R.K. Sawyer

1 week ago | projectupland.com | R.K. Sawyer

This article originally appeared in the summer 2024 issue of Project Upland Magazine. This online article is an abridged version. There is little dispute that sporting clay target presentations have been thrown in the United States for a long time. An article titled “Sporting Clays – the True History of the Game” documented many of the game’s staple targets. It mentioned that tower shots, over-water-targets, and multiple angle shots have been featured at US gun clubs for more than 100 years.

1 month ago | projectupland.com | R.K. Sawyer

Since 2015, the number of people in America who take to a sporting clay field each year has been about five million. Few have ever heard of the pioneers, including Jay Herbert, who borrowed the smoothbore game from the English and popularized it in the United States. I sat with energetic, 86-year-old Jay whose memory matches his wit. His words and experiences mentioned here add another small piece to the story of sporting clays in America.

Aug 7, 2023 | projectupland.com | R.K. Sawyer

Explore the fascinating tradition of waterfowl hunting over trained steers in Texas during the late 1800s to the mid-20th century, sharing accounts of skilled hunters using oxen to approach resting waterfowl and how the practice eventually faded away due to changing laws and regulations. Most waterfowlers have a favorite image, one that captures the essence of the hunt along one of North America’s migratory flyways.

Jun 19, 2023 | projectupland.com | R.K. Sawyer

Using snipe decoys is an effective but overlooked method of snipe hunting. Snipe shooting over decoys is a relatively obtuse technique and not widely practiced. There’s probably wisdom in that! A good shooter can kill as many, maybe more, by simply walking them. But, as a dedicated practitioner of decoy snipe hunting, and after a bit of soul searching, I’ve convinced myself of a couple of good reasons why – sometimes – it’s a worthy endeavor.