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 35 years in pursuit of big and small game species across three continents. He has a 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.

135 Articles Published | Follow:
A wirehaired pointing griffon retrieves an American woodcock
Do Woodcock Walk and Run from Points?

Exploring the phenomenon of woodcock that decide walking is better than flying. It can be…

A bird hunting holding an AYA shotgun and an American woodcock.
Legacy – A Project Upland Original Film

A journey into the timeless world of grouse and woodcock hunting through a legacy shotgun.…

bird hunters inside grouse camp at warden worry
How to Tell a Hunting Story: The Legend of Wardens Worry

The author looks into the myths, legends, and rituals of hunting stories in the North…

A bird hunter steadies his dog on a woodcock point.
Why Woodcock are a Gun Dog’s Best Friend

Are woodcock the wild bird of choice to train dogs on the upcoming season? We…

a group of sharp-tailed grouse hunters in Minnesota with bird dogs.
How Much Passion – A Sharp-tailed Grouse Society Film

Explore the world of the Minnesota sharp-tailed grouse in film. There was a time well…

A grouse hunter holds a ruffed grouse fan open during a hunt.
Understanding the Threat Response of Ruffed Grouse in Hunting

Musing on the accelerated evolution of grouse behavior and grouse hunting tactics. A decade ago…

The Woodward family of HALO Outdoors in the woods turkey hunting
Our Passion – A Mississippi Turkey Hunting Film

Journey into the South for a spring turkey hunting story about family. I was so…

Hank Shaw on a pheasant hunt in Kansas with Pheasants Forever.
Food and Hunting – A Film on Wild Game Food Writer Hank Shaw

The musings and personal story of upland game chef Hank Shaw For those of you…

AYA Shotguns Aguirre y Aranzabal
AYA Shotguns Aguirre y Aranzabal – A Spanish Gunmaker Profile

A look into the history, models, and availability of the Spanish handmade AYA shotguns After…

A woodcock hunter in New Hampshire during October bird season.
Live for October – A Hunting Mentor Film

Take a journey on a hunter mentor trip in New Hampshire for ruffed grouse and…

A bird dog wearing a Dogtra 2700T&B
Dogtra 2700T&B Training and Beeper Collar Review

A look into the Dogtra 2700T&B, a practical everyday collar for bird dog folks The…

A turkey hunter shows a bird he shot.
A Reason to Over Call Turkeys

Over calling turkeys is not the best idea — but in some cases, it may…

A bird dog retrieves a ring neck pheasant.
10 Most Popular and Obscure Upland Game Birds in North America

A look into the most popular upland game birds according to the Project Upland audience…

Three turkeys, hunted during the Connecticut turkey hunting season.
Turkey Hunting in Connecticut

Another ‘sleeper state’ for Eastern turkeys in New England. The line of jakes never seemed…

A wild turkey moves silently along the edge of a field.
How to Kill a Silent Turkey

Explore a less traditional but effective approach to hunting turkeys that are silent during the…

a ruffed grouse hunt using a semi-automatic shotgun.
You Do Not Need a Double Gun to be an Upland Hunter

An exploration into the personal ethics and community of upland hunting shotguns Lately, there has…

A worker engraving the stock of Beretta SL3 in the factory in Italy.
Beretta SL3 Review from the Beretta Factory

A look into the new Premium Grade Beretta SL3 in words and film The screen…

an upland hunter holds a ruffed grouse with friends.
A Full Guide to Ruffed Grouse Hunting

Get an accelerated education on ruffed grouse hunting for this fall Whether you live in…

A Eastern wild turkey tom strutting in a field.
Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) – A Wild Turkey Profile

Rebounding from near extinction, the Eastern Wild Turkey is the King of Game Birds The…

An upland bird hunter walks out into the prairie hunting for pheasant.
Bird Hunting Videos of 2019 – Season 4 Official Trailer and Release Schedule

The 2019 bird hunting season takes us to 9 states, 3 countries, 8 upland game…

shotgun chokes on a table with an over and under shotgun.
Understanding Shotgun Chokes – How to Choose a Choke Size for Hunting

Exploring the practical application of shotgun chokes in wingshooting Let me be upfront. Grasping the…