I talk with the renowned game bird biologist Rocky Gutierrez about mountain quail and a whole lot more. Rocky is arguably the Yoda of game bird biology, with 175+ peer reviewed articles going back 45 years. He is a deep well of knowledge and also happens to be one of the leading experts on mountain quail, which is the ostensible topic of our talk -- but we go into a whole lot more. 

Pheasants are by far the most popular upland game bird hunted in North America, and in this episode, Bob St. Pierre of Pheasants Forever, outdoor writer Chris Niskanen and I dig deep into the ditch parrot's biology, conservation status, hunting strategies -- both with and without a dog -- as well as gear and dog tips, and of course a lengthy discussion on how to cook these birds. 

In this episode we talk woodcock... yes, juvenile jokes aside, this game bird is an icon of the Northeast as well as the Upper Midwest, and is both challenging and tasty. Project Upland's A.J. DeRosa and Covey Rise magazine's Matt Soberg join me for an in-depth discussion. 

Scaled quail are a special species of quail that favors dry, dusty, grassy deserts dotted with yuccas. They are most common in west Texas and New Mexico, and I talk with biologist Ryan O'Shaughnessy of West Texas Outfitters -- yes, he's a PhD and an outfitter! -- about these birds.