Our expert selections from the 2020 Upland Issue.
What’s missing from your upland arsenal?
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PakMule Cargo Carrier- $795 (pakmule.com)
PakMule is a TIG welded aluminum cargo carrier perfect for upland adventures. It holds nearly the same amount of gear as half a full-size pickup bed, but being 100% aluminum, its light enough to carry and won’t rust. On a recent road trip from the Dakotas to Texas we loaded a PakMule with two coolers, over 100 lbs. of dog food, and all our camping gear. It never flinched. Beyond its rugged construction we love that you can raise the hatch of your SUV while the PakMule is fully loaded. This makes kenneling your dog and grabbing gear for the field quick and easy. If you’re finally going on that upland road trip you’ve been dreaming of, we highly recommend taking a PakMule along.
Danner Pronghorn Boots- $230 (danner.com)
Upland hunters have strong opinions about what boots they strap on their feet and after two decades, Danner Pronghorns have reached an almost iconic status among serious hunters. That’s because Danner strives to make the holy grail of hunting boots—light, durable, and waterproof. After two decades of honing, Danner’s fifth generation Pronghorns live up to their legacy. Taking advantage of the latest materials and technology they sport a Vibram outsole for reliable traction on rugged terrain and a GORE-TEX waterproof liner that keeps moisture out while letting your feet breathe. We tested these boots scrambling up rocky Idaho hillsides for chukar and plowing through Minnesota snow drifts for pheasants. Not once did they let us down.
RuffWear Overcoat Fuse Jacket- $80 (ruffwear.com)
Short haired bird dogs can suffer when temperatures plummet, but the same cold weather makes pheasants sit tight. RuffWear’s Overcoat Fuse is a perfect solution for hunting in wet, frigid weather. RuffWear has been making dog coats, chest protectors, and harnesses for years and the Overcoat Fuse combines all three into one seamless garment. We found it especially handy when parking near busy roads where we prefer to walk our dogs in on a leash. Just clip the leash to the outside of the coat, and the integrated harness gives you plenty of control. After several hunts we appreciated the convenience of this rugged workhorse of a jacket. Just slip it on your dog and go.
Igloo Seat Top Water Jug- $40 (igloocooler.com)
We’ve gone through our fair share of “camping” water jugs that failed us the first chance they got. Then we realized what every construction worker and little league coach has known for decades: you can’t beat an Igloo water jug. But, you can beat on it. We hauled ours all over the country, bouncing it down dirt roads and continually tossing it in and out of the truck. The Igloo water jug is tough, doesn’t leak, keeps your water cold when its hot and prevents it from freezing when its cold. As a bonus, it doubles as a seat after a long day of chasing birds.
SportDOG SportTrainer Series- $180-$220 (sportdog.com)
Whether you run close working flushing dogs or long-range pointers, the SportDOG SportTrainer series lets you pick and choose the options you need to create an E-collar system catered to your needs. Our favorite feature is the easy-to-read OLED screen that simultaneously displays all the information you need like selected dog, stimulation level, battery status, and mode so you don’t have to toggle through different options in the field. By adding additional collars, the system expands up to six dogs. We really liked that multi-dog mode remembers your previous settings for each dog, so you don’t have to go through a setup at the start of each hunt. With ten levels of stimulation, as well as vibration and tone options the SportDog SportTrainer series is customizable to fit any situation.
Carhartt Rugged-Flex Upland Field Pant- $70 (Carhartt.com)
Traditionally, when it comes to upland hunting pants you have to choose between durability and comfort. With Carhartt’s Rugged-Flex Upland Field Pants you get both. These pants are tough enough to beat through the gnarliest cover, yet so comfortable you’ll want to keep wearing them at the end of the day. This is thanks to Carhartt’s Rugged Flex stretch technology that allows uninhibited movement while maintaining the abrasion resistance and durability Carhartt is known for. With a water repellent finish, they keep you dry on long hunts through wet grass. After two seasons of using these pants we can’t recommend them highly enough.
Federal Premium Upland Pheasants Forever High Velocity Shotgun Shells- $25 (federalpremium.com)
Pheasant and grouse hunters often relegate No. 7 ½ shot to clay targets, quail, and other small upland species, but Federal Premium’s new Upland Pheasants Forever High Velocity shells prove otherwise. Shotgun shell technology has come a long way in the last few years, and these shells are a perfect example. The 12-gauge, 2 ¾ inch load shoots 1 ¼ ozs. of copper-plated shot at an impressive 1500 fps for incredible reach and stopping power. Cut one open and you’ll find more than 400 No. 7 ½ pellets per shell. Best of all, a portion of the proceeds from every box sold goes to support Pheasants Forever’s mission to preserve and enhance pheasant habitat.
Tuf-Foot- $15 (tuffoot.com)
Our dogs rely on their feet as much as their noses to find birds. Foot conditioning is important throughout the season whether you are hunting in hot rocky conditions or late season snow and ice. We’ve been using Tuf-foot for years to condition our dogs’ pads and can affirm it works. Tuf-foot both toughens and protects paws to keep dogs in the field and has been shown to aid in the healing of sore, cut, and tender paws. It has worked wonders for our pointers and now our first-aid kit has a bottle of Tuf-foot as standard equipment.
Gunner Kennels- $400-$700 (Gunner.com)
As hunters, our dogs mean a lot to us. Come fall, many of us spend as much time with them as we do with our closest friends. So why would we put our dogs in flimsy plastic kennels that need replaced every few years? Gunner Kennels are double wall rotomolded and have a proven record of saving dogs in real accidents. They come with a lifetime warranty and have been put through over-the-top stress tests—like withstanding 4,000 lbs. of force and 200+ foot cliff drops—to to demonstrate their durability. If you are serious about your dogs safety, you can’t do better than a Gunner Kennel.
ReadyDog Gun Dog First Aid Kit- $140 (readydogproducts.com)
From barbed wire cuts to porcupine quills, anyone who’s hunted for long knows its not if, but when your dog is going to be injured. Designed with hunting dogs in mind, the Gun Dog Kit from ReadyDog provides the confidence and tools to handle almost any canine emergency and surpasses every other canine medical kit we’ve tried. Highly organized and well designed, the Gun Dog Kit comes with two see-through pouches and a third Field Pouch that allows you to take first aid with you in your hunting vest. The Gun Dog Kit gives you the tools to deal with trauma and serious injury when immediate veterinary care is not available.
Eukanuba Premium Performance Line- $60 (28 lb. bag) (eukanuba.com)
Some dogs work in short bursts while others run all day. Eukanuba, founded in 1969 to produce scientifically developed kibble for sporting and working dogs, now re-affirms their position by using the latest nutritional science and technology to create their Premium Performance line. Eukanuba Premium Performance provides four specially created products, (Sprint, Exercise, Sport, and Work) that best suit a dog’s exercise levels and nutritional needs through varying blends of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. New in the Premium Performance line, antioxidant cocktails aid in post-work recovery by defending against free radicals, and every blend is rich in vitamins, minerals, and other key nutrients that supports the unique needs and demands of sporting dogs. Whether you hunt rabbits with beagles, run long ranging pointers for quail, or harness up a team of sled dogs, Eukanuba’s Premium Performance line sets a new standard in sporting and working dog nutrition.
Duck Camp Head Guide Hoodie- $150 (duckcamp.com)
Upland hunters dream of frosty fall mornings and Duck Camp’s new Head Guide Hoodie is the perfect layering piece for chilly walks through the uplands. This fleece lined hoodie is the most comfortable layer we’ve ever worn under our bird vests and we appreciate not having to pluck burrs off at the end of the day thanks to its durable nylon face-fabric. Elastic cuffs keep the sleeves from getting in your way while controlling e-collars or mounting your shotgun and its roomy, adjustable hood seals out the wind while still allowing plenty of room for your favorite hunting hat. From the tailgate to following rover through thick cover and back again, this full-zip hoodie provides warmth, comfort, and durability on cool-weather hunts.
