Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Gun Dog

IN ALL competitive sports, there are remarkable athletes. These are the men and women who we remember for decades, if not centuries later. Their stories are shared, documentaries are made, and their photos are remembered in Halls of Fame. Bird dogs are no different. Like all competitors, the question of the best is answered on the field. These are the names we still remember, genetics we still seek, and points and retrieves we never forget. These are five legends of the fall. COUNT NOBLE Count Noble arrived from England in 1880 from the famous Richard Purcell Llewellin at the right time in history. The Civil War had just ended and as the country began to heal its wounds, with inspiration from overseas, Americans began conducting their first field trials in…

YOU DON’T have to wear a Stetson hat when you’re hunting Huns and sharptail on the prairies of Montana or Saskatchewan, but you won’t look out of place if you do. In fact, you might be unknowingly emulating the late Charley Waterman, one of the first and best to write extensively about chasing bird dogs across the western plains. If you don’t live near this prairie country, what should you expect when you start to consider packing the truck and hauling the dogs out here to hunt? While the premise of all upland hunting is much the same—follow the dogs until the dogs find the birds—there are some things to be aware of. GEOGRAPHY It ain’t called the Great Plains for nothing. I’m talking about the states from Idaho east…

NOTHING SAYS October like the flush of ruffed grouse from golden aspen. Finding the king of game birds is no easy task, though, as they are well-known for their complex food and shelter preferences. The solution? E-scouting is the most effective way to find these wild birds’ favorite covers. Here is how to find more ruffs for you and your gun dog this October. UTILIZE ACCESS LAYERS By toggling on layers such as Walk-In and Possible Access layers, you’ve just opened up thousands of acres of possible land to hunt. Many states offer walk-in programs—private land opened to the public for hunting—and these can be recognized on the map as plots of land marked with red dots. Additionally, the Possible Access layer is great for grouse hunters who hunt the…

AHHH, OCTOBER. Depending on where you live, you’re either already enjoying what many hunters consider to be the best month of the year, or you’re getting ready to kick off a new season full of hope. It’s finally time to trade in practice sessions for the real game. With the new season will come highs and lows, wins and losses, challenges and opportunities. My advice is that you view your hunting season through the lens of not only a hunter, but also as a retriever trainer. You and your dog will both learn some things, and that will make future seasons all that much more successful. Here are three things to focus on if you’re willing to consider hunting in that educational frame of mind. YOUR DOG’S AGE I don’t…

YOU COULD think of the federal Farm Bill as a $20 truck stop steak, the one you get for free if you eat it all in one indigestive sitting. This omnibus bill, which directs national agriculture and food-security policies and appropriations in five-year increments, is intimidatingly big, with more gristle and rind than choice chop, and it’s served with so many garnishes and gratuitous starches that it resists easy consumption. But that image of a big, regrettable meal isn’t quite accurate. The Farm Bill is more like a tasting flight of smaller plates, each with its own flavor and purpose that combine to deliver a multiple course of federal agricultural policy not only in farm country but in school lunchrooms, grocery stores, and export grain terminals in our largest shipping…

GRETCHEN died at her favorite spot—in the shade of the pon dside cedar. On what became the last morning of her life, I saw her curled there as daybreak angled low over the forest floor, the sun igniting the tips of her whorled white coat. Pied markings on her side rose and fell in shallow breaths; the one shaped like Texas shone warm and earthy, like sunlight through maple syrup. I’d cherished her cozy crescent-moon lying at the foot of my bed for nearly eleven years now, and became intimate with the varied cadence of her breaths. Her breaths came hard now, and tender, like her movements. She was not always that way—there were times when, like a figure skater, she carved labyrinthine arcs in Wickenburg sand. Those were times…

GUNNER BUMPERS The folks at GUNNER know a thing or two about building strong products. Their brand-new bumper is no exception. It is constructed with DuraTrieve material—a proprietary rubber compound created by GUNNER. But beyond its durability, this bumper offers complete functionality. The tapered shape encourages a proper grip and hold for your gun dog, while side vents allow for breathability in water work. An interior cavity with a removable cap is extremely unique and allows for scent training. Starting at $30; gunner.com ALPS UPLAND GAME VEST X 2.0 The Upland Game Vest X 2.0 provides a ton of functionality and high-end features at a great price point. The expandable and removable waist belt expands from 26" to 62" for a custom fit no matter your size. It also features…

IT’S A NEW season and that means new guns and ammunition. This year’s class of new shotguns is very diverse and includes several over/unders and a side-by-side by Pointer. Interestingly, Beretta released a lighter over/under gun, while Benelli added weight to their existing over/under, and both companies accomplished their respective goals by using steel receivers. Of course, semiautos remain a popular option and this year’s list of new semiauto shotguns is long. There’s a wide variety of new ammunition available to hunters and shooters as well, and though the loads differ in shot size, gauge, shot material, and intended purpose—there’s a clear theme running through this year’s list. Every company is offering a new biodegradable wad, a new non-toxic load, or both. No matter whether you’re an upland hunter, waterfowler,…

SIX BIRDS and almost as many diverse landscapes. The “Quail Slam,” as it’s known, requires shooting all six species of quail found in the United States: bobwhite, valley, mountain, Mearns, Gambel's, and scaled. Going into the season, I never had any intentions of shooting a slam. Even after realizing I’d have the opportunity to take every species, it still wasn’t really a driving force. This isn’t a chest beating, I’m greater than that quail killing manifesto. Rather, it’s aimed to highlight the experiences chasing these wildly unique birds in wild places. 1. MOUNTAIN QUAIL Before the thought of being able to shoot all six species of quail behind a dog entered into my mind, I was in the truck, where most good stories begin, in the middle of Montana. I…