The Ugly Dog Podcast

Nate Kennedy shares his journey from a deer hunter to a passionate bird dog owner and conservation advocate. He gives insights on habitat diversity, the impact of bird dogs, and the vibrant community supporting upland hunting. In this episode, Nate dives into his lifelong passion for writing and hunting, exploring how these passions intertwine and influence his life. We delve into the importance of patience with bird dogs and the s...

Ford Van Fossan shares his journey from the eastern shore to owner of Wingworks, a classic upland hunting vest brand. We explore the history of the brand, the importance of durable gear, and the future of upland hunting apparel. In this episode, Ford shares insights on the importance of durable, American-made hunting gear, conservation efforts in the West, and the future of WingWorks vests. We took a deep dive into the intersection...

In this episode, Chris Midgette shares his journey from waterfowl hunting to upland, exploring the unique traits of Boykin spaniels and his decision to add a wirehaired vizsla into the mix. Chris shares his journey from novice dog trainer to a passionate upland writer, discussing hunting trips, dog training, and the evolving landscape of outdoor content creation. We also cover the importance of patience, storytelling, and the impac...

Des Stormont is BACK on the Ugly Dog Podcast! She and Mike look back on their NAVHDA Invitational training season and test date, discuss how training and hunting priorities change over time, and look ahead to what's on the calendar for training, judging, and testing in 2026. 

If you missed Des' first appearance, check it out here: Episode 2

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Andrew Vavra sits down with Mike this week to share how an "I need a job" internship led him to a career in marketing and communications with Pheasants Forever. And, along the way Andrew transitioned from a waterfowler to an upland hunter, raised a lab in the city, then brought home a French Brittany, and now a German Wirehair. Andrew shares candidly about loving the dog you have and appreciating every moment afield, even if it doe...

As is tradition, every 25 episodes Mike solicits questions from listeners, social media followers, etc. In this episode he sits down to answer questions about transitioning from hunting to training, why he doesn't believe tests and trials should set up specific categories for dog breeds, and a handful of insightful and deep questions from lessons learn along the way. 

Enjoy! 

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JP Knutson joins the show this week to share his journey into bird dogs and upland hunting, what he learned jumping into guiding early in his bird hunting career, and how he's adapting to shooting after a train accident left one of his arms fused.

JP has had quite the journey and the uplands keep him coming back for more. Enjoy! 

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Mitch Skatter joins the show this week to recap his 2025 pheasant season, chat about Pheasant Fest 2026, and take a deep dive on his Garmin dog GPS questions. 

Check out Mitch's YouTube Channel, Upland Path for more of his tips and tricks for bird hunting: https://www.youtube.com/@UplandPath

This episode is brought to you by Ugly Dog Hunting Co. Shop now at UglyDogHunting.com

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If you're looking to learn more about grouse and woodcock hunting from a bunch of seasoned vets who also relish giving each other a hard time, this episode is for you. Mike sat down with he crew of friends and fellow die-hard ruffed grouse and woodcock hunters to take on listener questions. Questions range from cover type, how they structure feeding schedule, how to be a better shot, and tips for taking your first trips to the nort...

Bode Springer joins the show this week to grill Mike for an upcoming college homework assignment. He is a student at UMD and studying environmental sustainability. Bode recently got his first bird dog, a springer, an apt choice given his last name and shares about his bird hunting journey thus far in addition to his thought-provoking questions.

This episode is brought to you by Ugly Dog Hunting Co. Shop now at UglyDogHunting.com

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Nate Akey from onX Hunt joins the show this week to discuss his path into bird hunting and dog training, his NAVHDA Invitational run, hunting season so far, and so much more.

Nate is an avid photographer who has leveraged his skill set with his degree to build a career in the hunting industry. We dive into all sorts of topics and this is the perfect episode to listen to on the long drive to camp!

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Mitch Skatter joins the show this week to share more about his journey starting Upland Path, a new YouTube Channel aimed at sharing helpful tips and tricks for upland bird hunters. He also dives into how he got into bird hunting, what he's learning from his first dog, and why mentorship and giving back is so important to him.

Enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by Ugly Dog Hunting Co. Shop now at UglyDogHunting.com

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Marc Musselman and Jonny Serrano join the show this week to talk about Alclair Outdoors and the importance of high quality hearing protection. If you do any kind of dog training or bird hunting hearing loss is an under-discussed issue. Medical research is starting to highlight the impact hearing loss has on community and brain health as one ages and it's not looking good. Marc has a goal to make going afield with hearing protection...

Roy Ames joins the show again this week to share a bit about our recent trip to Montana, the sometimes frustrating learning curve of puppies, and take a look into the first year of NAVHDA's Gun Dog Test.

Announced this January at the NAVHDA Annual Meeting, the Gun Dog Test is a revision of the Utility Prep Test with the goal of increasing member participation while still providing a benchmark test for a serviceable companion gun dog...

Waylon Lunn joins the show this week to share his journey in bird dogs from New York City to the Upstate and now traveling across the country with his family for birds. He describes his journey searching for and developing a "purpose built bird dog".  He also shares some of his keys to success for jump shooting ducks, he dives into the Northeast's famed 'pocket covers', and shares how he and his wife prioritize time outdoors h...

Marilyn Vetter is the CEO and President of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. She joins the show this week to share some wins for the year as well as a handful of the many challenges ahead. Additionally, she lays out a bit about how she's planning for the hunting season ahead, having a new puppy in the house, and reminds listeners we all have a responsibility to speak up for the resource. Enjoy!

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Charles Coulter is a bird hunting guide, bird dog trainer, and a NAVHDA Senior Judge. He sits down with Mike to share his journey into bird hunting, what it's like having his passion become his profession, and how he's learned the importance of fun over caring so much. He also shares training insights, bourbon recommendations, and how he sets up his gear for guiding. This one covers many bases. Enjoy!

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Desiree Stormont joins the show for round 2 after her initial appearance on The Ugly Dog Podcast over a year ago. We recap some of our current NAVHDA Invitational training, mindset, mental hurdles and problem solving in addition to a host of other things. Des gives a first hand account of what it's like to judge Mike in the field, and shares honestly about navigating "the dip" in training for a test like the Invitational.

She also s...

Emily Julin joins the show this week to share her journey from fearing dogs as a child to having a whole pack of them now. She is now both a NAVHDA and NAHRA judge and dives a bit into the testing differences in this conversation. Additionally, Emily shares the importance of finding a good club with shared values and helpful members in reaching her bird dogs potential. This episode covers a lot of bases and you're sure to enjoy it!...