Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017)
Most often, I write these remembrances when, after living a long life, a special dog passes. In those cases, you see the end coming and you can, somewhat, prepare yourself. But when a favorite dog dies suddenly, without warning, in the prime of its life, the heartache and pain are almost unbearable.
Atlas died like that on July 11.
Northwoods Atlas (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Nickel, 2017), call name Jet, was owned by Greg and Michelle Johnson of Wisconsin. Previously they had owned Gordon setters. Jet was the first dog “white dog” Greg trained and entered in cover dog field trials.
From the beginning, Greg and Jet were a winning duo. From his first derby placement through two runner-up championships, Jet placed in almost every trial—whether in Minnesota, Wisconsin or North Dakota and whether in wild bird or planted quail trials. The stake wasn’t over until Jet ran.
A stellar field trial season placed Greg and Jet as winners of both the amateur and open 2024 Minnesota/Wisconsin Shooting Dog of the Year awards.
Jet had all the characteristics of a champion—style in motion, style on point and the ability to find birds. In addition, Jet had consistency. In 2024, he won a distinctive honor by taking home the Minnesota/Wisconsin Shooting Dog of the Year for both open and amateurs. Jet was invited to the 2023 Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational field trial, the most prestigious in the cover dog world as only the top 14 point-earning dogs are invited. Most likely, he would have been invited again in 2025.
Jet possessed another attribute: he passed on his special qualities to his offspring. He sired only four litters but there are many happy dog owners to whom Betsy and I have sold puppies. Jet had a bright future in our breeding program and he leaves a big hole. In addition, one son, Big Big Energy, won the 2024 Minnesota/Wisconsin Open Derby of the Year award, so a father/son pair won in the same year.
On a vacation to the Southwest last winter, Michelle and Jet rest in rugged terrain.
It’s said that actions speak louder than words. Seeing Greg and Michelle interact with Jet in their day-to-day lives, at field trials and on vacations, they didn’t have to talk about how deeply they loved him and were devoted to his health and well-being. And knowing Jet as we did and watching him, it was clear the feeling was mutual.
National caliber cover dog winner, excellent producer, devoted companion. What more could a dog give?
CH Tian Elhew Verbena (CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013)
Not much is more gratifying for Jerry and me than hearing from happy dog owners. It is thrilling to see how our puppies have grown up and how they’ve fit into their lives—whether hunting, competing in field trials or sleeping on a pad near the fire.
And not much saddens us more than when we hear of the death of a beloved dog.
Multiple champion Tian Elhew Verbena (call name Bena) was owned by Angela and Tim Schillereff of Sauvie Island Kennels in Portland, Ore. Bena was whelped in 2013 out of Northwoods Vixen by CH Elhew G Force.
Of the nine puppies in the litter, seven were females. Angela and Tim had the fourth pick and they chose a pretty black and white puppy.
The G Force x Vixen litter was whelped on April 21, 2013. Bena is the puppy on the upper right.
Angela has kept in touch with photos and news periodically throughout the years. She recently informed us of the passing of Bena. Heartbroken, she wrote, “It’s been hard to think about her no longer with us.”
“She was an amazing dog and all who hunted her or saw her run in trials recognized how special she was.”
Angela and Tim campaigned Bena in American Field/Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America horseback shooting dog stakes where she won six championships and 2 runner-up championships.
She also earned several AKC titles: National Open Champion, National Amateur Champion, Grand Field Champion, Field Champion and Amateur Field Champion.
Northwoods Grits (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011) Photo by Chris Mathan
Grits. A perfect name for an extraordinary dog.
Each year Betsy and I choose a theme to use when naming our puppies. Not only is it fun to do but it can help us remember the years and litters. When Grits was whelped, we were training dogs in northwestern Tennessee, a.ka., the Mid South. At a quintessential southern cafe where we stopped for breakfast one morning, grits, biscuits and sweet tea were on the menu. We looked at each other and that was it. We had our theme for 2011. We named the first three puppies we kept, Grits, Biscuit and Sweet Tea.
Though “grits” is actually ground corn, the first four letters defined the dog. According to one definition, grit means “firmness of mind or spirit, unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.”
Grits had that grit. No matter the distance or what might lie in in the way, if Grits thought a bird could be there, he was going to find it. Nothing stopped him—whether handler or terrain—and he had the scars to prove it. From countless fence lacerations and tears, sticks, broken tail, a serious snake bite, nothing stopped Grits.
His personality, like his sire, Northwoods Blue Ox (CH Peace Dale Duke x Blue Silk, 2006), was a 10. He got along with any dog, male or female, young or old, and had an incredible off switch. In the hunting cabin at night or in our house, he only wanted to be petted.
For as much go as Grits had in the woods, he was lover in our home.
Grits didn’t have one or two outstanding qualities of a bird dog, he had them all. He was an extraordinary bird finder. He was naturally staunch, backed and could find dead birds. Too, he had the conformation, build, carriage, gait, speed and nose.
GRITS AS A YOUNG DOG
Grits was whelped in the first breeding of Northwoods Blue Ox to Northwoods Chablis (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009) – a breeding repeated five times. He was precocious like Ox and displayed desire and bird finding even as a puppy.
At nine months of age, I had Grits on the ground on a guided grouse hunt out of Bowen Lodge, northwest of Grand Rapids, Minn. I was out with Ken Taylor and Jim DePolo, hunting in a remote area when we heard Grits make a funny sound, like he was hit in the chest. When he came out on the trail, he acted a little dazed but I didn’t find anything obviously wrong. I leashed him and we headed back to the truck.
But after 10 minutes, Grits was straining at the lead, ready to go again. I released him and we hunted our way out. Grits pointed several grouse on the way—one of which Ken shot which was the first grouse killed over Grits.
Back at the lodge Grits cleaned his food bowl (he was a tremendous eater!) and acted normally. But on a hunch that something wasn’t right, I checked on Grits at about 10 p.m. Dr. Wayne Grayson, another hunter at the lodge, took one look and declared he needed to get to a vet. Under sedation, the veterinarian removed a five-inch stick embedded in the back of his throat.
Grouse woods or wide-open prairie, Grits excelled at bird finding and poise.
During Grits’ early years, Frank LaNasa and I had a prairie camp near Forbes, N.D. Frank is a serious and hugely successful amateur breeder, trainer and handler on the horseback circuit. He only works top-tier performers and back then was no exception. I worked him alongside some of Frank’s most accomplished champions, including CH Lil Miss Sunshine, CH Homemade and CH True Confidence, a little known up-and-comer at the time. With all those champions, Grits held his own.
GRITS IN COMPETITION
Betsy and I weren’t competing much when Grits was young, but he did place in several field trials. Most notably he won the Northwest Field Association Open Derby stake, held at the Crow Hassen grounds in Minnesota with three broke finds, a back and a big race. That tail injury (see third paragraph!) unfortunately ended his field trial career but our belief is he would have been extremely competitive in the horseback trials in the piney woods.
Happy owner Bob Senkler poses with his extraordinary brace of setters: Grits, on left, and Houston’s Belle’s Choice, Grits’ grand-dam.
GRITS AS A HUNTING DOG
When Grits was about one year old, we sold him to Bob Senkler, a passionate grouse and woodcock hunter from Minnesota, with the arrangement that Grits lived at our kennel. Grits was a lot more dog than most people would be comfortable with in the woods, but Bob loved it. Grits always found and pointed birds—many times more than 300 yards away. Grits never wanted to quit. When he saw the truck, he’d make one more cast, usually a big one, as he wanted to find one last bird. Often, Bob just waited at the truck until Grits came back.
Grits made a couple trips with me to North Dakota and Montana—and what a prairie dog he was. Even at 10 years of age last fall, he out-ran and out-birded many younger dogs.
I had tremendous hunting with Grits on the prairies of North Dakota and Montana.
For nine years, Grits was part of our Georgia guiding string on several high-end bobwhite quail plantations. Although he ran bigger than most hunters appreciated, one afternoon in 2017 on the Dixie Plantation, Grits soundly out-birded a future National Champion pointer, trained and handled by Gary Lester.
GRITS AS A PRODUCER
Grits was a tremendous sire for us, producing 78 puppies from litter after litter of talented wild bird dogs. Betsy and I bred him to our best females, including Houston’s Belle’s Choice, Northwoods Carly Simon, Northwoods Carbon, Northwoods Bismuth, Houston’s Nelly Bly, Northwoods Nickel, Northwoods Minerva and Northwoods Stardust; and CH I’m Blue Gert, owned by Dave and Rochel Moore.
We’re grateful to have two daughters, Northwoods Valencia (out of Carly Simon) and Northwoods Gale (out of Minerva), that exhibit his traits. Most of his offspring are owned by very serious hunters but a few have been campaigned. Some daughters of note include Northwoods Rocks A Lot, out of Houston’s Belle’s Choice, owned by Joe Byers, I’m Blue Sky and Northwoods Elle, both out of CH I’m Blue Gert and owned, respectively, by A. J. Kalupa and Tom Beauchamp. In addition, young Northwoods Atlas, out of Northwoods Nickel, owned by Greg Johnson, has already placed in several shooting dog stakes.
Bob’s son, Chris Senkler, kneels with Grits after what turned out be Grits’ final hunt last fall.
IN THE END
Frank LaNasa said it best when he learned of Grits passing.
“As a performer, Grits ranks right up with the very best that I’ve been around. He would have excelled at anything you asked him to do. An exceptional animal in every way a dog could be. All of our dogs eventually die. Truth is we bury more of ourselves with some than we do with others. Grits was one of those few.”
Over the past 30 years, Betsy and I have been blessed to have had incredible dogs, each defining an era. In the early 1990s, we had CH Dance Smartly. Late that decade and into the early 2000s were defined by Ch Blue Streak, CH Blue Smoke and Blue Chief. The mid 2000s brought us CH Houston’s Belle, Blue Shaquille and Northwoods Blue Ox.
Forever, the decade beginning in 2011 is the era of Northwoods Grits.
Northwoods Chablis (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2009)
In an auspicious pairing, Paul Hauge bred Blue Shaquille to Houston’s Belle’s Choice in 2009. Out of the eight puppies whelped, he chose four—two males and two females—for Betsy and me. One of the females was mostly white with an elongated spot next to her right eye and a distinctive black patch on her rump and tail. We named her Sally and later registered her as Northwoods Chablis.
Courtesy of her line-breeding to Paul’s dog Houston, Sally showed natural staunchness and strong backing instincts. She also displayed other traits of that line—lofty carriage, poise around game, strong scenting ability and “the gait.” Paul described “the gait” as a dog that could run with a glass of wine balanced on its withers without spilling a drop.
Sally had beautiful conformation and showed great poise and confidence during training exercises.
At an early age, Sally exhibited a seriousness towards hunting and finding birds; by the end of her first season she had pointed and held to flush dozens of ruffed grouse and woodcock. A hard-core grouse hunter and client of ours, Bob Senkler, spotted her blossoming talent and became her new owner.
By the time she was a derby, we were winding down our field trial participation but couldn’t resist a bit of competition. We entered her in spring derby stakes where she won several placements and was runner-up for the 2011 MN/WI Cover Dog Derby of the Year award.
Sally developed into a top-notch grouse dog and spent her autumns in the woods hunting grouse with Bob. But she also had such desirable genetic qualities that Betsy and I chose to breed her. So she spent her winters and springs whelping and raising puppies.
Sally was successful in all aspects of her life, including as a dam. She whelped 35 puppies from six litters. Jerry and Betsy have carried on her legacy and bred Sally’s sons and granddaughters. Here she tries to snatch some sleep just minutes after the final puppy is whelped.
Sally was a phenomenal producer. Her first of six litters was sired by Northwoods Blue Ox—a pairing that turned out to be a nick and one we repeated three more times. (A nick is a breeding term describing two individuals that when bred produce above average offspring.) In it were three field trial winners: Northwoods Bees Knees (Mike Donovan), Northwoods Tesla (Tim and Monica Cunningham) and Northwoods Grits (Bob Senkler). In addition, that first breeding produced outstanding grouse hunting dogs Northwoods Biscuit (Ryan Gould) and Northwoods Sweet Tea (Ken Balfanz).
Sally was also bred to CH Houston’s Blackjack and Blue Riptide and produced outstanding puppies.
Even though she maybe couldn’t cover as much ground as she once had, Sally hunted in the grouse woods every fall in her final years. Photo by Julie Sandstrom.
After her retirement from hunting with Bob and our breeding in 2017, Sally found a wonderful life with another dedicated grouse hunter, Julie Sandstrom. Sally lived in the house, slept on her own chair and happily hunted on private land managed for grouse production.
I have many wonderful memories of Sally. Foremost were the days I hunted her and Chardonnay, her litter sister, in a brace. Each worked the cover independently and yet knew the other’s location. One would point and by the time I got to the point, the other would be backing. Etched into my mind is the sight of those two spectacular dogs—standing tall and proud to the flush of a grouse.
One of Jerry’s most memorable days with Sally was when she was a puppy. Braced with Ben McKean and his stellar setter Addie, many birds were found, pointed and shot.
Another good memory was during her first fall on a November hunt with our friend and client Ben McKean. On that day, braced with her nine-year-old grand-dam, Blue Silk, young Sally held her own in finding and pointing grouse. Sally even trailed and found a wounded grouse that had eluded Silk. That day was a harbinger of her future mastery in the woods.
Betsy and I are grateful for those who played an important role in her life: Paul Hauge for producing and choosing her for us; Bob Senkler for being a passionate grouse-hunting owner; and Julie Sandstrom who cared as much about her as we did and filled her final years with ample comfort, love and opportunity.
RIP sweet Sally. Your life brought happiness to many and your prowess and spirit lives on through your puppies.
CH Satin From Silk (I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk, 2006)
CH Satin From Silk was knock-out pretty. Her perfectly conformed body was mostly white with a spot or two of orange around her dark eyes and on her ears and tail. Beneath that beautiful exterior, though, beat the heart of a champion—fierce in her focus, determination and application.
Satin From Silk was owned by Greg and Diane Gress of Minnesota. Her registered name honored her dam, Blue Silk (out of our 4X CH / 4X RU-CH Blue Streak), by I’m Houston’s Image, handsome male straight out of Paul Hauge’s favorite setter, Houston. Greg and Diane called her Peggy.
Betsy and I have many fond memories of Peggy.
Peggy and her seven littermates were born on Easter Sunday in 2006 in our rental home. It was, in general, a fine place to live, kennel our dogs and raise puppies. But one day as Jerry and I worked in the kennel, a big “boom” blew the wooden well cover off the floor, ignited some dog hair and dust and shot a ball of flames down the hallway of the kennel until it ran out of fuel.
With the exception of singed eyebrows on Silk, no dogs or puppies were harmed and nothing was damaged. (We did honor the occasion by naming one of the male puppies Boomer.)
CH Satin From Silk, on right, is backed by her dam, Blue Silk (CH First Rate x CH Blue Streak, 1999), on a training run in Oklahoma.
Greg and Diane entrusted us for Peggy’s early training. Highlights include late summer weeks at our prairie camp in North Dakota and a memorable winter in Oklahoma. We watched her develop from an energetic puppy into a national-caliber, field trial competitor. Like her dam, Peggy had the mental toughness and independence to be great but, at times, it could also be her downfall.
Peggy won the 2009 Wisconsin Cover Dog Championship. Still today, her performance ranks as an amazing display of the highest bird dog ability. And I had a front row seat; I was braced with Greg and Peggy, handling her litter sister, CH I’m Blue Gert, owned by Dave and Rochel Moore.
Greg and I broke away on the infamous “crash” course at the Chippewa Valley Grouse Dog Association’s grounds near Augusta, Wis. Peggy’s nose dragged her around the course—and she dragged Greg. Peggy went from grouse to grouse to grouse to grouse. Greg caught up in time to flush each bird and shoot, and then Peggy was quickly off to her next bird before he could even holster his pistol.
Peggy was never an easy handling, close-working dog and this hour she pushed—and beyond at times—the limits of the bell. When Greg finally put the lead on Peggy at the end of the hour, all who had witnessed her performance knew we were running for second place.
CH I’m Blue Gert (I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk, 2006)
Jerry and I mourn the loss of two great bird dogs in the Northwoods family.
Blue Riptide (Blue Chief x Blue Blossom, 2006) was owned by the Rodney and Monica Klimek family of Osakis, Minn. Rip was beloved by Rodney and his sons as they hunted the fields of western Minnesota.
CH I’m Blue Gert (I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk, 2006) was owned by Dave and Rochel Moore of Big Lake, Minn. Gert was a 2X CH/2X RU-CH grouse champion.
Blue Riptide (Blue Chief x Blue Blossom, 2006)
Both dogs made distinguished contributions to our breeding program. Riptide produced 19 wonderful puppies by three different dams: Blue Ghost in 2010; Northwoods Carly Simon in 2014; and Northwoods Chablis in 2017. Gert was bred to Northwoods Grits in 2014 and produced three outstanding females. She had previously been bred to CH Tom Jones which produced a two-time grouse champion.
RIP Handsome Rip. RIP Dirty Gert. We will always remember.
Houston’s Belle’s Choice (Gusty Blue x CH Houston’s Belle, 2005)
On the day after Christmas, Betsy and I received a heartbreaking message from Marc Austof that Jill had died. She lived happily and sprightly through Christmas but suddenly her health failed. Marc, his wife Melissa and their four children made the sad but merciful decision.
Marc Austof took Jill out for the first hunt of the 2016 season.
First hunt of the season. Man, I love this dog! ~ Marc Austof, September 2016
Jill was whelped January 16, 2005, in a co-breeding arrangement with Paul Hauge. Betsy and I were novices—it was only our seventh setter litter and the last at our home in Forest Lake, Minn. Parents were female Houston’s Belle, Paul’s soon-to-be multiple grouse champion, and Gusty Blue, owned by Bob Saari. I liked Gusty after watching him frequently at our prairie camp. He showed the gait, boldness and bird savvy we look for in a breeding dog. Besides, Gusty reminded us of his grandsire, our grouse champion Blue Smoke.
We sold most of the puppies but Paul chose two. One was a black-and-white female and the other was an evenly masked tricolor female that Paul named, suitably, Houston’s Belle’s Choice.
JILL AS A YOUNG DOG
Paul was interested in campaigning Jill on the grouse field trial circuit and so we tailored her development. She spent her first summer at our North Dakota prairie camp where I worked her on sharp-tailed grouse and pheasants. Paul then hunted her in Wisconsin and North Dakota and, in early winter, I took her south for training on our quail lease near Childress, Tex.
Jill was a beautiful dog, lofty in motion and with a strong, ground-eating gait. Luckily, she wanted to please and always handled. Jill was a natural at finding birds and was bold and confident on her game. She was steady-to-wing-and-shot as a fall derby and naturally backed. In short, she was a talented prospect for field trials.
JILL IN COMPETITION
As a puppy and derby, Jill was recognized in the most prestigious grouse trials in the country. In spring 2006, she placed fourth in the Grand National Grouse Puppy Classic held in Marienville, Penn., and second in the Minnesota Grouse Dog Association Open Puppy Stake. She was named one of three reserve dogs at the Grand National Grouse Futurity held in Marienville that fall.
As a derby, Jill won first in a quail shooting dog stake. After her derby season, Jill was campaigned sparingly.
During a training session in April 2012, the veteran Jill worked and pinned a grouse deep in an ash swamp.
JILL AS AN ADULT
Jill matured into an exceptional adult in all ways important to a bird dog and companion. She was long-legged, big-strided and weighed a solid 42 lbs. She was a focused bird finder and adept at pinning running grouse. Her range could vary from close to big but she was always in search of birds. In addition to ruffed grouse, woodcock and sharptails, she traveled with Betsy and me wherever we went in winter—whether Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Georgia—and she handled each situation, location and bird with ease.
Jill inherited long ears from her sire Gusty which she often passed on to her progeny. We always found the trait endearing but a friend always kidded us: “Jill can put a set of ears on her pups!”
Besides her calm and affectionate disposition, Jill had another distinct trait. When she was especially enjoying being stroked, she made a purring sound that seemed to be coming from her adenoids.
Bob Senkler owned both Jill and her grandson Grits. Those two veterans were a good brace in the grouse woods.
Bob Senkler, a serious, passionate grouse and woodcock hunter, became her owner in 2010. Bob commented: “Jill gave me some of the best grouse hunts I ever had.” That is very high praise from someone like Bob who has had more “once-in-a-lifetime grouse dogs” than anyone I know.
JILL AS A PRODUCER
Betsy and I bred Jill five times—three to Blue Shaquille and one each to Northwoods Blue Ox and Northwoods Grits. Puppies were sent all over the country. All were hunted and many were also campaigned. Jill’s production record from the American Field Stud Dog Book shows 12 winners with a total of 29 wins.
The pairing with Shaq was one of our best nicks and produced outstanding bird dogs. Three females—Chardonnay, Chablis and Carly Simon—became proven dams on their own and formed the foundation of our sixth generation of setters.
Jill was bred five times–three of those were by Blue Shaquille, our best-ever grouse dog. This litter of six in 2013 includes some famous dogs: Royce (Bob Senkler), Duke (Tom Dosen-Windorski), Creek (Randy Ott) and Mac (Dale Robinson). I built this shelf above the whelping nest so Jill could get some respite from her puppies.
In addition, Chardonnay (owned by Betsy and me) won the 2011 MN/WI Cover Dog Derby of the Year award while Chablis (Bob Senkler), Northwoods Lager (Jim Bires), Northwoods Troy McClure (Dale Robinson), Northwoods Creek (Randy Ott) Northwoods Rolls Royce (Bob Senkler) and Carly Simon (owned by Betsy and me) all earned placements on grouse and woodcock.
Her litter by Northwood Blue Ox produced stellar grouse dogs whether used in competition, guiding or hunting. Northwoods Highclass Kate (Barry Frieler) won the 2012 MN/WI Cover Dog Derby of the Year award and Northwoods Parmigiano (Paul Hauge) won woods derby placements and horseback stakes. professional grouse guides: Northwoods Camembert (Bill Heig) and Northwoods Brie (Scott Berry) are keys to professional guiding operations. Northwoods Ahniwake Grace (Sam Gary Jr.) has been one of our best Georgia quail dogs and Northwoods Roquefort (Grant Murray) is hunted hard on grouse every fall.
Jill’s last litter by Northwoods Grits produced grouse derby winner Northwoods Lady Got Rocks (Joe Byers). Northwoods Hartley (Nick Larson) gets many hours in the woods and Northwoods Elmer (Luke Olson) is part of the passionate New Wood grouse camp.
Finally, as a testament to her ability to pass on her excellent qualities, all setters in our kennel have her name in their pedigrees, down now to the seventh generation of great grandsons and daughters.
Marc Austof’s son proudly shows off his woodcock while hugging Jill, his hunting partner.
JILL IN RETIREMENT
Since 2014, Jill lived a pampered and privileged life with Austof family of Traverse City, Mich. There she quickly became the queen of the house, slept in her favorite chair and played with the four Austof children.
Marc is a serious grouse and woodcock hunter, though, and every autumn Marc and Jill headed to the woods where both benefited. Marc capitalized on her extensive hunting experience and Jill had ample opportunities, right up to the end. She pointed grouse, woodcock and pheasant within a couple months of her passing.
Great grouse dog, field trial winner, producer, companion. Jill had it all. RIP, sweet Jill.
Thanks for all those precious hunts, memories and everything you taught me. It has been an honor and privilege to carry a gun behind you. You will be missed. ~ Marc Austof, December 2018
Blue Shaquille (Houston x Blue Silk, 2004) was the best grouse dog I’ve owned. He had size, strength, power, gait, grit, composure, instinct, nose, tenacity, temperament and brains. Photo by Chris Mathan.
I’ve been fortunate to own many outstanding dogs. For most, I witnessed their first breath; with all, their last. I gave each a piece of me. But Shaq was different. When he died, it was a huge chunk.
Blue Shaquille was out of a 2004 frozen semen litter by Houston, Paul Hauge’s favorite setter, and our Blue Silk. He was the leftover pup in the litter. Betsy and I passed on him. So did Paul. In the end, without a buyer, he stayed. Luckily.
AS A YOUNG DOG
How many times does this happen? Shaq was the leftover puppy from his litter. Everyone else passed on him so Betsy and I kept him.
It didn’t take me long to see something special. His first scent point at 10 weeks of age was spectacular—exhibiting loftiness and composure that he would display on every point of his life. He knew how to use his nose and his instincts around game were incredible. But, like his sire’s line, he was slow to mature in application. Even during his first summer on the North Dakota prairie, Shaq didn’t light it up. Visitors to our camp questioned my enthusiasm for him and I could only reply, “I just like him.”
We never entered Shaq in 2005 fall trials because of that immaturity in drive and range. But after a winter training on the rolling plains of west Texas, he blossomed. Working bobwhite quail, Shaq grew from a close-working hunting dog to a hard-driving, far-ranging, focused, extraordinary bird finder. By the 2006 spring grouse trial season, Shaq was ready and won both derby and shooting dog stakes.
AS A MATURE DOG
For me, there has been no more chiseled, blocky, handsome head than Shaq’s.
Shaq was all boy—55 lbs. of strong, powerful bird dog. He had a square, chiseled head and dark, gentle eyes. He carried his sire’s traits: majestic and lofty on point and in motion, long, effortless gait, natural backing instincts and staunchness from the get-go. From Silk, he inherited stamina, focus, tenacity and a sweet disposition. He broke out easily and rarely made a mistake around game.
Above all, Shaq’s nose and brain set him apart. He could read grouse cover like few dogs I’ve witnessed and his search was relentless. When Shaq was hunting grouse, he had to be handled. He was going where the birds were and you better turn him or follow him. I learned that it was usually better to follow.
Shaq’s disposition was a 10. He was calm, confident, charismatic, poised and most of all, gentle. Shaq ruled without contact. Visitors to the kennel, invariably, ended up at his run. He leaned his body and head against the kennel wire so he could be petted and scratched. When loose, Shaq sat as close as possible, his eyes catching anyone that looked his way. He was impossible to resist.
AS A WINNER
Shaq stands tall and composed when I found him on point, deep in the grouse woods.
In the fall of his first shooting dog season, Betsy and I entered him in the 2006 Grand National Grouse Championship held in Marienville, Penn. He was just two years old but he put on a tremendous ground performance with a great grouse find, noteworthy enough for reporter John Yates to write in the American Field:
“Shaq, as he is called, has an exceptionally smooth and ground-eating stride. His powerful casts were far reaching and forward throughout and more often than not he was at the very edge of his bell… He was found standing beautifully at 31 facing a log pile at the edge of an older cut. Kolter flushed a grouse about 30 feet in front of his dog and shot and three more grouse lifted from about 10 feet in front of him. The young dog showed perfect composure in the face of the temptation.”
Harold Ray, hall of fame trainer and breeder of the well-known Smith Setters, was one of the judges. Yates wrote: “Ray said he would love to have several of the grouse dogs he saw in his horseback shooting dog string,” and that Shaq “would have great potential in any stake.”
In his short field trial career, Shaq won horseback trials on sharp-tailed grouse, liberated quail stakes and grouse trials. Unfortunately, his opportunities were few as Betsy and I transitioned our business away from competition toward training, breeding and guiding.
AS A GUIDE DOG
Shaq was famous on guided hunts at Bowen Lodge in northern Minnesota where serious grouse hunters from all over the country gather every fall.
By late fall of 2006, Shaq was already unbelievable on ruffed grouse. Among the grouse hunters at Bowen Lodge on Lake Winnibigoshish, his reputation was growing. I remember one hunt when, in addition to two gunners, two others came along just to watch.
A young boy pets Shaq after a grouse hunt in northern Minnesota.
Shaq would point any woodcock he came across but he was always searching for grouse, wherever they might be. Sometimes the finds were close but, more often, you better be ready to walk. Often, my GPS indicated point at 300 yards. I’d turn in his direction and casually say to the hunters, “Let’s go this way for a bit.” When we arrived within 100 yards, I’d say, “Shaq just went on point!”
AS A PRODUCER
Shaq was a producer, especially when bred to Houston’s Belle’s Choice, and Northwoods Chardonnay (2009) was their exceptional daughter. Not only did she inherit the talent and prepotency of her parents but she just might be the most beautiful setter Betsy and I have owned. Photo by Chris Mathan.
Betsy and I bred Shaq seven times and produced many exceptional dogs. The best nick was with Houston’s Belle’s Choice, a daughter of 2X CH/2X RU-CH Houston’s Belle, who was owned by Paul Hauge. It was a breeding we repeated three times, with unusually high litter quality. Notable males in those litters included Northwoods Jeter, Northwoods Rolls Royce, Northwoods Lager, Northwoods Creek, Northwoods Aerosmith and Prairie Lakes Royal Flush.
No sons have been bred but his daughters clearly carry on his traits. Northwoods Chardonnay was the most celebrated and produced winners and champions, no matter the sire.
• RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana (CH Houston’s Blackjack, 2011)
• Northwoods Manhattan (Northwoods Blue Ox, 2012)
• CH Northwoods Charles (CH Ridge Creek Cody, 2013)
• FC/AFC Ridge Creek Piper (CH Ridge Creek Cody, 2013)
• NSTRA CH Ludy’s Northwoods Jack Pot (CH Shadow Oak Bo, 2014)
• MN/WI Derby of the Year Northwoods Gucci (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock, 2015)
• RU-CH Erin’s Three Leaf Shamrock (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock, 2016)
A litter sister to Chardonnay, Northwoods Chablis, was famous in her own right through her five breedings to Northwoods Blue Ox. Among many talented dogs produced, Northwoods Grits, is now a producer.
Northwoods Carly Simon, younger sister of Chardonnay and Chablis, is still producing tremendous dogs, including Northwoods Sir Gordon, Northwoods Minerva, Northwoods Carbon, Northwoods Bizmuth and Northwoods Louis Vuitton.
Shaq’s litter with Houston’s Belle produced FC/AFC Cold Creek Pearl, who in turn produced a generation of winners for owner Ian MacTavish.
When bred to Steve Snyder’s RU-CH Magic’s Climb Kaytoo, Northwoods Blackeyed Susan was produced. Susan is owned by Charles DeCasteja and trained by Tony Bly. Tony calls her a “special dog” and “a bird-finding machine.”
A final testament to his prepotency and significance is in our setter breeding program. Every setter sold today and in our kennel today has Shaq in their pedigree.
IN RETIREMENT
In 2011, Blue Silk is backed by her sons Northwoods Blue Ox (by CH Peace Dale Duke, 2007) and Blue Shaquille (by Houston, 2004).
After nine years of guided grouse hunts, Betsy and I retired Shaq in 2014. Even though it was a tough year for grouse, he pointed plenty. The following two winters he was the star of our Georgia liberated quail hunts –a walk in the park compared to grouse hunts. In late summers, he also tutored young pups in finding woodcock and backing in the cutover aspen behind the kennel.
But mostly, Shaq was my bud. During the day, he had run of the kennel and slept on a bed in the office. He pursued pets as fervently as he had ruffed grouse. He followed me everywhere and trotted happily wherever my chores took me. He always looked for an opportunity to get some attention, especially when I sat down to put on my boots.
So, how do you say goodbye to such a dog?
For me, it’s every day. It’s every day when a blocky head doesn’t appear in the kennel door window as I approach and when there’s quiet instead of tail thumping. It’s every day in the empty spot on the floor next to my chair and and in the silence when there should be comforting, deep snores.
Rest in peace, Shaq…aka Bud, Thumper, Scruffy, Scootcher, Tacker. You moved the bar to new heights.
For the past 11 years, there’s been an orange and white setter in our kennel full of tricolors. But not anymore.
Last week, Betsy and I made the painful but merciful decision for our beloved Northwoods Blue Ox, whom we affectionately called Oscar. What began as a seemingly innocuous skin condition quickly spread and became ferocious and incurable. Even the region’s best specialists in canine pathology and dermatology couldn’t help.
In every sense of the word, Betsy and I are bereft.
Oscar was whelped in the middle of the winter by Blue Silk, the spitting image of her famous dam, 4X CH/4X RU-CH Blue Streak. On the top side was another champion, Peace Dale Duke.
Northwoods Blue Ox (CH Peace Dale Duke x Blue Silk, 2007) Photo by Chris Mathan
Oscar was handsome with an evenly masked, blocky head. As a young dog, his coloration was deep orange that slowly faded. He was powerfully built and always ran with a happy tail.
Even though Oscar was known mainly for his prowess in the woods, we loved him for his temperament and personality. He did everything with gusto but had an extremely calm center and a head full of sense. Oscar was sweet natured and had an incredible desire to please.
As a young dog
Oscar was a precocious pup. He hunted hard and pointed many grouse his first fall. One memorable grouse he pointed—and I flushed—five different times. I finally connected on the last try and he naturally retrieved the bird.
Oscar’s first grouse trial was the West Branch Puppy Stake held near State College, PA. In a field of about 40 starters, he won third. He also placed in several derbies. In one Oklahoma derby stake, he convincingly won with five stone-cold-broke finds in the 30 minutes.
With his verve, speed, flash and bird-finding, Oscar would have been an outstanding field trial dog but the timing was off. Betsy and I didn’t compete at the championship level anymore as our business turned to training and breeding.
While grouse hunting in November, I braced Oscar with his son Northwoods Rob Roy (by Northwoods Chablis, 2012) owned by Chris Bye. We didn’t know at the time how bittersweet that hunt would be. It was Oscar’s last.
As a bird dog
Oscar always hunted hard and fast but adapted to the cover. He was accurate and intense on point and was a strong bird finder with an exceptional nose. It didn’t matter the state or terrain, Oscar found and pointed, sharp-tailed grouse, pheasants, Mearns quail and bobwhite quail, in addition to ruffed grouse and woodcock.
Oscar probably ranged farther than most grouse hunters would like but you couldn’t lose him. If he didn’t check in after a cast, I better start looking because he was on point. And when he was on point, he had the grouse pinned. With no training or expectations from me, Oscar naturally, and softly, retrieved birds to hand — no matter where they fell.
Oscar was a Houdini. He climbed out of exercise pens, our kennel perimeter fence and the kennels at Bowen Lodge… where he also liked to sit on top his dog house. Others in our guiding string are, from left, Vixen, Chardonnay and Shaquille.
As a guide dog
I started guiding grouse hunts over Oscar when he was two and for the next eight seasons he was one of our best and most reliable. Day after day, year after year, hot or cold, wet or dry, he could be counted on to produce grouse for clients at Bowen Lodge. Oscar was strong and durable, too. Most of the grouse hunts were all morning or all afternoon affairs—which he easily managed.
My guiding clients and I have some great memories of Oscar’s finds and some spectacular retrieves from impenetrable thickets.
A real nick for Betsy and me was pairing Oscar and Northwoods Chablis—a breeding we repeated four times. In the summer of 2011, we had six puppies with us for our foundation program: Tia, Grits, Biscuit, Beasley, Tesla and Ice.
As a sire
As good as Oscar was at bird finding, he was even better as a producer. And it didn’t matter which dam—grouse champion Houston’s Belle, her daughter Choice or Chardonnay. But it was a fortuitous match to Northwoods Chablis that was so successful that Betsy and I repeated it four times.
Some of his offspring had opportunities in field trials. Northwoods Highclass Kate (Barry Frieler) was named MN/WI Derby of the Year. Northwoods Axel (Ryan Flair) and Northwoods Rob Roy (Chris Bye) placed in several grouse derby stakes. Northwoods Parmigiano (Paul Hauge) and Northwoods Grits (Bob Senkler) competed and placed in both walking and horseback trials. Beasley (Mike Donovan) and Tesla (Tim and Monica Cunningham) won puppy stakes for their owners who had never even been to a field trial.
Other dogs, including Northwoods Camembert and Northwoods Brie, have been used by professional guides Bill Heig and Scott Berry, respectively. But most of his pups are owned by serious hunters—Knickerbocker (Bart Salisbury), Biscuit (Ryan Gould), Sweet Tea (Ken Balfanz) and Tana (Brad Gudenkauf) to name a few. Merimac’s Blu Monday (Ben McKean) was a stellar south Georgia quail dog.
What Oscar really cared about
While Oscar excelled at whatever he did, he never really cared about all that. What Oscar cared about was Betsy and me—especially when we called his name and he spent Sundays in the house with us. He looked right at us with those warm brown eyes and it was clear what he was telling us: “Pet me. Just keep petting me.”
At the time he died last week, we heard an evocative song on the radio.
You’re in the arms of the angel. ~ Sarah McLachlan
If only all of our dogs’ lives were as long and happy as Blossom’s.
Blue Blossom, call name Tina, was out of our best field trial setter, 4X CH/4X RU-CH Blue Streak, and another grouse champion, Grouse Hollow Gus. She lived with Jerry and me for about six years but for the majority of her life, Tina was the treasured hunting partner of Tim Esse.
Tina was trained as all our other dogs are—on wild bobwhites in Texas, native prairie birds of North Dakota and on ruffed grouse and woodcock in northern Minnesota. She was perhaps best-suited to the latter and gained quite a reputation as a star member of Jerry’s grouse guiding string.
Because Jerry and I are also breeders, our hunting females get bred. With a bit of kismet, we chose Blue Chief for Tina in 2006 and that cross became our first nick.
We repeated Chief x Tina for three consecutive years. Her famous puppies are legion—Cooper and Cammie, Elle and Daisy, Ollie and Peanut, Bee and Banshee —and they are scattered across the country. Tina’s legacy will continue because we continue to breed one of her special sons, Blue Riptide.
Jerry and I retired Tina in 2008 after her last litter. We sold her to Tim, a passionate grouse hunter from the Twin Cities who schedules the rest of his life around the fall season. For one thing, his job enables him to work remotely. For another, he has family living in northern Minnesota and can easily slip back and forth.
Throughout these eight years, we’ve stayed in touch with Tim and were always so happy to see Tina. As late as this fall when Tina was 14 years old, Tim took her hunting 15 times.
We were deeply saddened to receive an email from him in late November. “Tina is in hunting heaven,” he wrote.
