Merry Christmas!

Grouse Champion Magic’s Rocky Belleboa (2002 – 2012)

Steve and Bud are tired but happy after a memorable South Dakota pheasant hunt.

Steve Snyder, Jerry and I are sad to report that Magic’s Rocky Belleboa (call name Bud) died on October 11.

For a week or so, Steve had noticed that Bud was ailing. He was a bit thin and just didn’t seem right. A visit to the vet and some exploratory surgery showed why. Bud’s abdomen was filled with cancer and the heartbreaking decision had to be made.

How fitting, though, that this strong, powerful bird dog went out with an unforgettable performance—a final swan song perhaps. Just four days earlier, Steve had taken Bud hunting and Bud had a beautiful point and retrieve on a South Dakota prairie chicken.

Bud was a dream come true for Steve, who wanted to enter the world of grouse trials. In late 2007 Steve discovered that Tim Post from New York was selling his multiple champion, Magic’s Rocky Belleboa, out of Post’s own Magic’s Stokely Belle by Long Gone George. Post entrusted Dave Hughes and the Foreman brothers to Bud’s training and handling and when Bud was four years old, he started winning.

In 2006, Bud won the New York State Grouse Championship and North American Woodcock Championship. Those wins earned him a spot in the 2007 Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational where he was named Runner-up Champion. To top off the amazing string, Bud won the 2007 Michael Seminatore English Setter Award.

When Steve learned that Bud was for sale, he called Jerry and me. We knew of Bud and were intrigued.

2X CH/RU-CH Magic’s Rocky Belleboa (2002 – 20012)

Bud was handsome and had a beautiful blocky head with a dark nose and deep brown eyes. He had excellent conformation and weighed a solid 52 pounds. Bud had tremendous endurance and desire, always searching for birds. He ran with style and pointed with intensity.

So the three of us concocted a deal where we would co-own Bud; Jerry and I would train him but Steve would foot the bill. “We will not be under-funded,” Steve commented.

What fun we all had! We trained and worked Bud in North Dakota, northern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We traveled to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota for field trials. We planned special advertising campaigns for Pointing Dog Journal and The American Field and its big Christmas issue.

Ultimately, and this just might be his legacy, we bred him to some wonderful dams, including Paul Hauge’s multiple grouse champion, Houston’s Belle. Here is just a sampling of some truly great Bud puppies:  Liz, Ranger, River, J.B., Manny, Madge,  Jagger, Jenny, Foster, Cooper, Tucker, Haley, Lucy, Rainy and Rosco.

Sometime during the year 2009, we three decided that it was time for Bud to retire. He then became a permanent resident of Steve’s kennel where he was the star of countless hunts. And for these last three years, Bud lived the privileged life as Steve’s coddled pet—well deserved for such a talented bird dog and multiple grouse champion.

Pencil drawing by Shawn McCarthy.

A quintessential day on a guided grouse hunt

Ken, left, and Jim are long-time friends and clients of Bowen Lodge and Northwoods Bird Dogs.

A guided hunt.

Don’t the words evoke images of camaraderie, hospitality, gorgeous locales and excellent hunting?  Whether for pheasants in South Dakota, ducks on Delta Marsh or doves in Argentina, a guided hunt sounds at once fanciful and wonderful.

Anyone can indulge. The back pages of sporting magazines are full of opportunities. Jerry and I recommend the experience highly as we’ve been fortunate to be part of a grouse guiding operation for almost 20 years.

Jerry guides for Bill and Gail Heig, owners of Bowen Lodge on Lake Winnibigoshish, northwest of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Come September, some good fishing remains on the big lake but the family resort side of their business wanes when school begins. All of which makes room for a limited number of guided grouse hunts.

Over the years, the hunters and other guides have become friends and clients. It’s nice to see the same faces each fall but it’s also gratifying to see again all the dogs—whether dogs we trained or puppies purchased from us that have matured into good bird dogs and favorite companions.

Ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting, bird dogs, fine shotguns, great food, and great friendships. These words pretty well sum up the month of October at Bowen Lodge.
~ Bill Heig

Before the morning hunt, Northwoods Chardonnay waits patiently while Jerry puts on her bell and tracking collar.

Guides like to see a recently used drumming log. A Grulla Armas 20-gauge shotgun looks nice, too.

Every guiding day includes a break about mid day. Chairs are unfolded and a cooler full of water and soft drinks is opened. In addition, big, tasty sandwiches, plenty of side dishes and homemade treats are unpacked from the picnic basket.

When hunters stop for lunch, dogs get a rest, too. Jim waters Sam while Roxie, Casey and Morris relax.

Even guides need a break!

Ken and Northwoods Prancer pose with a perfectly retrieved woodcock after a beautiful afternoon in the woods.

A favorite part of the day is cocktail hour when hunters and guides gather in front of the fire at Bowen Lodge.

Gail always sets a beautiful table for dinner in the lodge.

In the lodge, a setter naps in the shadow of a bronze grouse sculpture after another fabulous day in the woods.

Many of the photographs were taken by Ken Taylor. Thank you!

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.

Jeff and Izzie: an inseparable pair

Jeff Hintz with his sidekick JTH Izzie.

Anyone who has visited our kennel has probably bumped into Jeff Hintz at some time or another. Jeff and Ron Watson own a very cool hunting lodge about 400 yards to the east of us. Both have been friends of ours for many years through dogs, field trials, hunting and other shared interests. Jeff and Ron are retired now from successful careers in the Twin Cities and so have lots more time to spend as our neighbors.

Jeff is also an invaluable member of our training team. He joins Jerry and Dan during the summer months when our programs are in high gear. He gathers pigeons from the lofts, places them in releasers and then plants them in the field. Too, Jeff is a crack shot with a shotgun when the training calls for dead birds.

Jeff is a pointer guy and usually owns several at a time. Currently he and his wife Carol have Cassie (CH Front ‘N Center x Dancing Queen), Hershey (CH Front ‘N Center x Chickadee) and from our 2011 litter of Northwoods Prancer x CH Westfall’s Black Ice, a beautiful black-and-white female named Izzie.

Like the rest of her seven littermates, Izzie is a sweetheart in the house and a tiger in the field. She was quite precocious and last year Jeff successfully hunted her on grouse, woodcock and the quail of southern Arizona. In addition, Jeff has gathered a couple of nice placements in field trials, including a recent second in the Region 19 Amateur All-Age Derby.

After Jeff’s work for us is done for the day, he usually heads home for some lunch and returns about an hour later at the helm of his gas-powered golf cart. He pulls up close to our front door, opens the cover to his Ipad case and logs onto the Internet using our wi-fi signal. (We joke that he works for free wi-fi.)

Perkily riding shotgun, wagging her tail and acting as if she owned the place is Izzie. She calmly waits while Jeff works. Soon Jeff cranks up the golf cart and the pair head back home.

Houston’s Blackjack wins championship!

CH Houston’s Blackjack (CH Can’t Go Wrong x CH Houston’s Belle). Photo by Chris Mathan.

Our good friend and prairie camp partner Frank LaNasa handled his four-year-old Houston’s Blackjack to the dog’s first championship at the National Amateur Prairie Chicken Shooting Dog Championship held near Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, beginning September 21. Jean, Frank’s adept and vivacious wife, was also on horseback and scouted the dog to his two-find, country-eating race.

Jack is co-owned by Leroy Peterson.

Jack was bred by Paul Hauge and us in 2008 out of Paul’s superb 2X CH/4X RU-CH Houston’s Belle and another grouse champion, Can’t Go Wrong. That such a powerful horseback competitor was whelped by Belle is really no surprise to us. In fact, Belle placed in several horseback stakes herself due to her strength, far-reaching range and bird-finding ability.

In a cool bit of destiny, Jack won the companion derby there in 2010. If the definition of derby winner is the potential to win the championship, Jack’s derby judges definitely got it right.

Frank and Jean recently won a very nice derby stake with Jack’s son, Northwoods Nirvana, by our Northwoods Chardonnay. He bested all other young dogs at the Region 19 Amateur All Age Derby held near Solon Springs, Wisconsin.

Our congratulations to Frank, Jean and Leroy!

Frank waters Blackjack during training run in North Dakota.

Jerry featured on the radio

On Saturday, September 22, at 7:35 a.m., Jerry was interviewed by Bob St. Pierre and Billy Hildebrand from KFAN radio out of the Twin Cities. Bob and Billy are two of the three hosts of FAN Outdoors, a radio show dedicated to the outdoors.

The topic was grouse dogs and grouse hunting.

KFAN is at 100.3 FM. Unfortunately, the podcast is no longer available.

First aid kit for bird dogs

Even though the cupboard in our kennel office has shelves full of pills, bottles, solutions and salves, Jerry keeps his traveling first aid kit to about two dozen supplies. Whether he’s training, hunting or guiding, this red box (a fishing tackle box) is always handy. Over the years, Jerry has performed countless field dressing and stapling jobs which, not only help the dog in need, but speed recovery and reduce long-term complications.

Listed below are the general supplies and the field supplies Jerry considers essential for his traveling first aid kit.

General Supplies

• Amoxicillin:  general antibiotic
• Benadryl:  allergic reactions
• Buffered aspirin:  pain
• Duct tape (of course!)
• Metronidazole:  giardia
• Pepto Bismol:  diarrhea
• Q-tips
• Rimadyl:  anti-inflammatory (by vet prescription only)
• Thermometer
• Vaseline

Field Supplies

• Betadine:  liquid disinfectant
• Dog Booties:   protect pads
• EMT Gel:  use on cuts, tips of tails
• Eye wash (sterile):  flushes out seeds and other debris
• Gauze
• Nutri-cal:  quick supplement for low blood sugar, weakness
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Tape
• Triple antibiotic ointment:  prevents infection and provides temporary pain relief due to cuts, scraps and burns
• Triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment (non-steroidal):  works for minor eye irritations but not scratches
• Tuf-Foot:  heals and toughens pads
• Vet wrap

Many of the supplies are the same that people use and so are easily purchased. We also buy certain supplies from our vet, including the prescription-only Rimadyl. Otherwise, we order from catalogs such as Lambert Vet Supply and Lion Country Supply.

Silk chills…or air-conditioning at Northwoods Bird Dogs

Silk has exalted status at Northwoods Bird Dogs. She is the eldest dog at 13 years of age and at the top of the pecking order. Much like a Dowager Duchess governing her estate, Silk rules our kennel with gentleness and wisdom but will tolerate no fools.

Silk was only bred three times but whelped our two best-producing setter males. Blue Shaquille is out of a frozen semen breeding to Houston in 2004 and from CH Peace Dale Duke, Silk bore Northwoods Blue Ox in 2007. Through her sons, she has shown up in every setter puppy’s pedigree for many years.

Silk herself has an impressive pedigree. Her dam was our extraordinary Blue Streak, a four-time champion/four-time runner-up champion, and her sire, First Rate, was a multiple champion in horseback field trials. Besides a very sweet disposition, Silk inherited an accurate nose, uncommon stamina and a tenacious application. Prior to retirement, she amassed several placements in grouse trials and was a first-string member of our grouse-guiding team.

Silk has earned her special treatment and now spends evenings and nights with Jerry and me in the house. But before we head to the house and while we’re finishing feeding and kennel chores in late afternoon, Silk is free to roam. She trots outside the building and seemingly inspects everything—puppy pens, gates and perimeter fences. She then comes back to do a quick look-see at the dogs and runs inside the kennel.

One hot afternoon last week, Silk rested in front of the fan while she waited for us to finish.

Are we sad when puppies go?

Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis female puppy gives her new owner a kiss.

A common question Jerry and I hear when a family picks up their eight-week-old puppy is:  “Aren’t you sad to see your puppies go?”

It seems such an innocent question but, as with many things, the real answer is complex.

First of all, it’s our business. Even though we train dogs, guide hunters and sell gear, a key component of Northwoods Bird Dogs is breeding dogs, whelping litters and selling puppies.

The reason we’re in this business, though, is because we love dogs and sometimes it is difficult when puppy dispersal time comes around. For whatever reason, a certain puppy will become a favorite of Jerry’s or I’ll fall hard for the littlest male or the perkiest female. In fact, I still remember very special puppies from years ago…puppies we named Lily, Linus, Moxie, Cotton, Pete, Peanut, Zeus and Jingles.

Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chardonnay female puppy takes a nap on her new owner.

Ultimately, the whole thing becomes a win-win-win situation:  Jerry and I make a living, the new owners gain a treasured pet/hunting companion and the puppy has a great life.

To borrow from Ina Garten, how gratifying is that?

P.S. I’m happy to report that puppies from our three litters this year seem to be relishing their new lives. Many thanks to the Gudenkauf, Blomberg and Rader families for sharing these photos.

Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz female puppy loves rides in her family’s boat.