Upland hunting

Upland hunting is an American term for a form of bird hunting in which the hunter pursues upland birds including quail, pheasant, grouse, woodcock, prairie chicken, chukar, grey partridge, and others. Upland birds tend to be found on the ground in heavy cover, so hunters generally employ the use of gun dogs to locate and retrieve game. The average group consists of 2-4 hunters with 1-2 dogs. Normally, if there is one dog the owner usually handles the dog while the others focus on shooting.

Upland bird hunting and clay pigeon shooting have both been widely accepted as gentlemanly activities but it was more prevalent in the past. For example; a man may take his father in law out on a hunting trip. It is also an activity for business outings.

Depending upon their method of work, some dogs point game and some flush game. When flushed, either by the hunter or the dog, the hunter then attempts to shoot the birds on the wing. This is also known as wingshooting.

Upland hunting encompasses some of the activities that takes place in rough shooting in the United Kingdom.

Upland hunters use all types of shotguns from break-breach guns to semi-automatics, and .410 bore through 12 gauge. The quintessential shotgun for upland hunting is a double barrel shotgun in a smaller gauge such as a 16, 20 or 28 gauge. Upland guns can be extremely valuable, often commanding many thousands of dollars.

In America (though not in the UK), some states, such as Alabama and Arkansas, require upland hunters to wear blaze orange clothing for safety. They often wear vests to carry game, though there is a recent trend toward more functional technical daypacks specifically designed for the demands of more rigorous upland hunting in remote areas.

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