, conservationist and passionate communicator, Matt and I cover everything from how to get your article or photo published, to what makes a great story (hint: it's a great story). 
We'll also dig into how magazines influence the bird hunting zeitgeist, share hunting stories, find out what Matt carries in his hunting vest, and get some ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting tips. We start the debate on sharing hunting spots, too. 
"Fix It" offers a suggestion that might help you shoot low birds better, and in our social segment we share stories about the magic that happens in the field.
And it's all brought to you by: Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, CableGangz, TrulockChokes, ClayCopter, USA Clay Target League, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
 

Here's an avenue for every kid who wants to make a school sports team - clay target shooting. That's the goal of the USA Clay Target League, and California state coordinator Anna Canon will show us how it works, from recruitment to competition and the life-long results in a sport where every kid competes.
The largest organization of its kind, USA Clay Target has over 55,000 youth participants and another 11,000 adults, competing locally, regionally and nationally. Open to any student from grade 6 through college, the group relies on volunteer coaches and has the support of school officials nationwide.
We'll cover how to form a team for FREE, the unique challenges of coaching young shooters, how the competition works, and the downstream benefits of kids who learn to shoot.
Insider editions are brought to you by CableGangz tie-out systems. [Take 10% off your next order at CableGangz.com with the promo code CG10.] with additional support from USA Clay Target League, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, ClayCopter, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Your questions have been flowing in ... and here are my answers. In our somewhat-annual foray into your inquiries, I'll try to offer advice and suggestions that'll help you be a better hunter, sportsman, dog handler and shooter.
We'll cover everything from bird-shy pups to physical fitness, where to go and why those places become special. There are questions on finding new hunting partners and where to stay on a hunt. So if you DM'd, texted, called or emailed a question get ready - it might be right here.
"Fix It" helps you find cold-weather birds, our social media segment is your advice on taking better photos.
And it's all brought to you by: Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, ClayCopter, CableGangz, TrulockChokes, USA Clay Target League, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com. 

I've received so many questions about this topic, thought a quick primer would be in order. I'm no veterinarian, but there are basic procedures and habits I've picked up over the years (and many vet visits) that will keep your dog in the hunt and forestall further injury to his second-most-important sense. (First being his nose!)
From practice to reality, some common issues and how to recognize them, I'll hit the major issues you'll likely encounter and how to handle them. I'll introduce a few tools that might be helpful.
Insider editions are brought to you by CableGangz tie-out systems. [Take 10% off your next order at CableGangz.com with the promo code CG10.] with additional support from USA Clay Target League, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, ClayCopter, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.