Northwoods Blue Ox: January 2007 – January 2018

For the past 11 years, there’s been an orange and white setter in our kennel full of tricolors. But not anymore.

Last week, Betsy and I made the painful but merciful decision for our beloved Northwoods Blue Ox, whom we affectionately called Oscar. What began as a seemingly innocuous skin condition quickly spread and became ferocious and incurable. Even the region’s best specialists in canine pathology and dermatology couldn’t help.

In every sense of the word, Betsy and I are bereft.

Oscar was whelped in the middle of the winter by Blue Silk, the spitting image of her famous dam, 4X CH/4X RU-CH Blue Streak. On the top side was another champion, Peace Dale Duke.

Northwoods Blue Ox (CH Peace Dale Duke x Blue Silk, 2007) Photo by Chris Mathan

Oscar was handsome with an evenly masked, blocky head. As a young dog, his coloration was deep orange that slowly faded. He was powerfully built and always ran with a happy tail.

Even though Oscar was known mainly for his prowess in the woods, we loved him for his temperament and personality. He did everything with gusto but had an extremely calm center and a head full of sense. Oscar was sweet natured and had an incredible desire to please.

As a young dog
Oscar was a precocious pup. He hunted hard and pointed many grouse his first fall. One memorable grouse he pointed—and I flushed—five different times. I finally connected on the last try and he naturally retrieved the bird.

Oscar’s first grouse trial was the West Branch Puppy Stake held near State College, PA. In a field of about 40 starters, he won third. He also placed in several derbies. In one Oklahoma derby stake, he convincingly won with five stone-cold-broke finds in the 30 minutes.

With his verve, speed, flash and bird-finding, Oscar would have been an outstanding field trial dog but the timing was off. Betsy and I didn’t compete at the championship level anymore as our business turned to training and breeding.

While grouse hunting in November, I braced Oscar with his son Northwoods Rob Roy (by Northwoods Chablis, 2012) owned by Chris Bye. We didn’t know at the time how bittersweet that hunt would be. It was Oscar’s last.

As a bird dog
Oscar always hunted hard and fast but adapted to the cover. He was accurate and intense on point and was a strong bird finder with an exceptional nose. It didn’t matter the state or terrain, Oscar found and pointed, sharp-tailed grouse, pheasants, Mearns quail and bobwhite quail, in addition to ruffed grouse and woodcock.

Oscar probably ranged farther than most grouse hunters would like but you couldn’t lose him. If he didn’t check in after a cast, I better start looking because he was on point. And when he was on point, he had the grouse pinned. With no training or expectations from me, Oscar naturally, and softly, retrieved birds to hand — no matter where they fell.

Oscar was a Houdini. He climbed out of exercise pens, our kennel perimeter fence and the kennels at Bowen Lodge… where he also liked to sit on top his dog house. Others in our guiding string are, from left, Vixen, Chardonnay and Shaquille.

As a guide dog
I started guiding grouse hunts over Oscar when he was two and for the next eight seasons he was one of our best and most reliable. Day after day, year after year, hot or cold, wet or dry, he could be counted on to produce grouse for clients at Bowen Lodge. Oscar was strong and durable, too. Most of the grouse hunts were all morning or all afternoon affairs—which he easily managed.

My guiding clients and I have some great memories of Oscar’s finds and some spectacular retrieves from impenetrable thickets.

A real nick for Betsy and me was pairing Oscar and Northwoods Chablis—a breeding we repeated four times. In the summer of 2011, we had six puppies with us for our foundation program: Tia, Grits, Biscuit, Beasley, Tesla and Ice.

As a sire
As good as Oscar was at bird finding, he was even better as a producer. And it didn’t matter which dam—grouse champion Houston’s Belle, her daughter Choice or Chardonnay. But it was a fortuitous match to Northwoods Chablis that was so successful that Betsy and I repeated it four times.

Some of his offspring had opportunities in field trials. Northwoods Highclass Kate (Barry Frieler) was named MN/WI Derby of the Year. Northwoods Axel (Ryan Flair) and Northwoods Rob Roy (Chris Bye) placed in several grouse derby stakes. Northwoods Parmigiano (Paul Hauge) and Northwoods Grits (Bob Senkler) competed and placed in both walking and horseback trials. Beasley (Mike Donovan) and Tesla (Tim and Monica Cunningham) won puppy stakes for their owners who had never even been to a field trial.

Other dogs, including Northwoods Camembert and Northwoods Brie, have been used by professional guides Bill Heig and Scott Berry, respectively. But most of his pups are owned by serious hunters—Knickerbocker (Bart Salisbury), Biscuit (Ryan Gould), Sweet Tea (Ken Balfanz) and Tana (Brad Gudenkauf) to name a few. Merimac’s Blu Monday (Ben McKean) was a stellar south Georgia quail dog.

What Oscar really cared about
While Oscar excelled at whatever he did, he never really cared about all that. What Oscar cared about was Betsy and me—especially when we called his name and he spent Sundays in the house with us. He looked right at us with those warm brown eyes and it was clear what he was telling us: “Pet me. Just keep petting me.”

At the time he died last week, we heard an evocative song on the radio.

You’re in the arms of the angel.
~ Sarah McLachlan

RIP, sweet Oscar.

Photo by Chris Mathan

Comments

    From field and home

    Molly (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023)
    ~ Ken and Caroline Taylor, Pennsylvania

    Jordy (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Prancer, 2014). Look closely!
    ~ Mark and Janie Fouts, Wisconsin

    Speck (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2018)
    ~ Mike Watson, Pennsylvania

    RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017)
    ~ Greg and Michelle Johnson, Wisconsin

    Annie (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017)
    ~ Lynn and Kathy Olson, Iowa

    Zion (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022)
    ~ Rick and Jodi Buchholz, North Dakota

    Harper (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022)
    ~ Tom Dosen-Windorski, Minnesota

    Attie (Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Jeff and Carol Hintz, Arizona

    Cedar (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019)
    ~ Eric and Lindsey Saetre, Minnesota

    Chester (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023)
    ~ The Milles Family, Minnesota

    Millie (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017)
    ~ Mercer Clark, Georgia

    Belle (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Kevin Sipple, Wisconsin

    Piper (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2021)
    ~ Tom and Ashton McPherson, Pennsylvania

    Tork (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Nik Zewers, Minnesota

    Fred Dog (Northwoods Rob Roy x Northwoods Minerva, 2019)
    ~ Chris and Maggie Standish, Pennsylvania

     

    Phoebe (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Minerva, 2018)
    ~ Brandon Boedecker, Montana

    Earl (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Valencia, 2020)
    ~ Craig Purse, Wisconsin

    Ginny (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022)
    ~ Pat Kane, Montana

    Valencia (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carbon, 2017), on left, and Tasha (Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz, 2012)
    ~ Tim Esse, Minnesota

    Flirt (CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)
    ~ Frank Ilijanic, Michigan

    Macquina (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2021)
    ~ Jeremy Moore Family, Wisconsin

     

    Caddie (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Brian Smith, Pennsylvania

     

    Madji (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Stardust, 2021)
    ~ Ron and Lora Nielsen, Minnesota

     

    Maisy (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023)
    ~ Zenas and Susanne Hucheson, Massachusetts

     

    Russell (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Nathan and Gretchen Johnson Family, Minnesota

     

    Willie (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Minerva, 2021)
    ~ Chris Smith, Wisconsin

     

    Junie (CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)
    ~ Joey Paxman and Amanda Allpress, Montana

     

    Jones (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022)
    ~ Chris and Laura Miller, Illinois

     

    Enni (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar 2022)
    ~ Eric and Lindsey Saetre, Minnesota

     

    Attie(CH Southern ConfidencexNorthwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Jeff and Carol Hintz, Minnesota

     

    Layla (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023)
    ~ Skyler and Jen Gary, Colorado

    Frisco (Blue Riptide x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014), on left, and Zion (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022)
    ~ Rick and Jodi Buchholz, North Dakota

     

    RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017)
    ~ Greg and Michelle Johnson, Wisconsin

     

    Watson (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Highclass Kate, 2013), on left, and Walker (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023)
    ~ The Long Family, Ontario, Canada

     

    Northwoods Highclass Kate (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010)
    ~ Barry and Jill Frieler, Minnesota

     

    Pep (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2023)
    ~ The McCrary Family, Michigan

     

    Maple (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), on left, and her pal
    ~ The Watson Family, Montana

    Rip (Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023), on left, and Flint (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2015)
    ~ Ben and Adrian Kurtz, Colorado

     

    Attie (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
    ~ Jeff and Carol Hintz, Minnesota

     

    Luna (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon 2017)
    ~ The McCrary Family, Michigan

     

    Stoeger (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), on right, and Chester (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023)
    ~ The Milles Family, Minnesota

     

    CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016), on left, and Eddie (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023)
    ~ Ben and Maureen McKean, Minnesota

     

    Griffin (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023)
    ~ The Johnson Family, Minnesota

     

    Annie (CH Rufus del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021)
    ~ The Sligh Family, Georgia

    Chrissy (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), on left, and Carly (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015)
    ~ Bob and Carol Berry, Wyoming

     

    Sage (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022)
    ~ The Orstad Family, Minnesota

    Dottie (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Betty, 2020)
    ~ Tom (on left) and Lauren Strand, Minnesota

     

    Lacey (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Minerva, 2020)
    ~ Zenas and Susanne Hutcheson, Massachusetts

     

    Smooch (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013)
    ~ Wayne and Julie Grayson, Mississippi

     

    Cali (CH Ponderosa Mac x Northwoods Redbreast, 2022)

    ~ Tom and Sam Dosen-Windorski, Minnesota

    Biscuit (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011), litter sister to our beloved Grits
    ~ Ryan and Monica Gould, Minnesota

     

    Rayna (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017)
    ~ Jeff Bird, Oregon

     

    Lexi (CH True Confidence x Southern Songbird, 2019), Izzie (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011), Cooper (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015)
    ~ Jeff and Carol Hintz, Arizona

    Carly Simon (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011)
    ~ Jessica Kramer, Wisconsin

     

    Jenny (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Carbon, 2016)
    ~ John and Jeri Cleverdon, Michigan

     

    Lacey (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2016)
    ~ Brian Smith, Pennsylvania

     

     

    Jade (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015)
    ~ Frank Ilijanic, Michigan

     

    Jones, on left, and Nellie (both out of CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022)
    ~ Chris and Laura Miller, Illinois
    ~ Gregg and Sherrie Knapp, Wisconsin

     

    Tippy (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022)
    ~ Bill and Gail Heig, Minnesota

     

    Dexter (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022)
    ~ Mike Rosario, Wisconsin

    Jones (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2022), on left, Stella (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015), center, Rose (Blue Riptide x Blue Ghost, 2010), on right
    ~ Chris and Laura Miller, Illinois

     

    Rip (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022)
    ~ Mark and Jana Fitchett, Kansas

    Willow (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022)
    ~ Rhon and Lori Tranberg, Indiana

     

    Madison (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)
    ~ Barry and Jill Frieler, Minnesota

     

    Lady P (RU-CH Erin's Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2018)
    ~ DeWolf Emery, Maine

    Nellie (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Bismuth, 2017)
    ~ Dick and Melanie Taylor, Michigan

     

     

    Elmer (Northwoods Grits x Houston’s Belle’s
    Choice, 2014), Annie (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017), Sig (Northwoods Rob Roy x Northwoods Minerva, 2019), front to back
    ~ The Olson Family, Illinois
    ~ Kathy and Lynn Olson, Iowa
    ~ Chris Bye, Wisconsin

    Winston (CH Rufus Del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021)
    ~ The Short Family, Oregon

     

    Cosmos (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019)
    ~ The Collins Family, Georgia

     

    Northwoods Diana (RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana x Northwoods Carbon, 2017)
    ~ Lynn and Kathy Olson, Iowa

     IN LOVING MEMORY

    northwoods dior 250

    NORTHWOODS DIOR

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Northwoods Birds Dogs    53370 Duxbury Road, Sandstone, Minnesota 55072
    Jerry: 651-492-7312     |      Betsy: 651-769-3159     |           |      Directions
    Follow us:
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    ©2024 Northwoods Bird Dogs  |  Website: The Sportsman’s Cabinet