Birdshot Podcast

Birdshot Podcast, presented by Upland Gun Company and hosted by Nick Larson, is where upland hunters come together. Each week we share conversations that connect the people, stories, and traditions of wingshooting—from bird dogs and shotguns to the birds and landscapes that bring us back season after season.

Birdshot Podcast is a sports podcast hosted by Nick Larson, with 360 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Nick Larson hosts Birdshot Podcast, a sports show with 360 episodes published.

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  Episode #360

  #360 | Reading Grouse Cover and Handling Bird Dogs with Ann Jandernoa

  Oct 2, 20261h 54m

  Ruffed grouse habitat can look good on a map and still leave plenty of questions once the boots hit the ground. Ann Jandernoa returns for her tenth appearance on the Birdshot Podcast to help Nick work through listener questions about reading cover and handling bird dogs. The conversation starts with early-season conditions and how dry weather changes the places Ann looks for birds. From there, they get into stem density, the forest floor, and the smaller features that make one pocket of a cut more useful than the surrounding cover. A clump of balsam, a shaded edge, or a connection between cover types can give a grouse another option. There are questions about hawthorn and wild apples, hunting habitat farther east, where grouse spend the night, and those unusual days when birds seem to keep flushing from the same stretch of cover. Nick and Ann also discuss helping a young dog work running grouse more calmly, choosing dogs to run together, and communicating a plan with hunting partners. In this episode Dry conditions, moisture, and early-season brood observations What stem density tells Ann about canopy and the forest floor Finding productive pockets and connections within grouse cover Hawthorn, wild apples, and habitat differences between New England and the Great Lakes Grouse movement, nighttime cover, and large concentrations of birds Relocating on running grouse and helping a young dog slow down Running one dog or several, approaching points, and planning a hunt with partners Questions from the conversation What does stem density tell a grouse hunter? Ann looks beyond the number of stems to how the canopy comes together and what grows beneath it. She describes cover with an interlaced canopy and a floor that young grouse can move through. Nick and Ann discuss how the useful features change as a stand ages and birds move beyond their brood cover. How does dry weather change where Ann looks for grouse? Ann follows shade, moisture, and cover connections. She describes looking toward transitions near lowlands and conifers when surrounding cover dries out. Nick and Ann also discuss how sandy and heavier soils respond differently, and why the condition of the plants and forest floor can be more useful in the field than remembering a soil classification. What makes one pocket of grouse habitat better than another? Ann's answer changes with the season. Early on, she pays close attention to the floor and canopy. As leaves come down, shrub cover and connections between habitat types become more important. Nick describes scanning for a lone spruce, balsam clumps, deadfalls, and nearby edges, then giving his dog a chance to investigate those features. How does Ann approach a dog on point? Ann describes circling out and around rather than crowding the dog from behind or coming directly alongside a young dog. She also looks at likely escape cover and whether there is room to swing a shotgun among the trees. Nick shares his own tendency to circle wider, with communication and positioning becoming especially important when another hunter is present. Connect with Ann Scout and Hunt habitat maps: https://scoutandhunt.com/ Support the show This episode is brought to you by Upland Gun Company, Final Rise, and Irish Setter Boots. Upland Gun Company: https://uplandguncompany.com/ Final Rise Shirt of the Month: https://finalrise.com/pages/upland-shirt-subscription Irish Setter Pheasants Forever Edition: https://irishsetterboots.com/pheasantsforever Join the Birdshot Podcast community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/birdshot Questions for a future episode: nick@birdshotpodcast.com Listen and follow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17EVUDJPwR2iJggzhLYil7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdshot-podcast/id1288308609 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@birdshot.podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdshot.podcast/ Website: https://www.birdshotpodcast.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #359

  #359 | Prairie Lessons and a Puppy's First Sharptail Hunts

  Sep 25, 20261h 9m

  Sharptail hunting on the prairie gave Nick plenty to think about, especially with Hazel along for her first prairie trip. In this solo episode, he recaps the hunts and shares what changed when he started choosing cover with a young setter in mind. A cut hayfield that looked too short to hide a bird turned into one of the trip's most memorable walks. There was good work from an older dog, a puppy carrying a sharptail around a hay bale, and plenty of small moments that made the next hunt even more exciting. Nick also answers a listener's question about range and staying connected with a young dog, reflects on what the wind can hide, and remembers Hartley as another season gets underway. In this episode Why the roadside view doesn't always tell the whole story about prairie cover Grazing, patchy grass, and choosing places where Hazel could move and stay in sight A cut hayfield, Pike's point, and Hazel's first sharptail experiences Young-dog range, checking in, changing directions, and GPS collars How wind and the path a dog takes can change a bird contact Hazel's early pointing and backing, and memories of Hartley A few questions from the conversation Can sharptails hide in a cut hayfield? They did on this trip. Nick describes Pike pointing a sharptail in short alfalfa that looked too open to conceal a bird. Taking Hazel into that field gave her room to move and stay visible, and the hunt changed Nick's confidence in a cover type he hadn't spent much time hunting. What made patchy prairie cover useful for a puppy? Nick found that thinner areas let Hazel move more easily and maintain visual contact. Patches of snowberry, bowls, and other remaining cover also gave the hunt clearer places to investigate. He contrasts that with thick, tall grass that can make a young dog's first outings harder than they need to be. How does Nick stay connected with a young dog? Nick describes building that connection through repeated outings and opportunities for the pup to check back. When Hazel lost sight of him, he stopped and let her look for him. He also talks about reconnecting before a major change of direction and fitting her with a GPS collar before her first grouse hunts. Does a birdless walk mean sharptails weren't there? Nick's experiences have taught him to leave room for doubt. One bird flushed while the hunters stopped to water a dog and check the map. In another remembered hunt, Hartley passed close to birds on the wrong side of the wind, then found them when he looped around. Support the show This episode is brought to you by Upland Gun Company, Final Rise, and Irish Setter Boots. Upland Gun Company Final Rise Shirt of the Month Irish Setter Pheasants Forever Edition Join the Birdshot Podcast community on Patreon . Have a question or something you'd like to hear more about in a future solo episode? Email nick@birdshotpodcast.com . Listen and follow Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Instagram Birdshot Podcast website Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #358

  #358 | Tick Prevention for Hunters and Bird Dogs with Travis Avery

  Sep 11, 202651 min

  Tick prevention for hunters and bird dogs starts before the first walk through cover. Travis Avery of Sawyer Products joins Nick to talk about permethrin, treated clothing, and what happens when a tick reaches that fabric. I've sprayed my hunting pants for years, but I hadn't spent much time thinking about what the treatment was doing two weeks later. No smell. Nothing I could see. Travis's explanation helped me connect that familiar routine to how the product works. We also discuss treating boots and socks, along with the dog beds and kennel pads I already spray. We talk about the difference between a fabric treatment and a topical repellent, why drying matters, and how Travis approaches prevention with his dog Murphy. The conversation also covers tick checks and the extra care involved when cats are around. We open with Sawyer's water filters and a few ways they can fit into a hunting vest, a truck, or a trip with the dogs. The idea is to spend more time in the woods with a routine that makes sense. Questions from the episode How is permethrin different from a topical insect repellent? Permethrin is the fabric treatment at the center of this conversation. Travis describes it as a contact insecticide, while DEET and picaridin serve as topical repellents. Nick asks how those approaches fit together when a hunter has treated clothing but still has exposed skin. The distinction helped him better understand the routine he already uses. Why can treated hunting clothes still work two weeks later? The treatment bonds with the fabric rather than depending on a smell that Nick can detect. Travis compares that bond to dye in a shirt. He describes sunlight and washing as factors that reduce its effectiveness over time. For Nick, that explains why an odorless pair of treated pants can still be part of his routine. How long does Sawyer's clothing treatment last? Sawyer describes its clothing treatment as lasting up to six weeks or six washings, whichever comes first. Travis discusses that window alongside sunlight, laundering, and time in the field. Nick connects it to the early grouse season, when he is regularly walking through tick cover. The current product label gives the application and retreatment directions. What changed in Nick's thinking about bird dogs and ticks? Nick already uses an oral preventive for his setters and treats their beds and kennel pads. Hearing how permethrin works on contact made him curious about treating the dogs themselves. Travis describes his routine with Murphy and points listeners to Sawyer's dog-specific instructions. That conversation is about an additional layer, with the product label and a veterinarian guiding any individual dog's use. Where does water filtration fit into a bird-hunting trip? Travis carries a filter when fly fishing and describes options for a hunting vest, truck, cabin, or group camp. Nick starts from a place where water is usually available, then thinks about western hunts and carrying enough for himself and the dogs. They also discuss the limits of standard filters, including viruses and chemical contamination. Connect with Sawyer Sawyer Products: https://www.sawyer.com/ Permethrin product details and dog application instructions: https://www.sawyer.com/products/permethrin-fabric-treatment Sawyer on Instagram: https://instagram.com/sawyerproducts Listen and follow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17EVUDJPwR2iJggzhLYil7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdshot-podcast/id1288308609 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@birdshot.podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdshot.podcast/ Website: https://www.birdshotpodcast.com/ Sponsors This episode is brought to you by Upland Gun Company, Final Rise, and Irish Setter Boots. Upland Gun Company: https://uplandguncompany.com/ Final Rise Shirt of the Month: https://finalrise.com/pages/upland-shirt-subscription Irish Setter Pheasants Forever Edition: https://irishsetterboots.com/pheasantsforever Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #357

  #357 | What Wild Birds Teach a Pointing Dog with Mark Payton

  Aug 28, 20261h 36m

  Wild bird contacts can shape a pointing dog in ways a training setup cannot. Mark Payton joins Nick to talk about first seasons, launchers, steadiness, and letting birds teach. Mark is the author of Favorite Ways to Train Your Bird Dog and a longtime bird hunter who has worked dogs for the public for about 15 years. He returns to the podcast for a listener-question episode built around developing young dogs, carrying yard work into new places, and recognizing what a dog is saying before adding more pressure. I have a new setter pup at my feet this season, so this one landed at the right time. We talk about how little formal work a young pointing dog may need before its first fall, what early wild-bird opportunity can open up, and why a puppy's light-bulb moment tends to stick with the person holding the gun. Mark remembers Izzy pointing a quail single before she was six months old. With another dog, he went into the field with a puppy and came out with a bird dog. The conversation also gets practical. Mark explains his wooden backing silhouette, his use of remote launchers, the difference between steady to flush and steady through the fall, and why he treats a launcher as a stand-in for a wild bird rather than a machine for making a dog point. His recurring question is a useful one: what would a wild bird do? Later, we get into whoa posts, flank collars, relocation, gun introduction, e-collar timing, trash breaking, retrieving, and the limited role of a wing on a string. The larger idea stays simple. Build the dog's love for birds, give it meaningful opportunity, and pay attention to the small signals along the way. Chapters 00:00 Let the wild bird teach the dog 02:37 Short bird dog training sessions and consistency 04:58 Mark Payton's bird dog background 11:33 How much training does a young pointing dog need? 21:47 Letting the dog and bird work it out 22:14 A young bird dog's first hunting season 28:24 Building bird drive in a hesitant puppy 31:02 Developing range and independence 33:26 Teaching backing with a wooden silhouette 43:16 Helping dogs generalize training in new places 46:05 E-collar timing and command reinforcement 48:58 When a young dog catches a training bird 50:37 Using a launcher like a wild bird 54:35 Steady to flush, wing, shot, and fall 1:00:00 Whoa posts and flank collars 1:03:54 Letting a pointing dog relocate on moving birds 1:07:28 Reading small signals during gun introduction 1:10:28 Trash breaking and deer chasing 1:14:37 Retrieving and force fetch 1:19:15 The limited role of wing on a string 1:28:00 Birds, breaks, and taking away the chase 1:30:16 Why wild birds become the best teacher 1:33:47 Where to find Mark Payton Questions from the episode How much training does a young pointing dog need before its first season? Mark keeps the early program fairly light: recall, collar conditioning, bird introduction, gun introduction, and enough bird work for the dog to begin pointing. He prefers to build a love for birds and let the first hunting season provide experience. More formal polish can come later, often when the dog is roughly nine to 15 months old. Is it a good idea to hunt a puppy during its first season? Mark believes a first season can be valuable when the puppy is physically ready and has the basic preparation to be safe in the field. The goal is opportunity, not finished performance. His own young dogs pointed wild quail and woodcock before six months, while another dog needed more time before the light came on during a scattered covey. What does a young bird dog's light-bulb moment look like? It is the point when bird contacts begin to make sense to the dog. Nick remembers Rose moving from a very young puppy to reliably pointing grouse as the season progressed. Mark remembers one dog sticking quail singles so clearly that he felt he had walked into the field with a puppy and walked out with a bird dog. Why does Mark Payton use a remote bird launcher? Mark treats a remote launcher as a tool for simulating the consequence a wild bird would give a dog. If the dog crowds the scent cone, approaches from the wrong side of the wind, or gets too close, the bird leaves. That loss of opportunity helps many dogs learn to stop and point without the handler manufacturing the point. Will catching one training pigeon ruin a pointing dog? One caught pigeon is unlikely to create a lasting problem, especially with a young dog still developing bird drive. Repeated catches are different because they can teach the dog that birds are available to grab. Mark moves away from easy catches once the dog's interest is established and uses stronger-flying birds or launchers to preserve the bird's advantage. What are the different levels of steadiness in a pointing dog? The terms vary among trainers, but Mark separates them by what the dog remains still through. Steady to flush covers the handler moving in to produce the bird. Steady to wing adds the bird taking flight. Steady through shot and fall asks the dog to remain until the bird is down and the handler releases it. What small signs can show a gun introduction is moving too fast? A dog may keep chasing while still showing uncertainty. Mark watches for ears lowering, a brief hesitation in stride, or a small change in the tail after the shot. Those details can be easy to miss. A handler who reads them early can pause rather than escalating from one light shot to several hunters firing at a covey. What does Mark mean by an honest bird dog? An honest bird dog is genuinely trying to find, point, and handle the bird for the hunter. A bump can still happen because of wind, distance, or a running bird, but the dog is not deliberately trying to flush ahead of the gun. Nick describes that trust with Rose, especially when she relocates on moving ruffed grouse without being directed. Connect with Mark Payton Email: payton1221@yahoo.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Payton1221 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_payton_gundogs/ Favorite Ways to Train Your Bird Dog : Contact Mark at payton1221@yahoo.com for availability. Companion backing and honoring video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDYj9K6QrSc Listen and follow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17EVUDJPwR2iJggzhLYil7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdshot-podcast/id1288308609 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@birdshot.podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdshot.podcast/ Website: https://www.birdshotpodcast.com/ Sponsors This episode is brought to you by Upland Gun Company , Final Rise , and Irish Setter Boots . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #356

  #356 | What Grouse Hunting Is Really About with Andy Wayment

  Aug 21, 20261h 8m

  Idaho Grouse Fever author Andy Wayment joins Nick to talk about bird dogs, grouse literature, favorite shotguns, and what keeps a life of grouse hunting meaningful. Andy returns to the podcast with two new projects: Idaho Grouse Fever: An Obsession for All Things Grouse and Breaking Cover , a monthly podcast focused on upland literature and tradition. He explains why his latest book reaches across all five of Idaho's grouse species and mixes hunting stories with classic writing, sporting art, shotguns, named coverts, and the friendships built around them. I was halfway through the book when we recorded, and what kept standing out was Andy's attention to everything surrounding the bird in hand. We talk about Rainy's growth into a seasoned grouse dog, what Aki learned by hunting alongside her, and what I hope Hazel might pick up from Rose this fall. Andy also takes us into the mystery behind Corey Ford's The Road to Tinkhamtown , including the clues that suggest its fictional covert was rooted in a real place. The conversation closes with broken and lost Ruger Red Labels, a first ruffed grouse double with a 16-gauge side-by-side, the beauty of Idaho's Franklin grouse, and Andy's belief that the highs and lows are what make progress in the grouse woods feel earned. Chapters 00:00 Keeping grouse hunting honest 01:44 Andy Wayment returns to the Birdshot Podcast 02:44 Breaking Cover and the books behind upland hunting 09:35 Counting down to Idaho's grouse opener 11:36 A new setter, an older dog, and another season 13:27 How Rainy became a seasoned grouse dog 20:21 Teaching a golden retriever to hunt grouse 24:27 What a young dog can learn from an older dog 29:09 Why Andy wrote Idaho Grouse Fever 31:39 Tinkhamtown, Sleepy Hollow, and grouse-country fiction 33:32 Ross Young and Jay Dowd bring the book to life 38:41 Searching for the real Tinkhamtown 45:08 What grouse hunting becomes over time 48:17 Lost guns, Ruger Red Labels, and shotgun fit 53:37 Andy's first ruffed grouse double 1:01:21 Why Franklin grouse stand out in Idaho 1:04:36 Named coverts and the places hunters remember 1:05:36 Where to find Idaho Grouse Fever Questions from the episode What is Idaho Grouse Fever about? Idaho Grouse Fever: An Obsession for All Things Grouse collects Andy Wayment's stories about hunting all five of Idaho's grouse species. The book also reaches into bird dogs, sporting literature, shotguns, art, named coverts, mistakes, and friendships. Andy describes it as a book for people who think about grouse hunting eight days a week. Why does grouse hunting become about more than finding birds? The hunt grows to include everything surrounding the bird: companionship with dogs, time with friends, the history of a place, and the search itself. Andy says the highs and lows make successful moments sweeter because growth comes through both. Nick adds that if grouse hunting were easy, much of the fun would disappear. Can a golden retriever that is not from hunting stock learn to hunt grouse? Andy's golden retriever Aki did. She first learned by hunting alongside Rainy, watching for the pointing dog's bell to go quiet, and racing in to find birds. Over time, Aki became more independent, worked mostly within about 30 yards, flushed birds in range, and developed into the retriever Andy trusts most with a bird. What is Tinkhamtown, and why does it matter to grouse hunters? The Road to Tinkhamtown is Corey Ford's classic fictional grouse story. Andy found clues in an unedited version of the story and in writing by Ford's hunting companions that suggest the covert drew from a real place. That turns the story into something close to a treasure hunt for the grouse hunter's ideal cover. Which shotguns does Andy Wayment hunt with? Andy rotates among a Ruger Red Label 12 gauge, a Ruger Red Label 28 gauge with a straight grip, and a 16-gauge TriStar Bristol side-by-side. Fit and confidence determine which gun he carries. The Bristol produced his first ruffed grouse double, while the lighter Red Label 28 remains his go-to grouse gun. What is the Breaking Cover podcast about? Breaking Cover is a monthly conversation about upland hunting books and literary tradition. Andy co-hosts it with Matt Millbauer. Their first episode covered Pheasants of the Mind by Datus C. Proper and Pheasant Hunter's Harvest by Steve Grooms, with later episodes planned around other writers and seasonal themes. Where can listeners find Idaho Grouse Fever? Andy says the book is available through Amazon, while signed copies can be ordered through his Upland Ways website. Use the Birdshot affiliate link below to buy the book on Amazon, or order a signed copy directly from Andy. Connect with Andy Wayment Upland Ways: https://uplandways.com/ Buy Idaho Grouse Fever on Amazon (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4quFd8K Signed copies of Idaho Grouse Fever : https://uplandways.com/2026/05/05/preorder-a-signed-copy-of-idaho-grouse-fever-an-obsession-for-all-things-grouse/ Breaking Cover on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-cover/id6789762324 Listen and follow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17EVUDJPwR2iJggzhLYil7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdshot-podcast/id1288308609 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@birdshot.podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdshot.podcast/ Website: https://www.birdshotpodcast.com/ Sponsors This episode is brought to you by Upland Gun Company, Final Rise, and Irish Setter Boots. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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