Jeff Knetter is THE person charged with managing upland game and waterfowl in one of the top bird hunting destinations. we discussed some of the bird hunting opportunities in Idaho and some potential regulation changes. Jeff is an avid hunter who hunts over some fine Munsterlanders!

A fun chat with Brandon Smith after his dog Penny runs her Natural Ability Hunt test in Idaho's treasure Valley. Brandon is a great dog trainer, a newly minted NAVHDA judge and a veteran Washington Waterfowl hunter. We do get a little nerded out on dogs and NAVHDA in this episode. 

Hanna Nikonow is the sagebrush communications specialist for the Intermountain West Joint Venture. Hanna loves sagebrush and has the tattoo to prove it! She was born and raised in Wyoming and knows her way around a shotgun and a bird dog. Ron Boehme of the Hunting Dog Podcast co-host's this fun filled episode recorded in a remote cabin in Montana's wilderness in a place you could still see a grizzly bear out on the prairies. Hanna talks about her path to her current role, being a woman bird hunter and training her wirehaired pointing Griffon. 

Mikal Cline has worked all over the west and even studied quail movements in relation to bird dogs at Ames plantation! Mikal gives us a unique view of managing habitat for turkeys in the PNW while working for the NWTF and managing waterfowl in Washington. She recently took a position as the upland game coordinator for the state of Oregon and gives us a rundown of opportunities in Oregon. 

Josh Vest is the science coordinator for the Intermountain West Joint Venture. He has done some awesome waterfowl research in Utah and the south and is doing some exciting work all over the west. Josh has wirehairs and hunts them on upland birds and waterfowl in Montana.

I pinned down the very busy Christian Hagen a research professor with Oregon State university who also is doing work with the NRCS on Prairie Chickens. We talk about life in central Oregon, sage grouse and other upland birds, hunting with his munsterlanders and his recent NAVHDA test. 

Season 1 Episode 5 George Decosta talks about his "farm" a place he is turning into the ultimate wildlife and dog training property. George is an apprentice NAVHDA Judge, a Griffon breeder and a guy who has worked really hard to get to a cool spot in life. I am pretty dang jealous of his setup and trying to talk him into getting assistance from the NRCS for his property and maybe putting the land in an easement some day. 

Season 1 Episode 6. Had a fun conversation about the USFWS and the national wildlife refuge system in Region 6 with Dr. Keenan Adams the Division Chief of the science program. We talk about hunting in Colorado and California and little bit about what it is like to be a biologist with the USFWS and the refuge system. 

Jeremy and I talk a lot about hunting Brant in California and Alaska as well as some biology and hunting opportunities in South Dakota. This is a long one Jeremy and I hadn't seen each other in years so we covered a lot!

My long time friend Brent West and I have a great conversation about migratory bird management, his career and journey as a young biologist. If you have ever sent a migratory bird wing in Brent West probably touched it! we cover some fun topics about bird dogs, hunting stories and his current role in Maine.