Wingshooting – Sporting Road

Sunglasses for the Field

Introduced in 1937 for U.S. military aviators, Ray-Ban's legendary G-15 and B-15 lenses were engineered to provide exceptional optical performance in the brightest conditions. Rather than simply darkening the view, these precision-crafted mineral glass lenses were designed to reduce glare, improve visual comfort, and preserve natural color perception—essential qualities for pilots navigating long hours in the cockpit. The G-15 lens, with its distinctive green tint, transmits approximately 15 percent of visible light while maintaining true-to-life colors and excellent contrast. The amber-tinted B-15 lens also allows about 15 percent light transmission but enhances depth perception and contrast, making it particularly effective in hazy or low-contrast environments. Both became hallmarks of Ray-Ban's commitment to performance long before the brand evolved into a global fashion icon. Today, these original solid-color lenses remain true to their military heritage while incorporating modern UV protection. They continue to offer outstanding clarity, reduced eye strain, and all-day comfort, making them favorites among pilots, drivers, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates timeless style backed by proven optical performance. More than eight decades after their introduction, the classic G-15 and B-15 lenses are still considered among the finest examples of functional eyewear design ever produced.

By Sporting Road|July 17th, 2026|Categories: Wingshooting|Comments Off

Off Season Wingshooting Checklist

Offseason Checklist for Bird Hunters Prepare Now for a Better Fall Hunting Season. I’ve reached a point where I need to do less, do it smarter, and take recovery seriously. In other words, I need to be highly intentional. Preparing for the upcoming season is one important, and often overlooked step, for upland wing shooters. First, is getting fit and making sure my canine team members are also in tip top shape. My purpose for fitness is simple: to keep my body in the best shape possible so I can continue doing the things I love for as long as I can. What that looks like will be different for every person, and it will change at every stage of life. As one wise man said, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” Watch a professional athlete and you’ll see how intentional they are about everything they do. That idea has stayed with me. Each morning, when I get up and brush my teeth, I look in the mirror and ask myself, “You are an athlete. What would an athlete do today?” Some days the answer is rest. Other days, it’s moving my body with purpose. When you start being intentional about prioritizing your pursuits in the outdoors, you have probably noticed the same quiet pattern underneath everything: deeper sleep, steadier moods, more energy in the afternoons, mornings that feel clearer, and days that begin to belong to you again. None of it arrives with a dramatic moment. Real change rarely does. It just happens. There is no single morning when you wake up as a completely different person. What happens instead is a shift in direction. A new baseline that slowly moves,

By Sporting Road|July 1st, 2026|Categories: Dog Training, Wingshooting|Comments Off

26 Constitutional Carry States

There are 20 million AR-style weapons in circulation in the US, according to the NSSF. They're part of a total 393 million guns owned by US civilians, more than the American population. And, interestingly enough, none have been used by anyone who is Hunter Safety Certified in a mass shooting. Around 19.8 million AR-15 style rifles are in circulation in the US, a nationwide tally that's surged from around 8.5 million since a federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004. About 30% of rifle owners, own an AR. The more recent estimate comes from a November 2020 statement by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. In the statement, its President and CEO Joseph Bartozzi called the AR-15 the "most popular rifle sold in America" and a "commonly-owned firearm." A November 2020 Gallup poll found that 44% of Americans said they live in households with guns.

By Sporting Road|January 31st, 2023|Categories: Wingshooting|Comments Off

Wild Game is Anti-Inflammatory

I just had a really interesting conversation with one of the most respected cardiologists in the nation. He was saying that recent studies have shown that feed-lot raised beef is inflammatory and high in fat. Whereas pasture beef is not high in fat and not inflammatory. And wild game meats have even more health benefits when compared to meats from domesticated or farm-raised animals. Examples of wild game include venison, bison, rabbit and elk. The fact that wild game animals eat their natural diet and are very active in the wild contributes to the lower fat content of the meat. Additionally, eating greens in the wild contributes to a lower content of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids and a higher content of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, wild game meat is a good source of protein and minerals such as iron and zinc. So, in fact, wild game has good fat and is anti-inflammatory. A recent article over at https://www.livestrong.com/article/349448-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-wild-game/ also echoed the same: Low Fat Content Wild game meats tend to have a lower fat content, as animals tend to be more active in the wild. Additionally, wild game eat a natural diet as opposed to grain or corn, which is often fed to domesticated animals, contributing to an increased fat content of non-game meat. Lower Omega-6 Fatty Acids The feeding of corn and grain to farm animals not only increases the total fat content but also the omega-6 fatty acid content. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, omega-6 fatty acids increase markers of inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is associated with health conditions including obesity, diabetes, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Wild animals eat more grass, green leaves and plants than their domesticated counterparts, which

By Sporting Road|December 6th, 2022|Categories: Cuisine, Hunting, Wingshooting|Comments Off

The Elusive Snipe

snipe-the-best-kept-secret-in-the-uplandsDownload The Latin name for the snipe found in Colorado is Gallinago delicata, known as the Wilson's Snipe. There is no "greater" or "lesser" snipe species in Colorado, although the Wilson's Snipe was once considered a subspecies of the Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago).Here is a breakdown of the names and the differences between the species:Wilson's Snipe: This is the species found in North America and Colorado. Its Latin name is Gallinago delicata. It was formerly considered a subspecies (Gallinago gallinago delicata) of the Common Snipe.Common Snipe: This Old World species (Gallinago gallinago) is native to Europe and Asia.Greater Snipe: This species (Gallinago media) is not found in North America. It is a larger species of snipe native to the Old World, and is referred to as the Great Snipe. The Latin name for the snipe found in Colorado is Gallinago delicata, known as the Wilson's Snipe. There is no "greater" or "lesser" snipe species in Colorado, although the Wilson's Snipe was once considered a subspecies of the Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago). Here is a breakdown of the names and the differences between the species:Wilson's Snipe: This is the species found in North America and Colorado. Its Latin name is Gallinago delicata. It was formerly considered a subspecies (Gallinago gallinago delicata) of the Common Snipe.Common Snipe: This Old World species (Gallinago gallinago) is native to Europe and Asia.Greater Snipe: This species (Gallinago media) is not found in North America. It is a larger species of snipe native to the Old World, and is referred to as the Great Snipe. Once the punchline of a childhood campfire prank, Wilson’s snipe has emerged as one of the uplands' most overlooked yet rewarding game birds. Blending the wetland settings

By Sporting Road|August 18th, 2022|Categories: Hunting, Wingshooting|Comments Off

No Good News for Western Grouse

https://projectupland.com/grouse-species/types-of-grouse-you-can-hunt-in-north-america/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&_kx=Ox4n522nbJfbBh61V-oPKsLNb-YzlDwnmN14gLfM0u4.XSVPXG To protect hens with chicks, Washington sets back forest grouse hunting by two weeks Sun., Aug. 22, 2021A hunter walks a high ridge in the Colville National Forest searching for dusky grouse. (PHOTO BY RICH LANDERS/FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW) By Rich Landers FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW In 2006, the American Ornithologists’ Union split the species known as the blue grouse into two species -- dusky and sooty grouse. Washington is the only state where the ranges of these two very similar forest grouse species meet. Generally, the sooty is found west of the Cascades and the dusky ranges to the east through Idaho and western Montana. Labor Day weekend this year will be time for scouting rather than hunting for grouse in Eastern Washington’s mountains. Breaking a schedule that goes back nearly five decades, Washington’s forest grouse hunting season will open Sept. 15 instead of Sept. 1. State Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists have tried to nudge wing shooters into a later start of the season for about 13 years, citing evidence that it would help stem declining numbers of dusky, spruce and ruffed grouse. But a significant portion of grouse hunters are locked into their traditions. They didn’t want to give up the chance to procure delicious grouse breasts for the camp skillet during the three-day Labor Day weekend. Their comments were heard and heeded by state wildlife managers and the Fish and Wildlife Commission, until this year when the case for protecting more mother hens and their chicks took priority. “Back East, they wouldn’t dream of opening grouse season on the first of September,” said Mike Schroeder, a wildlife researcher and WDFW’s grouse specialist. Forest grouse populations are difficult to survey,

By Sporting Road|August 24th, 2021|Categories: Wingshooting|Comments Off

This Land is Your Land

Get outside and discover it. While the white man did a great injustice to the native peoples of North America, in changing the lay of the land, the one redeeming thing about the current status of land ownership in the US, is the amount of public lands, particularly in western states. Get outside and discover it. Beeches, boats and fancy dinners or what most people think about when they think about a date. In our family, it’s more about prairies, ponies, and sporting adventures down two track roads that lead us back to old friends and the chance to make even more memories. Life is not measured by the breathes we take, but the moments that take our breath away.

By Sporting Road|October 9th, 2020|Categories: Fishing, Uncategorized, Wingshooting|Comments Off

OnX and Garmin Rung My Bell

Your experience afield is incomplete without a pointing dog. And that time afield sometimes turns down right scary when your beloved bird dog cannot be located. Life was easier many years ago, after law school, when I went afield upland hunting with a Swiss cowbell on the leather collar my big ranging Brittany. Until it got not so easy, with a big ranging 2 year old who was slightly out of control running more than a mile out at times in big country. But, even the biggest bell couldn't be heard at that range and if the dog was out sight and out of sound, what to do next other than holler, whistle and wait. Or maybe fire off a shot and see if he returned for the retrieved (which I did in a number of moments of desperation with seemingly great success). Looking back on it, I ordered some really great sounding bells, some of which were very pricey and difficult to find in catalogs. I lost or gave away many of them over the years, but the real challenge was getting the dog accustomed to it, and for that task I had to start with clip on fishing bells or cat bells, so that the dog wouldn't freeze up in my training sessions of leaving the bell on for hours around the house each day. Further, I became convinced that a bell was a hindrance to finding grouse, as the grouse surely heard the bell coming. Someone recently wrote a great article on this over at Project Upland. I've purchased and experimented with all of these over the years, but I pretty much narrowed my preference to these three below... The big 8/0

By Sporting Road|September 2nd, 2020|Categories: Dog Training, Uncategorized, Wingshooting|Comments Off

You Might Be A Hip-Uplander If…

REPOSTED FROM: UPLANDJITSU – THE ART OF UPLAND HUNTING https://uplandjitsu.com/index.php/2020/04/01/how-to-be-a-hip-uplander-the-ultimate-guide-to-being-a-hipster-in-the-uplands/ How to be a Hip-Uplander – The Ultimate Guide to Being a Hipster in the Uplands APRIL 1, 2020 / JORGE RAMIREZ The covey flushed. A whir of wings and a cloud of Valley Quail rose from the scrub oak into the clear and bright October sky. The shotgun raised instinctively and with a crack of the muzzle, one of the plump quail descended in a long arch back down to earth. Marking where the bird landed, you make your way up the hill where your prize lies. You smell him before you even see him. Not the quail, weirdo. Him. Crossing over the horizon stands a figure. The sun is shining behind him, giving him a celestial aura. The bearded figure tilts his wide-brim fedora-wearing head up and sticks a pipe between his lips. The aroma of bespoke beard oil and pomade fills the valley as you look in awe. “How many coveys did you bump today?” His dog sits beside him. A Drahthaar named Jaeger. No electronics on this dog. Only a locater bell. He rolls up the sleeves of his plaid shirt, revealing fully tattooed arms. Carefully cradling his 28-gauge side by side shotgun, he strikes a match with his thumb and lights his pipe. He fiddles with his flush-counter, adjusting the counter. “That’s 15 flushes for me. I already got my limit, but I enjoy watching my dog work those coveys. Plus I like taking as many photos as I can out here. Say, do you like IPA’s? Because I have a couple back at my Subaru.” Could this be? Is this..? Yes! You just encountered your first Hip-Uplander. __________ You may have read all those

By Sporting Road|August 31st, 2020|Categories: Wingshooting|Comments Off

Upland Life Wanderlust

For the upland hunter, the promise of a new season sits like a mountain on the horizon that never gets closer on the long highways of life, until the moment comes each year when the season opens. A cool breeze suddenly turns the trees a crisp yellow, while the long heated days of summer begin to fade. The smell of leather and powder perfume the air and the flashes of brilliance in a young pup begin to shine. New adventures become traditions, dogs seal their place in our hearts and ancient instructs are driven by shrinking light and the steady descent of reds and golds from the mountain tops, or at least so says my Orvis catalog. While we are on the topic of great quotes, a perennial favorite of times is, “You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” —Bruce Lee. This is always great advice for those who live life in the outdoors. You don't have to be a granola to live the life. Yes, the word "granola" is still used as a slang term to describe someone who is environmentally aware, has liberal political views, and uses natural products and health foods. For example, someone who loves the outdoors, is free-spirited, and buys all-natural products might be described as a "granola girl." So while you don't have to be a granola, living the #UplandLife you do have to learn to be adaptable, be like water. Seasons come and

By Sporting Road|August 28th, 2020|Categories: Wingshooting|Comments Off