The Upland Social

In this episode, I sit down with Devin Rice after a ruffed grouse and woodcock hunt. Join us as we discuss the birds, habitat, and the dogs that take us there.

Today we’re joined by Jay Sjogren, a dyed in the wool hunter who grew up chasing everything from pheasants and grouse to ducks and deer in south-central Minnesota before moving to Alaska in 1998. After 25 years as a Kenai police officer, he’s preparing for retirement and a new hunting adventure. He’s pursued an incredible list of Alaska’s game, including Dall sheep, musk ox, Emperor geese, and all three species of ptarmigan. Now, he’s setting his sights on an upland slam in 2027—with his Pudelpointer Penny and a very unique Sjögren shotgun along for the ride.

Topics Covered:

• Jay's rich heritage, hunting with both parents
• Hunting grouse and woodcock in college
• The move from Minnesota to Alaska
• Ptarmigan hunting the Final Frontier
• A goal to complete the upland slam with a special shotgun

Proud Sponsors:

Hunt Redi

OnTract Fowl

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Today we’re joined by Justin Anderson, a native Floridian whose outdoor roots started with deer hunting, hog hunting, and freshwater fishing before he eventually found his way into saltwater sight fishing and fly fishing. In recent years, Justin has dove headfirst into the upland world, with bobwhite quail becoming a major passion. He hunts primarily behind English Pointers, Cockers and Boykins, along with a few Labs.

Justin is also the owner of Historic Coast Outfitters, a guide service specializing in saltwater fishing, upland hunting, and Osceola turkey hunts, while also hosting destination trips to places like Louisiana and Montana. When he’s not in the field or on the water, Justin is helping put on Marsh Fest, an annual celebration featuring dozens of vendors, skiff companies, live music, food, and everything centered around hunting and fishing.

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OnTract Fowl

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Today we're joined by Nathan Shaw, a lifelong bird hunter, fly fisherman, guide, and bird dog trainer whose love for the outdoors started at an early age. Growing up around his dad's Springer Spaniels, and the Neshannock Creek Fly Shop, dogs, birds, and fishing were simply part of his life.

As an adult, that passion grew into adventures across the country and Canada, from Alaska and Montana to Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and beyond. Today he runs a fly fishing guide company, trains bird dogs, and hunts behind three of his own, Charlie, Murphy, and Donnie. A lover of wild birds, places, and the dogs that take us there. He's also passionate about helping people, helping people and keeping dog trainings simple, practical, and fun.

Topics:

• The significance of reputable breeders and genetics
• Adapting training to each dog's personality
• Early influences of bird dogs and fishing
• The importance of natural ability in bird dogs

Proud Sponsors:

Hunt Redi

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

https://www.instagram.com/ontractfowl/?hl=en

Today we are joined by my friend across the border in Kentucky, Tyler Duvall. Tyler is an avid bird dog handler and bobwhite quail hunter. After losing a dog too soon in life several years ago, Tyler made the decision to do things differently with the following dog, doubling down on training and hunting with it.

And although he loves hunting quail around home, he, like many of us, likes to explore outside the realms of what is familiar. In 2025, he found himself successfully hunting public land pheasants in South Dakota. He now has more trips and consequent species planned for this upcoming season.

Topics Covered:

• One covey of quail lighting the fire for upland hunting
• What Tyler learned from his first bird dog
• The fun and challenge of hunting quail in Kentucky
• Learning patience as a dog handler
• Getting humbled in South Dakota

Proud Sponsors:

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Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Today we’re joined by Pete Burnham, a lifelong bird hunter who grew up hunting birds as a kid before careers and other hobbies pulled him away from the sport for a couple of decades. Toward the end of COVID, a few dove hunts turned into quail hunts, and the bird-hunting bug came roaring back.

These days, Pete spends his weekends scouting, shooting clays, chasing quail, and training dogs. Based in the Bay Area, he hunts throughout California, from the Sacramento Valley to the Owens Valley and the Trinity Alps, and is passionate about showcasing the incredible diversity of California’s upland hunting opportunities.

Topics:

🌾 COVID reigniting bird hunting memories for Pete

🌾 Hunting with a Cocker Spaniel

🌾 Fly fishing the Bay Area in San Francisco

🌾 The ample amount of public land in California

🌾 The variety of upland game and landscape types in the state

Check out California Upland's Website

https://www.instagram.com/california_upland/

Proud Sponsors:

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Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

We are live from the Sandhills of Nebraska! I sit down in person with Matt Fruge, an accomplished upland hunter who lives in the heart of prairie grouse country.

Topics Covered:

• The challenges of hot weather in early prairie grouse season
• How hunting off horseback is efficient in big country
• The ancient feeling you get in the Sandhills
• Finding sharptails and bobwhites in the same walk
• The different behaviors in sharptails and prairie chickens as the season progresses

Proud Sponsors:

Hunt Redi

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Today’s guest is Matt Millbauer, an upland hunter, writer, artist, and podcaster based in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Host of the Go Flush Yourself Podcast and Co-Host of the Breaking Cover Podcast, Matt stays plenty busy discussing dogs, gear, birds, literary work and more behind a microphone. His article titled, “Bridge and The Basin Hun” just hit mailboxes in Pheasants Forever’s Super Bird Hunting Issue.

On top of this, he’s the artist behind Bird Dog Portraits, custom digital dog portraits created by Matt’s own hands. He also launched his own local Pheasants Forever chapter and serves currently as its secretary.

When he’s not podcasting, writing, or creating art, he’s chasing Springer Spaniels around in search of pheasants, quail, Hungarian partridge, and any upland bird the Northwest can offer up.

Topics Covered:

• ​Growing up an upland hunter
• ​Why pheasants are awesome
• ​Matt's podcasts he hosts
• ​Hunting with Springer Spaniels
• ​The joy of exploring new bird covers

Find Matt on Socials

https://www.instagram.com/go_flushyourself/

https://www.instagram.com/breakingcoverpodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/bird_dog_portraits/

Check out The Upland Literary Review

https://goflushyourself.org

Proud Sponsors:

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Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Today’s guest is James Godfrey, a dog trainer, kennel manager, and hunting guide from the piney woods of the Southeast. Graduating from Auburn University with a degree in Wildlife Enterprise Management, bird dogs, habitat, and the upland lifestyle are tightly woven into the fabric of James’ life. When he’s not managing the kennel and guiding at Auburn Oaks Farm, he’s hitting the uplands with his rescue Shorthair and up and coming Boykin/Lab mix in search of the elusive, wild covey of quail in the Southeast.

Topics Covered:

• James' love for training dogs
• Guiding at Auburn Oaks Farm
• Habitat management on the farm
• The varying dog breeds of the kennel he runs
• Redeeming a near-death GSP into a hunter

Connect with Godfrey Gundogs on Instagram

Check out Auburn Oaks Farm

Proud Sponsors:

Hunt Redi

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Ryan Mott is a lifelong upland hunter whose roots trace back to the family farms of southeast Iowa and west-central Illinois, where he first followed American Brittanys through pheasant and quail country. A retired Master Sergeant with the Illinois State Police, Ryan has dedicated his life to service both on and off the field. Today he hunts with his German Shorthaired Pointer, Reece, and his young Weimaraner, Charlee, while volunteering as a wingshooting instructor and coaching championship-winning youth clay target teams. Whether it's bird dogs, conservation, or passing hunting traditions on to the next generation, Ryan is passionate about everything that makes the uplands special.

Topics Covered:

• ​Ryan's early days of hunting both Iowa and Illinois
• ​Quality Illinois pheasant hunting due to habitat
• ​Coaching youth clay target teams
• ​Memories in the field with his dogs
• ​Letting the birds win sometimes

Connect with Ryan on Instagram

Proud Sponsors:

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Ballad of the Bird Dog

Gundog Central

Today's guest is Scott Kaminski, a lifelong Michigan bird hunter whose life changed dramatically after being diagnosed with stage four cancer and given just a year to live. After beating the odds and becoming nearly cancer-free, Scott used that journey as the motivation to pursue a longtime dream of becoming an upland bird hunting guide. Now entering his fourth season, he's helping hunters and their dogs create unforgettable experiences while proving it's never too late to chase the dreams that matter most. On top of that, Scott has pursued birds across many states and landscapes. Valuing a more traditional approach to the uplands, you’ll likely find him sporting a 16 gauge, choosing wool over synthetic fabrics, and reaching for a compass in the woods before a GPS unit.

Topics Covered:

• ​Scott's personal journey from cancer diagnosis to guiding
• ​The importance of woodsmanship
• ​His appreciation for the traditional ways of upland hunting
• ​What a day in the field looks like with Scott
• ​Ways to prepare upland birds for the table

Connect with Scott

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Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Today's guest is Will Newell, a lifelong North Carolinian whose passion for bird hunting started at just 13 years old and turned into a serious pursuit by the time he was 20. A 2009 Clemson graduate, he's built his life around chasing migratory birds, from ducks and geese to doves and other winged game. When he's not in the field, he serves as a Director of Development at Project Upland, bringing the same dedication to his professional life that he does to the outdoors. Today, we talk all about dove hunting; from strategy, to decoys, the social aspect, dog work, and everything in between.

Topics Covered:

• ​Setting up for best shot opportunities
• ​To decoy or not decoy doves
• ​How to use other people's set up as an advantage
• ​Dove recipes
• ​The under-appreciated beauty of doves

Today’s guest is Rob Curtis, an upland bird hunter hailing from the Prairie State of Illinois and is no stranger to the open road and adventure. Inspired by hunting literature, Rob sets out to create his own stories. From the prairies of the West to the quail woods of the Southeast, Rob has traversed 17 states in search of the next flush and has successfully harvested 16 of the 25 species in the North American Upland Bird Slam. Today we talk upland road trips, books, why more hunters need to travel, why in his opinion bird hunting is the best type of hunting, his recent camping outfit project, and much more, all alongside his Drahthaar, Jake.

Topics Covered:

• ​How Rob immerses himself in his hunts
• ​Why hunters should hit the road to chase birds

• ​Conservation ethics to support healthy bird populations
• ​Rob's nomadic and mobile camping style

• ​His loose pursuit of the North American Upland Slam

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Today’s guest is Patrick Schulze, a bird dog owner from the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois. Patrick’s path into the uplands wasn’t a straight line, but more like a meandering stream. But when his college buddy showed him what a bird dog could do, everything changed. When he’s not working as an electrician, he’s busy with his Vizsla, Maverick. Whether traveling to the far reaches of the country during bird season, training with Maverick through a program known as Canicross, or simply working on Chicago pigeons in the nearby park, Patrick is learning how to keep a bird dog engaged while living the city life.

Topics Covered:

• ​The magic of seeing a dog point for the first time
• ​How Patrick landed on a Vizsla
• ​How Canicross with his dog improved mental health
• ​The importance of involving non hunters in the outdoors
• ​Tips for living with a bird dog in the city

Discover Canicross

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Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Today's guest is Kellen Golightly from Honeyville, Utah. Kellen is an avid upland hunter, the host of Bird Camp Radio, and the author of Where the Grouse Once Drummed. Whether he's behind the microphone, writing about the uplands, or chasing birds with good dogs, he's passionate about preserving the traditions, stories, and conservation efforts that keep our sport alive. We're talking storytelling, bird hunting culture, conservation, and what inspires his work both on the page and behind the mic.

Topics Covered:

• ​Family pheasant opener traditions
• ​The challenge of being a dogless hunter
• ​Tips for hunting/finding downed birds with no dog
• ​Kellen's reason for starting a podcast
• ​Writing upland fiction

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Today's guest is Trey Murphy, a lifelong Pennsylvania hunter whose upland journey started with one unexpected trade. Back in his mid-20s, his best friend Garrett sold a dirt bike, found a good deal on a Brittany, and unknowingly changed the direction of Trey's hunting life. Not long after, Trey got his first Brittany, Finley, and began traveling the country chasing birds and building a bird dog family that now includes five dogs alongside his girlfriend, Bethany. From the grouse woods of northcentral Pennsylvania to pheasant country in the Dakotas and quail country in Kansas, Trey has become a passionate upland hunter, conservation volunteer, and guide. Today we're talking bird dogs, grouse, road trips, conservation, and the friendships that make the upland community so special.

Topics Covered:

• ​Fluctuations of grouse populations in PA
• ​A dirt bike creating an upland opportunity
• ​Trey finding romance in the grouse woods
• ​Why Brittanys are awesome
• ​The value of DIY public land hunting

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Today's guest is Geoffrey Greiner, a retired punk rocker turned passionate bird hunter who made his way from Massachusetts to Arizona by way of Colorado. Although he didn't grow up in a hunting family, Geoffrey found his path into the uplands through his fascination with bird dogs, eventually becoming devoted to the Braque du Bourbonnais breed and chasing Gambel's, scaled, and Mearns quail across the Arizona desert. He's the founder of Covey Kits, a company dedicated to providing practical, field-tested canine first aid kits built by hunters for hunters. When he's not working as a swimming pool repair technician or guiding bird hunts with Stagecoach Pointers, Geoffrey serves as Habitat Chair for his local Quail Forever chapter, helping conserve the landscapes and wildlife that have become such an important part of his life. Today, we're talking bird dogs, desert quail, canine first aid, conservation, and the winding path that led him into the hunting world.

Topics Covered:

• ​Geoffrey's transition from punk rock to desert quail
• ​His inspiration behind launching Covey Kits
• ​Why he likes simplicity in first aid kits
• ​Conservation work in Arizona
• ​His unique bird dog breed of choice

https://coveykits.com/

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

This week's guests are Brooks Maurer and Skyler Wenninger, two Minnesota educators, coaches, bird hunters, dog owners, and entrepreneurs who have turned a shared passion into a growing outdoor brand. Brooks grew up hunting behind retrievers across central Minnesota and now balances life as a PE teacher, coach, husband, father, and bird hunter in Luverne. Skyler, a former college baseball player and fellow educator, came into hunting from a different path but has become equally passionate about the upland lifestyle. As brothers-in-law married to sisters, the two teamed up to launch Cackle Clothing Company in 2024, blending their love of hunting, dogs, storytelling, and creative design into a unique brand. From raising pheasants and chukars for dog training to filming hunts and building a business together, they're creating a community centered around birds, dogs, and the outdoors.

Topics Covered:

• ​Hunting pheasants with Golden Retrievers
• ​The inspiration behind Cackle Clothing Company
• ​The company's first Pheasant Fest experience
• ​Getting youth excited about the outdoors
• ​Raising gamebirds for summer training

Shop Cackle Clothing Company

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Today’s guest is Scott Linden, one of the most recognizable voices in the world of wingshooting and bird dogs. Scott is the creator and host of Wingshooting USA, an award-winning outdoor television series, longtime outdoor writer, seminar speaker, and author of What the Dogs Taught Me. From teaching fly fishing and directing school bands to producing some of the outdoor industry’s most respected media, Scott has spent a lifetime helping people connect with the outdoors, bird dogs, and the sporting life.

Topics Covered:

• ​Scott's later journey into the uplands
• ​How outdoor media has changed in many ways
• ​The wins and challenges of highly accessible outdoor media
• ​Scott's affinity for German Wirehaired Pointers
• ​The connection of music and bird hunting

Listen to Scott's Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/3P9RqbZDokwazreisUL6Xg

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog

Matt Fruge is a cattle feedlot consulting veterinarian who’s built a life around both livestock and the landscapes they depend on. Raised in southwest Louisiana and now rooted in the West after nearly a decade in Nebraska, Matt balances a busy family life with a deep obsession for upland hunting. Whether it’s chasing prairie grouse on horseback across big country or traveling state to state in pursuit of bobwhites, blue quail, and dusky grouse, he’s all in on the experience. When he’s not working cattle or raising two young kids alongside his veterinarian wife, you’ll likely find him somewhere wide open, bird dog in front, chasing that next flush.

Topics Covered:

• ​Matt's Louisiana roots
• ​The moment he realized he was a bird hunter
• ​Following a dog while riding a horse for bird hunting
• ​Prairie chickens and their history
• ​How cattle are the modern-day bison

Proud Sponsors:

Gundog Central

Ballad of the Bird Dog