Upland hunting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Upland hunting is an American term for a form of bird hunting in which the hunter pursues upland birds including quail, pheasant, grouse, prairie chicken, chukar, grey partridge, and others. Upland hunters generally employ the use of gun dogs to find and retrieve game.
Upland birds tend to be found on the ground in heavy cover. Dogs find the bird by scent, go "on point," and then flush (force the birds to fly). The hunter then attempts to shoot the birds on the wing. This is also known as wingshooting.
Upland hunting encompasses some of the activity that takes place in rough shooting in the UK, although there are differences.
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[edit] Equipment
Upland hunter use all types of shotguns from break-breach guns to semi-automatics, and .410 bore through 12 gauge (bore diameter). The quintessential shotgun for upland hunting is a double barrel shotgun in a smaller gauge such as a 20 or 28 gauge. Upland guns can be extremely valuable, often commanding many thousands of dollars.
In America (though not in the UK), some states require upland hunters to wear blaze orange clothing for safety in most places. They often wear vests to carry game, though there is a recent trend toward more functional technical daypacks specifically designed for the demands of more rigorous upland hunting in remote areas.
[edit] Dogs
Upland hunter traditionally walk when finding game, though quail hunters in the South of the USA are the exception. Because of the large area that must be covered in order to find bobwhite quail many hunters employ specially designed hunting buggies to haul gear and kennels for fresh dogs.
Upland hunters work specially trained gun dogs to find game. Spaniels and pointing breeds are used most often, though retrievers are worked with considerable success when hunting pheasant in many areas.
[edit] Location
Upland hunting takes place primarily in open fields which provide cover for birds. Many states such as South Dakota derive a significant portion of their revenue from upland hunters who travel into the state to take advantage of the ideal settings.
