Badlands Upland Game Vest Review

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a working hunter's dog and Broken Bow Kennels is a working kennel.  It sounds mighty stuffy, but the great thing is, our work is PLAY!  Special occasions involve trips to secret hunting fields and wish lists are filled with gear.  I'm no different.  This pack was a birthday gift and it has been on every upland outing since.


Badlands Upland Game Vest

The manufacturer's description covers the features, I've got the insight.  As an upland pack, it's a little small for pheasant.  Two birds about maxes it out.  For the hiking hunter looking for grouse, it's fantastic.  If you're walking the prairie looking for Sharpies or Huns, it makes a days worth of gear easy to bear.  And if you're short on common sense and have the Chukar addiction, it's worth every ounce!

The fit across the shoulders and back distribute weight well, without adding bulk.  This is very advantageous when trying to shoulder a gun while standing on a cliff face watching the Devil's own songbirds screaming away.  It holds close to the body without a lot of shifting and flop.

If you're shooting a 20 gauge or smaller, the side pouches are big enough for a full box each without popping the magnets, which are awesome, by the way.  They allow for a quick reload, but are surprisingly secure.  12s are just a little bulky.  I never used the dump pouch, but this could be a solution.

Space gets to be an issue if you start shedding layers.  As the weather cools off, finding a place for a jacket becomes tricky.  Especially with a pack full of birds!

As a whole, the pack is great!  It is my go to on any walking hunt.  It also meets most states requirement for square inches of orange.

That's it.  That's the quick and dirty.

Is It My Turn Yet?

While working with another pair of dogs, Shai was put up and told not to leave the truck. Well, she's nothing if not obedient, so she stayed with the truck. She just creeped as close to the fun end as she possibly could.

There are a few things about working with a great dog that truly make great memories.  Every time I see muddy paw prints on the hood, I'm reminded of those good times.

Had a great morning out with my hunting buddy. Even managed to bring a Ruffy home.

Playing Catch Up at Broken Bow Kennels

Being a hunting kennel means the time needed to keep up on a blog is eaten up by the good stuff!  It has been a busy, busy season with hunts and travel covering Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah.  All the while scoping out the next valley to hunt or the perfect spot for a duck blind.  This is the quick and dirty of our season up until today.

Some very early season Chukars.  We even managed a double hit and double retrieve!!

 Just the opposite.  This lonely Drake was shot on a crystal clear, sub-zero morning.  Shai's beard and brows were frozen solid, but she still whimpered and whined after I put her away to retrieve the blind. 

 Gavin was so proud to be a part of this Dusky Grouse hunt.

 Caught a quick shot of Shai pointing a Meadow Lark.

 Glamour shot from our Salmon trip.

 In pouring rain is a tough way to sniff out the birds, but Shai managed a long-tail and a pair of huns.