History

Outdoor writers Bob Brister (right) and Gene Hill (left) at the Highland Bend US National Sporting Clays Championship.
The History of Sporting Clays in America

Sporting clays competitions in England were popularized in 1925. However, it took 60 years for…

Men walking setters at a dog show in 1899
The History of Dog Shows and Competitions

Although informal dog competitions have likely been around for thousands of years, written records of…

Australian soldiers stand in the rain in Vietnam with their trained tracking dogs.
Australian Tracking Labs of the Vietnam War 

During the Vietnam War, Australia trained 11 Labrador Retrievers to track and alert their handlers…

Historic etching of two duck hunters shooting ducks from a sink box
History of the Sinkbox

Explore the rich history of sinkboxes, from their construction and purpose to their use, throughout…

A black and white photo of Texas waterfowl hunters using a steer to duck hunt
Hunting Ducks Over Cattle: The Trained Waterfowling Steers of Texas

Explore the fascinating tradition of waterfowl hunting over trained steers in Texas during the late…

A plan for a european duck decoy pipe
A Brief History of European and North American Duck “Decoys”

Whether referring to physical structures or fake ducks, duck decoys have been used to hunt…

A pointing dog picks up on a scent during a hunt.
How a Bird Dog Understands Scent Cones with Bill Allen

Read the excerpt ‘Scent Cone Primer’ from The Unforgettables and Other True Fables, a collection…

Gunsmiths work in the historic Princes Street Dickson & Son gun shop.
The History of the John Dickson and Son Round Action Shotgun

Dive into the history of the Scottish gunmaker John Dickson and his round-action shotgun, what…

A painting of the Brown and White Norfolk or Water Spaniel.
Extinction: The History of Lost Dog Breeds

Among pointing dogs, a number of breeds have already disappeared; others may follow them unless…

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…

A set of over and under shotguns rest side by side on a store rack.
Rise of the Over-Under Shotgun: A History Lesson

The rise of the over-under and a history lesson in fashionable shotguns Do you think…

An old painting of early gun dogs used by nobility.
Gun Dog – The Evolution and Definition of Modern Dog Breeds

The history of gundogs and firearms are intertwined as the development of one fueled the…

A medieval engraving of an early experiment with gunpowder
From the Invention of Gunpowder to the First Shotgun Cartridges

The invention of gunpowder served as the catalyst to develop the firearms we use to…

Gregg Elliot breaks down a Fox boxlock shotgun.
How the Boxlock Shotgun Became a Standard

A look at the history behind the boxlock shotgun and the insult that conquered the…

a Hungarian partridge walking in a field.
Wild Hungarian Partridge Hunting in New York

There was a time when wild Huns were a bird of the Eastern United States…

a female bird hunter holding shotgun shells
What You Should Know About Shotgun Shells

A complete look at the facts and myths of shotgun shells Imagine it’s 1880 and…