Our winter training on a bobwhite quail plantation

Ten-month-old Cupid shows beautiful, high-headed style when she accurately points a covey on a chopper trail at the edge of a block.

After spending two brutal winters in Minnesota, Betsy and I decided to go back to the bobwhite quail plantations of the Red Hills region of the Southeast. We missed not only the mild weather but the training opportunities on wild birds and the friendships we had formed at several of the plantations.

So in mid-November, we made lists and packed up everything we’d need for five months. Besides 16 dogs of various ages (12 years to seven months) and two crates of pigeons, the lists included training equipment, office files and supplies, books, clothes and boots. Some 1,500 miles later, we landed at our home for the winter, Meander Plantation in Monticello, Fla.

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When it comes to finding and pointing birds on the wild bobwhite plantations of southwestern Georgia/northern Florida, it’s not about the dog’s range but rather how thoroughly it hunts the ground. This is in stark contrast to most suppositions about big running quail dogs.

Backing—or honoring another dog on point—can be confusing. It sure looks like Sweep (in front on the chopper trail) was first to the birds with the others backing. But Sweep pointed where the birds had been while Cupid (in center) had the birds accurately pointed. Either way, Queen had a nice back.

The key is the maintenance of these many-thousand-acre plantations. They are meticulously groomed in a checkerboard pattern with six-foot-wide mowed strips separating 24’ x 24’ blocks of quail cover. These blocks hold quail, often at mind-boggling densities of eight coveys per hour.

But when the conditions are tough or the birds aren’t moving, the coveys can be extremely difficult for a dog to find; and this is precisely when experienced grouse dogs shine. These dogs hunt every step and exhibit a naturally forward, quartering pattern. They hunt the blocks of cover at the ideal range of about 100 yards on either side of the hunting course.

All are ready and waiting for Jerry at the breakaway: Lyon, on left, Stardust and Strut, Jerry’s horse.

The winter was ideal for working dogs—and not only because the temperatures were the coolest we’d experienced in 10 years. Our puppies learned how to find and point bobwhites early in the season when the birds were more plentiful and less spooky. They had gained proficiency by January and February when the birds started to run or flush wild.

With both our own and client-owned seasoned dogs, we had one of our strongest hunting/guiding strings. No matter which plantation we hunted, our dogs regularly pointed as many birds as the plantation dogs and frequently out-birded the best of their kennel.

At eight years of age, Hercules has found and pointed many wild birds—both in quail country and in his home state of Montana. His polish, stance and confidence are stunning.

Our string, in mostly alphabetical order, included the following dogs.
Charlotte Bronte (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022)
Comet (HOF CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2018)
Confidante (HOF CH True Confidence x Red Sunshine)
Della (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)
Dixie (CH Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Carbon, 2016)
Dublin (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)
Four Roses (CH Rufus Del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021)
Hercules, Madrid and Stardust (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Lyon (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Minerva, 2018)
Penny (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen 2013)
Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013)

It’s not only fun to gang run puppies, but it’s a good training tool as they learn from each other. From left: Queen, Molly and Cupid.

For part of the season, three owners sent their puppies from last year’s breeding of 2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly. Layla, Molly and Tinkerbell joined Queen, the female we kept, and those four had a ball together. They were fun to train, fun to run and gratifying to watch mature.

With countless bird contacts, young Eddie matured from a puppy into an outstanding derby over the winter.

Also joining us for training sessions were several very nice young dogs.
Eddie (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023)
Enni (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022)
Flirt and Hope (HOF CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)

Rounding out our southern kennel were several puppies that Betsy and I own.
Boots (2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023)
Bunny (CH Ponderosa Mac x Northwoods Redbreast, 2022)
Cupid and Rudy (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023)
Sweep (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023)

Birds other than bobwhites are prevalent in the region and exciting to see. We regularly had eight pairs of cardinals at our feeder.

Littermates Queen, Molly and Tinkerbell (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Houston’s Nelly Bly)

Northwoods Fallset Hope (HOF CH True Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2021)

Northwoods Snow Swept (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023) 

Northwoods Confidante (HOF CH True Confidence x Red Sunshine, 2022)