The Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast

Reid welcomes dog trainer John McIltrot for Seranoa Kennels (www.seranoakennels.com) from Roundup, MT, alongside John's training partner Taylor Todd. John is a fascinating character: bird dog trainer, falconer, mentor, animal behaviorist, and prairie philosopher. He and Taylor explore concepts of animal behavior, mentorship, how to move slowly through a training process with humility and keen observation.

In a slight departure from the norm, Reid gathers with a group of pals to debrief a pheasant hunt on a farm in Hitchcock, South Dakota. The group, spearheaded by Lyndsey Braun and Doug Duren of Sharing the Land, explores topics of land stewardship, dog work, hits and misses, and challenges faced by new hunters. It's a meandering journey with lots of voices, but some great perspectives offered. Warning: some colorful language is used. Special thanks to Can-Am, BOSS Shotshells, Savage Arms, Gunner Kennels, Matt Morlock, and Dylan Hazen.

Del Whitman is back to help explain shotshell pressures and how to create optimal patterns. Del puts the mystery of shot ballistics into layman's terms, describing how patterns perform and how extreme pressures destroy pattern density and pose risks to fine guns. In response to a listener query, he also digs into the magical properties of TSS and Tungsten alloys, which seem to break all the rules.

After too long a break, the podcast returns solo installment featuring a piece of written work originally published in Skydance Magazine. An essay about Reid's early days as a woodcock hunter is shared in response to some reflection about shooting woodcock, the particular frailty of the species, and the changes faced by a bird hunter as he gets a bit older. As always, rate and review the podcast, and explore more written work at www.reidbryant.com

One for the ages... Reid is joined by Stewart McIntyre, Estate Manager at Loyton Sporting (https://loyton.com/) and winner of the coveted 2023 Purdey Gold Award for Game and Habitat Conservation. Stewart pulls back the curtain and articulates the complexity of British Game Shooting, not only as an industry but as a force for stewardship and conservation. If ever you've looked at driven shooting and scratched your head, listen to this podcast. Stewart does a remarkable job explaining just why driven shooting is such a remarkable driver of sustainable land use, and also why it can be misunderstood.