Upland Nation

Yup, nothing wrong with stealing good ideas, especially when they were offered sincerely and will help others (i.e., YOU). Here are over two dozen suggestions from pro guides, pro trainers, field trialers and hunt testers plus good hunting buddies. Now, you won't have to learn the hard way - they already did!
From dog training and handling to hunting strategies, here are bits and pieces to keep you and your dog more productive and your dog safer. Finding birds to finding public-access hunting areas, here are some lesser-known ways to make your hunt epic.
"Handle It" covers a way to cool your dog, and your own photos of great hunting spots are shared. Beautiful!
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Your worst travel-dog nightmares ... that niggling question you have ... and why hunt two dogs at the same time? We cover a lot of ground on this episode, including a new feature "What's on your mind?"
I'll answer questions you've asked on everything from rattlesnakes to sending a dog for a missed bird, even offer an RV buying tip. Then, a sharing session on the pro's and cons of hunting two dogs at the same time. Insights and cautions, encouragement and practical advice too. Finally, we share the funny stories of life on the road with dogs - and photos too.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

From the field: I have a lengthy, broad-ranging conversation with Trevor Walz of LandTrust.com and a pro bird hunting guide. From conservation and management to handling dog disputes, what's in his vest to habitat needs and hunting strategies for prairie grouse, we cover it all. Tipping a guide? He's got a suggestion and rationale. Finding birds? Listen carefully. Then, listen again.
There's something for every bird hunter in this discussion from eastern Montana.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

A shooting tip from TV's worst shotgunner!

Bottle & Mic ... first in a series of road trip debriefs, reflections on a trip I'm on with observations, suggestions, and ruminations fueled by a wee dram or two.
This bonus episode comes from Lincoln, Montana enroute home from a sharptailed grouse hunt that included weather challenges, practical hunting magic, dog stories, and a lot of appreciation for rural America and the people we meet along the way.
Now, pour another one and pass that bottle please.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

I hope it never happens to you - that eerie silence when you hoped to hear collar tags jingling, knowing your dog is well and truly lost. Or, he limps back, bleeding. As the season gets into full swing, what better than to prepare for each of these situations?
I'll offer a four-step strategy for finding your dog, from preparation to gear, to starting your search. There may be something there that will help you, based on my own experiences over the years.
Then, what's in my dog-care kit? I'll cover the stuff I carry in my vest that will help him continue to hunt, or stabilize him for a trip to the veterinarian. It's a simple, basic set of tools that'll take care of most in-field emergencies, from cactus spines to bee stings and barbed-wire cuts.
"Handle It" is all about fueling your four-footed hunting buddy - what works for me and why (I think!). Maybe there's something in it for you and your dog.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss the Wingshooting USA TV now airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Champion target shooter and avid bird hunter Dave Fiedler of Mid-Valley Clays and Shooting School joins me for a wide-ranging and fun conversation about all things shotguns and wingshooting. From ballistics to buying a new shotgun, what we could do better in the field to the funnest target game, we've got the um, "field" covered.
We also talk about the right gauge for the right bird at the right time of year, and the most important thing to do to your shotgun at the end of a hunt. In our "Handle It" segment I answer Eric Thompson's question about bringing on the next generation of hunters. You might be surprised at the 800-lb. gorilla in the room that I poke with a stick.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

I’m television’s worst shotgunner. It’s almost a badge of honor. The most frequent compliment I hear is “You shoot worse than I do!” I gladly own it.
That’s where these tips come in. They started as a sort of log – a journal – of things I’ve learned while hunting, at the range, and even dry-firing at home. Often, they were last-ditch efforts when everything else failed. Or, epiphanies from out of nowhere that saved the day. They’re no substitute for a good course of study, a shooting lesson, or careful practice. But when nothing else works or you’re ready to try a different way of looking at things, use one (or more) of these.
"Handle It" this week answers Jim Smith's question on the vocabulary of a training collar's "other" functions, and listeners offer up less-common things they carry in their vest.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.
And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV now airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.