About Kyle
Where are you from?
Southwest Ohio
How long have you been hunting/guiding?
Hunting for ~20 years, Guiding for 10
What do you enjoy most about guiding at Pineridge?
I enjoy the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and catching up with the other guides and clients over drinks and appetizers to hear how their day was.
Q&A
How did you get started hunting grouse?
I did my master’s research on woodcock and hunting them naturally got me into the grouse woods.
What keeps you coming back to the Northwoods each season?
I love the challenge and pursuit of grouse and woodcock hunting and helping other people experience it
What makes a great grouse dog in your opinion?
A dog that knows how to search the cover and hold a grouse with limited corrections or encouragement. Makes the hunt more quiet, calm, and fun.
Early season or late season, and why?
Late season. The woods are quiet and the dogs and I can tolerate the cold better than we can the heat.
What’s one mistake you see hunters make in grouse cover?
Not walking past the dog on point is the biggest mistake
Describe a perfect day at Pineridge.
Waking up early before most of the clients and guides to ease into the day. Hitting the covers hard and seeing clients laugh about missed shots and celebrate downed birds. Then enjoying a great meal, recapping the day and making a plan for the next.
Favorite gun to carry in the grouse woods?
SxS, double trigger, English stock. Keep it classy.
Coffee at dawn or bourbon by the fire?
Life is short, why not have both!
A hunt you’ll never forget?
I tried out a new cover with a group of clients I’ve hunted with for several years. We walked across a beaver dam to an island and it was full of grouse – likely pushed there from other hunters. I really enjoy finding new covers with clients, and having it really work out is such a blast.
One piece of advice for someone new to grouse hunting.
Be patient, it isn’t a contest, and trust the dog.
Best bird dog name you’ve heard?
I’ve always liked the name Cricket.
What makes Pineridge different?
Pineridge is a family-run business and you are treated like family when you are there. Each day is a reward where you can escape the day to day grind and focus on the simple things – the dogs, the birds, and your old and new friends.