The Upland Social

Richard Westley Wong was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is a dual Canadian-American citizen. He is a food photographer based in Minnesota, where he lives with his wife and two sons. In his free time, he enjoys spending time at the family cabin in Northern Wisconsin, fishing, training bird dogs, running hunt tests, and hunting with his three-year-old Vizsla, Trigger.Topics Covered:​Hunting with Vizslas​Storytelling through photography ​How to take better photos in the field​Wild game cooking​Wolf mindfulness in the NorthwoodsConnect with Rich:https://www.instagram.com/wisc_me_nord/Proud Sponsors:https://www.huntredi.com/https://gundogcentral.com/

Scott Kinnane grew up in Vinton, Iowa, before moving to a small farmhouse in Minnetonka, Minnesota, surrounded by hardwoods and abandoned sand pits. After raising three children in Eden Prairie, he and his wife settled in Bemidji on a 100-acre farm with a mile of Mississippi River shoreline, where they are restoring native prairie and managing their forest.Raised by a single mother with one younger sister, Scott credits the ten dogs he’s had over the years with shaping him into a better person. Now a proud grandfather of four, he finds his greatest joy in upland hunting, guided by his dogs, and in the freedom of dirt roads, prairie winds, and deep woods.Inspired by Gene Hill’s A Listening Walk, Scott hunts slowly, savoring every moment. He is passionate about mentoring—believing it’s more than a single youth hunt, but an ongoing commitment to guide, teach, and share the outdoors with those who need it, whether they ask or not.Topics covered:​The deep friendship Scott found in his dog as a child​It's possible to have more than one bird dog of a lifetime​Wildlife habitat restoration Scott is doing on his property​How to mentor people trying to get into hunting well​What the whole upland community can learn from women huntersConnect with Scott:https://www.instagram.com/scott.kinnane.8/Proud Sponsors:https://www.huntredi.com/https://gundogcentral.com/

Today on The Upland Social, we are going to take a different approach. Because the upland community is so awesome, we recently hit 1,000 followers on Instagram. To celebrate, we hosted an "Online Upland Party" where participants could discuss their plans for the upcoming fall. Join us for the party!Topics Covered:​The subtle beauty of Iowa​The varied upland game of Kansas ​Recently coming to the upland lifestyle​Hunting numerous states in the Plains and Midwest​A love for the American Woodcock​The endless opportunity in Vermont​Taking your child cross country to huntPROUD SPONSORS:https://gundogcentral.com/https://www.huntredi.com/

Jim Burris is a passionate outdoorsman who recently relocated from North Carolina to Wisconsin.  He’s hunted with bird dogs for over 25 years going back to his time grouse hunting the Appalachian hills of West Virginia with his Ryman English Setter.  Currently, he has a pudelpointer named Manu that he travels the country with hunting any upland bird they can find.  He is a lover and collector of rare upland hunting literature and fine shotguns.Jim is the founder and chairman for the Bird Dog Society, a non-profit dedicated to providing education, outreach, and events to bird dog owners to support an enriched and healthy lifestyle with their dogs.  Professionally Jim is the director of a large aquaculture research center studying the physiological processes of fish.  If there is anything that can top Jim’s passion for upland hunting it would be his passion for fishing, but it’s a close competition for his time.Topics Covered:Jim's recent move from North Carolina to Wisconsin​​The hunting style of a pudelpointer​The thrill and challenge of hunting snipe and rail​Simple methods for cooking dark meat birds​Jim's heart and mission behind The Bird Dog SocietyCheck out The Bird Dog Society:https://birddogsociety.org/Follow Jim and The Bird Dog Society on socials:https://www.instagram.com/birddogs.and.flyrods/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/birddogsociety/?hl=enProud Sponsors:https://gundogcentral.com/https://www.huntredi.com/

Today on the Upland Social, Josh Tatman joins us for some great conversation. A Wyoming resident, Josh is an avid bird hunter, dedicated outdoor writer, and a strong advocate for conservation. With a deep passion for the landscapes and wildlife of the West, he brings a wealth of experience and perspective to the field, both in the uplands and on the page. Topics covered include:​Josh’s upbringing in upland hunting​The intersection of Josh’s love for archaeology and hunting​Effective methods for sage grouse hunting​The magic of sage grouse leks in the spring​The importance of engagement locally and afar in conservation​The joys of hunting with our family membershttps://www.instagram.com/josh_tatman/?hl=en

Mike Neiduski is the owner and operator of Ugly Dog Hunting Company, an online bird dog supply shop, providing serious gear for serious bird hunters and dog trainers. He is a NAVHDA senior judge, published writer, and spends most of his fall traveling across bird country with his wirehair, Nash and shorthair, Mack. Topics covered include:​Mike's recent venture with Ugly Dog​Creating a safe environment for dogs/people alike​Public land advocacy ​Making hunting gear affordable for all budgets​Mike's unwritten rules in the uplandsConnect with Mike's company:https://uglydoghunting.com/https://www.instagram.com/uglydoghuntingco/?hl=enConnect with Mike on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mneiduski/?hl=en

In December 2008, 21-year-old Kyle Kamp weighed 270 pounds and experienced chest pains while opening Christmas presents. That moment sparked a major life change. Over the next year, he lost more than 140 pounds and became deeply invested in understanding nutrition and exercise.Frustrated by conflicting information online, Kyle pursued a degree in Dietetics, completed his residency, and became a Registered Dietitian in Idaho. There, he discovered how proper nutrition fuels outdoor performance, especially in the mountains he grew to love.Kyle founded V2P to cut through nutrition fads and misinformation. His goal is to deliver science-based guidance that helps people reach their physical and performance goals—especially in demanding outdoor pursuits.Topics covered include:​Kyle's transformative weight loss that led to a passion for outdoor pursuits​Well-rounded nutritional science​How extreme, overly exhausting training isn't as helpful as we think ​Proper fuel during demanding hunts​Training that prepares us for the rigors of huntingConnect with Kyle:https://www.v2pnutrition.com/https://www.instagram.com/v2pnutrition/?hl=en

Heath Seiner is a self-proclaimed average dude in constant need to escape to wide open spaces. Driven by the hunt, he is ever nudged to explore new landscapes and continuously tinkers with gear to further enable those pursuits. And now with the founding of Hunt Redi upland vests, he equips others to explore those landscapes as well.Topics covered:​The fun of variances within dog breeds​His great-grandma's influence in a love for the outdoors​The moment Heath became a "bird hunter"​The origin story and heart behind Hunt Redi upland vests​Heath's "Pave the Way" program to get youth involved in huntinghttps://www.huntredi.com/https://www.instagram.com/hunt.redi/?hl=en

Jake Bartells and his family reside in Eastern Pennsylvania with his now five French Brittanys. His story is anything but typical in the sense of his now wife, but then high school sweetheart introduced him to bird dogs. The introduction blossomed into a passion for training, testing, and hunting his dogs all over the country. He's a senior judge for the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, a past board member of the Club de l'Epagneul breton of the US, and an avid conservationist. He considers himself quite blessed to share these passions with his family and friends, and is always excited to take on the next adventure.Topics covered include:​Getting into bird hunting in a unique way​The training method Jake has come to love​The fun in hunting overlooked, fringe places ​Jake's fondness of the French Brittany​How the uplands are his homehttps://www.instagram.com/jakebartells/

Brian Maze has spent over a decade guiding clients through memorable outdoor adventures, beginning with turkey hunting, and later diving into fly fishing. But his true passion emerged with the arrival of Miss Rebel, a German Shorthaired Pointer whose first point ignited his love for bird dogs and upland hunting.With the addition of a second dog, Miss Luna, his obsession with Ruffed Grouse hunting took root, shaping the vision behind Amaazen Outdoors. At its core, Amaazen Outdoors is about the simple joy of running bird dogs and sharing the woods with others who cherish the same experience.Brian is also a dedicated advocate for public land conservation, working with organizations like the Ruffed Grouse Society, American Woodcock Society, and Pheasants Forever to protect the wild places that fuel his passion.For Brian, it’s all about the dogs, the birds, and the land—and creating space for others to experience that same deep connection.Topics covered include:​Leaving the corporate world to have a more dog-centric life​The hidden language we can have with our dogs​Brian's transformation from a "partridge hunter" to a "grouse hunter"​Wisconsin ruffed grouse drumming survey results​The fulfillment Brian has in making memorable moments for peoplehttps://amaazen.com/https://www.instagram.com/amaazen_outdoors/#

Chris Midgette is an avid bird hunter, lifelong waterfowler, Boykin spaniel owner, a self-proclaimed bourbon snob, gas station pork rind connoisseur, and the worst duck caller east of the Mississippi. He's also an outdoor writer, whose stories are equal parts heart and humor have appeared in the Upland Almanac, Wing and Clay Magazine and more.Topics covered include:The versatility of Boykin SpanielsChris's protection of the integrity of the breedWaterfowl hunting among hundreds of toiletsAuthentic outdoor writing Taking our dogs hunting as much as we canhttps://www.thehuntingtraveller.com/https://www.instagram.com/thehuntingtraveller/?hl=en

Drew Conner is from a small town in South Carolina named Edgemoor. God comes first in his life with his family close behind. Hunting and work constantly battle for that third position with fishing inching its way there, especially in the spring and fall. He has a wonderful wife who deals with his constant hunting and fishing trips. He has a two year old daughter and a 13 year old son that he drags along with him every chance he gets. He has an English setter and a black lab and they hunt all over the Southeast on a regular basis. While he spends most of his time chasing bobs and woodcock, Appalachian ruffed grouse are by far his favorite.Topics covered include:Hunting with flushers and pointersBobwhite quail managementHealthy fires on the landscapeThe unhealthy stigma of fireAppalachian grouse advocacy https://www.instagram.com/alconner84/?hl=en

Dave Mayers is a Pennsylvania native, where he cut his teeth bird hunting behind his friend's close working black labradors. He hunted ruffed grouse and wild pheasants in the PA hills before moving to Missouri in 1986. Dave also spent a couple of years in central Wisconsin. Since 1996, he has walked behind his own german short-haired pointers and has been fortunate enough to travel with them to several Midwestern and Western states, chasing pheasants, woodcock, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, and a few sharp tails. Dave retired as fisheries biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation in 2014 and has had more time to devote to his dogs and see what awaits them over the next rise.Topics covered include:​Living with bird dogs in the house​Hunting the woodcock migration in the Ozarks​Fish habitat overlapping with upland bird habitat​Making "micro hunts" out of large group hunts​The mysteries of the American Woodcockhttps://www.instagram.com/seize_the_moment_outdoors/?hl=en

Andrew M. Wayment (Andy) graduated from law school in May of 2001. He is currently a partner at Tolson and Wayment PLLC in Idaho Falls, Idaho, focusing on estate planning, probate, business, and real estate. His favorite area of practice is in conservation, working with numerous land trusts in the great state of Idaho to create conservation easements. Andy is also a freelance writer and has written numerous articles for various magazines and published three books: Heaven on Earth: Stories of Fly Fishing, Fun and Faith, Idaho Ruffed Grouse Hunting: The Heartbeat of the Woods Idaho Upland Days: Reflections on Bird Dogs, Banner Days, and Other Roadside Revelations. His fourth book, Idaho Grouse Fever, has just been accepted for publication with the History Press and is expected to be released in 2026. Andy has a wife, Kristen, and his six children, four daughters and two sons, ranging in age from 28 to 13. He also has two bird dogs, Rainy, a French Brittany, and Aki, a golden retriever. Andy is the assistant coach for the Skyline High School trap shooting team that took second in state last year. And Andy loves the outdoors. When he's not working or hanging with his family, he's either chasing grouse or some kind of fish on the fly or writing about his misadventures. You can find some of his work online at www.uplandways.com. Topics covered include:​Hunting with a pointer and a flusher​Encounters with moose and hornets​Writing about hunting spots and taking readers to those places​Mexican grouse recipes​The peace that Andy feels in the uplandshttps://www.instagram.com/andywayment/?hl=enhttps://uplandways.com/

Robb Moore is a ninth generation Virginian, angler, bird hunter, and an active registered Maine guide with the Maine Upland Guide Service. He lives in Brunswick, Maine with his wife, Heather Krajewski, and their American Brittanys Lincoln and Rooster. Moore has written for a variety of publications, including The Virginia Sportsman, the print and online versions of Project Upland, and its sister print publication, The Hunting Dog Confidential, and The Ruffed Grouse Society. You can find Lincoln, Rooster, and Moore on Instagram @amanandhisbirddog.Topics covered:​Becoming a hunter later in life​Dogs choosing us, not us choosing them​Walking 200 miles before harvesting a grouse​The rigors of becoming a Maine guide​The awe and reverence we should feel for wildlife​How hunting keeps us younghttps://maineupland.com/https://www.instagram.com/amanandhisbirddog/?hl=en

Today I am joined by Justin Berkley. A native Michigander, Justin now lives a nomadic bird hunting lifestyle, spending the months of August through February on the move, chasing whatever birds he and his string of bird dogs can find. You can follow along with his adventures on Instagram at Northern Forest Gun Dogs. Topics covered include:​The genetic traits Justin is looking for in a dog​The enchantment and struggle of an upland nomad​Healthy competition with our dogs​The magic of quail coveys​Potential negative impacts of pen raised gamebirds​Pheasants in downtown Detroit, Michigan

Rob Hubble runs the "Northwest Wingshooters" Youtube channel. He's 37 years old, hails from Washington State, but currently lives in Idaho. Rob has been married for 14 years to his awesome wife, Katie, and together, they have an 11 year old daughter, Sidney. He works as an airline pilot, but when he's not flying planes, he enjoys taking long walks with his dogs, especially when birds and shotguns are involved. Some of his other favorite hobbies include fishing, snowboarding, and mountain biking.Topics covered:The variety of gamebirds in the Pacific NorthwestThe loving affection of Brittanies Pheasant hunting in the Northwest compared to MidwestRuffed grouse behavior in different regionsType 2 fun bird hunting

Edgar Castillo is a retired law enforcement officer for 27 years, where he worked for a large Kansas city metropolitan agency. He also served in the U S Marines for a decade. Edgar was born in Guatemala and upon arriving in the U S he discovered his affinity for wing shooting. His passion lies in the uplands, wherever the dirt roads take him to hunting open fields, walking tree lines and busting through plum thickets in a never ending search for wild birds in wild places.Topics covered include:The hunting scene in KansasEdgar's origins as a hunterHunting culture in Guatemala compared to the U.S.Hunting ptarmigan in Colorado and AlaskaRelationships with other people's dogsEdgar's outdoor writing career

You’re listening to The Upland Social, a podcast dedicated to the bird hunting community. I’m your host, Ryan Lynton, an artist, writer, and lover of all things dogs and birds. We’ll gear up and hit the field with some of the most engaging and compelling voices on the bird hunting scene. Each week, we will hear from seasoned hunters, dog trainers, storytellers, wild game specialists, to everyday uplanders just like you and me. Their insights, experience, and stories will inspire and equip you to explore, conserve, and celebrate the wild places we all love. The landscape is truly limitless. So load up, drop the tailgate, and let’s go. This is The Upland Social.