Problem dogs and better shooting ... can you relate? This week we go back inside the industry, actually two industries: Renee Hernandez and Trevor Young of HIVIZ Sights talk about the company's founding (to help shotgunners), its recent move to Wyoming, and what's new in technology. We get some shooting help and a hint of new products coming down the pike.

Then Mike Mapes shares his vision for a place where gun dogs can go to prepare for their forever home. Second Chance Bird Dogs trains them for hunting homes and new owners, a labor of love for Mike and now a thriving operation. Learn from him how to cope with sticking points in your own dog's behavior, from heeling to steadiness, and more generally what traits we can seize on to become better trainers and dog owners.

And listeners contribute their beliefs - and more than a few laughs - at the "right" way to shoot ... pull-through, instinctive, sustained lead or poke and hope.

And it's all brought to you by:

Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Buying a used gun, shooting grouse, gun fit, and why we're always missing ... instructor/clinician/fitter and fine gun dealer Bryan Bilinski can now add author to his resume'. The proprietor of FieldSport Ltd. has 35 years of experience messing with guns, dogs, and birds, and teaches hundreds of hunters to shoot better every year in his wingshooting workshops.

We'll get an early peek at his new book: Wingshooting The Art & Science. Then we'll work step-by-step through a few tough grouse shots, hunting strategies and tactics, learn how to practice shooting the right way, and find out what the biggest warning signs are when buying a used shotgun.

"Road Trip" this week goes to Wyoming for Huns and chukars, and listeners chime in with the pro's and cons of paper maps in the digital age.

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Bird hunting industry insider, product designer and passionate hunter Matt Davis offers tips on chukar and Mearn's quail hunting from habitat to strategy, tactics to hints. He then outlines the thought behind his flagship product, the Final Rise strap vest, innovations and features. We learn about new products from the company as well.

"Handle It" covers less-common forms of praise you might want to use in the field, and boy, do listeners have something to say about finding empty hulls in the field!

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Pro spaniel trainer Todd Agnew of Craney Hill Kennels answers questions about cockers and Springers, Labs, and puppy training. We do a deep dive into how dogs think and why we ought to think about that, a foundation for retrieving training, and how to break commands into manageable pieces and why. In addition to a few hunting tips, he'll outline the most important aspects of a habitat for finding birds. Todd outlines how to build a relationship with your dog - and why it is the critical first factor in training, and how a cow's femur bone is critical to retrieving training.

"Road Trip" helps get your s*#t together in the truck, and listeners chime in on their favorite post-hunt libations.

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Jeff Funke of Three Devils Kennel is my friend, breeder of my last three wires, avid chukar hunter, trainer and hunt test judge. His wisdom runs broad and deep, and we'll cover as much as we can in an hour. We'll talk training retrieves and steadiness, how genetics should guide a puppy purchase or breeding program, best conditioning activities for a bird dog, and of course, chukar hunting strategies and tactics. We'll even get a blow-by-blow of Jeff's recent Arizona Mearn's quail hunt.

"Road Trip" focuses on keeping your dog well-fed on long hunts with a few tricks to get him to eat, and listeners share the photos that define "why they hunt."

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

If you don't bag more birds this season as a result of his teaching, you might wanna take up golf. Don Currie is a bird hunter, head instructor for the National Sporting Clays Association, author, DVD producer, gun fitter and shooting coach. His insights into everything from shooting stance, to mount, to sight picture are gold. We focus on the bird-hunting side of shotgunning, and get taken to school on the right way to focus on the target and why (nope, not why you think), determining cross-dominance, plus tutorials on crossing and low-flying birds. And why the heck are we talking about Maglites and mobile phones?

"Handle It" focuses on your dog's paw care, and listeners suggest must-have hunting clothing, too.

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns, Purina Pro Plan Sport dog food, HiViz Sights, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, FurFeathersFriends and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

The joy of a first hunt with a young dog - that moment when the light bulb flickers on for the first time. Drones, the origins of his legendary Dead Fowl Trainer, training the human after training the dog ... we'll cover it all in this extensive interview with notable hunting dog trainer Tom Dokken. From getting the most from flushing breeds in the uplands to the most important commands, how to ensure your dog's peak performance in the field and must-have training tools, Tom has decades of experience and he's willing to share.

Then, listeners share critical gear they carry in the field - bet you'll add something to your vest after hearing their suggestions. And "Road Trip" recalls a recent lesson I learned - again - that you'll want to consider.

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, FurFeathersFriends Joy Dog Food and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Train now for the drill that could add days or weeks to your hunting season ... by keeping your dog healthy and in one piece! We'll go from tail tip to toes to top line with techniques that will find and fix most anything that happened to your dog in the field. Poke into ears and eyes, and get the bad stuff out.

Then, you reminisce on the nightmarish covers you've lived to tell about. From cedar swamps to clear cuts, everyone else should be grateful. And "Road Trip" is about the critical stuff you may not have yet in your hunting rig.

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Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, Joy Dog Food and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Chukar hunter, mentor, and my good friend Eric Thompson joins us from the floor of Pheasant Fest to talk about his effort to recruit and motivate new hunters, Hardwired Outdoors . Then, it's all about chukar hunting: habitat, bird behavior, strategy and tactics, and how to find - and shoot at - the "devil bird."

We'll look at how many of you have used a pro trainer in the past ... and in the Handle It segment, I broach a somewhat-touchy subject: silence or talk when a dog slams a point?

Please visit our sponsors:

Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, Joy Dog Food, TrulockChokes, FurFeathersFriends and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Slat mills, epsom salts and other stuff we should know about, courtesy of bird hunter, competitive houndsman and dog food rep Josh Michaelis. You'll be surprised at how many training tips, nutrition, first aid and dog care knowledge is relevant and transferable from coonhounds to the bird dog world.

Hannah Leonard is with Sporting Lead Free, an organization educating us to the long-term hazards of lead ammo to the habitat and our sport. She'll bring up some stuff I didn't know and may convince you to consider non-toxic shot.

"Handle It" offers a reason to have your pointing dog sit one out in lieu of a flusher, human or otherwise ... sometimes. And you share your "old dog" photos and share some heartfelt stories about those wizened dogs.

Please visit our sponsors:

Sage & Braker Mercantile, Pointer shotguns,, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, Midway USA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, FurFeathersFriends Joy Dog Food and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.