Nick Gilliland
Hendersonville, NC
Background
I am a North Carolina Licensed Landscape Contractor, from Hendersonville, NC, and have owned and operated my own Landscape Company Nick’s Groundworks for 14 years. I also own and operate Nite Life Kennels.
I grew up around hounds all my life. My Grandfather Clint was a traditional raccoon hunter and so were many of my family members. My Father Bill raised and trained beagles for rabbit hunting my entire life, and that’s where I was introduced to hound hunting. I was taught to respect the hounds and their abilities, and to understand and interpret their every move.
Later, in high school, I became more interested in raccoon hunting and started going with my cousins. Because I was accustomed to Tri Coloured beagles it was natural for me to purchase Tri Coloured Treeing Walkers. The addiction to the sport took off.
What I love the most about the sport of raccoon hunting would also apply to any one of the dog sports. I love to purchase the puppy and spend all those countless hours training and moulding and shaping it into a hunting dog then walk those countless miles behind the hound in the timber. Then one day it switches on like a light switch and your once small fragile puppy has turned into a coon hound. It’s the best feeling in the world!
Why I Use SportDOG Brand
What I like the most about SportDOG is their wide array of products that help me be a better Houndsman. All SportDOG products are made to the highest quality standards and always outperform the competition. And if there is ever an issue, SportDOG has the highest level of customer service in the industry to get everything back on track.
Favourite Products
My two favourite products are the NoBark 10R to help teach the young hounds their kennel manners, and the TEK 2.0. Where I live is very mountainous and most tracking systems fail miserably. The TEK 2.0 far outperformed its competitor. The range on the TEK 2.0 is three times the range of the competitions, and the mapping is more detailed, showing streams and trails. The GPS is also more accurate, showing the hounds’ locations in proximity to roads and rivers.
Other Senior Prostaff
Aaron Robinson
Aaron has a long history of dog training and upland bird hunting. His passion was so great he pursued a master’s degree in Wildlife Biology. He has an education in upland game ecology and management. He has presented numerous technical papers about upland birds. Aaron was a board member for...
Chris Akin
Chris has spent most of his life duck shooting or training in the field. Over the years, his programme evolved into one of the most accomplished hunt test programmes in the country. Webb Footed Kennels, Ltd has produced more than 350 Hunting Retriever Champions, 175 Master Hunters, and 35 Grand...
Jay Ahling, Sr.
In 12 years of training retrievers, flushing breeds and pointing dogs, Jay has competed in AKC, HRC, NAHRA, and NASTRA-sponsored field events. He concentrates his business on producing obedient, proficient working dogs in both the field and water. Client interaction is an important aspect of his training schedule. He thoroughly enjoys...
