Rooty, part of my family When I think of my first bird dog, a long-legged German Shorthair named, Upland Rooster, or “Rooty” for short, I can’t help but think of that famous Jerry Lee Lewis song, Great Balls of Fire, except the words are: “Goodness, Gracious, Great Jowls of Slobber.” The reason being is all…

> I have been enamored with sage grouse since I was a young teenager…I’ve poured through every piece of literature on these majestic birds that I could possibly find (although there is not very much)! I know I’ve said this before, but they define the American West and everything that is wild to me…I love…

For me, grouse are the quintessential wild upland bird of the west. Idaho hosts five different subspecies: blue, ruffed, spruce, sage, and sharptail. I have dubbed the taking of all these birds in one season as the “Idaho Grouse Grandslam.” Admittedly, I have not yet accomplished this feat. In 2002, I came close by harvesting…

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to fish Rock Creek near Rockland, Idaho. When I first started fly-fishing in the 90’s, you could expect to catch 20 to 30 fish in an afternoon from this special stream. Upon arrival, however, I could instantly tell that things had changed. My stream had become severely degraded and the…

As an avid upland hunter, lover of bird dogs and active horseback field trialer, I jumped at the chance to spend a few days in Payette, Idaho training and running dogs with one of the nation’s best American Field trial handlers, Rich Robertson. Robertsons’ ranch is spread across more than 5,000 acres (with access to…

> Autumn was created for pointing dogs afieldWith hoar frost and foliage, such a pinnacle sight to yieldThe perils of bird dogs’ did you ever ponder?What happens to our beloved partners while out yonder?They’d gladly pay the price in flesh, only wish they wore a combative shield Once while chasing echoes off rim rocks on…

> Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slow progressive, degenerative disease associated with the freely movable joints within the canine body. Another way to envision canine OA is when the destruction of the joint’s structures (such as cartilage) exceeds the production creating varying degrees of pain and discomfort to our adored companions. Why then is OA so…

> I long for the echo of dog bells on a hoar- frost, October’s morn’n. The scent of wet dogs and autumn foliage permeate the olfactory senses…the balance of a fine double shotgun over a forearm. Suddenly, the bells fall silent…Now, it’s time to regain consciousness and go find the staunch dogs!

> My final trip of the year was a life long dream. I went down to southern Arizona with the dogs in tote. I went through New Mexico and saw my very first javelina on the side of the road. I put my trust in a GPS unit that sent me 2 hours in the…

> I was fortunate to make several trips to Kansas this year (2007-2008). The quail numbers were down but the dogs and I were still able to find a few good coveys. Our motto for Kansas hunting is: “Quail are for counting and pheasants are for killing!” I have 2 trip that will forever by…

>These are some of my favorite photos of my friends and family. The first photo is of my brother, Andy, and my father just before one of the best valley quail outings on the “Dishner” property in Idaho. The second photo is of my great friend and partner in crime, dog trainer Gary Ruppel, from…