2012 hunting reports from clients
Chris’ lap is the perfect spot for Piper after a good day in the woods.
October must be every grouse hunter’s favorite month. With careful planning and hopefully without endangering any careers, many spend more days in the woods than in the office. Despite some rather discouraging spring drumming counts and early season predictions, friends and clients of ours are enjoying excellent hunting. Grouse dogs seem pretty happy, too!
From Chris
Piper, Setter Female, whelped May 15, 2010, Blue Riptide x Blue Ghost
Roy, Setter Male, whelped March 12, 2012, Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis
Perfect day. Limit of grouse and woodcock by 3:30, and that is with a 2-hour lunch. Roy is having lots of fun. Two beautiful solo woodcock points this morning…He is extremely stylish and tall on his points. He was also able to hunt dead on 4-5 birds and had fun with a wing flapping grouse. I think he might be in puppy heaven.
Roy is tired but stares devotedly at Chris.
Piper is hunting extremely well and finding birds at an amazing rate, despite her tendency to range more than I would like. She has become very proficient at pointing birds in trees, which is fun and entertaining even though I don’t shoot birds out of trees.
…three pairs of hunters had a combined 36 grouse flushes in 2 hours last evening. In the light rain this morning, I had 11 flushes in two hours before heading home.
Ryan is proud of Biscuit on her second season in the woods.
From Ryan
Biscuit, Setter Female, whelped January 1, 2011, Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis
It gave me great pleasure being able to tell people that I had limited or nearly limited most days. I would agree that the count was down in the area but for someone with pointing dogs and the willingness to walk there were birds to be had.
From Mike
Sue, Setter Female, whelped June 18, 2011, Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice
Had Sue out several times this weekend and she might be the smartest dog I’ve ever owned….I hope her range extends a little. About 75 yards right now but the way my legs feel this morning that might be good.
Ken and his son with a nice day’s work by Tia, at rest in the background.
From Ken
Tia, Setter Female, whelped January 1, 2011, Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis
Last weekend between grouse and woodcock I bet I saw 40 birds in six hours of walking. This weekend maybe 20 or 25. There were good shots on about half or a third of them. Tia has been doing great. She’ll hold some woodcock three feet off the end of her nose (and bump others). She might point a grouse from 30-40 feet away or more if the wind is right.
From Mel
Jake, a French Brittany we had in for puppy foundation training
Thought you might be interested in an update on Jake’s maiden trip for grouse & woodcock yesterday. He pointed or flushed over a dozen birds, found 3 downed birds including one point a second time before it tried to crawl under a log, when he grabbed it by the tail feathers. He had no problem holding the points and responded well to whoa commands. He had enthusiasm and energy to hunt all day so I am quite pleased for his first time out.
For a seven-month-old puppy, Snicker shows remarkable maturity and beautiful style on a woodcock.
From Bart
Snicker, Setter Male, whelped March 12, 2012, Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis
Yesterday was the pheasant tournament that I sponsor through our company…..I couldn’t believe what a fantastic job he did. He quartered in front of all of us (most of the time) like he had been doing it for years and if I needed him to come back in closer he responded to my whistle commands with very little repeats. It was windy and the birds were moving around a bit and it was thrilling for me to watch him as he very carefully worked into the bird. He never bumped a one.
I was also amazed at how well he marks downed birds . . . even those that were out 35-40 yards he was at the fall quickly and it was a thrill I will never forget to see him deliver, to my hand, 11 big roosters.
From Brad
Tana, Setter Female, whelped March 12, 2012, Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis
Tana and I went on a long hunt. 21 grouse contacts and 2 woodcock. I thought she did great! Saturday we hunted about 5 hours and covered 6 miles and even though we took breaks, I gave her Sunday off….though I’m sure she would have rather gone out again.
She ranged well and checked in with me to stay in contact. I was also impressed with how she already seems to know birdy cover. When we would cross through some open maple stands she would beeline for an alder thicket or edge created with fir trees, etc. ,and ignore the open areas.