Episode 2 - Pheasant Season Fever: Opening Day Traditions, Shotgun Stories, and the Supreme Court’s Big Win

From the pheasant fields of Iowa to the public lands of Wyoming, this week’s episode celebrates freedom, tradition, and the stories that define hunting season. For more than a century, Field & Stream has been home to America’s best hunting and fishing stories—and now, those stories come alive in this podcast. In this episode, host Colin Kearns is joined by Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream’s shotguns columnist and upland expert, for a deep dive into the passion, tradition, and nostalgia that define pheasant hunting season. Phil shares what makes the pheasant opener feel like a sacred holiday, why bird dogs make every hunt better, and how Iowa’s upland legacy continues to evolve. Later, Travis Hall returns with a major conservation update on the corner-crossing Supreme Court decision, a win that unlocks millions of acres for public land hunters and anglers across the West—and breaks down the latest controversy surrounding Alaska’s Ambler Road project. Finally, Ryan Chelius joins to reveal the results of Field & Stream’s annual fly rod test, naming the best fly rods of 2025 and what makes each worth casting. From pheasants to fly rods, this episode captures the changing rhythm of the American outdoors—one story, one hunt, one cast at a time. Follow the Field & Stream Podcast for weekly stories, strategies, and gear tests from America’s original outdoor storytellers. Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/ Get to know your host, Colin Kearns: https://www.fieldandstream.com/authors/colin-kearns Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/ Sound effects and sound design for Campfire provided by: Walk in the snow and wind.wav by Tezzio -- https://freesound.org/s/676186/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Winter Forest River Coyote Rain Snow Wind Birds Dogs Nature Atmosphere Ambient Surround.wav by szegvari -- https://freesound.org/s/609033/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Wind during snow storm #2.m4a by guyburns -- https://freesound.org/s/473816/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Wind during snow storm #1.m4a by guyburns -- https://freesound.org/s/473815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Dawn-with-a-Pheasant.wav by LolitaPerdurabo -- https://freesound.org/s/188699/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Pheasant-male-crow with wing flap by Sonic-ranger -- https://freesound.org/s/234382/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 shotgun shoot by MrGungus -- https://freesound.org/s/773873/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices