Well, here we are. We're 200 episodes into our podcast and still can't believe anyone cares to hear what Bob has to say. Thank you to those who join the show, who follow along, patreon friends, hunting buddies, training pals and more. For today's show, Bob and Kevin hang out and catch up for the last show of Bob's southern trip. We check in on training and how all the dogs are doing, how he is working through issues and what his hunt tests have been like so far for 2024. We also get a sneak peek that Bob and Blaine were judging at the Boykin National. *We have a few spots left for our patreon duck hunt. If you're a community member, you're welcome to join us for a seminar and a hunt this December. DM us for info and let's go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we have the pleasure of chatting with our friend, Andy Wayment. Andy is a passionate hunter who has been chasing grouse for 25 years and sharing the woods with all sorts of dogs. Fortunately for us, Andy is also a great storyteller and has written a few books about his time spent behind his hunting dogs. We begin the show hearing about Andy and how he got into hunting, what makes a good hunting buddy and where he hunts in his books. Andy is extremely thorough and is able to recall specific details of a hunt like no other. Trust me, it's certainly worth checking out his books, whether or not you're a grouse hunter. Andy also does some more informal writing at his blog, which you can find here. Want more Lone Duck? Check out our patreon and come hang out with us. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was an absolute pleasure to sit down and talk dogs and hunting with Jim Ronquest. We begin the show learning about Jim, where he grew up and how he got into dogs. Then we chat about the two dogs he currently has and how they're doing with competing and hunting. As you can imagine, they're hunting machines. The next section is my favorite part of the show and Jim dives into story after story of hunting with past dogs in various places. Jim talks a lot about the determination and passion his dogs have for hunting and it's clear that he shares the same level of commitment. Honestly, it's admirable. We finish the show discussing good duck dogs and how they can also be high-level competition dogs, how age and experience play into dogs, making better duck dogs and when to take a young dog hunting. Thank you to Jim for joining the show and trading a few stories with us. Jim does Instagram Lives most Mondays and you should do yourself a favor and follow along. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is extremely special because we get to chat with our friend, Pat Nolan, about training in drive. It's also special because you can head over to our youtube channel and WATCH this episode to see the videos Pat and Bob discuss during this episode. Aside from catching up with Pat, we chat about collar conditioning and his thoughts on "the goldilocks method." We also spend a lot of time discussing training in drive and how Pat uses this technique to engage dogs and essentially teach them faster and in a more thorough manner. We also discuss conditioned responses with reward markers, teaching directions to younger dogs, using tables to teach, what "force" means to Pat and finally, we discuss miscommunications in training and how to handle these situations. As always, it is a pleasure to hang out with Pat, hear stories about some of his dogs and the types of work they're doing and soak in some knowledge because boy, there's a lot to take notes on. If you're interested in hearing more from Pat, join a seminar or sign up for his online courses, then check out his website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're excited to have our friend, Kali Parmley, back on the show today. As the editor of Gundog Magazine and host of our favorite tv show, Wild Upland, it's no surprise that Kali is an awesome storyteller and bad-to-the-bone hunter. We catch up with Kali and hear about her first time at SEWE (a Lone Duck favorite) and how her hunting season was this past year. Kali hunts all over the place with her dogs and is truly one of the most dedicated bird dog lovers we know. We also get to hear about how Kali's dog is learning, getting more bird contacts and really becoming a fine dog. As if she couldn't be any cooler, she has both a lab and a setter. Do yourself a favor and watch her show and give her a follow on the ol' Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we have the pleasure of welcoming back our buddy, Kyle Warren, from Paint River Setters. We had Kyle on the show a few episodes ago and felt like we didn't get enough of him so he is back and we talk for a while about anything and everything. We begin the show discussing grouse hunting, what's great about it, what trees to look for, types of covers and the difference between lake states and NY hunting. All of that is basically enough educational content for one episode but we keep talking through what birds eat and when, the type of gear Kyle has punished over the years, finding covers, using onX and other maps and then we rapid fire some fun questions at him. Take some notes, there's a lot to digest in this one. Kyle is a fantastic storyteller and the man knows more about grouse, and good grouse dogs, than anyone I've ever met. A big thank you to Kyle for hanging out with us and trading a few stories. If you're looking for some more information about Kyle, his dogs or grouse hunting... check him out at the link above. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with our buddy John Carpenter from Orvis Sandanona. For the past decade, John has been running driven hunts and tower shoots and he is the man behind the dogs for all of it. John is a passionate dog guy and his dogs are hard working, blue collar workers that retrieve like a hundred birds per hunt. They're absolutely fantastic to watch and always seem to know how to dig out a crippled bird, no matter where it'd hidden itself. We talk with John about his time working at Orvis, what it's like to be in charge of the hunts, what it's like training his dogs, hunting with good dogs vs great dogs and a whole lot more. John is a wealth of knowledge and it's great catching up with him. We'll have him back on the show again for sure. Plus, if you're looking for some help with your dogs or want to learn more from John, check out his site here. Gear up for the training season and get anything you need at our store.... PS patreon members get a slick discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast is special because we sit down to chat with McGehee and Michael from Barrows Outdoors. If you haven't heard of them, then check out their store and definitely check out their whistle... it's the only one we use at Lone Duck because it's that good. In this show, we hear about the guys and how they got into the dog world, how they develop their products and how Michael has had (what must seem like) 500 dogs. These are two extremely passionate dog trainers and entrepreneurs and you're going to love this episode. Want more Lone D? Check out our patreon for discounts and 1:1 time with Bob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back! This show is a continuation of the conversation we had with Kevin Cheff about taking a really good dog and making them great. We dig into the fine details of blind development, drill work, handlers handling skills, problem solving and attitude, momentum and confidence. This is a super thorough conversation and Kevin helps to paint a picture for what you and your dog could and should be doing if you're looking to be serious about retriever training. Break out the ol' notebook... this is a good one. If you enjoyed Kevin, then check out his Fetch course that has enrollment coming up in a few days so don't wait. Tell Kevin we sent you his way. Previous episodes featuring Kevin Cheff: Ep. 97 The Retrieiver Coach, Kevin Cheff Ep. 118 "Every dog is an individual"- Kevin Cheff Ep. 126. "Teaching your dog to think"- Kevin Cheff Ep. 158 "Establish high standards" with Kevin Cheff (Part 1) Ep. 159. Retriever Training Fundamentals with Kevin Cheff (Part 2) Ep. 180 Kevin Cheff Answers Retriever Training Questions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we have the pleasure of chatting with our good friend and Retriever Coach, Kevin Cheff. He is back to chat with us about his perspective on taking a good dog and turning them into a great dog. Yes... it's possible and you can do it, too. Kevin digs into all sorts of topics for this conversation and we have such a thorough chat, we split this into two episodes. This first show really focuses in on fundamentals and marking development, drills, corrections, etc. Grab your notebooks. It's time to work. Previous episodes featuring Kevin Cheff: Ep. 97 The Retrieiver Coach, Kevin Cheff Ep. 118 "Every dog is an individual"- Kevin Cheff Ep. 126. "Teaching your dog to think"- Kevin Cheff Ep. 158 "Establish high standards" with Kevin Cheff (Part 1) Ep. 159. Retriever Training Fundamentals with Kevin Cheff (Part 2) Ep. 180 Kevin Cheff Answers Retriever Training Questions PS. Kevin is launching another enrollment for his Fetch course so if you're interested, check him out starting February 19. Be sure to tell him we sent ya. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we had the pleasure of chatting with Kyle Warren from Paint River Setters. Kyle has been working with dogs since he was a kid and has been chasing birds for just as long. We begin the show learning how Kyle got into the business doing obedience from his family's barn and then went on to work with k9s and search and rescue. We then hear how he moved out west (lucky guy) and bought some land in the UP and now breeds and trains some of the prettiest Setters you've ever seen. We chat with Kyle about scent conditions for birds and, really, any kind of scent. It's interesting to hear how he compares training dogs to find people or items to how we work covers to hunt birds. Honestly, there isn't much of a difference but hey, have you ever thought of it that way? Then we move onto discussing genetics and how they play into big running dogs vs. slower tracking dogs and whether or not it's possible to reign in a big runner (like Kevin's dog, Covey). Later we talk with Kyle about his training style and how he takes a puppy and turns them into a hunting dog. Kyle is an absolute wealth of knowledge and we just scratched the surface on a lot of topics. A big thank you to Kyle for joining the show and we'll have him on the show again to chat more about chasing birds alongside some good lookin' Setters. Check out Kyle's instagram here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob and Blaine sit down to discuss some conversations being had on their patreon accounts. You can check out Blaine's patreon here and Bob's patreon here to learn more and chat with them yourselves. They dig into all sorts of topics from training drills to steadiness to the timing of corrections. We dig into the types of "pressure," where they agree and where they disagree on training, the timing and maturity of dogs and how some move faster than others and some move slower, etc... It's always good to have Blaine on the show because he seems to have a very thoughtful answer for just about any situation. Thanks for always following along. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on here or on Google. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's show we chat with our buddy Brad Eldridge from Parish Waterfowl. Brad hunted with Bob a few weeks ago and aside from being a dedicated waterfowler, he is a great person who has a passion for duck calls, entrepreneurship, hard work, dogs and a whole bunch of things we also love. Man, it's great chatting with him. We learn about Brad's coffee shop and how he got into this game and how he first got into cuttin' calls. Brad dives into the history of duck calls and is extremely thorough. Then we dig into his calls, building them and how he hunts with his big dog, Parish. Finally, we end the show with some awesome parting advice from Brad. If you're interested in more stories, photos and Parish, then check him out on Instagram here. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we had the pleasure of speaking with our friends, Casey and Jessica Dowler, from FR Labs in South Dakota. Bob ran into Casey this past year at Master Nationals and had the chance to see him work dogs and he is extremely talented. We kick off the show learning a little about the background of both Casey and Jessica and how they got into the game, their first dog and what "discipline" means to them in regards to training dogs. Then we jump into a little conversation about Master Nationals and The Grand and hear some unique perspectives on the differences and what it takes for a dog to be successful. We also hear why Bob doesn't run many UKC events... we've had people ask and here ya go. We finish the show hearing about their hunting season and why South Dakota is such a special place for hunting with dogs. A big thank you to Casey and Jessica for joining us on the show and trading stories about dogs, hunting, judging and more. Maybe one of these days we could get together and share a duck blind. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob and Kevin sit down over a few Utica Clubs and chat about Bob's recent hunting trip to Mississippi to duck hunt with some good people. Bob went down there to hunt with a friend & client, Frank (Ace's owner) and Mike. They started out pounding some local shrimp before checking out Raggio Custom Calls and heading to Parish Waterfowl. The boys got to learn a bit about old school cut down calls and waterfowl heritage with Brad from Parish Waterfowl and Jim Ronquest. This trip was a two day hunt filled with all sorts of birds, stories, dog work and good times. Want more Lone Duck action? Check out our patreon and hang out with us on zoom calls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we are pleased to sit down and chat with our buddy, Carter Turner, from Mossy Pond Retrievers. Carter has been working with dogs since he was a kid chasing coon dogs through the woods. We begin the show learning about how he got into the dog world and all about coon hunting competitions. Then we hear how he picked up a job at Mossy Pond and did some apprentice work before being a full on dog trainer and running high level dogs all over the country. People often write in and ask how to be a dog trainer or how to start running dogs for people at these big events and well, here's how Carter did it. He started as a young man and worked hard and slowly but surely made progress. It's always cool to speak with good people like Carter who work tirelessly chasing goals. We then dig into his time in the SRS game and hear what he thinks makes a good SRS dog: marking, compliant, mature, etc.. Then we chat about his time at The Grand and then Master Nationals this year. We also hear what Carter and the fellas at Mossy Pond suggest people do when taking their dogs on their first hunt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we have the pleasure of sitting down to chat with a repeat guest and good buddy, Pat Burns, from Elite Retrievers. We begin the show discussing the SRS and some of the unconventional stuff he saw and found interesting-- it's always great to hear his perspective. Then we dig into a very thorough conversation about handling. We talk all about line mechanics and what he calls "red zone handling" on blinds. Yes, you'll want to listen and relisten to that part of the show, it's super educational. Then we talk with Pat about off season training routines and two drills: the no no drill and the chinese drill. We finish up the show and hear about a new program he is offering starting in December, the Retriever Revolution. We also hear that Bob was featured in a youtube video, so check out Pat's channel here. As always, thank you to Pat for joining our show. Cheers! PS. Santa Bob might need to deck your halls... check out the site for some holiday action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, Bob and Kevin sit down to chat over a celebratory beer and cheers to a nice deer in the freezer. In episode 149, Bob shares the story of his first buck, Nubby (it's worth a listen haha) and today we hear about his relative, Nubby Jr. Truthfully, it'd only make sense that deer shot on Bob's property would be super goofy looking but hey, it's meat in the freezer and shooters shoot. Have you filled the freezer yet this year? Happy thanksgiving, everyone. Have a drink, hug your family, scratch your dogs ears and get outside. Cheers to you. Oh, and we have TONS of gear over at LoneDuckOutfitters.com for the holidays... get some. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, we haven't had a show in a while and that was not intentional. The Master Nationals take a giant amount of time, energy and focus and now we're back, baby. For this episode, we chat with Bob about his time in Thomasville, Georgia and we hear the highs and lows. We dig into each series, what was challenging, how dogs succeeded, which dogs struggled, why and how to train for it in the future. We hear a lot about Memphis and her attempt at the AKC Hall of Fame and we talk with Bob about how he feels now that she is retired. This episode is great and there's a lot of passion involved. Buckle up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight we have the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with a good buddy, Michael Demmer, of Windy Hill Retrievers and I think you're going to enjoy this one. We begin the show learning about Michael's background growing up and his time in the military and how that transitioned into his time as a cowboy... and then how he transitioned into being a dog trainer and hunting guide down south. Yeah, what a wild series of events. We talk about Michael's advice for aspiring dog trainers and how he'd recommend people getting into the gun dog world and spoiler: he doesn't think you need to be in the army, then wrangle cattle and then train dogs... there's other ways, too. We also chat with Michael about balancing hunt test weekends, training dogs, clients, travel and being a good husband and dad. We then hear about Michael's summer competing with dogs at various events and how he is preparing his dogs for The Grand and Master National this fall. Oh, and on top of all that, he is also judging at the SRS Crown. Needless to say, Michael is an incredibly hard working, motivated and talented person who deeply cares about his dogs and his family. We need more people like Michael and if you listen to this episode, I think you'll agree. Cheers to you. Are you considering force fetch but don't feel confident in doing it yourself? Let us help you because it's 100% possible to do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices