Recent Posts

It’s September! Almost Time for ‘Wasting Time…’

It’s September! Almost Time for ‘Wasting Time…’

Okay, technically it was September last week too, but with the holiday and all, and some kids not in school yet, it didn’t really feel like it. But it’s already bird season in some states, and if you just…can’t…take it, you and maybe your favorite mutt can get out there, fill yourself with brambles and/or […]

September 8, 2010 | By | Reply More
BDA’s Bird Forecasts: KS, ME, MN, MT, NH, PA, SD, VT, ON

BDA’s Bird Forecasts: KS, ME, MN, MT, NH, PA, SD, VT, ON

The following bird forecasts are from Paul Fuller’s Bird Dogs Afield periodic emails (sign up here). A bit of explanation from Paul, and then edited versions of the forecasts: > Our bird forecasts are fresh and typically obtained within the past week [from wildlife biologists and] several folks…that are not biologists but are in the […]

September 3, 2010 | By | Reply More
In Defense of Clearcutting: CT

In Defense of Clearcutting: CT

A forester, landowner and tree-farmer in CT named Jim Gillespie recently wrote in to the Litchfield County (CT) Times newspaper about what many grouse and woodcock hunters – including the Ruffed Grouse Society – have been saying for years: Cut trees! It’s all good! Some choice excerpts from the piece, titled In Defense of Clear-Cutting:

September 1, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Attempted Lead Ammo Ban Denied, Round 1 to Hunters

Attempted Lead Ammo Ban Denied, Round 1 to Hunters

Well, blimey: Last Friday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency denied a petition that asked it to ban the production and sale of lead ammunition and fishing tackle. So round 1 of this battle – you are nuts if you think there won’t be a round 2, 3, etc.! – goes to us Neanderthals. Steve Owens, […]

August 30, 2010 | By | Reply More
Tom Knapp Wingshooting Tips

Tom Knapp Wingshooting Tips

TV host, trick shooter and deep-voiced Benelli user Tom Knapp was recently interviewed by Dennis Anderson of the Minneapolis Star Tribune – which we are gradually becoming convinced has the best bird-hunting articles of any newspaper – and offered the following tips and tidbits for upland shooters. Here goes:

August 27, 2010 | By | 3 Replies More
Bird Forecast Roundup: MI, NE, MT

Bird Forecast Roundup: MI, NE, MT

It’s not every state or every species yet, but some info is trickling out. Here’s the skinny on three big bird states.

August 25, 2010 | By | Reply More
Deal Alert: Winchester AAs $65/Case!

Deal Alert: Winchester AAs $65/Case!

If you’ve shot Winchester AA shells, we don’t need to explain how good they are. If you haven’t shot them before, or much, run out to a Cabela’s – call and check first! – and buy a case for $84.99, send in the $20 mail-in rebate and thus get the case for just $64.99! That’s […]

August 23, 2010 | By | Reply More
MN Grouse Hunters Down…We’ll Do Our Part!

MN Grouse Hunters Down…We’ll Do Our Part!

We’re monitoring all things Minnesota these days in anticipation of our trip to that state – aka “the aspen homeland” – in mid-October. A stat on just one state forest: 80+% aspens! Anyhow, we ran across a somewhat sobering piece in the Duluth News Tribune, which states that: Minnesota grouse hunters harvested just 358,000 birds […]

August 19, 2010 | By | Reply More
Dogless Pheasant Hunting?

Dogless Pheasant Hunting?

Don’t have a dog? No problem. Hunt ruffed grouse. We put up and shoot at plenty of those wily forest chickens just by walking them up, as detailed in our book. (Of course, good dogs can make grouse hunting better, just like bad dogs can make it worse.) But no dog and pheasants? Nope – […]

August 16, 2010 | By | Reply More
Can Quail Come Back in PA?

Can Quail Come Back in PA?

Lots of people, even if they’re not conscious of it, would like more quail. They’d like to hear them, see them if they’re lucky, just know they’re there. The steps to do that include less development (not happening) and more habitat management (not happening enough – yet – but some good folks are working on […]

August 12, 2010 | By | Reply More
More On the Proposed Lead Ammo Ban

More On the Proposed Lead Ammo Ban

This is a big deal, folks. A couple of “want to change the world” green groups are seeking to change a national law, put control of ammunition under a federal department rather than Congress and get rid of ALL lead ammo in one shot. In less than 90 days and counting. Hunters and anglers are […]

August 10, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Choke Down!

Choke Down!

We stumbled across an article by NC writer Dick Jones that told of an experience he had, or witnessed, at the Northeast Side-by-Side Classic – where, in case it’s not obvious enough (!), people only shoot SxSs. A champion shooter named JD was having a tough day with an old gun. For the rest of […]

August 6, 2010 | By | Reply More
Greenies Going After All Lead Ammo

Greenies Going After All Lead Ammo

Hopefully you have been reading about the greenies (environmental groups) walking into the White House with an agenda and walking out with policies that are geared to hinder or stop hunting and fishing. The latest front to open up in this war – it is a war – is lead ammunition. All lead ammunition, everywhere […]

August 4, 2010 | By | Reply More
New CRP Sign-Ups Will Help, But…

New CRP Sign-Ups Will Help, But…

The new sign-up for the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will help replace some pheasant- and quail-friendly habitat that has been lost to agriculture, but not all of it, according to an article in the Omaha, NE World-Herald. The CRP pays landowners to retire marginal cropland from production and plant it with grasses and flowering […]

August 2, 2010 | By | Reply More
Nothing More Serious Than Snowcock? (Part 2)

Nothing More Serious Than Snowcock? (Part 2)

Here’s part 2 of a post on a bird we bet most upland hunters have never heard of, the Himalayan snowcock – several of which are running around high-altitude Nevada right now! We begin with another electrifying quote from an account of Himalayan snowcock hunting that appeared in Sports Illustrated in November 1992, believe it […]

July 30, 2010 | By | Reply More
Anything More Serious Than Himalayan Snowcock?!

Anything More Serious Than Himalayan Snowcock?!

Part 1 First of all, be reassured that Himalayan snowcock is not something one gets…you know, privately…when spending time at super-high altitudes. Or rather, it is, but only if you’re lucky and a great shot. In an effort to track down whether any Japanese yamadori have been stocked in the U.S. (or North America), we […]

July 28, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Choose Your Hunting Buds Wisely

Choose Your Hunting Buds Wisely

Jay recently commented on a thread on the shotgunworld.com forums about a guy (username Pumpster) who was wondering whether it’s wise to agree to inviting a third person on a ruffed grouse/woodcock hunt in Maine. He doesn’t know this third person, but his friend does.

July 26, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Those Darne Shotguns…

Those Darne Shotguns…

Lucky for France, there are other things to like about that country than its World Cup team. Take, for example, the above Darne shotgun. Wow. Never seen nor heard of these guns recently, but definitely unique-looking.

July 23, 2010 | By | 2 Replies More
Woodies Continuing to Decline

Woodies Continuing to Decline

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently issued its population status report for the American woodcock and it’s not great. Except for woody hatchlings in the central flyway,  the data aren’t terrible compared to 2009 – though it’s definitely not a good picture over time, no surprise since it seems like almost everyone is against […]

July 21, 2010 | By | Reply More
Save the Quail: Cut Trees, Don’t Cut Weeds

Save the Quail: Cut Trees, Don’t Cut Weeds

Today we saw that the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is now a member of the Georgia Bobwhite Technical Team, marking the first time the NWTF “has officially signed on to benefit bobwhite quail in Georgia.” That’s all well and good, potentially, but the key part of the release is this language (our emphasis in […]

July 19, 2010 | By | Reply More