Mike and Kelly sit down with Tanya Gates of Pannonia Kennel and Mark Schoene to dive into the world of bird dogs and upland hunting. Tanya shares how she got started with hunting dogs, her time training in Hungary, and what eventually led her to the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla and starting her own kennel in the Okanagan.

They talk about choosing the right hunting dog, what new owners should know before bringing one home, training and testing through NAVHDA, and why genetics and breeding matter so much in developing a capable hunting partner. Mark also shares his experience getting into bird hunting later in life, lessons learned from training his own dogs, and how that journey led to starting This Dog Points.

The crew also gets into what a typical BC upland hunt looks like, hunting grouse and chukar with dogs, the importance of building a bird dog community, and a few memorable hunting stories that show just how incredible it can be to watch a good dog work.

Learn more about Pannonia Kennel: www.pannoniakennel.ca

Check out This Dog Points: thisdogpoints.com

We're very proud to have The Wild Sheep Foundation as our title sponsor. To register, to become a member, to renew your membership, and to join the wildsheepfoundation.org

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

Mike and Kelly are back for a spring catch-up, covering everything from fly fishing tactics and gearing up for their annual yurt trip to bear hunting plans, half marathon training, and the excitement of preparing for another hunting season. They also dive into the world of bird dogs, discussing the possibility of adding a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla to the family, what makes a great hunting companion, and why proper training matters.

We're very proud to have The Wild Sheep Foundation as our title sponsor. To register, to become a member, to renew your membership, and to join the wildsheepfoundation.org

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this speical episode, Mike guest hosts the 2025 season finale of Roost with Ben O'Brien and Sam Soholt. Recorded at the end of the 2025 turkey season, they recap the Western Turkey Tour from early highs to late season frustration, and reflect on why turkey hunting is as mentally demanding as it is addictive. The conversation covers family, filming hunts, road life, go fast setups, missed opportunities, hard earned birds, and why the struggle is part of what keeps them coming back every spring.

We're very proud to have The Wild Sheep Foundation as our title sponsor. To register, to become a member, to renew your membership, and to join the wildsheepfoundation.org

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

Shane Mahoney returns for our 200th episode to reflect on a life shaped by Newfoundland's wild places, a career spent living alongside big game in remote country, and why those experiences can be hard to translate back home. Shane also shares major updates from the Wild Harvest Initiative, including new regions of expansion and what the latest data suggests about the scale and social value of wild food in North America.

We're very proud to have The Wild Sheep Foundation as our title sponsor. To register, to become a member, to renew your membership, and to join the wildsheepfoundation.org

The Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo takes place February 26 to 28 in Penticton, BC. To secure tickets, visit wildsheepsociety.com.

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this follow up episode, Mike sits down with Kelly to reflect on almost a decade of Rookie Hunter, what has stayed the same, what has changed, and why the community around hunting and conservation has meant so much along the way.

We're very proud to have The Wild Sheep Foundation as our title sponsor. To register, to become a member, to renew your membership, and to join the wildsheepfoundation.org

The Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo takes place February 26 to 28 in Penticton, BC. To secure tickets, visit wildsheepsociety.com.

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this special episode, Mike revisits the very first Rookie Hunter recording from March 1, 2016, sharing a short snippet that dives into how he and Kelly got into hunting and why they started the podcast in the first place.

We're very proud to have The Wild Sheep Foundation as our title sponsor. To register, to become a member, to renew your membership, and to join the wildsheepfoundation.org

The Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo takes place February 26 to 28 in Penticton, BC. To secure tickets, visit wildsheepsociety.com.

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this episode, Mike welcomes Adam Janke back to the podcast for a wide ranging conversation that looks back on more than a decade of hunting media, podcasting, and storytelling. Adam reflects on the early days of the Journal of Mountain Hunting and Beyond the Kill, how the podcast landscape has changed, and why long form conversations still matter.

WSF's Sheep Show 2026 runs January 22 to 24 in Reno, Nevada and registration is now open. Visit wildsheepfoundation.org for full details.

The Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo takes place February 26 to 28 in Penticton, BC. To secure tickets, visit wildsheepsociety.com.

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this field guide episode, Mike shares practical ways to stay motivated through the off season and use the slower months to set yourself up for success in the fall. From organizing and cleaning gear, sharpening knives, and taking advantage of sales, to reviewing what worked and what didn't last season, scouting new areas, and building a solid fitness baseline, this episode is all about preparation. Mike also talks partner dynamics, fixing nagging injuries, planning hunts early, and why the work you put in now pays off when the season comes fast.

WSF's Sheep Show 2026 runs January 22 to 24 in Reno, Nevada and registration is now open. Visit wildsheepfoundation.org for full details.

The Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo takes place February 26 to 28 in Penticton, BC. To secure tickets, visit wildsheepsociety.com.

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this episode, Mike sits down with Dana to talk about her brand new podcast, Ignite, and the path that led her there. From coming to hunting later in life and learning where your food comes from to first bears and first bucks, the conversation explores the learning curve, the community, and the moments that hook you for life.

WSF's Sheep Show 2026 runs January 22 to 24 in Reno, Nevada and registration is now open. Visit wildsheepfoundation.org for full details.

The Salute to Conservation and Mountain Hunting Expo takes place February 26 to 28 in Penticton, BC. To secure tickets, visit wildsheepsociety.com.

If you need a blade for the backcountry or a new chef's knife for your kitchen, check out our friends at North Arm Knives.

In this special episode, Mike runs an episode of The Outdoor Life Podcast titled "Our Senior Staff Writer Nearly Died on a Backcountry Hunt."

Episode Description:

As many Outdoor Life listeners and followers might have heard, our senior staff writer Tyler Freel was severely injured during a backcountry hunt in Idaho earlier this fall.

Tyler was thrown from a horse during the ride back to the trailhead. He knew that he was hurt the instant he hit the ground, but nobody quite knew the extent of his injuries at the time, which turned out to be extremely severe.

So today on the podcast Tyler is going to explain what exactly happened on that hunt. And our shooting editor, John B. Snow, who was there on the hunt with Tyler is going to outline what we've learned from the experience.

Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio.