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As dog owners, we have all heard of bloat, twisted stomach, or, as your veterinarian would say, GDV. GDV stands for gastric dilatation-volvulus. This urgent medical condition occurs when a dog’s stomach fills with gas, food, or fluid and twists. This condition develops with almost no warning, can progress rapidly, and is always an emergency. Remember that “bloat” doesn’t always indicate a twisted stomach, or GDV, because bloat can be a large gas, food, or fluid-filled stomach without any twisting present. 

As a veterinarian and fellow birddogger, I want to stress the importance of discussing and planning for this preventable condition.

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The Florida Everglades represents a unique ecosystem not presently found anywhere else in the world. The subtropical wetland is the largest ecosystem in North America, a natural habitat for a diversity of species you won’t see anywhere else: countless aquatic birds; numerous endangered species such as the manatee, Florida panther, and American crocodile; and a slew of mammals that have been untouched other than by natural predators. It is the only place you’ll see an alligator and a crocodile in the same area. But at present, the Everglades faces many threats that could permanently change its landscape.  

Now is the time to break in your boots for the season ahead. Learn more at IrishSetter.com, or try on a pair of Irish Setter's Wingshooters at your favorite retailer today.

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The process of fitting a gun to a person and its underlying principles have, at times, been made to seem mysterious and even alchemic. As a custom stock maker and gunsmith, gunfitting is rather simple. Gunfitting is a necessary and integral part of making a custom stock for a client. It also provides the required stock dimensions for altering a client’s existing guns to fit better.  

Gunfitting theory is based on a straightforward concept: using the physical architecture of the stock to control the shooter’s point of aim and make the mounting and firing of the gun feel comfortable and natural. Remember that gun fitting adjusts the stock dimensions to the shooter; gun fitters don’t expect the shooter to adjust to the stock dimensions. 

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Kids and dogs. It’s a timeless combination. Humans have had an inexplicable connection to “man’s best friend” dating back as far as 20,000 years, according to scientific evidence revealing when domestication of wild canids began. Social media, online games, cell phones, and whatever comes next will not break that bond, though it may lie dormant at times. Let’s narrow it down to kids and sporting dogs. Let’s assume you are reading this publication because your own life has been made inexorably richer through the preoccupation with upland bird or waterfowl hunting, field trialing, bird dogs, or gun dogs of any breed. You are likely also aware of the growing list of factors that may threaten our cherished sporting life. Now is the time to give our children all the opportunities available to cultivate the bond with sporting dogs that places them on the path to the same fulfillment we enjoy and, hopefully, to ensure the same for future generations.  

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This gun has versatility and reliability for the price. That above all is why I would recommend it to any new hunter out there. This is not a specialty shotgun, but when used correctly it can be good at anything to which it is applied. If it were a gun dog, it would certainly fall into the versatile breed category. The interchangeable chokes, standard since 1986, will allow you to explore various upland game and also the beloved wild turkey. Its ability to swap out barrels allows you to add a slug barrel for big game hunting and open sights.

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Each hunting season, I can be found trudging across public land in Missouri and Kansas in pursuit of my favorite game bird: bobwhite quail. Anyone who has ever had a covey rise from beneath their feet can attest to the distinct sound made by the explosion of these small brown and white birds. It’s a sound I’ve heard hundreds, maybe thousands of times, but it never gets old. For some hunters, public land is their only opportunity to experience the thrill of a covey rise.

Wild bobwhite quail can be found from Texas, north to portions of South Dakota, east to Maryland, south to Florida, and within most states that lie inside that box. They live in various habitats across their broad range, making them the most widespread of the six huntable quail species in the United States. These states vary in the amount of public land available to quail hunt, but every state within the bobwhite’s range has some publicly accessible coveys for die-hard uplanders to pursue. 

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The Farm Bill includes the most significant investment in conservation we make as a nation. Whether we hunt on private or public land, bird hunters recognize that management on private farms, ranches, and forests directly impacts bird habitat and hunting opportunities more broadly. Because of that, groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) and our partners put great effort into improving the conservation programs within the Farm Bill. This type of work requires discerning thought on even the tiny details. Minor changes to major legislation like the Farm Bill can lead to massive impacts on the ground. We spend a lot of time sweating the small stuff for good reason. Yet, we mustn’t lose sight of the overall outcomes we want to see because there are often multiple ways to get there. 

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Chances are, if you’re reading this during the holiday gift-buying season, someone special has a sous vide on his or her wish list. Let me answer the question that you’re asking yourself: Is a sous vide worth the investment? A sous vide is a must-own kitchen appliance for any hunter who brings home a bird or three, or even big game. 

Let’s explore why you should add this culinary device to your repertoire. Not only does it ensure a perfect cook every single time, but sous vides also help kill harmful bacteria and are more forgiving than an oven or grill.

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When hunting solo on a large expanse of CRP, time-tested logic will tell you to “hunt the edge.” Pheasants are birds of edge habitat. Roosters are likely to be hiding right where tall grass adjoins a picked corn field. So when faced with a daunting quarter-section of native grass one should skirt the edge, right? Not this day, my friend!

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Duck blinds are both simple and complicated. They represent a combination of utility and magic, providing function in the field while also facilitating tradition among duck hunters. At its core, a duck blind is a tool made to hide the duck hunter, the duck dog, and the tools of waterfowlers during the hunt. First and foremost, concealment from the wary eyes of passing ducks is absolutely critical to the success of any duck hunt. Beyond its usefulness as a hunting tool, duck blinds also offer a place of solace, a place of spirituality, and their own kind of enchantment. We witness sunrises, take part in fellowship, and develop our hunter’s hearts all from within the confines of a duck blind. 

In recent years, portable, A-frame style blinds have grown quickly in popularity as well as availability. What is an A-frame blind and why is it so popular? Let’s take a look.

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