The Ugly Dog Podcast
Episodes
75. Q&A - Spring Training, Thoughts on Expanding Field Trials and Hunt Tests, and Lessons Learn Along the Way
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As is tradition, every 25 episodes Mike solicits questions from listeners, social media followers, etc. In this episode he sits down to answer questio...
74. JP Knutson - A Journey Into Bird Dogs, Guiding, and Learning to Shoot With a Fused Arm
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 hun...
73. Mitch Skatter - Looking Back on 2025 and Looking Ahead to 2026
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 qu...
72. Grouse Camp Q&A - The Guys At Camp Answer Listener Questions
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, th...
71. Bode Springer - College Level Questions on Upland Hunting and Ruffed Grouse
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 su...
70. Nate Akey - How Following a Dog Led to Hunting Places Far and Wide and Working for onX Hunt
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
69. Mitch Skatter - Creating the Upland Path, Starting on YouTube, and The Importance of Coaching and Mentoring.
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
68. Marc Musselman & Jonny Serrano - Alclair Outdoors and Why Hearing Protection Should Be a Normal Part of Your Kit
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
67. Roy Ames - A Dive Into The NAVHDA Gun Dog Test and a Montana Recap
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
66. Waylon Lunn - Hunting the Upstate, The Art of Jump-Shooting Ducks, and Raising a Family Outdoors
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
65. Marilyn Vetter - Priorities for The Habitat Organization, Planning for Hunting Season Ahead, and Keeping Up The Fight For The Birds.
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
64. Charles Coulter - Learning to Not Care So Much, Falling in Love With Bird Dogs, and Becoming a Professional Bird Hunting Guide.
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, w...
63. Desiree Stormont - Reflections on NAVHDA Invitational Training, Mindset, and the NAVHDA Lady Gang.
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
62. Emily Julin - From Having a Fear of Dogs to Becoming a NAHRA and NAVHDA Judge.
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 an...
61. Ben Brettingen - The Importance of Public Lands in Bird Hunting, Transitioning from Drahthaars to Cover Dogs and Building a Career in the Hunting Industry.
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Brettingen from onX Maps joins the show this week to cover the current movement in the Senate to sell public lands (speaking of, have you called y...
60. Your Public Lands Are For Sale - Are You Really Going To Let That Happen Without Speaking Up?
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your public lands could be for sale soon if your Senator doesn't help torpedo a specific part of the budget reconciliation bill. Call them and le...
59. Mike Neiduski - Planning a Long Distance Bird Hunting Trip
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is the audio of a presentation Mike did at the 2025 NAVHDA Annual Meeting in Montana. He covers his tips and tricks to plan and execute a...
58. Tanya Caram - Her Journey With Wirehaired Vizlas and Attacking Goals Tenaciously
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tanya Caram joins the show this week to share how she fell in love with Wirehaired Vizlas, her journey to having the first VC WHV, spending extended t...
57. Matt Sather and Jason Rice - Bird Hunting and Dog Training from a Track Chair
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Sather and Jason Rice join the show this week to share Matt's journey into NAVHDA and hunting with a versatile dog. Jason discusses connecti...
56. Ted Wentink - The Beauty and Function of the Spinone, Walking Along in European Hunt Tests, and The Importance of Taking Things Slow
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ted Wentink joins the show this week to share his never-ending love for Spinoni Italiani. He shares candidly about his journey with dogs throughout th...
55. Ellen Neiduski - Lessons Learned On The Journey to A Well-Trained Companion
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For a little something different this week Mike sits down with his mother, Ellen, on Mother's Day to discuss their family history in pets. Ellen ...
54. Christy Langston - Fighting Imposter Syndrome, Solo Hunting Shenanigans, and Lessons from a Failed Breeding
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Christy Langston joins the show this week while Mike visited the Missouri Uplands NAVHDA chapter to judge. She shares candidly about fighting imposter...
53. Carey Killion - Marathons to Bird Dogs, Facing Failure Head On, and Building Better a Weimaraner
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Carey Killion joins the show this week to share how marathons brought her to bird dogs, facing failure head on, and how she is committed to bettering ...
52. Yia Vang - Hunting and Fishing as a Way of Life, The Power of Food, Conservation, and Community, and Bringing Hmong Food to the Mainstream
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Yia Vang joins the show this week to discuss his award winning restaurant and how growing up in the Hmong community presented hunting and fishing as a...
51. Bailey Petersen - Falling in Love with Ruffed Grouse, Her Gaggle of Setters, and Pro-Tips for Navigating Grouse Cover
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bailey Petersen joins the show this week to talk all things Northwoods, Ruffed Grouse, and her pack of setters (and one microphone loving Munsterlande...
50. Q&A with Mike - NAVHDA Invitational Prep, DD vs GWP, and The Day Everything Changed
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode features Mike answering questions submitted on our Facebook and Instagram pages. He covers his mindset heading toward the NAV...
49. Nick Dulas - Being the Young Guy in a PF Chapter, Driving All Night To Get a Setter, and Making The Choice To Go
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nick Dulas joins the show this week where he recounts his pre-COVID journey to joining the Rice County PF chapter and why he's stayed involved si...
48. Nikki Flander - Loving Dogs So Much She Snuck One Home, Her Love of English Setters, and Diving Into The Industry and Creating Spaces for Women.
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nikki Flander joins the show this week to share her journey to working with the Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club, how she fell in love with English Set...
47. Hannah & Kyle Peterson - A Match Made Over Bird Dogs, Diving Into Cover Dog Trials, and Wanting An Assertive Female Setter.
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hannah & Kyle Peterson are a match made with a shared love of dog training, and then bird dogs in grouse country. In this episode they share their...
46. John Zeman - Letting a Dog Fill Up The Country, The Power of Helping Others Train Their Dogs, and Ensuring Others Have Access to Dog Training Areas
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John Zeman got his first German Shorthair in 1978 and has had various types of bird dogs ever since. Through mentors he found field trials and trainin...
45. Greg Blair - An Education in Field Trials and Landing a Dream Job with Purina.
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Blair joins the show this week to share his origins in bird dogs, NSTRA, and ultimately field trials. He shares how he landed his dream job at Pu...
44. Ray Esboldt - Finding NAHRA, Kelly Farms, and Keeping Keystone Woods WMA Open to Train Bird Dogs
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ray Esboldt is a member of the Four Points Retriever Club and an avid NAHRA enthusiast. Mike & Ray sat down to discuss his experience going from a...
43. Jacob Walter - Transitioning from Labs to Shorthairs, Going All-In on Bird Dogs, and Why Physical Fitness Is An Underrated Component for Bird Hunting
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jacob Walter joins the show this week to share his journey of upland bird hunting from growing up with Labrador Retrievers to raising a young family w...
42. Luc Ramthun - Loving Large Munsterlanders and a National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic Preview!
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Luc Ramthun from Pheasants Forever joins the show this week to give a preview of the upcoming Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic being held in Kansas Cit...
41. Dr. RuthAnn Lobos - On When and How To Feed Your Hunting Dog, Choosing a Puppy Food, and Coming to Hunting Later in Life
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. RuthAnn Lobos is the Senior Veterinarian for Purina. She joins the show this week to share her journey with bird dogs and give some incredible, re...
40. Sam Tillman - A Lifelong Desire for Bird Dogs, The Importance of Going at Her Own Pace, and Making Sure to have Fun.
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sam Tillman joins the show this week where she shares her lifelong love of bird dogs and that love has only deepened over time. She also takes a dive ...
39. Matt Kucharski - The Importance of Curiosity, Dogs of Opportunity, and The Power of Habitat
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Kucharski joins the show this week to discuss his "dogs of opportunity" and now having to raise a puppy, how an ad for a used truck lan...
38. Jake Faas - Marrying Into Grouse Hunting, The Importance of Managing Your Dogs, and His Journey From Bite Dogs to Bird Dogs.
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jake Faas of True Loyalty Dog Training joins the show this week to share how he fell in love with dogs doing bite sports and training working dogs and...
Bonus Episode: Scent Work and Birds Dogs with the Road to Detection Podcast
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This special bonus episode is a pod-share between Road to Detection, The Ugly Dog Podcast, and The Accidental Bird Dog.This episode dives into Scent W...
37. Luke Koch - Marrying A Passion for Video, Dogs, and Waterfowl Hunting, Getting Serious About Shotgun Loads, and Why Labs Aren't for Mike
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Koch runs Black Dog Marketing Company and joins the show this week to share how he fell in love with waterfowl hunting, his passion for video wor...
36. Corey Hendrickson & Colton Strauss - A Conversation While Goose Hunting, Why Meat Dog Is A Derogatory Term, And Pillars For Making a Good Bird Dog
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Corey Hendrickson and Colton Strauss join Mike on this week's podcast from layout blinds as they wait for geese on a recent hunt. They cover a bi...
35. Tony Henry - Emergency Response for Hunting Dogs From a K9 Tactical Medic, The Importance of Planning, and Growing Your Network To Be A Better Bird Hunter.
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tony Henry joins the show this week to share his knowledge gained serving as a tactical medic as applied to working canines. Tony has a wealth of expe...
34. Roy Ames - A Journey of Decades in Bird Dogs, Picking Puppies Based On Parents and Attentiveness, and The Beauty of Watching a Dog Run
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Roy Ames joins the podcast this week to share his decades long journey in bird dogs, including a host of events, clubs, and breeds. He dives into how ...
33. Joe Perez - Building a Business with His Boys, Transitioning From Waterfowling to the Uplands, Navigating Season Ending Injuries, and Why You Should Have A Slip Lead In Your Vest
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Perez is the owner and operator of RPM Training Products with his two sons, Owen and Austin. In this episode Joe shares about how he got into hunt...
32. Braxton Watts - A Young Man's View of Quail Camp, Gaining Confidence in the Field, and Giving Up All His Sick Days to Keep Hunting.
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Braxton Watts joins the show this week to share his perspective on quail camp and learning to bird hunt. Braxton recently joined Mike and friends for ...
31. Fred McAdams & Ben Eilert - Kansas Bird Hunting From 3 Perspectives, Keys to Chasing Prairie Chickens, A Farmer Asks About Conservation, and The Beauty of a Good Meat Dog
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fred McAdams and Ben Eilert join the show this week to discuss their perspectives on Kansas bird hunting. Fred moved to Kansas a number of years ago, ...
30. Marc Musselman - Taking Hearing Protection From The Concert Stage to The Uplands, Lucking Into a Good Dog, and Learning To Trust a Long-Range Dog.
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marc Musselman joins the show this week to share how he got his start upland hunting and how a passion for making professional grade audio equipment f...
29. Autumn & Casey Koback - Going from One Dog to Six, Not Being Joiners to Leaders, and The Importance of Brutal Honesty Among Training Partners.
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Autumn and Casey Koback join the show this week to detail how they went from a mandate for zero dogs to a house full. The husband and wife team dive i...
28. Ryan Sparks - Chasing Quail Out the Back Door, A Lifetime of Pointers, Celebrating 20 Years of Quail Forever, and Wild Game Cooking
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan Sparks is the Editor of the Quail Forever Journal and a life-long quail hunter. In this episode he shares about his upbringing bird hunting the f...
27. Bob St. Pierre - Five Generations of German Shorthairs, The Magic of Opening Day, and Letting a Puppy Develop at Their Own Pace.
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bob St. Pierre joins the show this week to share about his journey with 5 German Shorthairs, including just recently adding a pup this summer. Bob is ...
26. Mindy Brown - Breeding Better Weimaraners, Her Journey With NAVHDA, And Navigating Risks Afield After Tragedy.
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mindy Brown joins the show to share how she grew up with bird dogs following her dad afield to getting her first Weim through an ad in the paper. She ...
25. Q&A - Mike & Mack's Utility Run Recap, The Origins of Mr. July, The Meaning of Life, and The Best Memories of A Dog Now Passed.
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode features Mike answering questions submitted on our Facebook and Instagram pages. He covers his run with Mack in the NAVHDA Ut...
24. Mike Krantz - Getting a Slovakian Rough-Haired Pointer, Finding the Fun In Everything, The Importance of Including Family in Hunting, and Always Being Willing to Learn.
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Krantz lives and hunts in southern Minnesota. He is an avid member of the Southern Minnesota NAVHDA chapter, and spearheads a weekly training gro...
23. Tamara Champagne - From Working Dogs to Sporting Dogs, NAVHDA Invitational Volunteering, Becoming a Bird Hunter, and Out of the Box Training Techniques.
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tamara Champagne is a working dog trainer who has fallen in love with sporting dogs. She recently began the journey with a German Shorthair and now is...
BONUS Episode: An Update on Jake & Brooke Bartells Invitational Run.
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Check out this special bonus episode as a follow up from Episode 22 with Jake & Brooke about their road to the NAVHDA Invitational! This episode ...
22. Nick Adair - Gun Dogging It Yourself.
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nick Adair is the host of the Gun Dog It Yourself podcast where he discusses all aspects of gun dog training with his guests. Nick recently came throu...
21. Brooke & Jake Bartells - A Father-Daughter Duo Bound for the NAVHDA Invitational, Cookies for Conservation, and The Power of Tribe.
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brooke & Jake Bartells are bound for the NAVHDA Invitational with their Epagneul Bretons and this is their story. While Jake has been many times, ...
20. Rhys Haugen - Taking The Term 'Gear Nut' to a Whole New Level, Starting High Plains Gear, and Getting a German Dog in Germany
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rhys Haugen is the founder of High Plains Gear, a upland hunting vest company committed to American made materials and manufacturing for all their pro...
19. Amanda Ponti - How A Bird Dog Changed Her Life, The Power of Giving Back, and Why You Should Consider Going Lead Free.
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Ponti dove head first into bird dogs and now there is no looking back. She currently works for Sporting Lead Free and serves on the board of He...
18. Jerry Havel - Ruffed Grouse Projections, Developing A Grouse Dog, and A Love For Fine Shotguns
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jerry Havel runs Pineridge Grouse Camp and is a co-founder of Upland Gun Company. Jerry and Mike take a dive into how the ruffed grouse numbers are lo...
17. Tyler Webster - Where We Literally Discuss Birds, Booze, and Buds.
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tyler Webster is the host of the Birds, Booze, and Buds Podcast and we sat down to discuss those exact things. Join Mike and Tyler for a post dinner &...
16. Erin Kalpin - Growing Up With Pudelpointers, Raising Her Own Family With Birddogs, Writing, and More.
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erin Kalpin from Rockcreek Kennels joins the show this week. Erin's father, Scott, started Rockcreek almost 30 years ago and Erin has been along ...
15. Misty Klug - Breeding German Wirehairs, Focusing on Temperament, and Trusting Your Training When Testing
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Misty Klug is the owner and operator of Muddy Paws Kennel. She has bred German wirehairs for over a decade focusing on temperament and wild bird hunti...
14. Rich Wong - On His Love of Vizslas, Post Hunt Photography, and Learning Sharptail & Hun Patterns
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rich Wong is a photographer, vizsla lover, and wild bird hunting fanatic. Rich and I talk his best tips for tailgate photos, how he came into vizslas,...
13. Tony Jones - On Writing His New Book - The God of Wild Places, Why He'll Need 2 Dogs to Replace His Lab, and Navigating Failure in Life & Hunting.
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tony Jones has a new book out - The God of Wild Places, and you should order a copy (The God of Wild Places).Tony is a former pastor, author, conserva...
12. William Bailey - A Conversation Between Brothers Including Empty Dog Collars, Intentionality, Faith, Becoming a Gentleman, and The Wildrose Way.
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
William Bailey is a Texan, a hunter, and a proud owner of a Labrador from Wild Rose Kennel.This conversation is a perfect example of how conversations...
11. Rob Seilheimer - Pollinators, A Brittany Pup, And The Power of Bird Camp.
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Seilheimer works in fundraising with the Monarch Joint Venture, a non-profit coalition rooted in getting more pollinators and more quality bird ha...
10. Nick Larson - On Learning The Differences in His Bird Dogs, Leaning Into Curiosity, Podcasting, and Working with The Upland Gun Company.
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nick Larson is the host of the longstanding Birdshot Podcast and also works with Upland Gun Company. In this episode we cover an incredible range of t...
9. Emy Marier - On Reactivating Her Father Into Bird Hunting, NAHRA, and The Adventure of Exploring Public Land.
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emy Marier is an outdoorswoman who brings her both her nature for analytics and her sense of adventure to everything she does. We discussed her experi...
8. Angie Coenen - Following Her Dad Afield, The Keys to Training and Testing With Her Spouse, and a Decade of Breeding German Shorthairs.
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Angie Coenen runs Hurricane Kennel with her husband, Paul in Southwestern Wisconsin. We discuss how she got her start following her dad through the ph...
7. Travis Frank - Focusing on the Process of Building a Bird Dog, Storytelling Through Television, and the Importance of Mentorship in Training
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Travis Frank is the host of The Flush TV Show and Podcast. We discuss his journey bringing home a fire breathing bird dog, Daisy, and learning to work...
6. Logan Weiss - Developing Mindset for Dog Training, Having Patience for a Dog to Develop, and the Toughest of Decisions.
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Logan Weiss is an adult on-set bird hunter whose first dog, Sage, helped him fall in love with dog training and chasing wild birds in wild places. Log...
5. Nina Hoekstra - On The Power of Solo Travel, Faith in the Outdoors, and Taking the Leap Into Outdoor Media
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We sit down with Nina Hoekstra to discuss her transition from the deer stand to the uplands, strengthening her faith in the outdoors, the power of sol...
4. Christy Langston - On Authenticity, Nature vs. Nurture & Better Bird Dog Photography
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Christy Langton operates Spring River Kennel from her farm in Southwestern Missouri.Expect to learn the importance of mentorship in training and breed...
3. Jake Hanson - The Spirit of Generosity
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mike sits down with Jake Hanson, the Development Director for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to discuss conservation, philanthropy, long distance...
2. Des Stormont - Paying Bird Dog Tuition
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our first interview style episode, Mike sits down with friend, fellow NAVHDA Judge, trainer, and mom-extraordinaire, Des Stormont, to learn about h...
Episode 1 - Introducing the Ugly Dog Podcast!
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode one is finally here! Our host, Mike Neiduski, sits down to share who he is, how he came to run Ugly Dog Hunting Co., his origin story with bir...