Upland Nation

Orvis-endorsed wingshooting guide of the year Ryan O'Shaughnessy of West Texas Quail Outfitters takes us to school on scaled quail, bird dog training, and related topics. From handling cactus to pad health, hunting strategy and tips on communicating with your own dog, Ryan has answers to your questions.
This unique bird is on many hunters' bucket list, and Ryan pursues them all season long, from a guide's - and biologist's - perspective. With 18 dogs in his personal string, he's got practical advice on how dogs learn, care and feeding, what birds can teach them, what we should avoid doing in the field and what we should always do when working with our own dogs.
We discuss your thoughts on helping the habitat, listeners share their "beauty" shots, the "Handle It" dog training segment addresses the importance of birds in developing a young dog. In our public-access feature, we'll learn a bit about recon in our public-access feature.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Tracey Lieske has been guiding, hunting, and training dogs for 30 years. Take advantage of his wisdom and hard-earned advice. From finding ruffed grouse to letting birds "train" dogs, he's got insights you won't find anywhere else.
Minimalist approaches to gear, command vocabulary, and creative ways to use the e-collar are all part of our discussion. What's important to ensure a sporting shot in the woods, scouting tips, and permission to get another dog are all covered in this wide-ranging discussion.
"Handle It" answers a listener question on an average dog's mileage, and our public access segment is an argument for spending money locally.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Listener Glenn Ainsworth asks Scott 10 questions about everything from shotgun choice to outfitting your truck, dog breeds to why great clay target shooters aren’t always great bird shooters. The answers might surprise you - especially when you learn of a fatal flaw in your mobile mapping app. Other questions that might help you including finding lodges that welcome our dogs, how to climb the chukar hills longer, why to force fetch or not. 
We touch on your own stories about sharing the hunt experience with friends and family, debate whether or not to train "sit" in pointing breeds, and learn of a new mapping tool for Nebraska hunters.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Don Currie is the chief instructor for the National Sporting Clays Association, and also an avid upland bird hunter. He has a ton of advice on shooting better and how to practice on the range. From how to see a bird, to safety considerations in the field, intriguing eye exercises and not-so-basic tips, everyone will find something of use.
We'll find out what to do and not do, how to carry and mount our shotgun, and why your forward hand needs a little TLC.
I'll share a dog training new year's resolution you might want to make as well, and we'll learn about a new set of public acres in Nebraska that utilize "dirty farming" techniques.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

You will re-live your own season as we recap the highs and lows, surprises and incredible dog work with four callers, another four social media commenters, and a bit of my own year.
Pups and old dogs, first hunts and last, incredible places and wondrous moments in the field - we get perspectives from throughout the nation from experts, amateurs, hard-core hunters and everyone in between. Each has something to offer in the way of planning for next season, fresh hunting tactics and strategies, finding new hunting spots, dog training and care, and appreciating the real reasons we go afield.
Plus, a public-access tip on who might tip you to the "good spots," and I answer a question from a listener in the "Handle It" segment on a pup that is, um, shy on point.
And it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Knock the bead off your shotgun muzzle, and other shooting advice from a pro with 40 years' experience. Instructor, fitter, hunter Brian Bilinski of Fieldsport in Traverse City, Mich. takes us back to shooting school. Avid pursuer of upland birds, he's eminently qualified to suss out our foibles, failures and foulups, steering us toward hitting more birds.
We'll also learn how important it is to fit a shotgun, and why most people are ill-fitted to their current gun. Terms, why's and wherefores of the art of gunfitting are also on the docket. Critical moves for better shots in the field, common mistakes and how to cure them, tips on buying a used gun, why we are athletes and ought to admit it, and how important a "warm up" is and why. Is it worthwhile to pattern your gun?
I'll answer a listener question on why steady to wing-shot-fall is a good goal, and we'll learn about a new online tool for Wisconsin public land hunters.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Insights and advice from someone who hunts every day, all season: pro guide and manager of Pheasant Bonanza hunt club Trent Leichleiter. Trent is in the field daily, and his dogs must perform - so, his advice on helping our own dogs to peak performance are GOLD.
From steadiness to critical commands, introducing gunfire to necessary equipment, Trent has some tips. From the dumb things we do, to what are the best rewards for compliance? What should we avoid, and what should we always do to ensure great dog work? When, and when not to, use the e-collar.
Trent offers shooting tips and etiquette advice on hunting with multiple dogs and hunters, too.
We look at the three top priorities to ensure our sport's future, as defined by your survey responses; get your hunting reports from last weekend; "Handle It" covers the best food treats, and "This Land Is Your Land" offers you a public-access tip: don't trust your mobile mapping app completely - here's why.
.. and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.

Where do you stand? “It depends.”
That’s the upshot of our collective reaction to sharing the good stuff with others. It depends on so many factors from friendship, to weather, to whether you’ve been burned in the past.
We talk about the ethics and etiquette, process and protocol of asking – and offering – help finding hunting spots. Callers chime in on why we should be more generous and welcoming, where to draw the line, how to “earn” your spots from a mentor or some guy on the next barstool.
We’ll talk about the magic of quid-pro-quo … address the minority of buttheads who absolutely refuse to help others in any way, shape or form. We discuss the benefits of bringing more bird hunters into the sport, and then we get to the science and art of research.
We talk about how to get good information from agency personnel from game wardens to biologists, how to get permission to hunt private ground, and how to expand your digital and on-the-ground searches.
From satellite imagery to boots-on-the-ground, what to look for and how … advice from seasoned hunters to wildlife biologist.
We get a rundown on listeners’ past weekend in the field, I’ll share a story from my last chukar hunt, “Handle it” talks about toning down your reaction to an exuberant dog … and our public-access segment previews an Arizona locale I’ll be scouting soon.
... and it's all brought to you by:
Sage & Braker Mercantile, Electronic Shooters Protection,  Dr. Tim's performance dog food; UplandNationDeals.com, Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com and Gunner.