The Flush Podcast - Stories from the field

Ben Fretz owns North Country Sporting Dogs in Alberta, Canada.  Ben joins the show to discuss his journey into the dog training and breeding world, breeding versatile dog breeds, summer dog training scenarios introducing dogs to birds, training on wild birds, how to help a dog understand their role in the hunt, finding a family, work, & hunting balance, and a positive outlook for upland bird h...

Katie Willis joins the show to share her inspirational journey through the upland world, living a life in a camper on the road with her bird dogs, hunting North America’s wildest places, and the life lessons she’s learned along the way.  Katie explains why she sold her home, why she doesn’t take a moment in life for granted, and what it’s like to be a woman traveling solo and camping in wild place...

Scott Fransen joins the show to announce this year’s Hank Hunt invitation. Scott and Travis reveal the dates, details, and location of the 3rd annual Hank Hunt at Prairie Wildlife Lodge in Mississippi, how YOU can sign up to join us in the field to be on an upcoming episode of the Flush television show, and why this annual hunt has grown so quickly to help us support Pheasants Forever & Quail...

Ron Boehme from the Hunting Dog Podcast joins the show to discuss his new video series, "Behind the Dog.” Ron and Travis have an in-depth discussion about hunting dog breeds and breeders in North America, understanding hunting dog talents, traits, genetics, purposes, and the evolution of hunting dogs & dog trainers. Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alumaklm.com ,) Walton’s ( https://www.walton...

Josh Miller from River Stone Kennels joins the show to discuss summer dog training & DIY dog training resources, puppies & puppy development, how to pick a dog trainer, working with different dog breeds, how to gain the confidence to train your own dog, and so much more.  https://www.riverstonekennels.com/ Special Retriever Roadmap Promo Code: FLUSH23 Presented by Aluma ( https://www.aluma...

Tyler Webster from the Birds, Booze & Buds podcast joins the show to catch up on North Dakota prairie life and to talk about his role as President of a new Pheasants Forever chapter in his hometown. Tyler & Travis also discuss upland bird nesting conditions in North Dakota, reasons for optimism this fall, where to plan great hunts this fall, and plenty more. Presented by Aluma ( https://ww...

Sonny Piekarz, Jordan Wells, & George Lyall join the show to discuss their new dog training program called “The Method.”  After an all-day dog training seminar launching ‘The Method,’ the trio answer questions from the dog owners that just completed their seminar.  It’s a dog training Q & A with insight into the mind of dog trainers and dogs of different ages. www.themethoddogtraining.com...

Sonny Piekarz, Jordan Wells, & George Lyall join the show to discuss their new dog training program, "The Method.”  After an all-day seminar launching ‘The Method,’ the trio break down the step-by-step details they’ve developed to help dog owners understand the mental side of their dogs in a way that simplifies dog training and builds confident, high-end bird dogs.  This is a 2-part episode. ...

Jordan Wells owns and operates J. Wells Kennels in Woodstock Valley, Connecticut.  Jordan explains his journey through the dog training world and how his methods have evolved over time to help dogs understand their roles and gain confidence working with their handlers in the field.  Jordan also explains how his Wells Fetch training method gives dogs confidence to retrieve birds, plus why attention...

Renee Tomala shares her life-changing story about Quill, her miracle bird dog.  Renee relives the scary moments in the field when Quill fell off a cliff, the fight to save his life, and the journey to help him walk again.  Renee also explains lessons she’s learned about life, herself, a dog’s will, and the power of support from friends in the upland community. Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alum...

Sonny Piekarz, has more than 20 years of experience as the owner and head dog trainer at Hay Creek Kennel. Sonny & Travis discuss the different stages of training bird dogs from puppies to advanced lessons, how to understand your dog and your role as the leader in the training process.  Sonny also explains how his training program is evolving to help dogs think like a team and more quickly str...

Neal Tacheny from Deep Portage Learning Center in Hackensack, Minnesota joins the show to preview their 30th annual Upland Bird Camp.  Neil explains how this upland camp takes young hunters through a weeklong hands-on course to learn every aspect of hunting, shooting, dog training, bird biology, hunting ethics, and how to ask permission to hunt private land.  Neal also explains valuable lessons he...

Marilyn Vetter joins the show to discuss her new role as Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s new President and CEO.  Travis & Marilyn discuss her journey from a North Dakota farm to television news, to opening a dog training kennel with her husband, volunteering for NAVHDA & PF, and ultimately landing her dream job.  Marilyn also shares organization goals, staying true to the habitat m...

Seth Patterson & Hyatt Voy operate a social media channel called “Bird Dog of the Day.”  Seth and Hyatt explain their mission to celebrate bird dogs every day and celebrate the bird hunting community.  We also discuss their journey into the business side of the bird dog world, the impact of social media on hunting, when to put our phones away, how to navigate a changing online world, favorite...

John Sullivan is a lifelong upland bird hunter with nearly 40 years of Chukar hunting experience and training bird dogs.  John also happens to be one of Travis Frank’s biggest critics.  John explains why he calls Travis out, and the two discuss what they’ve learned from their dog training mistakes.  They also discuss hunting solo vs hunting with friends, mentoring hunters, tough situations in the...

Ben Brettingen from OnX Hunt joins the show to discuss their 40X fundraising event that raised $2 million for Pheasants Forever’s wildlife habitat mission in the state of Minnesota.  We explain how this campaign began, how it works, where the money goes, the mission of generosity, and why there’s hope to raise more funds for wildlife in the future. Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alumaklm.com ,)...

Amanda Ponti & Hannah Leonard join the show to discuss the mission of Her Upland – a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering education and providing opportunities for women and girls in upland hunting, bird dog training, conservation, and mentorship. We discuss how Her Upland formed, why it’s growing so fast, where they’re going, and how this group of women is changing lives in the outd...

Jim Burris joins the show to discuss his new organization called, The Bird Dog Society. Jim explains why he launched the organization and its mission – to create and enhance resources for the physical and mental well-being of bird dogs, and to facilitate a more rewarding experience for bird dog owners. Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alumaklm.com ,) Walton’s ( https://www.waltonsinc.com/ ,) OnX M...

Live from Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic Travis Frank and the Flush team host an Upland Trivia Game Show at The Local in downtown, Minneapolis.  Play along with contestants Scott Fransen, Ron Boehme, George Lyall & Matt King as they compete to become the 2023 Upland Champ.  Audience listeners also participate in this fun game to win prizes. Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alumaklm.com ,) W...

Jared Wiklund & Casey Sill from Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever join the show to preview Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, plus we take a look back at 2022 in the uplands and a look ahead at 2023 for the Habitat Organization. Join Us LIVE on February 17th at 6:00 pm at The Local in Downtown Minneapolis! Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alumaklm.com ,) Walton’s ( https://www.waltonsinc.c...

Ryan and Jace Newmarker have become a dream bird-hunting team.  Jace is a 9-year-old bird-hunting phenom, and Ryan, his father, is a lifelong traveling hunter that thrives with his bird dogs in America’s western mountains.  The father-son duo discuss Jace’s journey to becoming a dead-eye shot at such a young age, their drive to hunt together, extreme adventures, favorite moments that’ll make you s...

Scott Fransen and Tony Jones join Travis Frank for a live show at Bear Cave Brewing in Hopkins, MN.  Tony & Scott relive the painful moments from their late, late, late season pheasant hunt in South Dakota’s deep snow-covered fields.  The crew talks about the impact of this snow on roosters, overcoming the challenges, and dogs that can flush ‘em out, plus we look ahead to Pheasant Fest and ans...

Mark Norquist from Modern Carnivore joins the show to discuss his organization's mission and how they use food to get more hunters in the field. Mark and Travis discuss how non-hunters connect to wild animals, a fascination to field dress and butcher, a changing culture, wild game vs farm raised animals, learn to hunt classes & events, hunting priorities vs sports, and so much more. Presented...

In a small hunting shack in central Kansas Travis Frank talks quail hunting, bird dogs, and the value of good hunting friends with George Lyall and his lifelong bird hunting crew.  George reveals the real reason for this quail hunt, embracing a hunt with his best friend, Britt, that’s battling ALS.  We talk about life, hunting stories, lessons learned, laughing together, crying together, and so mu...

Eric Locker joins the show to discuss his recent dream hunting season – chasing wild birds from Alaska to Arizona and places in between. Eric discusses his pursuit of 14 different species of upland birds, letting his young bird dog work through challenges in the field, how to fly with your dog, hunting out of your comfort zone, and so much more. Presented by Aluma ( https://www.alumaklm.com ,) Wal...