Upland Nation Scott Linden

Hunter, dog trainer, nutritional guru, magazine writer, an Upland National treasure ... Bob West of Purina joins me for a wide-ranging discussion full of reminiscences. Besides talking about his fellow legends, Bob's backstory might just prove he was the first "influencer" in our world ... back when TV was still made on magnetic tape and in 4:3 screen ratios!
Bob is semi-retired but still a fixture at bird-dog events where you can bend his ear about fueling a hunting dog, training it, and hunting it. His insights, built on a foundation of trials and tests, are invaluable for anyone with a bird dog. We'll learn why trials and tests are a critical part of hunting-dog training, find out why sometimes giving up is the best strategy with a recalcitrant dog (at least temporarily), how important "wins" are on the training table, what the "three action introduction" is and why it's integral to a dog's performance in the field and at a hunting test.
But there's more: pad care and what we miss, how a dog's G.I. tract is really affected by food during a hunt, the best reason yet for NOT feeding the morning of a hunt, and one man's opinion on whether or not dogs can "reason."
"Handle It" covers some home-made training gear, and listeners laud their dog-training and hunting mentors.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, ESPAmerica, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Pack the dog, extra ammo, and fasten your seatbelt. We're headed for Big Sky country on this bonus episode. Stories, suggestions and tips, starting points and advice that might help on your next road trip.
This state is loaded with public-access walk-in and government-administered ground. I'll cover my own experiences with habitat, seasons, and tactics for all the prairie birds. Plus, a few towns and regions where you might start your own quest for sharptails, ringnecks, sage grouse and Hungarian partridge. And some hard-won lessons on planning your trip from homework to itinerary.
And it's all brought to you by: Pointer Shotguns, Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, ESPAmerica, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

He and his dogs are NAVHDA versatile champions several times over ... and those dogs are English Setters. It's one testament to this guy's training acumen, passion for dogs and bird hunting. Curt Fry is also a hunt test judge, clinician, hardcore grouse and woodcock hunter. We do a deep dive into steadying a bird dog from start to finish: objectives, tools, and strategy. His views on water work and dog handling are of value to anyone with a hunting dog.
Curt also offers hunting strategies and tactics and finding more land to hunt. We review the various types of hunt tests and field trials and why bird hunters benefit from participating. Curt even has suggestions on where to find training birds.
"Road Trip" covers one of my top-five states; and listeners chime in on why sometimes it's a good idea to use different loads in each barrel.
And it's all brought to you by: Pointer Shotguns, Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, ESPAmerica, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

It's the off-season, and time to re-live some of the hunts from last fall. In this Field Debrief, I'll relate a chukar hunt we did on eclipse weekend last October in Northern Nevada. Fascinating finds, beautiful country, and a few lessons, too.
Then, everyone offers suggestions on saving money on gear, trips, and dogs. And, what NOT to economize on.
"Road Trip" has your mountain quail destination, and listeners share their bucket-list bird species.
And it's all brought to you by: Pointer Shotguns, Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, ESPAmerica, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

This week, we talk to industry insider Dan Compton, product director for The Kinetic Group's Remington, Hevi-Shot and Federal shotgun ammunition lines. He's a hunter so of course we'll talk about that, but we'll also find out what's new at each company, what's in development, and how shotshells work. We look at recent innovations in design, find out why copper plating helps your shooting accuracy, and learn how to take care of our ammo.
We'll also learn how shotshell components affect ballistic performance, why some retired shotshell "recipes" are being pulled out of mothballs, and finally figure out who owns what in the dynamic ammunition industry.
"Handle It" this week answers David Klopp's question about chasing wing-clipped birds, and listeners sound off on the lessons they wish they'd learned sooner.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer Shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, ESPAmerica, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

This week's "Industry Insider" is Andy McCormick, president of sales & marketing for Legacy Sports International, whose Pointer shotgun brand is our first topic. We talk all things shotgun business: design and manufacturing, quality control, trends in the industry, and advice on what to look for when shopping for a new shotgun. We cover the relative advantages of small gauge guns, and why so many hunters are looking at side-by-sides.
Then, we venture into valley quail country, a place Andy knows well. From a base in Reno, Nevada, he roams the sagebrush flats, folds and cracks in the landscape for those elusive little devils. We get advice on strategy and tactics, equipment, and why dogs love the little buggers so much. Plus, advice on finding public access and why chukars are the perfect addition to a quail hunt.
This week on "Road Trip," I outline a favored New Mexico destination, and listeners chip in with essential items to put in your hunting vest.
And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, ESPAmerica, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.