AZ Quail Today Podcast

Episode #61 Valley Fever + Pop Quiz For Bird Dog Owner: Nate Istrate

We sit down with Nate Istrate to talk through a real valley fever scare in a hunting dog and what finally brought the symptoms under control. We share what to watch for in your bird dog, what the common tests can miss, and how to think about treatment without panic spending. • Sam’s head tremors and the path to a valley fever diagnosis  • How dogs get valley fever from desert dust and why it is not contagious  • Where valley fever shows up in the body including lungs, bones, and brain  • Prednisone as a short term inflammation tool versus antifungals that treat the fungus  • Fluconazole basics, treatment timelines, and what “low titer” can still mean  • Why a negative blood test may not fully rule it out and when to retest  • Practical risk reduction for Arizona hunting dogs during dusty conditions  • Vet experience and pricing notes including West Valley Animal Hospital in Peoria  • Reading your dog’s behavior, energy, and tail wagging as a health signal  If you like what you hear, make sure you share it with a friend, rate it, do whatever you can to knock up our algorithms and get get the word out there to help fulfill that purpose uh to educate and encourage the next generation of quail hunters in Arizona. To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Connect with us: Email us at r [AzQuailToday@gmail.com]yan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

Episode #60 Summer Travels and Bird Dog Game Plan

We lay out a simple off-season plan for keeping our bird dogs conditioned through the Arizona heat while staying safe and consistent. We also share an update on Arizona quail season dates and why summer effort is where fall success really starts.  • quick update on Arizona quail season dates for Gambel’s, scaled and Mearns  • river and lake swimming for low-impact conditioning and confidence  • using higher elevation in Northern Arizona to beat the heat  • training options through clubs and self-planted birds for controlled sessions  • early morning Valley workouts with a focus on safety and consistency  • why short, smart sessions beat long risky ones  • dog camp value for obedience, bird work and becoming a better handler  • summer travel, scouting and keeping bird hunting about more than birds  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquelltoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Till then, remember to get outside.  Connect with us: Email us at r [AzQuailToday@gmail.com]yan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

Episode #59 How A Young Couple Builds A Life Of Hunting, Adventures And Clean Meat

We sit down with Sam and Annie to talk about how a young couple blends love, faith, and hunting into a future family life built on adventure. We swap stories from quail hunts and deer blinds, dig into clean meat and nutrition, and end with simple encouragement for anyone curious about getting started.  • Annie’s background, how she gets into elk and deer hunting without growing up around it  • First quail hunt impressions, dogs working and the speed of upland shooting  • How hunting fits into marriage and future family culture  • Picking the right dog for hunting and home life, plus managing allergies  • Why quail eggs and wild game matter for clean eating and high-protein nutrition  • The Arkansas deer hunt story, including Sam scoping himself  • Why processing and skinning feels satisfying and how it connects to respect for food  • Practical encouragement for new hunters to try it before committing  As always, visit us over at azquailtoday.com.  To help further our work, please consider making a tax deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Till then, remember to get outside!  Connect with us: Email us at r [AzQuailToday@gmail.com]yan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

Episode #58 Handle The Handler for Better Bird Dogs: Conversation with Guy Sr. at Mollicone Kennels

We talk with Guy Molicone Sr. about why the handler is often the biggest variable in bird dog training and how small changes in language and timing create huge gains. We also get honest about e-collars, rule sets at home, and what great dogs can teach us about expectations and appreciation.  • trimming commands down to a simple vocabulary and using tone consistently  • transitioning a trained dog back to an owner through coaching, video and a written playbook  • learning by watching other dogs run and seeing many field situations unfold  • using phone video to capture instruction and keep repeatable techniques  • separating GPS tracking from e-collar training to protect timing and precision  • treating the e-collar as a tool that reinforces known behavior rather than punishes confusion  • never giving a command you cannot enforce and why ignored commands become meaningless  • building confident dogs with clear yes and no rules and earned rewards at home  • a favorite bird dog memory about Harley and how rare talent shows up in the field  Well, you can uh visit us over at azquelltoday.com, uh, Instagram, Facebook, and uh hopefully this was helpful. If you like it, share it with a friend. To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Till then, remember to get outside.  Connect with us: Email us at r [AzQuailToday@gmail.com]yan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

Episode #57 Train The Bird Dog Mind: A Conversation w/ Guy Mollicone Sr.

We sit down with Pro bird dog trainer Guy Sr. of Mollicone Kennels to unpack what makes a reliable quail dog in Arizona and why handler habits matter as much as the dog’s talent. We talk predator psychology, offseason training that fits real life, and how clear rules and consistency turn drive into teamwork. • Guy’s background with bird dogs and how Mollicone Kennels began  • Shifting from “bird dog training” to understanding canines as predators  • How summer camp training works in southeastern Arizona and why location matters  • Scent work versus sight pointing in different Arizona cover types  • Offseason priorities like obedience, recall, stop, and stand  • Why consistency builds confidence and inconsistency creates chaos  • Drive and cooperation differences across pointers, Brittanys, and other breeds  • Owner involvement through visits and training videos at key transitions  • Using a whoa board or a simple cot for steadiness and place work  • Progression from pigeons to game birds to wild birds  • What success looks like at pickup and how owners maintain results  To those of you listening in, if you like what you're hearing, is helpful to you, then share it with a friend.  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates.  Connect with us: Email us at r [AzQuailToday@gmail.com]yan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday