InCamp Podcast

Andrew Ward, the Game Bird Section Supervisor with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, is on Upland Brief this week to talk all things Pennsylvania upland hunting. We cover pheasants, grouse, and woodcock, along with what hunters can expect heading into another season in the Pennsylvania woods and fields.

Andrew shares some insight from his five-plus years with the Game Commission, including recent regulation changes that allow small game hunting during deer rifle season, the plan to stock approximately 230,000 pheasants statewide, and some tips for finding and hunting stocked birds. We also get into the latest grouse outlook, including a 28% increase in sightings and encouraging news regarding West Nile virus.

There’s also a mid-episode break with Jed Hamberger joining us for a woodcock migration update. If you’ve been keeping an eye on the flights moving through Pennsylvania, you’ll want to catch that segment.

Fair warning, we ran a little over time on this one, so thanks for sticking with us. There’s a lot of good information packed into this conversation, and I think it’s a worthwhile listen for anyone who spends time chasing upland birds in Pennsylvania.

Takeaways:

• Pennsylvania’s 2026 pheasant stocking plans and where to find stocked birds
• Hunting pheasants during deer rifle season and recent regulation changes
• Pennsylvania ruffed grouse population outlook and survey results
• West Nile virus and its impact on grouse
• Tips for hunting stocked pheasants and understanding bird movement
• A midseason woodcock migration update with Jed Hamberger

PA Upland Links:

Grouse and Woodcock Cooperators

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Tom Runscavage is InCamp this week on Whitetail Brief to talk rut hunting, what he’s learned from years in the deer woods, and why certain days seem to produce year after year.

November 7th is a date Tom pays close attention to, and he breaks down what makes that time of the rut so interesting. We get into using historical trail camera data, reading fresh scrapes, identifying food sources, and adjusting your setups based on weather and deer activity.

We also talk about blind calling, when to hit a grunt call, and how to make decisions when conditions aren’t exactly what you hoped for.

In this episode:

• Why November 7th is a date worth paying attention to
• Using trail camera history and past experience to pick hunting days
• Finding and hunting fresh scrapes and food sources
• How weather conditions influence deer movement
• Blind calling and using soft grunts during the 

Guest Links:

https://www.instagram.com/trunscav/

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Ben Koch is InCamp this week to talk whitetail rut hunting, chasing bucks in November, and the stories that come with it. From his early-season buck this year to a late-rut buck last season, Ben shares some memorable hunts just as the whitetail rut heats up.

Takeaways:

-Ben’s early-season buck from this year

-The story behind last year’s late-rut buck

-Lessons learned through years of deer hunting

-Growing up hunting and passing traditions to the next generation

-Why pheasant hunting and time with friends mean so much

Guest Links:

https://www.instagram.com/ben_koch9/?__d=1impressum

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Jed Hamberger of Grouse Brook Kennels is back on Upland Brief to give us an update on Pennsylvania grouse and woodcock hunting. We talk recent bird movement, where he’s finding grouse, how food sources like berries and crab apples factor into the hunt, and what he’s seeing with the woodcock migration.

Takeaways:

• Where to look for grouse in Pennsylvania right now
• How habitat, food sources, and timing affect bird movement
• The latest on woodcock migration

If you’re chasing grouse and woodcock in Pennsylvania, Jed shares some timely insight from the field to help you make the most of your days in the woods.

Guest Links:

⁠Grouse Brook Kennel on YouTube⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/grousebrookkennel/⁠

⁠https://www.grousebrookkennel.com/⁠

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Jared Hulse is on Whitetail Brief this week to talk in-season scouting, observation sits, and figuring out what deer are doing once hunting season gets underway.

We get into how to use fresh sign to make better hunting decisions, when it makes sense to sit back and observe, and how trail cameras can help you keep tabs on deer without spending every day in the woods. We also talk about hunting pressure, access routes, changing weather conditions, and finding food sources in big woods where deer can be tough to pattern.

Whether you’re hunting public land or your own property, knowing when to make a move and when to sit tight can make a big difference. Sometimes the best thing you can do is slow down, pay attention, and let the woods tell you what’s happening.

Takeaways:

• How to approach in-season scouting and observation sits
• Using fresh sign and deer behavior to find active areas
• When trail cameras help and when it’s worth observing in person
• Adjusting your strategy for hunting pressure and weather conditions
• Choosing access routes that keep you from bumping deer
• Finding food sources and deer movement in big woods

Guest Links:

https://www.instagram.com/j.hulse/

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Nate Akey is InCamp this week to talk bird dogs, upland hunting, photography, and what makes time in the field with good dogs and good friends so special.

Nate is a big-time bird dog guy, and we get into how he got started with dogs, what he’s learned along the way, and why the upland hunting community has become such a big part of it for him. We also talk about his work with onX, photography in the field, and the importance of actually taking those candid tailgate and hunting-camp photos that you’ll want to look back on years from now.

With pheasant season getting underway, we talk about his recent Montana trip, running dogs, bird numbers, and what he’s looking forward to this fall. We also get into a little whitetail talk and what Nate is looking forward to as we get into late October.

Takeaways:

• Getting started with bird dogs and learning to train and hunt with them
• Why the upland hunting community is such a big part of the experience
• Bird dogs, pheasant hunting, and getting dogs ready for the season
• Taking better hunting photos and capturing the moments that matter
• Nate’s recent Montana hunt and his outlook for the upland season
• A little late-October whitetail talk

Guest:

https://www.instagram.com/nathanielakey/?hl=en

https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Robert Ecker is InCamp on Upland Brief this week to talk bird dog training, competition, and preparing dogs for hunting season. Recorded at the Northern Michigan Cover Dog Championship, Robert shares his experience with champion dogs and discusses how weather conditions affect scenting and performance.

We get into conditioning, training with pigeons and chuckers, differences between pointers and setters, and transitioning dogs from competition to hunting. Robert also shares stories about some of the standout dogs he’s worked with, including Buck of Piney Woods.

Takeaways:

• How weather affects scenting and dog performance.
• Conditioning dogs for the upcoming season.
• Training with pigeons and chuckers.
• Preparing dogs for early-season hunts.
• Lessons learned from competing with champion cover dogs.

Guest Links:

https://www.instagram.com/kennelmidnight/

https://midnightkennel.com/

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Mitchell Shirk is on Whitetail Brief this week to talk whitetails, the October lull, and how to make the most of this time of year. We get into scouting, choosing stand locations, and how wind and thermals factor into where and when you hunt. We also discuss why the October lull can be misunderstood and how hunters can take advantage of the opportunities this time of year offers.

Takeaways:

-How to approach the October lull and find opportunities to kill a buck.

-Scouting and choosing the right stand locations.

-Using wind and thermals to your advantage.

-Adjusting your approach as hunting pressure increases.

Guest Links:

https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniawoodsmanpodcast/

https://sportsmensempire.com/network/pennsylvania-woodsman

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠

Pete Six is InCamp this week to talk Pennsylvania deer hunting, making time to hunt, and why the last half of October is such a special time to be in the woods.

Pete and I talk DMAP tags, hunting opportunities across Pennsylvania, balancing work with hunting, and the temptation to travel to other states. But a lot of the conversation comes back to the simple draw of being in the Pennsylvania woods during October and making the most of the time you have.

Takeaways:

    ●    Why late October is such a special time to hunt

    ●    Pennsylvania deer hunting and D-map tags

    ●    Balancing work and time in the woods

    ●    Hunting close to home versus traveling to other states

    ●    Making the most of October in the Pennsylvania wood

Guest Links:

https://www.instagram.com/petesixhunt/

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠https://www.deadondisplay.com/⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birddogcustomwoodwork/⁠⁠

⁠https://www.jmillercustomcalls.com/⁠

Wilderness Athlete:

https://alnk.to/9IiiTco

InCamp on Upland Brief this week I'm joined by Jed Hamberger and Garrett Baker to talk bird hunting in North Dakota. They get into scouting, reading the land, and finding birds by paying attention to grass thickness, grazing patterns, and other sign. They also share lessons from the trip, strategies for finding birds, and how their dogs are coming along in the field. For those of you about to travel for pheasants, sounds like you're about to have some great hunting!

Takeaways:

• What to look for when scouting bird habitat
• E-scouting tips to narrow down good areas
• Reading grass and other sign to find birds
• Lessons learned hunting North Dakota with bird dogs

Guest Links:

⁠Grouse Brook Kennel on YouTube⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/grousebrookkennel/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/thebirddoginn/

Partners and Affiliates:

⁠⁠⁠Dead On Display⁠

⁠Birddog Custom Wood Work⁠

⁠⁠J. Miller Custom Calls⁠

⁠Wilderness Athlete⁠