My understanding is the bill is really aimed at keeping pro trainers with multiple strings of dogs off public lands prior to the opening of the ND pheasant open.

The thought being the younger second hatch birds are going to be vulnerable to being trapped or really late hens may still be nesting and dog could wipe those birds out.

Anyone who has been pheasant hunting in North Dakota and realizes that there have been pros going to North Dakota with strings of dogs forever knows this is absurd.

There may be other non-game species or some other kind of eco- nonsense someone is slinging. As a person that has had a couple strings of dogs out on the prairie the cattle out there are doing a hell of a lot more bird killing that my dogs do at that time.

I don’t want to urine any one off, but here is my opinion…

Truth be told there are a lot of folks in North Dakota who are resentful about any non-residents being in or around North Dakota. I see this every year when I take my pointing dogs to North Dakota to train on dogs, most of the locals in rural North Dakota are awesome folks and appreciate the money being spent out there.

Then there are the others who are not that way. In my experience they are often more well off financially and don’t give a hoot is anyone in the community does benefit from sportsman dollars.

Those folks are about as hospitable as a wolverine eating the [censored] out a week dead skunk to the non-resident sportsman. I could be more specific, but draw your own conclusions on this.

Some of these folks have the ear of the legislation, and if there is a way to limit non residents or even resident pro trainers who are on public lands they think it is a good idea.

These folks seem to think the only way sportsmen should be involved with North Dakota would be to fly over in a plan and drop cash like food aid to starving refugees, and then dissappear without setting foot on North Dakota soil.

I’m an amateur gun dog guy so this bill proposal really does not directly effect me directly, but a lot of my buddies are pro trainers and it would put a huge dent in what they can do in a years time training dogs and making money for themselves and the community.

I hope even those people who are not at all involved with the North Dakota or hunting dogs would sign the petition. In this economic environment, it seems like limiting how someone makes their living is a step in the wrong direction.

Regards,

Call R&J’s Rooster Ranch

612-716-4969

Dirty dirty minds….

What ever you do, please do not get you’re dog wet then put them into a crate in the back of you’re truck.

For a dog this is just like jumping in a pool then stepping out, putting a jacket on and walking into a steam bath.

The crate stops the dog from drying and the heat cooks the dog.

Better off with a dry dog than a wet dog in a crate.

Regards,

Houdini Kennels out of Lonsdale has some Lewellin pups on the ground right now.

The Lewellin is a line bred English Setter that is bred and billed as the easy to work with “Foot Hunters” english setter.

They also own a game farm and offer a discount on game farm memberships as well as host Thursday and Saturday training sessions.

Call Greg Fryar @ 612-840-8013 to talk with him or visit: wwww.houdinillewellins.com

We are also hosting a puppy seminar this July 12th using the Smith methods of training.

Greg Fryar of High Fly’n Kennels will be presenting this seminar which focuses on starting a puppy reagardless of breed the correct way.

This is a 8 hr seminar starting saturday morning thru sat evening.

Call me, Rob @ 612-327-7114 if you are interested in this seminar.

Twice a week I have a group of about 11 – 15 people working both flushing and pointing breeds at R&J’s Roster Ranch in Lonsdale MN.

The format of the group follows Delmar & Rick Smith’s method of training.

Rick Smith comes to the Ranch once a year to host a seminar.

Greg Fryar of High Fly’n Kennels a out of Elko frequently comes out to help the group, answer questions and train some of his client dogs in a group atmosphere.

Summer training membership’s cover the use of the remote backing dogs, remote relase traps, homing pigeons etc. on 24-7 basis until September 15th

Any birds you shoot run what ever the club is paying for pigeons, chuckar or quail.

The group is very informal, but generally we all help each other out and train as a group, as that is to the benefit of the dog.

The $$ for the summer tranining membership is pro rated to the length of summer. I think the cost is around $200 / $250 for the balanace of the summer right now.

Call Randy at 612-716-4969 if you are interested.

http://www.rjsroosterranch.com

Regards & good luck!

I am of the opinion that Grouse, Woodcock and Quail are all down in numbers. Overall bird numbers other than Ditch Parrots in North Dakota and Turkeys everywhere have been in decline at an exponentially growing rate since I was introduced to hunting 25 years ago.

It could be all these tree huggers are onto something with there pollution scare and the global warming stuff, I guess I just dont know what to think.

I have a couple friends who hunt primarily in the Stevens Point area of Wisconsin. They bagged 130 grouse each last year. They have averaged 100+ birds for as long as I have known them, they keep the fans as evidence.

They both hunted four to six days a week all thru the season. One told me it was as hard as they have ever worked to get that many birds.

I spent around $1200+ in gas covering a triangular area from Manitowoc Wi to Black Duck MN south to Winona MN looking for birds and it was really hit or miss.

The woodcock were way way down in my opinion, not that I care that much, they taste like mud.

On thing I noticed was all the birds I shot were 2nd season or older. None of them were as large as the birds I used to shoot when my old man used to take me out 20 years ago down by Redwing MN. What that means I have no clue.

I laughed last week when in the Pioneer Press the Wisconsin’s DNR said the drumming numbers are up again this year and it should be such a good year that you will need to buy two licenses to justify all the birds that are going to be jumping into the back of you’re vest this fall.

Of course the Minnesota DNR is behind Wisconsin in getting their drum count report out… I think they wanted to double check the counts were really 2x that of Wisconsin’s historic all time best numbers – ’cause that’s almost too good to be true!

Sharon Potter of Redbranch kennels and the Retriver Journal is one of the best Chessie trainer / Breeder in the area.

http://www.redbranchkennels.com

I think the numbers of birds get a little better as you head towards the east. I was in a around the Minong area again last saturday and pulled a couple birds out of the woods. I dont think this is a great year, but there are birds in the woods.

The birds I shot last weekend were eating the clover greens and a the millipeds or what ever those little brown bugs with millions of little legs are.

I used to run GSP’s with my dad. You’re pup looks almost identical to the grandmother of my father’s current dog.

I am into doing things the really really hard way so I switched to grey weimer dogs a couple years back along with the Lewellin’s I run with a buddy of mine.

This was up in Minong a couple weeks ago with the grey dogs.

I used to run GSP’s with my dad. You’re pup looks almost identical to the grandmother of my father’s current dog.

I am into doing things the really really hard way so I switched to grey weimer dogs a couple years back along with the Lewellin’s I run with a buddy of mine.

This was up in Minong a couple weeks ago with the grey dogs.

I was in Chislom up in the Superior Nat’l forest last weekend; saw about the same numbers of birds there as I have across the state and into eastern Wisconsin. Figure a flush every 45 – 50 min or so.

The birds I was seeing are singles mostly on or at the edge of the trails.

When I can find clover patches and bare dirt around dense brush or pines we find the most birds. Other singles are scattered around, but I have not found a lot of covies.

Talking with the other grouse hunters and bough cutters around that I have seen out and about I am pretty much calling this year somewhat of a bust or at least it is a disappointment. There are birds and out there to be found, but it’s nothing to call home about.

All the birds I have shot except one this year have been a season old or older, (beaks don’t bend), which leads me to believe the hatch across the state was pretty low despite the reports the DNR issues to entice people to buy licenses.

For me last weekend was pretty much the last weekend for grouse in MN until November is over as the deer hunters add too much excitement to the woods for me when I have the dogs with.

Off to Wisconsin with me! Hopefully the birds there are not getting tired of watching me walk by.

I did hear the wardens were out off the Sturgeon river trail in Chislom with a robo-grouse looking for road hunters. I didn’t see ‘em but one of the guys I spoke to sounded like he got a hefty ticket for road hunting.

I was in Chislom up in the Superior Nat’l forest last weekend; saw about the same numbers of birds there as I have across the state and into eastern Wisconsin. Figure a flush every 45 – 50 min or so.

The birds I was seeing are singles mostly on or at the edge of the trails.

When I can find clover patches and bare dirt around dense brush or pines we find the most birds. Other singles are scattered around, but I have not found a lot of covies.

Talking with the other grouse hunters and bough cutters around that I have seen out and about I am pretty much calling this year somewhat of a bust or at least it is a disappointment. There are birds and out there to be found, but it’s nothing to call home about.

All the birds I have shot except one this year have been a season old or older, (beaks don’t bend), which leads me to believe the hatch across the state was pretty low despite the reports the DNR issues to entice people to buy licenses.

For me last weekend was pretty much the last weekend for grouse in MN until November is over as the deer hunters add too much excitement to the woods for me when I have the dogs with.

Off to Wisconsin with me! Hopefully the birds there are not getting tired of watching me walk by.

I did hear the wardens were out off the Sturgeon river trail in Chislom with a robo-grouse looking for road hunters. I didn’t see ‘em but one of the guys I spoke to sounded like he got a hefty ticket for road hunting.

For the most part this year the birds I have seen have been about 20 yards into the woods.

I havent seen a lot right on the trails directly, but I have been on a lot more heavily traveled trails as I have been into Wisconsin a lot more this year.

What part of the state were you in?

For the most part this year the birds I have seen have been about 20 yards into the woods.

I havent seen a lot right on the trails directly, but I have been on a lot more heavily traveled trails as I have been into Wisconsin a lot more this year.

What part of the state were you in?

Nice looking birds, did you ever try the grouse by you’re stand? How are the bird numbers overall in that area?

Nice looking birds, did you ever try the grouse by you’re stand? How are the bird numbers overall in that area?

I was in Danbury Wisconsin last weekend. I didn’t push too many around.

Those that I saw were in the heavy poplar cover. Seems like the green grass edges of the poplars was what they were after. Only took one bird its crop was empty.

The birds were SPOOKY.

I was running my old female weimer who is the quietest slowest dog in the grouse woods I have to run and the birds were breaking on her which is not usually how it works.

We had three solid points on 8 real opportunities, all the other birds jumped before I could walk up to her. Even on the solid points the bird jumped before I was ready.

Secrete the last couples weeks for me is to go SLOW and be as quiet as I possibly can. The dog and I were pretty much stalking the birds all day.

This is pretty much the last weekend in Minnesota before the army of idiots descends on the woods thru December so I figure I will head up to Chisholm; I have been hearing good reports around that area.

I was in Danbury Wisconsin last weekend. I didn’t push too many around.

Those that I saw were in the heavy poplar cover. Seems like the green grass edges of the poplars was what they were after. Only took one bird its crop was empty.

The birds were SPOOKY.

I was running my old female weimer who is the quietest slowest dog in the grouse woods I have to run and the birds were breaking on her which is not usually how it works.

We had three solid points on 8 real opportunities, all the other birds jumped before I could walk up to her. Even on the solid points the bird jumped before I was ready.

Secrete the last couples weeks for me is to go SLOW and be as quiet as I possibly can. The dog and I were pretty much stalking the birds all day.

This is pretty much the last weekend in Minnesota before the army of idiots descends on the woods thru December so I figure I will head up to Chisholm; I have been hearing good reports around that area.

Did you notice what they were eating?

Did you notice what they were eating?

The SW corner is about the same as last year, maybe up a bit. Expect a flush every 1/2 hour to 45 min; eating mostly leafy greens like clover and grass.

Central MN has been so-so, numbers seemed clustered in areas to me. The little white berries seemed hot a couple weekends ago. Have not been there much, dunno what to look for now.

Northern MN seems a bust to me, at least there is less than last year. The couple birds I got had empty gizzards? Last year this time it was a find the standing water and green mossy pine tree looking thing and you found the birds. My trip was in the rainy weather, that may have been a contributor, don’t know for sure.

Central to North West Wisconsin seemed better than MN. I think that’s because there are more road hunters and less foot walkers in the places I have been in Wisconsin? I don’t have a way to validate that, but I never run into foot walkers in Wisconsin, they are all riding the trails shooting of the back of their 4 wheelers. Green leafies in the crops of those birds.

The SW corner is about the same as last year, maybe up a bit. Expect a flush every 1/2 hour to 45 min; eating mostly leafy greens like clover and grass.

Central MN has been so-so, numbers seemed clustered in areas to me. The little white berries seemed hot a couple weekends ago. Have not been there much, dunno what to look for now.

Northern MN seems a bust to me, at least there is less than last year. The couple birds I got had empty gizzards? Last year this time it was a find the standing water and green mossy pine tree looking thing and you found the birds. My trip was in the rainy weather, that may have been a contributor, don’t know for sure.

Central to North West Wisconsin seemed better than MN. I think that’s because there are more road hunters and less foot walkers in the places I have been in Wisconsin? I don’t have a way to validate that, but I never run into foot walkers in Wisconsin, they are all riding the trails shooting of the back of their 4 wheelers. Green leafies in the crops of those birds.

People are telling me the numbers are good by Menominee and Stanley. I may head that direction next weekend rather than Chislom.

Has anyone been around the Menominee area ?

People are telling me the numbers are good by Menominee and Stanley. I may head that direction next weekend rather than Chislom.

Has anyone been around the Menominee area ?

Over by Finlayson was not too bad. We were west of town on state land and probably pushed 1/2 dozen birds in 4 – 5 hours of walking. There was no real rhyme or reason to where the birds were but there were a few around.

A few weeks ago they had the little white berries in their crop; two weeks ago it was the really big red berries. Last weekend at Frog Creek it was clover down by the river beds.

We did find some woodcock moving, not like it used to be when I was a little kid, but this has been a pretty good year for woodcock compared to the last few.

Over by Finlayson was not too bad. We were west of town on state land and probably pushed 1/2 dozen birds in 4 – 5 hours of walking. There was no real rhyme or reason to where the birds were but there were a few around.

A few weeks ago they had the little white berries in their crop; two weeks ago it was the really big red berries. Last weekend at Frog Creek it was clover down by the river beds.

We did find some woodcock moving, not like it used to be when I was a little kid, but this has been a pretty good year for woodcock compared to the last few.

One of the fastest ways to get a dog to do anything is thru the use of overlaying a noise or command when the behavior that is wanted is being done.

I know a couple people who have trained their dogs to respond to “clickers” when they want the dog to do their stuff.

I don’t use the method personally, but the results of clicker training were cool to see when we were traveling.

Dogs got out of the car, they hit the clicker, dogs were done and we were on the road in less than a total of 5 minutes.

In order to clicker train all you really need is the clicker, take you’re dog to the spot, wait till they decide to start their stuff, as soon as they do – hit the clicker – or give whatever ever command you want to use.

This is no different than the famous Pavlov’s dog trick – getting the dog to drool when you hit the dinner bell, except you are looking for action from the opposite end.

One of the fastest ways to get a dog to do anything is thru the use of overlaying a noise or command when the behavior that is wanted is being done.

I know a couple people who have trained their dogs to respond to “clickers” when they want the dog to do their stuff.

I don’t use the method personally, but the results of clicker training were cool to see when we were traveling.

Dogs got out of the car, they hit the clicker, dogs were done and we were on the road in less than a total of 5 minutes.

In order to clicker train all you really need is the clicker, take you’re dog to the spot, wait till they decide to start their stuff, as soon as they do – hit the clicker – or give whatever ever command you want to use.

This is no different than the famous Pavlov’s dog trick – getting the dog to drool when you hit the dinner bell, except you are looking for action from the opposite end.