Director Tad Newberry and host Scott Linden on a cold shoot!
Plan ahead! There’s a ton of great hunting this season … on Wingshooting USA and in the field. You’ll want to watch every episode, not only for the great dogs, birds and beautiful places but because YOU CAN WIN! Win food for your breed rescue club from Native, cash for your conservation group from Black’s Wing & Clay Waterfowl, a shot on the show for you and your kid from www.wingshootingusa.org, Cabela’s gear for yourself, and a TriTronics collar for your dog! You gotta watch to vote, and vote to win, so TUNE IN.
Episode 1 Week of Dec. 28
Hot, dry conditions test a “seasoned” Brittany’s nose and endurance … but she prevails, overcoming age and heat, with encouragement from a boisterous young Pointer. Bobwhites are the quarry in Kansas farm country as Scott is joined by Chris Jarvis for a high-energy hunt where we learn to trust the hunter with the longest nose, and admire her grace under pressure. Britt does a “dirty job” well!
Episode 2 Week of Jan. 4
Montana’s big sky country is the setting for big-running Pointers after Hungarian partridge on the prairies. The mother-daughter dog team scales rocky ledges and sweeps through coulees to produce these elusive imports for Scott and John Shirley of Eagle Nest Lodge. The hunt comes full circle in a number of ways: acquaintances become friends by the end of the hunt, and mother dog shows daughter a thing or two about hunting!
Episode 3 Week of Jan. 11
Two guys hunting a six-guy field … a twist on the traditional South Dakota block-and-drive hunt where Scott is joined by R&R Pheasant Hunting’s Sal Roseland. Thick, hybrid milo tests the strength and determination of a Lab and shorthair … but they come through in the clutch, putting birds up in classic – and creative – ways. For once, Scott’s big talk is backed up with three ringneck doubles!
Episode 4 Week of Jan. 18
Wet, windy, wild … that’s the diplomatic description of this hunt in head-high cover presided over by an elegant pair of setters (one English, one Irish). The country, the dogs, and the birds all take us back to a time when manners and poise counted. We savor the work of beautiful dogs: one aptly named “Link” provides a connection to our hunting heritage of a century ago.
Episode 5 Week of Jan. 25
An Irish Red Setter graces the creek bottoms and fields, a rare breed that will acquire new fans on this trip. Ringneck pheasants are the game, and “Ty” the setter is ably assisted by two Pointers as the cattails challenge hunters and dogs. Contagious exuberance for the hunt balances any less-than-stellar dog work … feel the adrenaline rush as a big rooster towers overhead, cackling. Talk about team effort, these dogs really enjoy working together.
Episode 6 Week of Feb. 1
Steady work from a matched pair of Pointers helps the hunters cope with low-flying and running preserve bobwhites. Venturing into the trees of this farm, the shooting goes from challenging to vexing. A mixed bag means everyone’s on their toes: pheasants, quail, even chukar erupt from the grass, jinking through branches that test the patience – and skill – of dog and hunter alike. A rare melanistic pheasant (all black) is brought to bag by Scott.
Episode 7 Week of Feb. 8
Look up “park” in the dictionary, and there might be a photo of this lush Montana hill country. Pine trees and buffalo berry, rolling meadows and Hungarian partridge put hunters to the test as we try to keep up with big-running pointers. The topography throws a few curves at shooters unused to pointing so far up and down, but birds are shot and retrieves are made in a very special setting. The dogs embrace the spirit of the hunt, and are in their element buoyed by the cooler weather.
Episode 8 Week of Feb. 15
One dog displays a level of courage unlike any you’ve likely seen, doing yeoman’s work in tropical conditions. Carpet-like cover traps scent, forcing dogs to dig, literally, for hunkered-down bobwhites. You will clearly see the advantages to short-coated Pointers in hot weather as this brace delicately and persistently seeks wisps of bird scent among the heat waves.
Episode 9 Week of Feb. 22
It’s not often you have the governor on your side and willing to intervene. In this case, it’s Gov. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, and he arrives just in time to salvage a hunt literally blown away by gale force winds. After some frustrating experimentation, the right dog breeds, a different hunting strategy, and change of scenery pays off. You’ll learn why sometimes, pointing dogs and running pheasants just don’t mix. And, why punting is often the best alternative.
Episode 10 Week of March 1
A tag-team of near-identical dogs of different breeds tests Scott’s color-blind eyes, but not his admiration for this flusher-pointer combination. Ty the Irish Red Setter skillfully complements Golden Retriever Chief’s brush-busting. Each seems to know when he’s best suited to the terrain, resulting in a regular supply of flushing Montana ringnecks for the guns.
Episode 11 Week of March 8
Like the Energizer bunny, these two Pointers keep going and going … through a variety of challenging covers. They may not be the most elegant dogs, but they perform in a workmanlike manner, and guess what, they retrieve! If you could wave a magic wand and ask for one hunt that covered all types of cover, this might be it. And if you needed something done, you’d want these “blue collar” dogs working for you.
Episode 12 Week of March 15
“Fancy” is not just the name of this English Setter … it’s how she works: elegant and light-footed. “Looney Tune” is her polar opposite (figures, doesn’t it?), bringing comic relief to a hunt that needs it. Thick brush, a tangle of trees, and wet weather are the biggest challenges. But several shots by Scott and his guests prove the adage “I’d rather be lucky than good” … they just won’t admit it!
Episode 13 Week of March 22
Sure, everybody does a “Greatest Hits” episode, recapping some of the good stuff from previous shows. But we had so much excellent hunting, we’re making a “Greatest Misses” show, sharing the fantastic out-takes that missed the cut the first time around. These are the shots, the points, the retrieves and other notable footage that we didn’t have room for on other episodes. And in keeping with the title, you’ll probably see a few “interesting” shots by Scott and his guests.
You can also watch each episode right here.
