World-class sharptail hunting in Montana

What do you get when you have 15 Northwoods Bird Dogs, one English cocker, five gaited horses, five guys and endless Big Sky country?

World-class upland bird hunting!

Here was our dog roster.

Our host, Sam, brought five setters and one pointer.
• Northwoods Ahniwake Grace (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010)
• Northwoods Jeter (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011)
• Northwoods Audi (Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2014)
• Northwoods Gucci (Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015)
• Northwoods Hercules (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016)
• Northwoods Dixie (Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Carbon, 2016)

Bill had three setters.
• Northwoods Louis Vuitton (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014)
• Northwoods Flint (Sunny Hill Sam x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015)
• Northwoods Madrid (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2018)

I hauled my dog trailer and so had room for one pointer and five setters.
• Northwoods Vixen (Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011)
• Northwoods Nickel (Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014)
• Northwoods Minerva (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016)
• Northwoods Istanbul, Northwoods Geneva, Northwoods Dublin (Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)

Pat had his stellar cocker Rocket.

On our hunts, there were several moving pieces. Picture the five of us on horseback with at least three bird dogs on the ground and the cocker heeling alongside the horse.

When someone called point, we had one dog on point, two dogs backing, quick dismounts and two gunners going in to shoot.

And every time, a big covey of sharp-tailed grouse flushed.

What a hoot!