Bird Camp Radio Podcast

On Episode 53 of Bird Camp Radio, we’re talking with Craig Haberle, a self-taught upland hunter and dog trainer from Pennsylvania. Craig went from chasing stocked birds to pursuing wild birds, training his own dogs every chance he gets, and recently taking his first woodcock. We talk about his DIY approach, chasing wild roosters in South Dakota, training dogs, and why he loves bringing new hunters...

Today we sit down with Josh, founder of Boostin Roosters, a family-owned lifestyle apparel brand built around upland hunting, conservation, and passing the outdoor way of life on to the next generation. From his years in Coast Guard search and rescue and fisheries enforcement to chasing bird dogs across Montana’s prairie with his young daughter, Josh shares the experiences that inspired the brand...

From chasing quail as a kid to competing in bird dog field trials, Baylor Smith has built his life around bird dogs, hard work, and the uplands. With four personally trained dogs and plenty of time spent in the field, Baylor joins Bird Camp Radio to talk training, competition, hunting, and the lifestyle that comes with it. From bird dogs to real estate and landscaping, Baylor’s work and passions a...

Episode 50 is all about chasing wild ruffed grouse with English setters. Tom McPherson of Penn's Woods Setters joins Bird Camp Radio to talk about what makes Pennsylvania grouse hunting so challenging, the dogs he breeds specifically for the grouse woods, and his experiences chasing wild birds across the Lake States. From fly tying to guiding hunts, Tom’s story is rooted in wild birds, great dogs,...

On Episode 48 of Bird Camp Radio, we're joined by lifelong upland hunter Russ Rundle from Elk City, Oklahoma. Russ started hunting at 11 years old with a 20-gauge H&R single-shot shotgun and quickly fell in love with chasing birds. Today, he hunts 50-75 days a year and has traveled across 10 states pursuing upland birds and hunting behind bird dogs. We talk about his early days in the Oklahoma...

On Episode 49 of Bird Camp Radio, we sit down with Dalton Brooker, a Kansas upland hunter, guide, and conservationist. From chasing pheasants and bobwhites with his dad as a kid to guiding today at Ravenwood Lodge, Dalton has built his life around Kansas upland country. We talk bird dogs, guiding, Kansas quail, habitat, and the future of upland hunting. Dalton also shares his work with Quail Forev...

Tyler Fenton joins Bird Camp Radio to talk all things upland hunting, bird dogs, and the traditions that keep him coming back to the field. Growing up hunting with his dad and Brittany's, Tyler’s passion for quail and pheasants eventually led him to guiding hunts and co-owning Mississippi Upland in Laurel, Mississippi. From working dogs and chasing wild birds across the country to introducing the...

Jaedon Schwartz joins Bird Camp Radio to share the story of his Facebook Marketplace GSP that he trained himself using YouTube and research. Four states, countless birds, and plenty of weekends later, the two have become a serious upland team. As a full-time dad and military member, Jaedon makes the most of his limited time in the field. He’s also on a mission to become the fittest upland hunter,...

What does it take to dedicate 40+ years to great bird dogs and chase wild birds more than 100 days a year? In Episode 45, we sit down with Jerry Barnes of Toccoa River Setters in the mountains of North Georgia. A retired educator, Gulf War Army veteran, and lifelong upland fanatic, Jerry shares his passion for wild birds, fine-foot hunting setters, and the places that keep calling him back. From c...

This week on Bird Camp Radio, we're joined by Kirk Small, owner and lead guide of Roaring Brook Outfitters in Maine. We dive into what it takes to build a successful guide service centered around wild birds, hard-working dogs, and ethical hunting, while also exploring Maine's incredible opportunities for snowshoe hare, moose, and black bear. Kirk shares stories from the North Woods, discusses the...

This week on Bird Camp Radio, we sit down with Vermont upland hunter Eddie Gagne to talk about the traditions that keep us coming back to the bird woods. From rediscovering upland hunting through chasing snipe to restoring classic side-by-side shotguns, guiding on Lake Champlain, and creating unforgettable wild game meals, Eddie shares a lifetime of stories, craftsmanship, and conservation. If you...

This week on Bird Camp Radio, we sit down with Tomas Heidenwirth, lifelong upland hunter, certified dog trainer, guide, and host of the Have Dog Will Travel podcast. We talk about his journey with English Setters, from his first bird dog to developing his own breeding program focused on early-starting, stylish, hard-hunting dogs. Tomas also shares insights on bird dog training, wild bird hunting,...

Jamie Lawrence grew up in southwest Georgia, where hunting wasn't just a hobby, it was a way of life. From chasing squirrels with his twin brother to learning responsibility with a single-shot shotgun and spending mornings in the deer woods before school, the outdoors shaped who he is from an early age. In this episode of Bird Camp Radio, Jamie shares how his hunting journey evolved from coon hunt...

This episode of Bird Camp Radio welcomes Brian Vander Maazen, owner and operator of Amaazen Outdoors, professional upland guide, bird dog trainer, and cover dog handler. Brian spends his fall guiding hunters through the grouse and woodcock coverts of northern Wisconsin before heading south to New Mexico each winter to guide wild quail hunts with Santa Fe Guiding Company. While the landscapes and b...

Episode 39 of Bird Camp Radio welcomes James "JC" Smith, a lifelong upland hunter, Ryman-type English Setter breeder, and passionate advocate for preserving the traditions of classic bird dogs. After retiring from a 42-year career in water quality in New York's Finger Lakes region, JC has devoted even more time to the uplands, spending his seasons behind English Setters in pursuit of grouse, woodc...

What does it take to spend a lifetime chasing wild birds behind great dogs? This week on Bird Camp Radio, we sit down with Mike Dziki, a lifelong bird hunter, bird dog breeder, Senior Hunt Test Judge, and Army Ranger veteran whose life has revolved around the uplands for decades. At 64 years old, Mike still spends between 65 and 90 days every season hunting grouse, woodcock, and sharptail across s...

In this episode of Bird Camp Radio, we sit down with Reggie Tokarski, an upland game guide with Sun Catcher Acres Pheasant Outfitter. Reggie spends her days doing what many hunters only see a small part of: walking miles of cover, handling dogs, reading bird behavior, and putting clients on pheasants day after day throughout the season. We dive into what life as a pheasant guide actually looks lik...

This week on Bird Camp Radio, we sit down with South Dakota hunting guide Lucas Koolstra to talk about his journey into the world of upland hunting and guiding. Unlike many bird hunters who grew up in the tradition, Lucas didn't start hunting until he was 18 years old. Since then, he's built a career around helping others experience the excitement of wild birds, spending his falls guiding pheasant...

This week, I’m joined by Samuel Alvarez, a lifelong upland bird hunter, dog man, and passionate advocate for the hunting community. Raised around hunting dogs and bird hunting traditions, Samuel shares how his love for the outdoors was shaped by family, hard-working bird dogs, and countless days spent chasing upland birds alongside his father, son, and close friends. In this episode, we dive into...

Joe Christensen joins the show to talk about the realities of hunting Western upland birds on public land and the process of consistently finding birds where most hunters never look. Based in Utah, Joe has built a reputation for his analytical approach to chasing chukar, Hungarian partridge, grouse, and late-season mountain birds across Utah and Idaho, combining countless miles on the ground with...

Episode 33 of Bird Camp Radio is here, and this week I’m joined by Ryan McCollum, founder of Worldwide Wingshooter and a lifelong upland hunter whose career has taken him across some of the best wild bird country in the world. Ryan grew up chasing wild quail behind English setters and started guiding hunts in Southern Illinois while still in high school. Since then, his path has led him through Me...

Episode 32 of Bird Camp Radio features Josh Riddle, a lifelong upland hunter whose passion for bird dogs and wild birds was built through generations of family tradition. Raised in a home where hunting was more than recreation, Josh grew up chasing pheasants and grouse alongside family, friends, and English Springer Spaniels that have been part of his family since the 1970s. From carrying a shotgu...

Eric Hobbs joins the show to share a hunting journey that started in the mountains of central Idaho and eventually led him across the world to the rolling hills of Tuscany, where one hunt behind English Setters completely changed the way he viewed bird dogs and upland hunting. Raised in a family built around hunting traditions, Eric grew up chasing deer, elk, antelope, and spending cold mornings i...

Episode 30 of Bird Camp Radio brings you a conversation rooted deep in tradition, bird dogs, and the kind of upland hunting that’s built over generations. Reece Chambers joins the show to talk about what it means to truly know your dogs and your birds. Running a string of 10 German Shorthaired Pointers, all from a line he’s carefully maintained over the years, Reece has put in the time to understa...

Episode 29 of Bird Camp Radio brings on Travis Spring, a die-hard upland hunter who’s just as passionate about talking birds as he is chasing them. From breaking down the current landscape of upland bird populations to sharing real, boots-on-the-ground hunting stories, Travis brings a perspective that’s rooted in both experience and genuine love for the game. Alongside his wife, Travis built an up...