Ryan Lisson

Ryan Lisson is a biologist and regular content contributor to several outdoor manufacturers, hunting shows, publications, and blogs. He is an avid small game, turkey, and whitetail hunter from northern Minnesota and loves managing habitat almost as much as hunting. Ryan is also passionate about helping other adults experience the outdoors for their first time, which spurred him to launch Zero to Hunt, a website devoted to mentoring new hunters.

66 Articles Published | Follow:
A California quail or valley quail sitting on a branch
California Quail (Callipepla californica) – The Valley Quail Life History

The life history and hunting opportunities of the California Quail also known as the Valley…

A Himalayan snowcock walks a rocky landscape in the Ruby Mountains..
Himalayan Snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis) – A Non-Native Game Bird

The Mysterious Mountain Bird from the Himalayas replanted in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada known…

Two mourning doves it on a branch
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) – A Game Bird Profile

Hunting the feathered missile with a sad call known as the mourning dove Mourning doves…

Two sage grouse doing their mating dance.
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) – A Game Bird Profile

America’s iconic and largest grouse species hailing from the West If you are from the…

a Hungarian partridge walking through cover in the winter.
Hungarian Partridge (Perdix perdix) – The Non-Native Gray Partridge

An overview of the exotic Hungarian Partridge As you would expect from its name, the…

A blue grouse in the woods.
Splitting the Blue Grouse into the Sooty and Dusky Grouse

Learn why the blue grouse was split into two subspecies as well as identifying birds…

A male sooty grouse displaying feathers.
Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) – The Rare Blue Grouse Subspecies

Hunting the ever-challenging coastal Blue Grouse known as the sooty grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) The sooty…

A male dusky grouse displaying
Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) – A Blue Grouse Life History

Chasing one of the two elusive blue grouse in the mountains on North America The…

A chukar in rocky terrain of the chukar hills.
Chukar Partridge – (Alectoris chukar) The Red-Legged Devil

Chukar partridge is the non-native rugged game bird that pushes upland hunters to new limits…

A Sharp-tailed grouse doing a mating dance in a field
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) – A Prairie Grouse Overview

What do you know about the northern prairie grouse known as the sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus…

A male Gambel's Quail walks on a desert landscape
Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii) – Desert Quail Life History and Biology

The Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii) is found in the American southwest and into Mexico as…

A bobwhite quail walking in habitat
Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) – Northern Quail Life History and Biology

The complicated story of the once plentiful Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) and its decline…

A Male Mearns quail game bird
Mearns Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) – Overview of the Montezuma Quail in America

The Mearns quail, which is often called the Montezuma quail, is a rare site in…

A hunter recovers a woodcock without a bird dog.
How to Recover More Birds Without a Dog

Do you use these strategies to recover more birds without a dog? If you’ve been…

A bird hunter walks through woodcock habitat.
How to Identify American Woodcock Habitat

Where and how to find American woodcock habitat throughout the country The American woodcock shares…

A pheasant walks through cattails
Ring-Necked Pheasant – An Upland Game Bird Profile

History of the Exotic Ring-Necked Pheasant of the Prairie (Phasianus colchicus). The pheasant has a very…

A ruffed grouse hunter walks through thick ruffed grouse habitat
How to Identify Ruffed Grouse Habitat

Where to Find Ruffed Grouse Habitat Throughout the Country If you’re going to be a…

An American Woodcock looks for worms on a young forest floor.
The American Woodcock Profile – Scolopax minor

A look at the migratory game bird of known for its many names the American…

Ruffed Grouse drumming on a log
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) – Bellwether of the Forest

The ruffed grouse is the game bird that makes the north woods come alive This…

A prairie chicken stands in a field.
Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) – A Game Bird Profile

Hunting the ghostly-sounding and comical greater prairie-chicken If you’ve never seen a greater prairie-chicken, you’re…

A Spruce grouse in a forest.
Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) – An Upland Game Bird Profile

Take a look at the Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) its history, biology, and hunting availability.…