#4 - Matt Michael of Killbuck Valley Retrievers

In this episode, we dive into the world of retriever training with Casey Boyington of Old South Retrievers. From humble beginnings in South Alabama to becoming a trusted trainer, Casey shares his experiences and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

Aiden Kostival is a retriever trainer, duck guide, and future club founder. He breaks down what it really takes to build a life around birds, dogs, and long days in the field. Aiden shares how he went from growing up duck hunting in southern Ohio to training gun dogs, running hunt tests across multiple states, and guiding in Arkansas for the entire waterfowl season. We get into the topics that actually matters for serious dog people: how he decided to cap his kennel at 16 dogs so every dog gets real attention, why he focuses on gun dog training over obedience and boarding, and what it takes to expand from a six-hole trailer and a climate-controlled garage into a bigger operation. He also opens up about what he learned from working under another pro, why he’ll take advice from almost anyone, and how his personal dog Scout became a finish-level milestone he’s proud of. You'll hear Aiden talk through the difference between HRC and AKC tests, what he thinks about Master Hunter versus HRCH titles, and why he’s fired up to help start a new HRC club near Athens, Ohio with Matt Michael. He also shares what it’s like to run tests in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, plus how a strong training partnership and great clients helped his kennel grow faster than he expected. Then the conversation shifts to Arkansas, where Aiden tells the wild story of how a Facebook post, a late-night resume, and a phone call sent him into the duck guide world almost overnight. He breaks down what guide life really looks like - early mornings, constant scouting, gun safety, client management, and never really getting to clock out - and why he loves it enough to make it his winter job for the foreseeable future.

Small-shot thinking, lower recoil, and exacting shell consistency are changing the way serious waterfowlers pattern their guns. Ryan Nordstrom of Big River Ammunition pulls back the curtain on what actually makes a shotgun shell perform—and why the old “faster and bigger is better” mindset may be costing you birds. Built from the banks of the Mississippi and shaped by years of tinkering, testing, and real-world hunting, Ryan shares how he went from handloading for himself and friends to building a small ammunition company that obsessively controls crimps, pellet counts, wad depth, and pressure. If you care about clean kills, better follow-up shots, and knowing exactly what your ammo is doing on paper, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Yinz Will Learn: Why shell consistency matters more than most hunters realize How shot size, FPS, and recoil actually affect pattern density Why Ryan prefers smaller shot sizes like 4s, 5s, and even 6s for certain birds What makes pattern testing and proof testing essential before anything reaches customers How Big River’s pattern packs help hunters avoid wasting money on boxes that don’t perform in their gun

On this episode of the Retriever Han'ler Podcast, we sit down with Chris Parry of Wild River Kennels for an honest conversation about building a dog training business from the ground up. Chris shares how his passion for dogs, hunting, and hard work led him from a demanding career in submarine manufacturing into professional retriever training, and how he and his wife built Wild River into a family-run operation with a reputation for grit, honesty, and results. We also get into what it really takes to train high-powered hunting dogs, the differences between AKC and HRC hunt tests, why maturity matters so much in young dogs, and how relationships and trust are at the center of everything he does. If you love dog training, hunt tests, or just a good story about turning passion into a career, this one is worth a listen.

In this episode, Zac Patrick shares his journey from growing up in Ohio with a passion for duck hunting and dogs to becoming a renowned retriever trainer and judge. He discusses his dogs' accomplishments, the intricacies of hunt tests, and his insights into training and judging at the highest levels.