A.J. DeRosa

A.J. DeRosa founded Project Upland in 2014 as an excuse to go hunting more often (and it worked). A New England native, he grew up hunting and has spent over 30 years in pursuit of big and small game species across three continents. He started collecting guns on his 18th birthday and eventually found his passion for side-by-side shotguns, inspiring him to travel the world to meet the people and places from which they come. Looking to turn his passion into inspiration for others, AJ was first published in 2004 and went on to write his first book The Urban Deer Complex in 2014. He soon discovered a love for filmmaking, particularly the challenge of capturing ruffed grouse with a camera, which led to the award-winning Project Upland film series. AJ's love for all things wild has caused him to advocate on the federal and state levels to promote and expand conservation policy, habitat funding, and upland game bird awareness. He currently serves as the Strafford County New Hampshire Fish & Game Commissioner in order to give back to his community and to further the mission of the agency. When those hunting excuses are in play, you can find him wandering behind his Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in the mountains of New England and anywhere else the birds take them.

126 Articles Published | Follow:
A young hunter holds a youth shotgun wearing blaze orange in the woods
What is the Best Youth 20-Gauge Shotgun?

A growing market for youth shotguns means there are many options to choose from when…

A group of new hunters with a hunting mentor
Hunter Recruitment is Not the Problem People Think it Is

Selling hunting licenses is the only way underfunded state wildlife agencies can increase their budgets…

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Reintroduced to the 118th Congress

This could be the most important piece of conservation legislation in our lifetime. WASHINGTON, D.C.…

A grouse hunting shotgun with a group of ruffed grouse fans
Defining a Grouse Gun – A Shotgun of Specialist Function

Defining the attributes of the perfect ruffed grouse gun over generations of grouse hunters and…

Woodsmanship plays a successful role in shooting a turkey
Woodsmanship is the Most Important Skill in Hunting

Gaining actual experience in the woods and becoming a better hunter takes true dedication of…

The Many Nicknames of the American Woodcock

The American Woodcock has a storied history in culture that has resulted in many names…

28-Gauge: The Exception of the Sub-Gauge Shotgun

Is the 28-gauge the best shotgun gauge for upland hunters? Uncertainty is one of the…

Ruffed grouse king of the game birds
Is the New England Subspecies of Ruffed Grouse the King of Game Birds?

What factors determine the most challenging game bird to hunt in North America? There are…

A collection of side-by-side shotguns by Upland Gun Company
A New Side-by-Side Shotgun Renaissance

Manufacturers never saw a new side-by-side shotgun revival coming from a younger generation Whose idea…

A grouse hunter shows the fan of a ruffed grouse
Ethics of Bag Limits and Self-Imposed Limits

Should you shoot a limit of wild game birds this season? During my childhood in…

Project Upland Audio Books
Hunting Audio Books – Project Upland’s Classic Bird Hunting Books on Audible

Check out our latest bird hunting audio books from classic upland authors and writers. Hidden…

Two bird hunters and a pointing do hunt woodcock in Massachusetts
Bird Hunting in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a storied history in Ruffed Grouse and woodcock hunting. Today, upland hunting persists…

A ruffed grouse taking flight
The Ruffed Grouse’s Mysterious “Crazy Flight”

Exploring the Ruffed Grouse behavior enigma of crazy flight through history and science It was…

A vintage photo of ammunition in a gun shop
The Return Act Threatens Conservation via the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court could destroy the Pittman-Robertson Act in an age of culture wars. Back…

An English Setter Upland Bird Hunting in North Dakota
Love Letter to North Dakota – A Hungarian Partridge and Sharp-tailed Grouse Story

Watch and read the upland hunting adventures of Tyler Webster of Birds, Booze, and Buds…

Maurizio Bertolassi the president of RFM shotguns with his daughter Alessia
RFM Shotguns: Shotguns with a Soul

The Story of an Italian Custom Gunmaker and the Rota-Fausti Manufacturing Legacy I stood at…

A hunter carries out a turkey he killed.
The Oxymoron of Success and Failure in Turkey Hunting

Has someone truly experienced the emotions of success in hunting if they have not also…

A dog pointing a woodcock during the spring training season
Spring Woodcock: The Quiet Period and Pointing Dog Training

Explore the ethics, laws, and dog training opportunities of the spring woodcock season The afternoon…

A.J. DeRosa holds the paw of a black bear with a hound in the background.
Battle of the Hounds: Vermont Legislature Considering Bills to Limit, Ban Bear Hunting with Dogs

A long-standing tradition is under threat in Vermont after legislators in the state’s House of…

Beretta 486 Parallelo round-action shotgun in a case
A Look at the Beretta 486 Parallelo Round-Action Side-by-Side

An overview of this unusual shotgun from the iconic Italian gunmaker The grouse season was…

grouse milanese on a plate with salad.
Grouse Milanese – A Classic Italian Recipe Gone Upland

Bring this fried cooking tradition of Southern Italy to North American upland game birds with…