A.J. DeRosa

A.J. DeRosa founded Project Upland in 2014 as an excuse to go hunting more often (and it worked). A New England native, he grew up hunting and has spent over 35 years in pursuit of big and small game species across three continents. He has a passion for side-by-side shotguns, inspiring him to travel the world to meet the people and places from which they come. Looking to turn his passion into inspiration for others, AJ was first published in 2004 and went on to write his first book The Urban Deer Complex in 2014. He soon discovered a love for filmmaking, particularly the challenge of capturing ruffed grouse with a camera, which led to the award-winning Project Upland film series. AJ's love for all things wild has caused him to advocate on the federal and state levels to promote and expand conservation policy, habitat funding, and upland game bird awareness. He currently serves as the Strafford County New Hampshire Fish & Game Commissioner in order to give back to his community and to further the mission of the agency. When those hunting excuses are in play, you can find him wandering behind his Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in the mountains of New England and anywhere else the birds take them.

134 Articles Published | Follow:
A grouse hunter walking to his truck on public lands.
The Ethics and Issues of Hotspotting in Hunting

What are the lines that define hotspotting public lands in the bird hunting community? It’s…

A hunter looks at a smart phone while holding a shotgun
Using Scout-N-Hunt for New England Grouse Hunting

Finding new grouse hunting covers in New England with the Scout-N-Hunt app The truck crept…

A bird hunter holds a woodcock and a shotgun
A Guide to American Woodcock Hunting

Woodcock may be one of the greatest game birds to pursue for those interested in…

A german wirehaired pointer retrieves a pheasant
Most Popular Game Birds By Access and Generation

How is the future of game bird hunting trends changing in North America? Will the…

a grouse hunter examines mountain ash berries
Targeting Mountain Ash to Find Ruffed Grouse

Ruffed grouse habitat identification can be complicated, and sometimes simplifying things can be a good…

Ruben Mata hunts valley quail with his German Shorthaired Pointer.
This Exists – A California Quail Hunting Video

Traditions have to start somewhere, and in this film, Ruben Mata takes us through his…

Front cover of the book woodcock shooting
Woodcock Shooting – Edmund Davis’ 1908 Classic in Audio Format

‘Woodcock Shooting’ stands as a timeless classic in upland hunting books and is now available…

A turkey hunter connecting with their food source.
Our Connection – A Turkey Hunting Film on Connecting with Our Food

Turkey hunting is one of the closest connections we can have between nature and our…

A wild turkey hen comes into a turkey call.
The Fighting Hens – A Deadly Turkey Calling Tactic

Spring turkey hunting tactics rarely explore the idea of calling other hens as a viable…

A chukar hunter and his dog overlooking chukar country
Chukar Chasers – A Chukar Hunting Video

A visually stunning landscape of public lands is the backdrop for the pursuit of chukar…

An elk hunter out turkey hunting.
Poor Man’s Elk – Hunting Turkeys in Film

An Elk Hunter Finds a Passion for Turkey Hunting in the Spring Jeff Lusk is…

A wild turkey comes into a call mid morning
When is the Best Time to Hunt Turkeys?

Looking at the benefits of primarily hunting mid to late morning turkeys and sleeping in…

A turkey hunter in the Ozarks.
My Heart – A Turkey Hunting Film in the Ozarks

Follow Jim Ronquest into his stopping grounds of the Ozarks in the pursuit of wild…

A wild turkey roosting in a tree
A How-to Guide to Roosting Turkeys

Roosting turkeys is a very important step in building the foundation for all turkey hunting…

Still from a rio turkey hunting video.
All of It – A Texas Rio Turkey Hunting Film

Dream of spring mornings with this turkey hunting video from Texas. The world of turkey…

A turkey hunter in New England.
New Englander – A Turkey Hunting Film with an NWTF Regional Director

New England is one of the most overlooked regions for good turkey hunting. Fred Bird,…

Wild turkeys in a suburban neighborhood.
Understanding Suburban Turkey Behavior

A look at suburban turkey behavior and how to hunt them Not too long ago…

A turkey hangs up outside of shooting range.
What Does it Mean When a Turkey ‘Hangs Up?’

Is the turkey hanging up the result of pressure or is it normal behavior? Hunting…

A bird hunter holds a ruffed grouse and a Franchi Affinity.
A Review of the Franchi Affinity 3 Semiautomatic Shotgun

The Franchi Affinity 3 is a reliable Italian-made shotgun for applications from big game to…

Two turkey hunters using the turkey fanning tactic
Turkey Fanning – The Controversy and Method

Turkey fanning has made a major comeback as a hunting methodology — here is what you…

Dr. Ben Jones of the Ruffed Grouse Society with an English setter
Ben Jones President and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society – Champion of the Bellwether

The Dr. Ben Jones story is bigger than just the ruffed grouse . Ben Jones…