Gun Dog Magazine

2 weeks ago | gundogmag.com | Scott Linden

Time to take stock. Guns cleaned, dog rested and doctored, photos posted on social media, and birds are in the freezer. Now, let’s take a long, unvarnished look at your just-concluded hunting season. Could it have been better? If you answered “no,” congratulations and send me some of your mojo. If you muttered a subdued “yes,” here are a few dozen things in five basic categories that you might want to work on before next season opener.

3 weeks ago | gundogmag.com | Nathan Ratchford

What comes to mind when you hear the words “versatile gun dog?” Perhaps you picture your Labrador picking up icy greenheads in the morning and chasing running roosters by afternoon. Me? I picture my young Drahthaar pinning quail and raccoons in the same stretch of CRP. But the truth is, all of this is a mere glimpse into the range of their abilities. Our gun dogs are capable of so much more than we credit them for.

1 month ago | gundogmag.com | Brad Fitzpatrick

Turkish guns have become popular in the States over the last couple decades, primarily because they are affordable. But not all Turkish firearm factories provide products of equal quality. Some Turkish import guns are plain cheap. Others, like the Spandau Premier Field, offer good quality at an attractive price point. Boxlock over/under actions have been around for over a century, and there’s no secret recipe on how to build these guns.

1 month ago | gundogmag.com | Tom Dokken

The ability to “hunt dead” adds extra value to your retriever as an upland hunter. When a bird is down and dead, or—as sometimes happens—down but wounded, your dog is going to have to find that bird using its nose. There are plenty of drills you can do to help it learn how to use its sense of smell more efficiently. So much of what we do with our retrievers is visual. You throw a bumper (or someone throws it for you), your retriever sees it, and goes after it.

1 month ago | gundogmag.com | Kali Parmley

If you’re anything like me, you live out of your truck come fall. Between dogs, hunting and dog gear, first aid and safety equipment, and more, your truck needs the proper organizational system and accessories to safely get you and your pups in and out of the backcountry. Here’s my go-to truck system and kit. I was tired of digging to the bottom of storage bins or crawling in the bed of my truck for a loose piece of gear—the Decked Drawer system came to my rescue.