Mike and Nikki 

A father, daughter guiding team with their two German Shorthair Pointers, Tucker and Roxy.

Though a team, they will guide separately as well. 

Mike, a former professional upland hunter, who continues to be an avid bird hunter today has been coming to Rolling Hills since 1987 and has been a guide at the preserve since 1990. Mike has had several hunting dogs in his lifetime but has come to favor the German Shorthair Pointer for their peak athleticism and great intelligence.  Watching them work a field is a blast. One of Mike’s favorite parts of guiding is helping families create lasting generational memories. There is nothing more exciting than watching a young hunter shoot their very first rooster! Mike also loves that he gets to share this passion with his youngest daughter Nikki.

Together, Mike and Nikki, have guided hundreds of hunters and harvested thousands of birds. Their collective goal is to give everyone a fun, safe and memorable hunt. 

Mike and Nikki 

A father, daughter guiding team with their two German Shorthair Pointers, Tucker and Roxy.

Though a team, they will guide separately as well. 

Though Nikki has only been guiding herself since 2019, she could be found any given weekend, since about the age of 6, running along behind Mike during his hunts, learning as much as she could about dog handling and bird hunting from him. Nikki’s favorite part about guiding is chatting with the hunters and listening to all their stories of past hunt wins and losses (sometimes the losses are the better story). Nikki’s love and knowledge of animals lets her appreciate the dog’s natural instincts to track and point birds. Together, Mike and Nikki, have guided hundreds of hunters and harvested thousands of birds. Their collective goal is to give everyone a fun, safe and memorable hunt. 

Payton Hoskins is originally from Schoolcraft, Michigan, where he grew up hunting with his dad—a tradition that eventually led him into guiding. He and his wife, Tiffany, have two daughters, Jensen and Parker, and as a family they love the outdoors and spending time with their pups.

Payton has been a bird hunting guide for about five years and especially enjoys the challenge of pursuing chukar. He prefers working with German Shorthairs and offers simple but important advice to new upland hunters: stay safe and pay attention. What Payton enjoys most about guiding at the preserve is the beautiful layout of the land and the good people he gets to work alongside.

While he doesn’t have a single favorite guiding memory yet, he hopes every guest leaves with an appreciation for the dog work and the time spent with friends and family.

Dave and his dogs Fleck & Speck

Dave Laing has lived in the area since 1970 and comes from a close-knit family with two daughters, both married, and four grandchildren he and his wife enjoy immensely. He began hunting at the age of 16 and has owned hunting dogs for nearly 40 years.

Friends often loved hunting over his dogs, which naturally opened the door to guiding opportunities. Dave has guided bird hunts off and on for close to four decades, but much more consistently since retiring from teaching.  He is the former Vice President of the Michigan North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.  He has also run the Michigan NAVHDA training here at Rolling Hills for the last several years to help people learn how to train their hunting dog.  Reach out to Dave if you are interested in training your dog.

He doesn’t have a single favorite bird to hunt—he simply loves watching the dogs work whether it is Montana sharptail, Iowa pheasants, or Michigan grouse, woodcock, and waterfowl.  While he currently owns German Wirehaired Pointers, he enjoys any well-trained dog in the field. For those new to upland hunting, his advice is simple: be safe, get outdoors, and enjoy every chance you get to hunt.

Fleck and Speck are his current dogs who both qualified and participated in the NAVHDA Invitational where Fleck received a perfect score the the title of Versatile Champion and Speck scored right behind Fleck.   They harvest over 1000 birds per year and have also tracked close to 400 deer the past 6 seasons.    They both are certified in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to band woodcock and participate in sled dog training and racing when there is time.  If you want to see how well 2 dogs can work together and haven't hunted behind Fleck & Speck, give them a try.  

What Dave enjoys most about guiding at the preserve is helping each hunter stay safe and have as much fun as possible. He has countless favorite memories from the field, most of them centered around watching hunters enjoy a great experience. His hope is that every guest leaves with such a memorable and enjoyable hunt that they can’t wait to return.

Bob Voss is a lifelong resident of Kalamazoo, happily married to a supportive wife who encourages both his dog training and his hunting. Their two children each own griffons and have young families of their own, which has shifted many of Bob’s hunting adventures to Rolling Hills—where the grandkids require just as much chasing as the birds.

Bob’s path into guiding began many years ago when Curt approached him after he finished training Annie Bell at the red barn field. Sitting on the tailgate reviewing the session, Bob was asked if he could help a group struggling to find their birds. He met them, offered no promises but brought plenty of enthusiasm, and ended up giving them a great hunt. That experience sparked many future guiding opportunities. He has now been guiding on and off for about 20 years.

While Bob enjoys hunting all birds, he gets the most satisfaction from taking a ruffed grouse—an elusive and challenging bird he’s always thrilled to bring home. Through his off-season training with NAVHDA, he works with many excellent breeds. He began with a German Wirehaired Pointer before transitioning to Griffons, which remain his dogs of choice today. Still, he often hunts with friends who run wirehairs and shorthairs, so he keeps an open mind.

For those new to upland hunting, Bob recommends going with someone who can demonstrate solid dog work. From there, research different breeds and find one that fits your style. Good genetics are a great start, he says, but every dog needs time, training, and financial investment to truly shine.

Bob loves guiding because he enjoys watching hunters appreciate and respect the dogs’ work in the field. Many hunters become so engaged that they feel connected to the dogs as they watch them hunt and retrieve. These are often the safest and most attentive people in the field—those who find joy simply being outdoors, watching good dog work, and harvesting game for meals at home.

One of his favorite memories comes from a Pheasants Forever youth hunt, where he was paired with a young woman from a school shooting team. They spent nearly 45 minutes chasing her last bird near the woods, through briars and thick cover. After a missed shot and a long pursuit, she finally brought the bird down, and LuLu retrieved it. Bob was incredibly proud of her determination and sportsmanship—it remains one of his most meaningful moments as a guide.

Bob hopes every guest leaves their hunt with a genuine joy for the sport—from admiring skilled dog work to appreciating the beauty of the property and the birds themselves.

Ryan Markel grew up in Bangor, Michigan, and is proud to be a father of five and grandfather of five. His journey into hunting and guiding began through his long-time passion for Labrador Retrievers—training, raising, and competing in Hunt Tests with them. A close friend eventually encouraged him to start guiding upland hunts and running a pickup dog at European hunts, giving Ryan another opportunity to work with the dogs he loves. He has now been guiding bird hunts for over ten years.

When it comes to favorite birds to hunt, Ryan enjoys it all. He loves the movement and challenge of upland hunting but also finds it exciting to watch waterfowl work a spread and commit to the decoys. In his words, he simply likes “to shoot things that fly.” Labrador Retrievers remain his primary hunting partners—he competes with them in Hunt Tests and has trained ten Master Hunters. Five years ago, he added two English Cocker Spaniels to his team, and they quickly became a joy to hunt with as well. He appreciates that both breeds can handle field setups and waterfowl work, and he especially enjoys watching them hunt together.

Ryan’s advice for newcomers to upland hunting is simple: watch the dog and trust the dog—their nose won’t lie. What he enjoys most about guiding at the preserve is meeting new people and turning strangers into friends by the end of a hunt. He loves hearing hunters’ stories and backgrounds, and he especially enjoys when families come out together to share time in the field.

One of his favorite guiding memories came at the end of a hunt, when three roosters flushed on the walk back to the trucks—and the hunter dropped all three with a single shot. Moments like that, along with full game bags and shared laughter, are what Ryan hopes every guest walks away with.

Brant Athey was born and raised in Decatur, Michigan, where he grew up in a large, close-knit family of hunters. His passion for the outdoors is something he now shares with his daughter and son, who join him in the field every chance they get. Brant has been hunting since he was old enough to hold a gun, following in the footsteps of his father, whose love for the sport left a lasting impression. He has been helping others chase feathers for a couple of years and has always preferred hunting behind Labs. When it comes to favorite birds, Brant says anything with feathers and in season is a good day.

For new upland hunters, his advice is to find that dog of a lifetime and get him into the field as often as possible—because you’ll always wish for just one more flush. What Brant enjoys most about guiding at the preserve is seeing each hunter’s passion for the sport and helping them satisfy that deep-rooted need to chase birds. Some of his favorite memories come from the simple but unforgettable moments when wings roar and feathers fall. Above all, he hopes guests leave their hunt with a renewed desire to keep getting out in the field and pursuing the sport he loves.

Bio coming soon.

Terry Stutzman is originally from Warsaw, Indiana, with deep family roots in the region. The Stutzman homestead was established in Topeka, IN in the 1850s, and the Myers side of his family settled in Plymouth, IN during the same era—Myers Lake even carries his family name. Born into generations of hunters on both sides, Terry began hunting at just seven years old. Today, he is the owner of Turkey Creek Kennels, where he breeds and trains Brittanys and works as a hunting guide. His kennel can be found at TurkeyCreekBrittanys.com.

Terry’s introduction to hunting came naturally, as his grandparents raised him to hunt and fish from a young age. He has been a bird hunting guide since 1985. His favorite bird to hunt is the pheasant, appreciating them as a smart, challenging quarry that both runs and flies—and provides plenty of meat. He also enjoys pursuing Sharptail grouse, Hungarian partridge, Prairie Chicken, quail, and chukar.

His preferred hunting dog breed is the American Brittany—properly known simply as the Brittany. Ranked high in canine intelligence, they are exceptional hunters and affectionate companions. For newcomers to upland hunting, Terry’s advice is straightforward: get a bird dog. Their keen sense of smell and natural instincts will find birds far more efficiently than walking them up on foot.

What Terry enjoys most about guiding at the preserve is the social aspect—meeting new people, making friends, and explaining what makes a truly good gundog. One of his favorite memories involves a group who declined his offer to film their hunt, joking that they didn’t want it recorded because of their shooting. Their humor kept him laughing all day, making it one of the most enjoyable hunts he’s guided.

Terry hopes guests leave their experience with him feeling refreshed and connected—having spent a day in the field away from life’s stresses, making new friends, and watching skilled pointers work the field, hold steady to wing, and retrieve plenty of birds.