Episode 30: Setters, Appalachian Grouse, and Guiding with Justin Madron

Justin Madron grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, where the outdoors were part of everyday life. He started hunting deer and bear at a young age, and his earliest introduction to hunting dogs came through hounds. Though grouse were around, they were more of an incidental opportunity than a pursuit. That all changed later in life when he discovered upland hunting and fell in love with it, especially the combination of physical effort, dog work, and the social community it creates.Justin now spends much of his fall chasing Appalachian grouse and Virginia woodcock with his Llewellin setter, Filly. He also guides in Michigan for a few weeks each season and makes a point to introduce new people to the uplands whenever he can. His professional work centers on solving tough environmental and planning challenges through geospatial data. He runs a consulting company called Farther Afield, which donates a portion of profits to upland conservation. When he’s not hunting or training dogs, he’s home between Virginia and West Virginia with his wife Tiffany and their twin boys.Topics Covered:Justin's journey to bird dogs through a friendHunting with different types of settersThe "boutique" style of Appalachian grouse huntingJustin's conservation mindset with his company, Farther AfieldWhat Justin finds fulfilling about guiding for other huntersConnect with Justin:https://www.instagram.com/j.madron/Proud Sponsors:Gundog CentralHunt Redi