JW

June 25, 2019 by JW

At the local and national level, there is a movement called R3: Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation.  Outdoor agencies are frantically trying to bolster the hunting and shooting sport numbers.  All of us remember how we got our fire burning for the outdoors.  Most likely a relative, mentor, or in the rare case you were a self-starter. In my days afield over the past decade I have noticed a dramatic decline in youth hunters and new hunters in general.  This is quite opposite of what the mob sees and/or propagates through Facebook, Instagram, etc.  But that is a whole different can of worms.

June 09, 2019 by JW

At nine years old I asked to play contact football.  My Grampa Jake was extremely against the idea.  Even my pops who is well known for letting me make my own decisions since I was a wee-lad was against it.  By the age of 10 I kept getting kicked out of soccer matches for being too rough with the opposing players. In my mind football was a natural evolution.  At 11 years old, pops finally gave the OK to play, and I started down a path of notoriety, pain, and in the end, some regret.

May 07, 2019 by JW

What is your single most important piece of gear in your bird chasing adventures (after your pup of course)???  If I were to poll 100 random hunters, I am betting boots we be a majority favorite. If not, then they are sissyís and donít chase Chukar. Just kidding. But really, even traditional flatland bird pursuits require quality footwear. Hence the title Steiefel bekommen?  German for Got boots?

April 09, 2019 by JW

One of the things I like to offer in my humble operation, is to work with new hunters, or even more specifically, new dog handlers.  I do a pretty solid job exposing puppies to everything they need to experience to help hedge the odds of them being a dependable field companion. What I am pretty good at (IMHO), is watching a hunter and their pup working together in the field.

December 06, 2018 by JW

Most who know me, also know I am a boxing man.  So much so, that I have named the majority of my pups after my favorite pugilists.  

October 15, 2018 by JW

When you hunt solo as much as I do, there is an oversupply of window time with nobody to talk to but yourself.

October 14, 2018 by JW

I know, I know…I have been failing to keep up as of late.  Since the WA dove opener it’s been a whirlwind. So here are the highlights:

September 06, 2018 by JW

There are some pretty strong feelings coursing through my veins when I converse about the Wiley Chukar. The intent of this piece is not to defend why I think they are the greatest game bird ever, or that they are as tasty as Duck Confit.  It’s just about MY relationship with them, and why I acquire and train dogs for Chukar hunting first and foremost.

July 24, 2018 by JW

For almost two decades I have been in pursuit of upland birds.  During this time I have worn, destroyed, loathed, and loved wing shooting vests.  I would like to discuss the ones I have personally put through the paces.  This is not what my buddy said, or what hunting magazine Mr. John Brown professional model person thinks.   These are all vests that I have slung over my shoulder while in the field.  These findings are based upon my style of hunting, and my body dimensions of course. I always chase Chukar first and foremost.  I am a tad over 6 Ft., and fluctuate between 210-230 lbs. (depending if Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale is available).  This is my straight dope on several rigs, and what I think in my humble opinion is the best vest I have owned to date. The below outfits are probably 75% of my total vests owned and used.

June 25, 2018 by JW

I was advised I should have considered posting this entry as my first blog post.  Noted. Now that I have scared everyone, let’s talk about the “dos”, rather than the “don’ts”. Here are few categories to help you, the neophyte hunter, through your first couple outings.  There are a myriad of areas we could focus on, but let us look specifically at three: Dogs, Terrain, and Safety.  Again, these are just some high level views intended to help you out.  I plan to break down and focus on each subject area in greater detail in later posts. 

June 11, 2018 by JW

“Oooooooohhhhhhh, so you are that guy?”  Probably our most frequently used dig among my hunting partners.  We have all hunted with somebody that we thought was being a Turd Ferguson in the moment, or maybe something more serious like a safety or ethical violation.