#331 | 50+ Years of Upland Hunting over Flushing Dogs with Randy Shepard

In this episode of The Birdshot Podcast, host Nick Larson welcomes Randy Shepard, lifelong upland hunter and host of the My Dog Hunts podcast. With over five decades of bird hunting experience, Randy shares stories that span from the pheasant fields of Iowa to the sage country of the Intermountain West. Randy Shepard grew up pheasant hunting in Iowa, eventually expanding his pursuits to ruffed grouse, prairie grouse, quail, and beyond. Through his My Dog Hunts podcast, Randy tells reflective hunting stories, weaving together decades of personal experiences, lessons learned from great dogs, and observations about changing landscapes. Expect to Learn Randy’s background in bird hunting and how his storytelling podcast came to life. The story of his first lab, Pitch, and reflections on the best bird dogs he’s owned. Labs vs. Springers: the strengths of each for pheasants, grouse, and prairie hunting. The decline of Iowa's ruffed grouse population Strategies for hunting sharptails and prairie chickens with flushing dogs, including the importance of timing and wind. Memorable stories of getting lost, losing gear, and learning from the unpredictability of the uplands. Episode Breakdown with Timestamps: [00:00:00] - Introduction [00:04:00] - Starting the My Dog Hunts podcast [00:10:50] - Growing up pheasant hunting in Iowa [00:22:01] - Switching between labs and Springers [00:42:05] - Flushing dogs vs. pointing dogs for prairie birds [00:57:32] - Tips for early season sharptail hunting with flushers [00:11:23] - Approaching Sharp-Tailed Grouse in other hours [01:18:45] - Hunting rig setup and van modifications [01:21:20] - Closing thoughts and where to find Randy Follow Guest Randy: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/My-Dog-Hunts-100046437775994/ Website: https://mydoghunts.com/ Email: shepard.randy@yahoo.com Listening Links: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-dog-hunts-upland-birds/id1508319093 BuzzSprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/959107 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/5a4BnZXPTSdRjTQJODtauK?si=57b93a92960642c5 Follow Host Nick: Instagram: @birdshot.podcast Website: www.birdshotpodcast.com Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17EVUDJPwR2iJggzhLYil7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdshot-podcast/id1288308609 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@birdshot.podcast SUPPORT | http://www.patreon.com/birdshot Use Promo Code | BSP20 to save 20% on https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app Use Promo Code | BS10 to save 10% on https://trulockchokes.com/ The Birdshot Podcast is Presented By: https://www.onxmaps.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices