Retriever Journal

Retriever Journal The sporting retriever authority. http://www.retrieverjournal.com Why did you decide to get a retriever? Did you grow up with a Lab or a golden or a Chessie?

Maybe one of the water spaniel breeds? Maybe it was when you decided to get a hunting partner, one that is loyal and wants to serve

No matter when or why, you know that the relationship between a retriever and his human partner is different from that of any other sporting dog. Hounds do their work at a great distance. The human a bit-part player at the end; the hound’s reward is bringing his qua

rry to bay. Pointing dogs are an independent lot, coursing and searching in places far and near, the hunter following. The human needs the dog more than the dog needs the human because the point is the reward. But retrievers cannot do their work until the human does his – he must sit quietly or hunt closely. The dog cannot do what his genes tell him to do – order him to do – until the hunter does his part. His reward is the retrieve – impossible without his two-legged partner. The bond, then, that exists is greater with these wonderful breeds than with any other man-dog relationship. In every issue of The Retriever Journal, we honor that relationship, that bond. The premier issue launched in the beginning of 1995 to fill a niche, to appeal to the person who values a retriever’s work above all else in the field, the type of person who would leave his gun home before he left his dog. Together you share a love for the fields and the blinds, the pheasants and the ducks and geese and the grouse and the quail and all the rest, the heft and feel of a nice shotgun, and the sights and sounds and smells of autumn and those first biting winds of winter. Together you enjoy an old and honored tradition, but one where every day in the field is like the first. Don’t delay – join us. Your dog will thank you, and so will we.

What can you expect to read in the next issue of RJ? The complete table of contents is on our website!
11/17/2025

What can you expect to read in the next issue of RJ? The complete table of contents is on our website!

Features General Practitioner By E. Donnall Thomas Jr. Dents and Dings By Tom Keer Flowchart Problem Spots: Obedience and Force-Fetch By Charlie Jurney When Do You Give Up On a Dog? By Steve Smith Winter Tough A Photo Essay Departments Do It Yourself Duck Dog Wild upland takeaways. By Ryan Eder Wate...

Our December 2025/January 2026 issue is to the press.
11/15/2025

Our December 2025/January 2026 issue is to the press.

Now to the déjà vu part, essentially the survey just tabulated and published is no different than last year – 2024 yield...
11/04/2025

Now to the déjà vu part, essentially the survey just tabulated and published is no different than last year – 2024 yielded an estimated 34 million ducks, and it is the same this year, 34 million ducks. This is stated to be four percent below the long-term average. Let’s go ahead and break the report down by species, and then perhaps I can editorialize a bit about what this might mean for your field spread, river blind, cypress hole, or your stock pond.

The title of this column is a familiar malapropism believed to have been first stated by the legendary baseball player and manager, Yogi Berra, and of course it’s funny because it’s redundant. Déjà vu already means seeing something again. This is all highly appropriate, due to the fact that ea...

This update to our 2025 Upland Gamebird Hunting Forecast incorporates the results of late summer upland gamebird populat...
10/29/2025

This update to our 2025 Upland Gamebird Hunting Forecast incorporates the results of late summer upland gamebird population surveys conducted by state fish and wildlife agencies. This data measures recruitment of birds into the fall population, providing a more finely tuned forecast than was possible at press time for the print magazine in mid-July.

by Dave Smith This update to our 2025 Upland Gamebird Hunting Forecast incorporates the results of late summer upland gamebird population surveys conducted by state fish and wildlife agencies. This data measures recruitment of birds into the fall population, providing a more finely tuned forecast th...

The first taste of fall stirs the soul of an upland bird hunter in a familiar way each year. A rich collage of memories ...
09/22/2025

The first taste of fall stirs the soul of an upland bird hunter in a familiar way each year. A rich collage of memories floods the mind: beloved bird dogs, treasured times with friends and family, and those special places. The trance builds anticipation for a new chapter of fantastic fall days. Read the complete forecast here: https://retrieverjournal.com/2025-upland-gamebird-hunting-forecast/

We have some great content coming in the next issue, including our annual upland gamebird hunting forecast!
09/15/2025

We have some great content coming in the next issue, including our annual upland gamebird hunting forecast!

Features The Came From the North Atlantic By E. Donnall Thomas Jr. 2025 Upland Gamebird Hunting Forecast By Dave Smith Inseason Troubleshooting By Charlie Jurney That First Season By Steve Smith Learn to Save Your Sporting Retriever’s Life By Jillian LaCross Shell Games By Tom Keer   Departments ...

What's coming your way? Our 30th (!) anniversary issue!
09/11/2025

What's coming your way? Our 30th (!) anniversary issue!

An incredible gift.
08/27/2025

An incredible gift.

This majestic black Lab graces the cover of our June/July 2025 issue of The Retriever Journal. Thank you to photographer...
06/05/2025

This majestic black Lab graces the cover of our June/July 2025 issue of The Retriever Journal. Thank you to photographer John Hafner for the great shot!

Retrievers become different dogs as they age. Their physical capabilities require constant reassessment, ideally with ad...
05/27/2025

Retrievers become different dogs as they age. Their physical capabilities require constant reassessment, ideally with advice from a veterinarian who understands the breed.

No reason age should keep a good dog down. by E. Donnall Thomas Jr. Editor-at-Large Photos by Don & Lori Thomas “With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.” —William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice It was a tough day in Washington’s Columbia Basin, where Lori and I do a lot of our du...

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