projectupland.com On The Go

More than 25 years ago, the federal government banned lead shot for waterfowl hunting. In the years and decades that followed, old-timers ranted and raved about “the good old days” when lead was still an option. Knocking down honkers at 50 yards was not a problem, they stated. Steel was the first and seemingly only option for many years. Then, materials like bismuth, iron alloy, and nickel were being tinkered with. Finally, tungsten-iron alloy, tungsten matrix, and tungsten super shot were developed.

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I have watched double-nosed Spanish pointers hunt quail in the arid hills of Guadalajara, and I’ve seen Old Danish pointers seek partridge under the wind turbines of Jutland. I’ve chased ruffed grouse with Pont-Audemer spaniels in Manitoba and hunted sharp-tailed grouse with a small herd of Large Munsterlanders in Saskatchewan. I saw a Weimaraner kill a roe deer with a single bite on the island of Baltrum, and I’ve seen German shorthaired pointers and Brittanys just about everywhere I’ve been. And what I’ve seen has led me to one conclusion: a pointing dog’s raison d’être is to put a smile on its owner’s face.

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Fox’s target market for his guns was the well-to-do and his first guns were based upon a graded system. The company advertised his guns as “the finest guns in the world” and Fox believed it. His company set up booths at the big shooting competitions in hopes of drawing the right customers. Probably the most famous Fox gun was a gift to Teddy Roosevelt after he left office and went on African safari, an elaborate FE Grade. Of this gun, Roosevelt praised in a letter to Fox: “I really think it is the most beautiful gun I have ever seen.” No doubt, Ansley H. Fox swung for the fences!

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Being a novice is tough. Barriers exist for any new hobby, but the barriers to hunting can be extensive for someone looking to try it out for the first time. These hurdles range from access to finances to psychological and philosophical changes. As a newbie myself, I can speak to these challenges very personally. I have narrowed it down to three main obstacles that determine the success of the neophyte hunter: finding a mentor to start out on the right track, understanding hunting regulations and accessing public or private land, and learning to take a life.

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I recently came across an article written by Chuck Adams titled Eight Ways to Die in Elk Country. It was his clever spin on the TV series “1000 Ways to Die” which details the strange ways people punch their final time card.

Then I got to thinking: I spend all my  time hunting chukar and I’d be lying if I said the thought of dying out there never crossed my mind. My imagination began to whirl as I thought about all the crazy ways that it could actually happen.

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But before anything, cellphones are taken out. Not to take photos, but to check in. Check in? Each hunter accesses the link and enters their iSportsman IDs and password/PIN. Then each selects the “General Area” where they will hunt in a few moments. The type of “Activity” is selected, “Upland Bird Hunting.” Finally, a notification pops up stating that hunters must check out by a certain time. The acceptance button is struck and hunters and dogs enter into the field. Both hunters cross their fingers in the hopes that at the end of the day, they will be checking the game harvested box and how many birds each shot.

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If you’re lookin’ for an upland bird vest that could be best described as a “pack mule” and can handle the rigors of hunting in tough environments with the capabilities and ruggedness of carrying enough gear, water, AND birds, then you should definitely consider the L.L. Bean Technical Upland Vest Pack.

As wingshooters our vest, besides our bird dogs and shotguns, is one of the most crucial pieces of gear we use in the uplands.

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As we all do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19 many of us are wondering about the impact of social distancing and stay at home orders on our hunting dogs and the outdoor activities we enjoy sharing with them. In this article I’d like to look at what we can learn from gun dog owners in the past when they too were faced with massive disruptions to their lives.

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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