UPLAND BIRD HUNTING
For many the epitome of autumn joy is coursing golden fields or polychromatic woodlands behind a stylish pointing dog in search of upland birds. Celebrated in art and literature, upland bird hunting verges on a sacramental act. Sure, there is the pragmatic reality of gathering delicious organic “chicken,” but that is soon overshadowed by the uplifting, invigorating thrill of finding and flushing those heart-stopping gallinaceous pheasants, partridges, grouse and quail. There are times when tactics and plotting become necessary, but more often an upland hunt is simply following your dog or your heart wherever promise or beauty lead. Gallinaceous birds are mostly ground dwelling with short wings used more for escape than daily living. While a chickadee or waxwing flits and flaps thither and yon, a bobwhite or pheasant walks. Unless a predator flushes them, they may not fly for days on end. This makes them the perfect prey for dogs that scent, trail, then point or flush. Watching those dogs work, training them and nurturing them and sharing the good, bad and ugly of what they do becomes half the fun of upland hunting.Join us here as we celebrate the adventures of upland bird hunting. We’ll offer advice, tips and tactics that have served us well during 45 years spent pursuing 18 species of North American upland game birds and several more around the world.
Big Game | Small Game | Upland Birds | Waterfowl | Predators | Varmints
Covey goes to School. Ethan Pippitt of Standing Stone Kennels is training our 2.5-year-old English setter to hold points and retrieve birds. His progress in this video is impressive.
You can be chicken, but don't be completely chicken. Grab your favorite shotgun and go prairie chicken hunting.
Listen to my podcast about hunting Winner pheasants around Winner, South Dakota. After 30 years it's still one of the best locations in the world for birds.


Should sport hunting even be allowed? Let’s hope so because it’s restored and protected our wildlife and wild places against unfettered meat hunting for more than a century. Sport hunting means rules and regulations the limit killing while funding restoration and maintenance.