About this episode

Nick Larson and Fritz Heller discuss the challenges of the 2025 hunting season, including weather effects and dog training.

In this episode of the Birdshot Podcast, Nick Larson is joined by Fritz Heller, a dedicated upland hunter, to discuss the 2025 hunting season, dogs, grouse hunting, and much more. Fritz shares insights into the challenges of the season, including heat waves and the impact on bird numbers, as well as his experience training new puppies. The conversation also gets into Fritz's plans for the future, including his search for a camper for hunting trips and his thoughts on managing bird populations and hunting conditions. Fritz Heller is an upland bird hunter, dog trainer, and dedicated outdoorsman from Michigan. He has been actively involved in training dogs and hunting for many years, sharing his knowledge of the sport with others. Fritz is passionate about the welfare of wildlife, managing habitats, and improving bird populations, and has a wealth of experience hunting grouse, pheasants, and other upland species. Expect to Learn The impact of weather conditions on the 2025 hunting season Heat waves and their effects on bird numbers, especially in the early season The importance of habitat regeneration and the role of different species, like blackberries, in grouse hunting How puppy…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Larson

Guest: Fritz Heller

Topics covered

• upland hunting
• dog training
• grouse hunting
• weather impact
• habitat management

Keywords

• grouse hunting
• upland bird hunting
• puppy training
• hunting season
• wildlife management

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Michigan

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• #348 | The Gear That Made a Difference This Upland Season with Mike Neiduski · March 6, 2026 · 1h 51m
• #347 | Understanding Vintage Side-by-Sides: Fit, Function & Field Performance with Doug Stewart · February 19, 2026 · 1h 18m
• #346 | Lessons from an 80-Year-Old Grouse Hunter with Tim Flanigan · February 6, 2026 · 1h 35m
• #345 | Hearing the Flush Without Losing Your Hearing with Marc Musselman · January 23, 2026 · 1h 31m

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