projectupland.com On The Go

While staring out my kitchen window one morning, I watched Rudy, my resident yard rooster, come sailing through the sky to land in the orchard down below my house. I quickly finished my morning tea and grabbed my two setters to see if we could rouse Rudy from his hiding place. 

As expected, my two girls slammed beautiful points in the morning light. Of course, the place Rudy settled in was a native Montanan rose thicket. Cursing, I set forth to flush him from the brush, kicking and stomping as my annoyance grew with each broadening circle. Damn, was he holding tight this morning.

Suddenly, off to my right, I saw a small movement of branches. 

Read more at projectupland.com.

Every bird hunter reaches a point in their life when they desire to travel to a different state and hunt a new species. There are too many intriguing birds and landscapes to stay satisfied with hunting near home. Alternatively, in some states, one must travel to find success. While the culmination of a good bird hunt is ultimately the point, flush, and successful taking of the target species, getting to that point on an out-of-state hunt can be difficult.  

Read more at projectupland.com.

Similar to many upland game species, the northern bobwhite has experienced range-wide declines over the last century. These declines are primarily attributed to changes in land use and habitat loss. However, many unanswered questions remain regarding the sustainability of populations exposed to an annual harvest and associated hunting pressure.

Read more at projectupland.com.

Something about side-by-sides speaks to the grouse hunter in me. My personal journey into side-by-sides is likely similar to others’ amongst the under-45 crowd finding their way into them today: nostalgia seeped into my veins. Although I wanted one, I hesitated to buy a vintage gun because I lacked confidence and the knowledge of how to select one that functioned properly and was fairly priced. I had never even shot my great-grandfather’s Belgium-built hammer gun, even though I always meant to take it to a gunsmith to learn about the barrel condition ad proper loads. 

Read more at projectupland.com.

Learn to avoid these simple mistakes before you step foot in the uplands again. 

Read more at projectupland.com.

There is a decent amount of talk about training once hunting seasons end. Oftentimes, that talk turns to dogs—honing skills or learning new ones. There are also discussions about their human counterparts staying sharp, specifically with our shooting. 

Read more at projectupland.com.

Firsts can come at any time. For long-time waterfowl hunter Steph Lane, her first snow goose hunts were that of disappointment and heart-beating, exciting redemption, respectively. 

Read more at projectupland.com.

A West Virginia University wildlife and fisheries student joins experts from the U.S. Forest Service, Ruffed Grouse Society, and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources on an interagency project outside of Elkins, West Virginia. Through this visit to the worksite, it's clear that multispecies management via interagency collaboration is a successful model to bolster successful conservation practices.

Read more at projectupland.com.

The "glamorous" life of a chukar hunter is like no other. You will spend nights away from your family, sleeping in your trailer, tent, or in the bed of your truck. You will experience incredible vistas that stretch on for miles in all directions. The rugged mountains, steep hills, and grassy flats that make up chukar country are a monochromatic feast for the eyes. At different times of the season, there will be specks and patches of green, along with streams or pools of blue where water flows or settles, but mostly a sea of brown and tan. Later, there are the glorious snow days which, in addition to a landscape blanketed in white, brings with them cooler temperatures. These milder days provide your dogs with comfortable temperatures while they are putting in mile after mile pursuing their quarry.

To keep up with your dogs in the chukar hills, you, too, need to be comfortable; the only way to ensure your comfort is with the proper gear. Let's look at the equipment that will help keep you safe and happy on your chukar hunting adventure. 

Read more at projectupland.com.

If you have been searching for that "one," that Holy Grail gun, don’t overlook the Fabarm Autumn; it will likely surprise you. Although my experience with an injured arm is on the extreme side of the spectrum, it illustrates perfectly what a properly-balanced, lightweight side-by-side can do for you. After a long day of pushing brush and following dog bells you may only get one opportunity to bag a bird; with the superbly-balanced Fabarm Autumn in hand, you will be making shots that you may not have had the strength to make with other, heavier guns at the end of a long day.

Read more at projectupland.com.