Bird dogs, rough cover, better habits.
Upland Nation keeps its boots in bird country, with Scott Linden talking through upland hunting, dog work, gear, access, and missed shots. The show mixes trainer interviews, listener questions, road-trip lessons, and small fixes that make the next hunt run a little cleaner.
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Upland Nation is a practical, dog-forward show about upland bird hunting, built from interviews, road stories, listener questions, and field lessons that have some mud on them. Scott Linden keeps the conversation close to real hunting problems: missed shots, young dogs, bad weather, road-trip planning, public access, gun care, and the little mistakes that only become obvious after a hunt goes sideways. The show has a strong trainer bench. Clyde Vedder talks NAVHDA work, composure, testing, and raising the bar for bird dogs. Jim Van Engen brings the early-years view, with attention to gun introduction, retrieving, steadiness, and why the first two years matter. Talmadge Smedley adds a more detailed look at how dogs read cues, check in, and learn through e-collar work. Those conversations are not polished lectures. They are patient, sometimes winding exchanges about what a dog is doing, what the handler thinks is happening, and where those two things fail to match. Hunting tactics get the same treatment. Episodes cover last-ditch shooting tips, choke and sight considerations, gear kits, gun cleaning, and the kind of practical correction that might add one more bird to a bag. The road-trip episodes bring in a different rhythm, with Scott Linden talking about big seasonal plans, chasing blue skies and dry ground, and learning to travel like someone who wants to come home smarter. Public access is a recurring concern, from general planning habits to specific South Dakota pheasant advice with Casey Wisemantle. Conservation comes through in the habitat episodes, especially the discussion of disturbance, forests, ruffed grouse, woodcock, and the need for varied age structure on the landscape. The show also listens to its own audience. Social media questions, survey results, Handle It questions, and Fix It segments give the episodes a back-and-forth feel, even when the hour is mostly one voice at the microphone. Upland Nation is not trying to make bird hunting sound sleek. It is more useful than that. It knows about dogs that lose weight, handlers who get complacent, maps that need scribbles, and cover that needs work. The result is a steady companion for hunters who want to sharpen the whole system: dog, gun, map, habitat sense, and judgment.
Made for: For upland bird hunters, bird-dog owners, public-access planners, and shotgun shooters who want practical advice from people who spend real time in the field. It especially fits listeners who care about training details, access strategy, and lessons learned the hard way.
What sets it apart: Upland Nation stands out by tying bird-dog training, hunting tactics, access planning, and habitat talk into one grounded field conversation. The show is comfortable being specific about mistakes, missed shots, dog behavior, and the small fixes that matter during a season.
Interesting, informative guests on all things upland bird dogs and bird hunting, hosted by the creator of TV series Wingshooting USA. Hunting stories and glorious dog work, the most knowledgeable and entertaining pro guides, hardcore hunters and consummate trainers in the sport.
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Scott Linden connects bird-dog handling, shooting, access, and habitat to the decisions upland hunters make in the field.
Upland Nation turns bird hunting into a practical conversation about what happens before, during, and after a day in the field. Scott Linden moves between guest interviews and recurring advice segments, keeping bird dogs at the center while making room for shooting technique,…
A missed rooster stings less when Scott Linden admits his shotgun skills need work, too.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Plainspoken shooting advice with a useful, no-frills focus.
Scott Linden uses a pre-season shooting check-in to make a plain point: if the shots are not landing, the fix usually starts with the basics. He leans into some self-deprecating talk about his own shooting, then folds in listener tips, last-ditch fixes, gear kit ideas, and a…
A practical guide to South Dakota pheasant hunting, with access tools and a few dog-side reminders.
Scott Linden treats South Dakota pheasant hunting as a matter of planning, while Casey Wisemantle of the Aberdeen, South Dakota Visitors Bureau supplies the clearest access guidance.
A plainspoken look at disturbance, silviculture, and the habitat work that supports ruffed grouse and woodcock.
This episode opens with sponsor material and show-floor bustle before settling into a grounded talk about disturbance, habitat, and silviculture.
Plainspoken bird-dog talk on e-collars, forward movement, and reading a dog's tells.
Talmadge Smedley gets a plainspoken look at how a bird dog learns, with Scott Linden keeping the focus on e-collar work, forward movement, and the small tells that shape the next cue.
A practical pheasant discussion centered on dog work, snowshoe trouble, and hot-weather scenting.
Al Godori's pheasant segment is a practical listen, keeping birds, dogs, and field lessons in focus while Scott Linden keeps the discussion moving. It stays grounded in how pheasants behave, how dogs work them, and the small adjustments hunters make when conditions shift.
Backcountry hunting, beyond the trigger pull.
Whitetail stories before the shot breaks.
Deer-camp talk with useful dirt on it.
Waterfowl tactics with hunt-camp static.
Elk hunting, hard reps, harder lessons.
Scott Linden opens by counting down to the season and zeroing in on one basic skill: shooting.
This episode features an interview with Clyde Vedder, a top NAVHDA trainer, discussing dog training techniques, composure, test preparation, and handling high-energy dogs.
This episode explores philosophical and practical lessons for planning and enjoying road trips, particularly for hunting season, aiming to transform listeners from road warriors to road scholars.
This episode features an interview with pro bird dog trainer Jim Van Engen discussing gun introduction, retrieving, steadiness, and the critical first two years of a dog's life, along with hunting stories and listener engagement segments.
This episode provides tips and tactics for finding and maximizing public access hunting opportunities to prepare for the upcoming bird season.
Scott Linden opens by framing this as a South Dakota planning call for upland bird hunters.
Scott Linden records from the National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Scott Linden sits down with breeder, trainer, and bird hunter Talmadge Smedley for a talk about dog handling and how pressure and cues work in the field.
Scott Linden brings back pheasant guide Al Godori for a grounded talk about pheasants, dogs, and the little field details that matter.
This episode debriefs the bird hunting season with expert hunters discussing bird numbers, strategies, and tips, while also covering gear recommendations and sharing memories of hunting dogs.
This episode provides a step-by-step tutorial on hunting late-season pheasants, covering habitat, habits, and shooting tips, along with segments on dog training fixes and social media shares.
This episode offers practical advice and etiquette tips for bird hunters navigating rural America while traveling with dogs.
This episode features an interview with Trevor Waltz, a bird hunting guide from Montana, discussing prairie birds, Mearn's quail, dog training tips, non-toxic ammunition, and public land hunting access.