Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017) strikes a stunning pose for owner and handler Greg Johnson. They had just won the Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Shooting Dog Classic.
Cover dog field trials in Minnesota and Wisconsin are thriving. The number of dogs entered at spring trials often reached 30 dogs. Many handlers of those dogs are relatively new, as are spectators walking in the gallery. These newcomers are grouse and woodcock hunters and they come not only to watch good dogs perform but to enjoy the camaraderie of others who share their passion.
Cover dog trials are run on ruffed grouse and woodcock. Two handlers, followed by two judges, two scouts for the handlers and the gallery, walk on pre-determined courses through native habitat of aspen forests, thick hazel understory and lowland edges. The handlers’ two dogs search the course for birds—similar to a hunting situation—and the dogs are judged on how they respond to their handler, how they move through the cover, how they interact with their bracemate and, ultimately, how they find and point birds. The dogs are run with only a bell to track their movement; no GPS collars, beepers, or e-collars are allowed.
There are three levels of competition based on ages: Puppy, Derby and Shooting Dog. Different standards exist for different levels but all levels must have the drive and desire to hunt through punishing cover in search of a bird. Then, while focused on hunting, the dog must keep track of its handler so that when it finds a bird and points, the handler can find the dog. When pointed, the dog should exhibit poise, confidence and accurate location of the bird.
A dog that competes at the shooting dog level must be steady-to-wing-and-shot and, if the opportunity arises, back its bracemate. In addition, the dog should move and point in a manner that excites and do it with minimum direction from its handler.
In short, the winners of shooting dog stakes are very high-class bird dogs—with physicality, stamina, focus, bird-finding, style and verve. In other words, most serious bird hunters would be proud to own these winning dogs.
To win in field trials, though, takes more than a talented dog. It takes an extremely committed owner willing to start with a young prospect and wear out several pairs of boots in the dog’s development, training and competition. The owner must be dedicated to spend time in the field to bring that prospect to its full potential—and that time isn’t counted in days or months but rather in years.
It’s always fun to see the group photo after a weekend of trials. Pictured with Greg Johnson and Northwoods Atlas are judges, handlers, other participants and spectators.
When it all comes together, though, and the handler’s name and dog are announced as winners, the feeling of exhilaration and of accomplishment render most handlers speechless and all that time is forgotten.
Listed below are winners of field trials in Minnesota and Wisconsin this spring. Congratulations to our clients and their dogs who have put in the effort and felt the thrill of winning.
2X RU-CH Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), owned and handled by Greg Johnson. • 1st place Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Shooting Dog stake • RU-CH Region 19 Amateur Walking Shooting Dog Championship, sponsored by Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. • 1st place Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Shooting Dog Classic • Winner of Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Open and Amateur Shooting Dog of the Year
Eric and Lindsey Saetre, owners and handlers of Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyders Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), and Edge’s silver trophy as Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Amateur Derby of the Year.
Northwoods Cedar Edge (CH Snyders Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), owned and handled by Eric and Lindsey Saetre. • 3rd place North Country Bird Hunters Assoc. Open Derby • 3rd place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Derby • 2nd place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Shooting Dog • Winner of Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Amateur Derby of the Year
Northwoods Cedar (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019), owned and handled by Eric and Lindsey Saetre. • 1st place North Country Bird Hunters Assoc. Open Shooting Dog
Ruffed Country Sweet Lily (Northwoods Rob Roy x Northwoods Minerva, 2018), owned and handled by Jordan Pharris. • 2nd place North Country Bird Hunters Assoc. Open Shooting Dog
Northwoods Paco (CH Southern Confidence x Northwoods Comet, 2023), owned and handled by Josh Matel. • 2nd place Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Derby
CH/RU-CH Northwoods Sir Gordon (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019), owned and handled by Ben McKean. • 1st place Midwest Field Trial Assoc. Open Shooting Dog
Northwoods Eddie Setter (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023), owned and handled by Ben McKean. • 2nd place Midwest Field Trial Assoc. Open Derby
Pretty cool for first-time trialers Mitch Anderson, on right, and Brad Gudenkauf, center, to place first and second, respectively. Even cooler, the two derby-aged dogs are littermates.
Northwoods Homer (CH Snyder’s Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), owned and handled by Mitch Anderson. (These were the first field trials for both Mitch and Homer.) • 2nd place Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Derby • 1st place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Derby
Northwoods Pied Piper (CH Snyders Pioneer Scout x Northwoods Cedar, 2022), owned and handled by Brad Gudenkauf. (This was Brad and Rigby’s first field trial, too.) • 2nd place Minnesota Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Derby
And in other parts of the country…
Riley Crumbie, on left, and Pine Fair Lady (Northwoods Parmigiano x Northwoods Rum Rickey, 2014).
Pine Fair Lady (Northwoods Parmigiano x Northwoods Rum Rickey, 2014) owned by Pine Fair Plantation and handled by Riley Cumbie. • 1st place Georgia/Florida Hunting Dog Invitational, Aucilla Plantation, Thomasville, Ga.
Northwoods Sunny Day (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023), owned and handled by Tom Keiffer. • 3rd place Black Moshannon Field Trial Club Open Puppy, Philipsburg, Pa.
CH Charlie’s Zip Tie, sired by CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2013), is owned and handled by Bill Owen of Santa Barbara, Calif. • 3rd place Cahaba Bend Field Trial Club Amateur Shooting Dog Classic, Greensboro, Ala. • RU-CH California Open Shooting Dog Championship
In addition, it’s worth noting that winning carries on when dogs out of our breeding are crossed with other dogs.
An impressive father/son duo: Jordan Pharris, on right, is owner/handler of Big Big Energy and Greg Johnson, on left, is owner/handler of Northwoods Atlas, and Energy’s sire.
Big Big Energy (sired by RU-CH Northwoods Atlas) is owned and handled by Jordan Pharris. Call name “Lotto” won the Minnesota/Wisconsin Cover Dog Open Derby of the Year. Amazing fact #1: Lotto is the first puppy-age dog to win the Derby of the Year Award in its 34-year history. Amazing fact #2: This is the first time in the Shooting Dog/Derby of the Year that a father/son won.
Over The Hill Morgan (sired by JTH Cooper (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2015)), is owned and handled by Rod Lein. She won 3rd place in the Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Assoc. Open Shooting Dog.
Kona’s Blue Sky (sired by CH Northwoods Sir Gordon) is owned and handled by A. J. Kalupa. Sky placed 3rd in the Moose River Grouse Dog Club Open Shooting Dog.
Note: Scroll down to a post written by Betsy, dated May 1, 2024, for an in-depth piece on the Dog of the Year awards.
