Northwoods Bird Dogs is now producing the sixth generation of English setters and fourth generation of pointers. Detailed here are past-generation males that were vital contributors to the breeding program.
Blue Chief Setter, 1996 – 2008
CH First Rate x Finder’s Keeper Pedigree
Jerry had long dreamed of owning a classic grouse dog. It would look like the dogs in the old paintings—an even-masked, tri-color setter male with a square head. He would be big and powerful. And he would be a strong bird finder.
Jerry’s dream came true with Blue Chief. Chief had uncanny, raw, bird-finding talent. He hunted with a strong, smooth stride and a high head. He hunted hard but always handled. He naturally backed and retrieved with a soft mouth. Chief had a kind disposition and rarely barked.
Chief was never a field trial champion but he found birds in almost every trial—whether in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He was named closest to the winner in several championships including the 2002 Grand National Grouse Championship.
Chief’s legacy is in his progeny for he had the ability to pass on his incredible natural abilities. He sired almost 50 litters.Blue Smoke Setter, 1995 – 2007.
CH Spring Garden Tollway x Finder’s Keeper Pedigree
CH Blue Smoke was whelped in Jerry and Betsy’s first litter out of Spring Garden Tollway and Finder’s Keeper. He was black-and-white, heavily ticked and had a large body spot on his left side. His head was blocky and he had dark, intelligent eyes.
Smoke had an extremely accurate nose, perhaps the best Jerry and Betsy have bred. He d was a bull on birds and always pointed with intensity—his tail poker straight and head lofty. Smoke never went around anything if he thought there was a bird straight through it. He always gave 110%.
Smoke’s main competition in field trials was his litter sister, CH Blue Streak. He garnered his share of prestigious wins, though, beginning with the 2000 Minnesota Grouse Dog Championship. The following spring he won the Pennsylvania All Age with 50 entries and was named reserve dog at the 2001 Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational. Smoke was also invited to the 2002 Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational where he was named a day dog and asked to compete on the final day.
In summer 2001 Smoke developed arthritis in his right front ankle and subsequently was used sparingly. Due to his enthusiast, dynamic personality, he always remained a vital presence in the kennel.Dashaway Pointer, 1997 – 2010.
CH Brooks Elhew Ranger x CH Dance Smartly Pedigree
Dashaway was out of Jerry and Betsy’s first grouse champion, Dance Smartly, and CH Brook’s Elhew Ranger. Of the eight puppies in the litter, Jerry and Betsy chose to keep Dasher because he was liver-and-white and evenly marked like his dam.
Dasher also inherited the intelligence, athleticism and grace of Dancer. He was a strong, powerful dog and weighed 58 lbs. He was a talented wild bird dog with an outstanding nose that excelled in finding and handling ruffed grouse. He was naturally staunch, backed and retrieved. Dasher had endless stamina and, amazingly, kept himself in excellent shape without any real conditioning.
Dasher had some field trial wins but his forte was as a valued member of Jerry’s guide string. In fact, Dasher was on the truck when Jerry clocked the highest flush count of his life.
Dasher was a treasured house pet. He was frisky and playful, intuitive, and his temperament was kind and lovable.
Dasher was bred just a handful of times. His litter by Fallset Fate produced Northwoods Prancer, a beautiful, talented orange-and-white female that Jerry and Betsy kept. Dasher now appears as the grand-sire of Northwoods Vixen, an orange-and-white female out of Prancer and CH Westfall’s Black Ice.Houston Setter, 1982 – 1991.
Spring Garden Streak x Summer and Smoke Pedigree
Houston was an extraordinary gun dog owned by Paul Hauge of Centuria, Wisconsin. He possessed all the trademarks Paul liked: strong bird finder, extreme loftiness on point and a smooth, effortless gait. In addition, Houston was tough; he could take training and just got better and better.
Houston was out of Leroy Peterson’s female Summer and Smoke and Jack LeClair’s Spring Garden Streak. Houston had a solid white body and a tri-color patch on the right side of his head. He weighed about 48 pounds and was physically strong with a solid build, medium leg, medium coupling and a blocky head. He naturally backed and retrieved.
Houston was bred sparingly and mostly to local hunting dogs during his lifetime. Before Houston’s death, Paul had the foresight to collect and freeze Houston’s semen. Every litter by his frozen semen has produced outstanding hunting dogs and field trial winners. One of Houston’s best progeny was 2X CH / 4X RU-CH Houston’s Belle.I’m Houston’s Image Setter, 1999 – 2007.
Houston x I’m Jet Setter Pedigree
I’m Houston’s Image was aptly named. He was just a bit smaller, at 45 lbs., but otherwise carried all the desirable traits of his sire. He was a strong bird-finder, was stylish in motion and would take your breath away on point with his lofty pose. He had a beautiful blocky head and square build. In addition, he naturally backed and retrieved.
I’m Houston’s Image was bred by Paul Hauge out of Houston and a double-granddaughter of CH Destinaire.
Jake was bred to perhaps five dams. All produced very nice dogs but in 2006, Betsy and Jerry bred him to Blue Silk. That litter of eight puppies was very talented. Two females, Satin From Silk and I’m Blue Gert, went on to become multiple grouse champions.Spring Garden Tollway Setter, 1986 – 2001.
CH Trail’s End Tomoka x Spring Garden Carrie Pedigree
Tollway was a specimen. His evenly marked black-and-white head was perfectly shaped with a sharp stop and his dark eyes were keen with intelligence. He had endurance, ideal conformation and extreme desire to find game. Tollway was a grandson of hall-of-fame setter, CH Tomoka. (Interestingly, Tollway’s dam was a litter sister to Houston.
