Spring has Sprung: A Look Ahead to Project Upland Magazine 4.1
Hitting mailboxes in April, Project Upland Magazine Volume 4, Issue 1 highlights a season of change and standard of quality the upland community desires
Spring is here! The season of rebirth and rejuvenation is upon us, and, despite the roving bands of snow pelting us in the north and the horrific storms in the south, soon we will be adventuring into the woods in search of those devious tom turkeys, training our dogs at every chance, and cruising along our favorite streams, fly rod in hand hoping to start the season off right by hooking some lunker trout.
Just as spring is the season of change and renewal, Project Upland finds itself in a pivotal moment of change and further establishing its identity within the culture and community we love. It’s fitting, then, that issue 4.1 would release at the peak of this shift, an issue packed with excellent content sourced from the community.
From the story of a man’s first ruffed grouse camp to the evolution of a woman and her Deutsch Langhaar obsession, our motto, “These are your stories,” has never meant more.
Without further ado, here’s a sneak peek into the spring issue.
Spring’s recipe: Woodcock and Truffled Quail Egg
Rossano Russo brings another top-shelf wild game recipe to readers, featuring woodcock cuts, quail eggs, chopped parsley, and black truffle shavings. Make sure you have leftover roasted potatoes to complete this hearty meal.
Spring’s Comic: A Fuzzier Perspective
Naomi Coates returns with a beautifully drawn addition to her comic strip, A Fuzzier Perspective.
Sage grouse, bird dogs, and fire fighting is the theme of this quarter’s strip, and you don’t want to miss it.
Spring’s photo essay: Springtime and an Autumn Promise
Project Upland photographer and filmmaker Adam Regier delights with a photo essay procured from frames from a past film project following Levi Glines and Garret Mikrut, two die-hard turkey hunters. Amid an early-morning hunt, Regier recalls the first time he heard a tom spitting and drumming; reminiscent of the ruffed grouse, his “treasure of game birds.”
Cedar Swamp and the Spring
Regier follows his photo essay with a recollection of his first time at grouse camp. His first time away from his brother and father, Regier paints a picture of him and his friends trudging through thick grouse cover, discovering an eerie cedar swamp and a cold spring along the way.
A story of humility, Regier recalls the characteristics he’s grown out of as well as the practical changes that naturally occur.
The Right Type
Hunting Dog Confidential’s Editor-in-Chief Craig Koshyk brings an educational piece to 4.1, helping upland hunters find the right dog for their exploits. With stunning visuals and a crafty graphic, Koshyk breaks down hunters into five distinct categories: adventure, fitness, casual, zen, and Vive la differénce hunters.
From retrievers to hounds, primary game types to energy levels, Koshyk helps set the reader on the right path for their next four-legged hunting buddy and family member.
ABCs and Prize 1-2-3s
Project Upland’s Director of Operations Jennifer Wapenski dives into the world of hunt tests, breaking down NAVHDA, JGHV, and AKC.
From the basics of what a hunt test is, to whether you should dip your toes into that world; from who is eligible for the tests in the first place to what passing one means, Wapenski breaks down the fine details of each system while injecting her, her husband’s, and her two Deutsch Langhaar’s journey in all three systems.
The Lost Grouse
Andrew M. Wayment brings to light an all-but-lost author among the upland literature scene, Stephen Tillinham Hammond.
From the history of Hammond’s life to his run of books, Wayment shares his affinity for the author and shares Hammond’s overall message: “that the overall experience has an appeal that speaks to the grouse hunter’s soul.”
How it Started
Outgoing Project Upland Magazine Managing Editor Rachelle Blair-Frasier tells the origin story of Cortney Shaefer, a Deutsch Langhaar breeder based in Nebraska.
After getting bit by the bird dog bug during college, Shaefer took a keen interest in hunting behind a gun dog. Despite a bumpy road with her and her husband’s first dog, Schaefer eventually found Kaylee, a Deutsch Langhaar from Illertal Kennel, that changed her life. Learn about Shaefer’s hunting journey, her and her husband’s kennel named after Kaylee, and the couple’s life among Deutsch Langhaars.
Acting for Grasslands
Project Upland Magazine’s incoming Managing Editor Andrew Spellman breaks down Pheasants Forever’s leadership in crafting the North American Grasslands Conservation Act, a heavy-hitting piece of legislation aimed at protecting and enhancing critical habitat.
Grasslands aren’t only great for birds, but also for the planet as they’re the largest carbon sink in the world, capable of sequestering massive amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. Taken from the lens of a political reporter, Spellman dives into conversations with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Director of Government Affairs, Bethany Erb, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Dr. Shaun Grassel, a wildlife biologist with and a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, to bring to light all the components that make the upcoming grasslands bill one hunters need to champion.
Woodcock Banding
Matt Woolley takes us through the big woods of northern Michigan on a woodcock-banding experience. One of his friends, Todd Kellam, vice president of the United Kennel Club, is the centerpiece of this story you don’t want to skip over.
Camera in hand, Woolley follows Kellam and others as they use their setters to point hens and chicks, which is when the fun begins.
Shotguns with a Soul: An Italian Custom Gunmaker
Project Upland Creative Director A.J. DeRosa holds the feature story for this issue: a look into the craftsmanship and legacy of RFM (Rota Fausti Manufacturers) shotguns.
Some may know of RFM by their connection to Upland Gun Company, Jerry Havel, and Dan LaFond, but DeRosa dives into the history of the family in Italy behind the illustrious double guns while giving a run-down of the available models for purchase.
A story of family’s grit and determination awaits those who are subscribed.
