Discussing the best hunting dogs for various game is kind of like arguing whether a Chevy or Ford is better: No one ever changes camps because they’re happy with what they’ve got. Still, we’re going to take a crack at helping you understand most common hunting dog breeds, their natural instincts and personality traits, training tips, and other essentials. This guide to hunting dogs will touch on everything to consider if you’re thinking about getting a puppy for hunting or adding a new hunting breed to your household. There’s no way around it: Hunting dogs are a lot of work. They will need mo ..read more

Woodcock hunters are forever trying to be in the right place at the right time. Too often, we find that the resident timberdoodles have already departed and the ones migrating from the north haven’t arrived yet. The white splashes of woodcock poop on the ground often indicate only that a hunter should have been there yesterday. At times like these, the woodcock might seem like a rare bird indeed, but it isn’t. There are a few million woodcock in the United States, most of them flitting around east of the Mississippi. If you’re in the right places, woodcock can seem as numerous as robins. In fa ..read more

At 13,000 feet, the world is an unforgiving place. Your lungs work overtime and your muscles protest with each step you take. You wonder why you’re there, but then your dog suddenly dashes ahead and puts a flock of birds to air, and you know. It’s the challenge of the unique landscape and the ptarmigan that draw you to this hostile mountaintop. For many years, a buddy and I would head to the country above timberline in the Colorado Rockies each fall. We eagerly anticipated the annual ritual in which we’d try for three Western grouse in one day. With luck, we’d shoot a limit of white-tailed pta ..read more

California’s diverse landscape supports a dozen species of upland game birds, which hunters will encounter during seasons that started in September. Several seasons extend into December and January, when hunting areas are uncrowded and the action is top notch. Late-Season Doves My first experience with late-season doves came purely by accident. I was on my way home from a duck hunt when I passed a harvested milo field. As I sped by, several doves streaked across the road and into the stubble. The field wasn’t posted, so I pulled over and took up a position on the stubble’s edge. It’s a sort of ..read more

The sudden explosion of a ruffed grouse into flight is so surprising that often upland hunters don’t have time enough to shoot. Too much grouse thunder can drive a wing- shooter bonkers. Over the long haul, the typical upland gunner seldom bags more than one grouse out of every three attempts. As a result, “reflushing,” or following up where you think the bird has landed in order to get another crack at it, is an important component of grouse hunting. Few ruffed grouse fly more than a hundred yards or so after the initial flush, and they nearly always land in trees (often conifers) well above ..read more

The great conservationist Aldo Leopold once said, “There are two times to hunt ruffed grouse: ordinary times, and the second week of October.” The glory of autumn might inspire such poetic outbursts, but some terrific and overlooked grouse hunting awaits the hunter who braves the chill of winter, too. Moreover, the winter woods have their own special beauty. Winter demands adaptability, since grouse location changes with the seasons. Coverts that held birds before Halloween might be barren after Thanksgiving, or vice versa. This is particularly true in the bird’s northern range, where the chan ..read more

In South Dakota, pheasants and pheasant hunting are more than just a pastime. They are an institution. Their history in the Mount Rushmore State began in 1898 when pheasants were first introduced. In 1919, the first season was authorized and in 1943, the pheasant became South Dakota’s state bird. By the late 1940’s, the estimated pheasant population hit nearly 20 million birds. For the past half century, pheasants have been cyclic with their numbers and harvest tied to the farm programs that allow lands to remain fallow. The more land left idle and allowed to revert to native cover, the more p ..read more

After four days, I returned home with game and gear lashed to my horse. I was tired and hungry. John McDermott / Outdoor Life We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More › As I walked up the rocky beach, my rabbit dog let go with a terrific clamor which told me he had jumped game and it was in sight. In a second, my rifle was at my shoulder and my eye was glaring through the tang peep sight, the hammer was cocked, and my finger was on the trigger. Out of the willows burst a snowshoe rabbit, going like the wind. I followed hi ..read more

Tom Koerner / USFWS This story is republished as it originally appeared in the December 1946 issue under the title “Gambling for Gambel’s,” and it reflects the language and stereotypes of the times. PERHAPS it’s simply luck. Perhaps it’s some sort of obscure instinct which guides a hunter. Or possibly it is as the Indians believe—if you live right and observe the proper rituals, the spirits of the woods and prairies will take you by the hand and lead you to good hunting. I know that for my part some of the best sport I have ever encountered has come to me through no conscious process on my ..read more

Brianna Barbour is roped up the 35-foot mineshaft with the bird dog in the back of her vest. Courtesy Tyler Sladen / Facebook If it wasn’t for GPS collars, a length of climbing rope, and the help of two friends, New Mexico bird hunter Tyler Sladen would have lost his youngest bird dog Sunday night. While he was chasing Montezuma quail on U.S. Forest Service land this weekend, Sladen’s pup, an English Setter, fell down an abandoned mineshaft. After finally locating her, the three hunters pulled off a successful rope rescue, and the dog walked away without an injury. “Tillo, she’s only seven mo ..read more