Project Upland

4 days ago | projectupland.com | Gabriela Zaldumbide

This article originally appeared in Hunting Dog Confidential, Volume 5. The Michigan Woodcock Banding Program is permitted by the Michigan DNR-Wildlife Division and the USGS-Bird Banding Laboratory to capture and band woodcock. On a bright April morning in northern Michigan, a devoted uplander embarks upon a spring ritual with his proofed Weimaraner. Soft, damp leaves give way under his bootsteps as the silver dog works the budding hardwood forest before him.

1 week ago | projectupland.com | A.j. DeRosa

As upland hunters, we are no strangers to the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The opportunity to hunt a wide swath of wild native and even non-native birds on these landscapes represents some of the largest access opportunities in the country. We share BLM land with many of America’s other interests, including energy, livestock grazing, and timber harvesting. For the most part, when done correctly, these activities have minimal impact on the multiple-use landscape.

1 week ago | projectupland.com | A.j. DeRosa

In this episode, Gabby and AJ explore the mystery of ruffed grouse drumming—starting in the 1700s, when naturalists first theorized about the sound, and tracing the evolution of human technology that finally unlocked the truth behind this unique behavior. Along the way, they talk to biologist Alaina Roth, Wisconsin’s statewide ruffed grouse specialist, who sheds light on grouse life history, drumming counts, and how technology is transforming wildlife surveys.

1 week ago | projectupland.com | Gabriela Zaldumbide

Wild turkeys are tough birds. You might hear hunters call them everything from bird-brained to a string of expletives. Yet, despite being almost driven to extinction in the early 1900s, wild turkeys are extremely good at what they evolved to do: survive. Their impressive ability to avoid predation is what frustrates so many turkey hunters year after year. Filling a turkey tag doesn’t come easy, especially when you’re unprepared.

4 weeks ago | projectupland.com | Jack Hennessy

A friend recently shared with me that she is a “pot pie connoisseur.” She always makes a point to explore restaurants, both local and while traveling, to see who serves the best pot pie. I asked her, “Have you tried pheasant?” “No,” she said. Thus, the challenge was accepted. While the Pillsbury pie crust I used is arguably nothing special, what’s inside is second-to-none.