Buckle up for a first-hand report on a recent road trip in search of quail and chukars ... and better weather. We'll be hunting Nevada and California and learning a lot. Some astounding dog work and fascinating observations on bird behavior and habitat, especially in the Golden State. Strategies need adjusting in the high desert of California, where cactus is king and rattlesnakes roam all year ... even finding birdy places requires a different point of view.

"Fix It" covers some practical pre-hunt tips and listeners share some fascinating dog and bird hunting trivia.

You get a chance to enter to win a pair of Pyke Gear Dakota pants (value $230) in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

According to Garden & Gun magazine, he's one of the top five dog trainers in the South. His track record as a field trialer and hunter, proves it. Todd Agnew of Craney Hill Kennels takes us to spaniel school in this episode. Pointer fans take note: his views on dogs cross the divide, so get ready to learn as well.

From teaching range for flushing dogs, to what motivates a hunting dog, Todd's point of view is a little different than many other trainers. He's big on creating the right relationship between a dog and its handler ... and how dynamic that relationship can be. He'll outline some new ways to look at everything from retrieving to when the dog takes charge in the field. And what the heck is "spaniel action?"

"Fix it" keeps your dog dry, and listeners chime in on empty shotgun hulls left on the ground.

You get a chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

If you haven't had your close-to-perfect hunt yet this year, re-live mine and maybe learn something. Or get inspired to do one more trip. Either way, there are tips and observations, suggestions and hints from an uphill walk in Great Basin country.

"Fix It" has a cold-weather shooting tip, and listeners share their artful dead bird photos.

You get another chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

If you have a young dog or are getting one, listen carefully!

Jim Van Engen's Right Start Kennel has cranked out almost 200 field trial champions thanks to his unique specialty: the first two years of a dog's life. He'll outline his overall philosophy, as well as practical tips on everything from managing a dog's range to introducing gunfire. We'll cover retrieving and steadiness, verbal commands and e-collar use, too.

Jim's specialty is Labradors, but he's owned shorthairs for decades, hunting them primarily for fun but also competing in NSTRA trials, so there's something for everyone in this episode.

We'll review listeners' dog breed preferences from the Upland Nation Index survey, and "Fix It" offers a shooting tactic that might add a bird to your bag once in a while.

You get a chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Finding more places to hunt just got a bit easier. I'll give you some starting points for your pheasant foray out west, or bobwhite hunting in the southeast. You'll also get insights on finding places and negotiating the walk-in bureaucratic maze. There are tips on information sources, scouting hints, and even some hunting stories. I've been to most of the places I'll talk about; reliable friends have been to the others, and they're all open to public hunting.

"Fix It" has a warning about online mapping apps, you'll have a chance at the next Fur Feathers Friends prize if you listen and learn the Word of the Week. This month, it's a pair of the new Chad Hodges upland chokes from Trulock Chokes. And we'll dig into the Upland Nation Index survey, from favorite dog breeds to what you want help with next year.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Break out a pen and paper and get ready to take copious notes. You will learn something. Trainer/handlers of the winningest field trial dog in history, George has been helping dogs excel in the field for decades. Author, video teacher, writer, hunter, his approach to dogs' learning abilities is built on a foundation of insights and perspective.

We'll go from big-picture stuff like what truly motivates a dog (not what you think), to practical ways to steady a dog (again, not what you think). Whether you own a flusher or pointer, George has recommendations that will alter your thought process about dog training. Think you're using your e-collar right? Think again. Think your dog wants to please you? Uh-uh.

"Fix it" offers a hack for those having trouble getting a young dog to "hold" on a retrieve ... we cover some of the survey issues you said were important from how to save our sport to how many of you spoil your dog during the holidays, and you have a chance to win great prizes in the Fur Feathers Friends initiative if you know the Word of the Week.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.

Need a chukar fix? How about a few valley quail too? I'll debrief a recent hunt of mine ... sort of a bookend thing, with stunning dog work at both ends. We pull a few thousand feet of elevation, miss a few birds and connect on others. I'll talk terrain, habitat, strategy and tactics plus some pure dumb luck too. A fascinating find or two, as well.

"Fix It" has a few theories on why birds scatter this time of year, and we'll take a sneak peek at the Upland Nation Index and your responses to the longest-running, largest private-sector survey of upland hunters. Favorite dog breed? What are the key issues you face? We'll take a look.

You get a final chance to enter to win the Sage & Braker shotgun cleaning mat in our furfeathersfriends.com sweepstakes, too, but only if you listen and know the Word of the Week.

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile,, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, mazeltov ... what better way to celebrate than enjoying fresh, locally-brewed beer? And after an epic hunt, even more so!

Here's your guide to craft brews in hopes you'll venture beyond Corporate Beer to the good stuff, made near your hunting spot by local folks. It's literally a taste of your hunt, a chance to imbibe local culture and enjoy the hunt in a frosty (not too frosty) glass.

Gulp down a heaping helping of bird hunting!

From various beer styles to ingredients, buying, pouring, storing and sharing, I'll share what I've learned from talking with brewmasters, writing about beer, helping brew in commercial facilities and at home, and er, drinking a few pints here and there in bird hunting country. I'll list some craft brewpubs worth visiting in bird hunting country, too, along with hunting tips for each beery bird hunting town.

Don't say I didn't get you anything for Christmas!

And it's all brought to you by: Sage & Braker Mercantile, LandTrust.com, HiVizSights.com, Pointer shotguns, @midwayusa, #midwayusa, MidwayUSA, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, TrulockChokes, HiViz shooting systems, Purina Pro Plan Sport and FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.

And don't miss Wingshooting USA TV airing on local stations, sports networks and national TV networks. Learn more here.