Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms,
I’m writing this on the first truly cold and rainy day of fall. After six weeks without a drop, today’s showers feel like a gift – and they’ve got me craving a fire, a bourbon, and the kind of laughter that fills the air at Hollywood Farms after a great hunt.
There’s just something about that post-hunt glow. A warm fire. Plates of good food. Friends around the flames, telling stories and passing the bottle. It’s one of the best parts of the season.
Where Wildflowers Meet Game Birds
Habitat management is a year-round labor of love here. This month, we harvested some aging hardwood that had reached the end of its productive life.
The result?
Open canopies and thriving clearings now bursting with wildflowers, legumes, and seed-rich native plants that feed and shelter game birds and pollinators alike.
These are the fields you’ll hunt this season – wild, beautiful, and built with purpose.
Gunnar at Wildrose
My lab Gunnar (yes, with an “a” – named after a wheated bourbon from Kansas) and I took a trip to Oxford, Mississippi for the Wildrose Doublegun event.
We didn’t win anything, we didn’t even come close. But the experience was rich with lessons, and I saw some of the finest dog work anywhere.
Gunnar is back on the check cord working quail. He’s pointing steady and retrieving with passion. We’re both learning, and I’m loving every minute of it.
In the photo above, Gunnar and I are second from the right.
Retreat in Camo
While I was away in Mississippi, my son Michael and his bride Marsha hosted seven couples from their church for a marriage retreat led by one of their pastors.
Mornings and evenings were spent in quiet conversation and fellowship… and yes, they managed to squeeze in a little deer hunting too.
Looking at the photos, I think the camo brought them closer together!
We’d love to host more retreats like this. There’s something about nature, fireside talks, and time away that feeds the soul.
Meet Axel
Our lead guide, Shane, has been working all summer with his new dog Axel – an 18-month-old red Vizsla with a beautiful nose and a heart full of drive.
I had the chance to run birds with Axel this week for the first time, and let me tell you – he was flawless.
Axel is going to be a star in the field this season. We can’t wait for you to see him work.
The Season Awaits!
The weather’s turning, the dogs are ready, and the fields are calling.
We’re excited for the season ahead and can’t wait to host you and your group at Hollywood Farms – for fireside meals, fine dog work, and memories that will stay with you long after the last shell is spent.
See you in the quail woods.
Warmly,
Chuck Duggan & The Hollywood Farms Team