By David S. Lewis
Executive Editor, (614) Magazine

Funny thing about hunting, sometimes you know exactly what’s happening, and that what’s happening is working.  Assuming all things go properly, something delicious is going to die, and you’re going to get to eat it.

Other times, it is spring turkey season, and you and your bud will sit in a strange wooden shack in the middle of the forest and use various devices to squawk and scream at each other for what is probably no real reason at all.

My pal and hunting buddy, Andy, lives on a rural southeastern Ohio tree farm. Deer are in hog heaven here for 50 weeks of the year – and hogs love it, too.

Similarly, wild turkeys are abundant in Vinton County and on his farm every moment of the year – except, of course, the two weeks or so when they become the most interesting to everyone.

Andy had just bought his box call a day before the season opened. In the cabin, he’s fluent in Turkese.  As soon as we get to the blind, however, everything breaks down.  The noises emitted from that $12 chalkless hellbox are deafening, at least a hundred times louder than any turkey born after the Second Ice Age.  Sometimes it creaks like a barn door plugged into a Marshall stack; others it shrieks like Rhodan from the old Godzilla movies.

At no point does it sound remotely like a lady turkey, however.

I don’t do much better.  At one point a farmer’s turkey hears my gurgling, and hollers back half-heartedly.  We made small talk for nearly an hour, him gobbling a response to every flaccid rattle I produce.  I assume now that he knew the deal, in which I was trying real hard and he just chose to play along for my confidence’s sake.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have him quite so well ID’d: I grew increasingly excited and impressed with myself, waiting for him to stampede my location, until I realized that he wasn’t the turkey I was looking for.  (I later learned that the little jerk was trained to poop in a litter box.  Clever girl…)

The hours crawl by the days when you’re out in the woods, and I soon realized that I had only one day left.  Some friends on motorcycles had come by and ruined an entire day of hunting, and proceeded to make up for it with some poker and good whiskey.  Before long, I realized that I had one of two options: wake up in two hours, or make my way out to the blind now and pass the night there. It was raining, and I knew that any birds still in the woods would be interested in digging up some worms in the morning, so I hiked out around 2:30 a.m., en route to a turkey blind I would never find.

Andy’s property has been in his family since his grandfather, a Kentucky coal miner, picked it up in the early seventies, as the lay of the land reminded him of the central Kentucky steep hills and long wooded hollers of his youth.  Around 80 acres of land, most of it is either up or down hill.  I headed towards the very back of the farm where I knew the blind to be, wearing only a light jacket and Filson packer hat, as I had left my sleeping bag in the blind.  It was cool, especially with the pouring rain, but I knew I would soon be snug and the possibility of waking up to a randy gobbler was very real; the pines had shown the most promising sign, scratches everywhere and the telltale parallel lines on the dirt trail, the wingtip drags that tell you a dominant tom has been strutting.

My anticipation for the morning’s evaporated in an instant as the battery in the flashlight died and I was thrown into overcast darkness.

I had already been hiking for an hour, and with the clouds over head, there was absolutely no light available.  I stumbled off the trail, and while I could normally have oriented myself somewhat by the sound of the nearby creek rushing with water, the rain cascading down every hill was far too loud for that.  I knew I was in the area…but where was the blind? Frustrated, I finally found a tree to climb, and made my way into the crook of two branches coming out of the main trunk.  My muscles were screaming from three days of hiking, and — apart from my head which Filson’s shelter cloth had kept entirely dry — I was soaking wet.  But, at least I would be near the pines in the morning.  At least I’ll get in a good early hunt was my final thought before I succumbed to whiskey and exhaustion, and amazingly fell sound asleep as the rain fell heavily through the young leaves.

Also amazingly, I woke well after the sun was up; in fact, my jacket had mostly dried off.  Not as amazingly: I was nowhere near the pines I thought I had been hiking through.  I was nowhere near the blind.  And I was nowhere near any damn turkeys.

At least my head was dry.  One more weekend, turkey devils.  I’ve still got one more weekend.

For over two decades, George Hickox has shown all levels of owners how to train great bird dogs.  More often than not, the secret to successful days in the field start with top tier nutrition and a consistent feeding program.  Find out how to feed your working dogs the right way to ensure many happy memories are made on the hunt.

Sound genetics, proper and consistent training, as well as feeding a tier one nutrition are required for the canine athlete to maximize his stamina. A genetically talented dog that has developed his abilities through a successful training program will be unable to stand up to the rigors of a day of running if fed improperly.

The canine receives the nutritional benefits from eating eight to sixteen hours after ingesting his food. Feeding Pupster in the morning of the big hunt or strenuous exercise is not a sound feeding program.  Feeding raises the dog’s body temperature and pre-exercise feeding can led to gastrointestinal health issues such as bloat.  Gastro Volvulus Distention can be life threatening.

A dog should not be fed within two hours prior to exercise or within one hour post exercise.  Digesting food requires water and a dog fed prior to exercise is more prone to dehydration.  There is no plus to feeding in the morning prior to a day of activity.  We feed in the evening no sooner than an hour post exercise.  This schedule allows the dog to digest his food and receive the necessary calories that will be demanded for the following day’s activities.

The amount of calories individual dogs will require varies considerably. A dog with a high metabolism will demand more calories than a pooch with a lower metabolism.  A dog that is kenneled outside in lower temperatures will need to ingest more calories to maintain his internal body core temperature than a companion living in the house.  A good guideline is that a dog will require 7% more or less calories for every 10 degree rise or fall in temperature.  If the temperature was 50 degrees on Tuesday and dropped to 30 degrees on Wednesday Fido would require 14% more calories on Wednesday than on Tuesday.

Obesity and the side effects of obesity are the leading cause of early death in canines in the US.  A good gauge for the proper weight a dog should maintain is if viewing the dog from above the dog should look like a horizontally placed hour glass.  Purina has a body scoring system on their website that will inform viewers about proper weight.  Google “canine body scoring.”

Carbohydrates heat and fat cools.  A diet of high carbohydrates and low fat will raise the dog’s body core temperature which can lead to overheating.  In addition to keeping the dog well hydrated prior to and during exercise a higher fat and lower carb diet will keep the four-legged hunting partner running cooler.

A balanced diet with the proper percentages of proteins and fats will provide the dog with the necessary fuel to perform his tasks on a day’s outing.  We feed a blue ribbon diet of 30% protein and 20% fat for the working dog.  Feed your dog a quality nutritionally balanced diet and do not let the dog become overweight.  Your dog will live a longer and healthier life.

The Switzer Ranch is a ranching operation in Northern Nebraska that has been family-owned for 105 years. Here, a true love of the land and the wildlife it supports has been passed down throughout the family.  Sarah and her brother Adam are part of the four generations currently living and working on the ranch.  Follow as Calamus Outfitters, which provides guiding and outdoor recreation at the ranch, prepares for the start of Turkey Season.

As Adam Switzer makes ready for the year’s first spring turkey hunt in the Sandhills of Nebraska three things are at the top of his list for a successful outing; his calls, his dog, and his gear.  As the owner/operator of a professional outfitting business that draws turkey hunters from across the nation, Adam takes his preparation seriously.  In fact, he never stops preparing.  Throughout the year he constantly practices his various calls, works his dogs and keeps a mental inventory of the daily habits of many wildlife species on the Switzer Ranch, the home base of Calamus Outfitters.

I accompanied Adam to set up a blind to be used the following morning by hunters from Texas.  The past week had covered the plains with snow and ice making spring calving on the ranch a bit more complicated but no one here is complaining.  The past year’s severe drought has affected every living thing, testing the resiliency of the prairie and the animals and people that call it home.  It is still hard to tell the full effect the hot dry year had on the turkey hatch, but a strong existing population will undoubtedly weather the dynamic conditions that define the Great Plains.

As we travel through the ranch on our way to Adam’s destination, he intermittently makes clucking noises with the call hidden in his mouth.  I see various calls strewn about the back seat of his hunting suburban as well.  A couple box calls, a worn slate call, and a wing bone call are at the ready.  I ask what his favorite call is.  “Depends on the birds,” he states, in a matter of fact tone.  “Whatever their favorite is, is my favorite.  And that seems to change every year.”

As we pull up to a stand of ancient cottonwood trees poking into the sky above mature cedars, Adam stops the suburban and slides out.  Grabbing his pop up blind, he strides to his selected spot.  Blind placement is key for the morning hunt.  Because Adam has studied the birds throughout the year he has learned the daily habits and travel zones.  He places the blind close to the cottonwood roosting area, angling the main opening towards the faint path nearby.

I ask about his plan for the morning hunt.  He explains that the turkeys will make the first move.  After listening to the birds, he’ll call softly as they become more active.  The objective is to draw the big gobblers in to the decoy for the prime kill zone shot.

As I picture a large tom carefully approaching the decoy my thoughts are interrupted by the excited whines of Adam’s main hunting dog, Number 2.  Contained in the back of the suburban, No. 2 pleads to investigate the area but Adam gently puts him off.  Although dogs aren’t usually associated with turkey hunting like upland game or waterfowl excursions, No. 2 is never left behind.  Not only does he find birds in areas that are hard for man to access, he is on call to quickly retrieve any wounded birds.  Although that scenario is rare, as a guide Adam must be ready to deal with a variety of situations and it seems No. 2 is the main tool for most solutions during hunting season.

As we jump back into the suburban, now on our way to a patch of pasture that No. 2 will be able to stretch his legs in, Adam comments on the predicted weather.  The early morning will be cold, but temperatures will rise somewhat quickly after the sun pops over the hill.  He mentions that his hunters will need to be ready when they enter the blind.  They need to be quiet and stay warm so their faculties will work when the time is right.  Since the blind hunt can last from 5 minutes to 3 or 4 hours he advises his hunters to wear quality gear allowing multiple layers that can be quietly manipulated.  One of his pet peeves is bulky outdoor clothing that makes loud swishing noises every time the body moves.  “It’s hard to be stealthy when the birds can hear your coat from a ¼ mile away.”

We stop to let No. 2 have a romp before we return to ranch headquarters.  As I watch him bound effortlessly through the bunchgrass, I survey the open hills.  Waiting for spring to fully arrive, the sand drinks in every drop of moisture.  I can smell the dampness play with the crisp air.  A sharp-tailed grouse, and then another, is flushed by No. 2.  Adam chuckles and calls him back to the suburban.  Turkey season at Calamus Outfitters starts tomorrow.

Brian Koch started Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Koch strives to be the hardest working bird hunter in the country and aims to reach hunters and fans with detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures.

I think the level of exertion at sporting clays courses should extend beyond the trigger finger. The name “sporting clays” implies a certain level of physical activity. But, a number of courses have paths for vehicles and even golf carts for transporting shooters and their gear from one station to the next. Distances between each shooting location are generally 40 yards and up. For us, upland hunting is an active sport that involves a fair share of hiking. So when we shoot sporting clays to practice bird gunning, we prefer not to drive a vehicle from station to station. We walk. And we don’t push a glorified stroller with a gun rack that some courses provide, either. We lug the gear and guns between volleys, just like we would in the field. This also allows for a healthy dose of banter, and time to keep a close eye on the score.

There’s no monetary wager between my nephew Zach and I when we shoot clays. The stakes are simple and immediate: lose the station and you lug the shooting bag to the next.

Big whoop, right? Well, Filson’s Sportsman Bag can make that lugging a bigger deal than you might think. In the main compartment Zach and I stash 300 rounds of 20-gauge shells, because even if the course is only 100 clays you still can never have enough ammo. It looks as though we’d easily be able to stow 16 boxes of 20-gauge and still have room for our two cameras, mini-tripod and various POV video accessories that we pack to chronicle the round.

In the rear outside pocket we put all our gun cleaning gear: rags, oil, cleaning rod, grease and barrel snake. And during the round we stash our shotgun socks in this compartment for safe keeping too.

In the front zippered pocket goes hearing protection, shooting gloves, eye protection, choke tubes and wrenches and cell phones for two shooters. In the pockets on either end we place keys, drinks and the scoring clipboard. I’m pretty certain we’ve intentionally made this bag as heavy as possible to inflict the worst punishment for poor shooting.

With the hefty bridle leather strap, thick canvas and beefy zippers you just know this Filson bag is built to take a beating. I’m not real certain what it weighs when fully stocked, I just know the added heft never stings quite as much as the reason you’re carrying it in the first place. So the best course of action is to get a Filson Sportsman’s Bag and make sure your shooting buddy carries it the entire time.

When the round is complete we remove the cameras, restock the shells and there’s room to stow two Filson shooting vests for the next outing. I suppose one could use this Sportsman’s Bag for any sort of travel or adventure, but why would you want to when it’s perfect for shotgunning?

Brian Koch started Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Koch strives to be the hardest working bird hunter in the country and aims to reach hunters and fans with detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures.

When wild bird hunting seasons end it leaves a pretty large void in our schedule. Both the dogs and I must cope with the withdrawals from time afield and adjust to the looming summer doldrums. Seven months is just too long to rest on laurels. I always dread that final day of hunting, but this year I started planning well in advance to help fill the vacuum.

Over the winter my nephew Zach researched and reported on medieval weaponry for his sophomore high school English course. Given the current climate for anything weapon related in schools I was actually somewhat amazed the report didn’t land him a suspension or on the terrorist watch list.

I’m blessed with an abundance of nieces and nephews. When one expresses an interest even remotely related to my passion I run with it. In my mind catapults and claymores are precursors to the modern tools of the trade which I use all hunting season. You have an interest in swords; let me tell you how that relates to upland hunting. I’m fairly certain there are few topics safe from my associating to pursuit of birds. I suppose the ease of which I make creative connections is likely just a result of recent reflections of my bird hunting legacy.

Blade design is an art that has been around for millennium. Because the basic functions and requirements of the knife haven’t changed since first wielded, it’s a great case study of what people have done to improve it. When I informed our friends at Benchmade about my saber smitten nephew they were quick to invite us on a VIP tour. Benchmade is a leader in modern blade development and they help nurture new concepts by inviting interns to participate in their design process. It is a testament that good ideas can come from anywhere. I find it important to show Zach that besides knives just being cool, there are reasons for form and function. And there are people bringing these concepts to fruition. The power of an idea is a lesson I wish I would have learned earlier in life, but now I get a redo with my nephew. We just have to get from rural Ohio to the Benchmade headquarters in Oregon.

Luckily the end of bird hunting season times up really well with Spring Break. So I’ve wrangled Zach into a cross-country road trip which will cover over 5,000 miles in just 10 days. Along the way we’ll shoot, hike, camp and explore our place in the great outdoors. Wyatt our black lab will join us for some training, entertainment and to keep the varmints from camp at night.  Zach seems excited for the adventure but is likely oblivious to the amount of tutoring I have planned or the posterior pain that comes with infinite days behind the wheel.

It’s early spring so we’re preparing for a mixed bag of elements along much of the route. Luckily Filson recognized the merits of this odyssey and agreed to outfit us for any conditions which we might encounter. From the rugged Rockies to spring torrents of the Pacific Northwest we’ll be putting our new Filson gear to the test as other explorers have for over a century.

There are common threads to most of the great memories from my youth; exertion and accomplishment. Turns out that things that come easy are easily forgotten. The current trend toward sedentary existence puts a generation at risk of having no formative tales. My hope for this Off-Season Odyssey is that my nephew learns observing life will never be as satisfying as seizing opportunity.

It’s the eve of our departure and the gear is loaded. At the crack of dawn we’ll pour into the truck to start our first 16-hour day of driving. Somewhere in Illinois we’ll stop for a round of sporting clays to stretch the legs. And here Zach will learn another lesson: even with the faster reflexes and better vision that accompany youth, you can’t outshoot your uncle.

For over two decades, George Hickox has shown all levels of owners how to train great bird dogs.  More often than not, the secret to a successful day in the field starts with a solid upbringing.  Learn what small steps to take early on in your dog’s development to ensure many happy memories are made on the hunt.

The first twenty-week period of the dog’s exposure to life is referred to as the imprinting stage.  During this psychological developmental stage the canine youngster can develop good habits through proper training and environmental control.  Puppies are monumentally impressionable during this critical period of the imprinting stage.  It may only take one repetition of a negative association to forever scar Pupster.

During the imprinting stage, there are a number of well-documented critical periods.  The ability of a canine to learn to live with people and other dogs is substantially diminished after twelve weeks of age.  The most critical period for the youngster to develop a positive association with humans is from six to eight weeks.  A dog denied positive human contact until the post twelve-week periods will very likely make a not as good a companion.  Studies have shown that human contact for only twenty minutes at a time for only a couple of times a week is adequate to create normal development.

Owners should implement a program designed to maximize the dog’s ability to learn.  Stages are not finite in each dog.  It is important to recognize that each pup has unique prenatal and neonatal stimuli and is influenced by his own genes as well as his mother’s hormones.  However, the concept of critical periods and the sub stages can serve as an excellent guideline.

The prenatal period is the time the fetus spends in Mom’s womb.  There are indications that mothers that experience high levels of stress during pregnancy produce pups with a decreased ability to learn and demonstrate behavioral extremes.  A healthy mother, properly fed, exercised, and housed in a proper environment is important.  The neonatal period occurs from birth to two weeks of age.  At whelping the pup’s brain is not fully developed. During this period the sensory abilities of scenting, hearing, seeing, and touch are poorly developed.  The way mom treats her pups during the neonatal stage will affect the pups in later life.  These early experiences have a tremendous effect on the dog’s mind.

The transitional period is the time the sensory abilities turn on and the pup’s awareness of the world around him begins.  The pup receives stimuli from his environment, which can affect him the rest of his life.  During the neonatal and transitional periods, people play an important role in developing the puppies’ bodies and minds.  By the transitional period puppies should be regularly handled and picked up.

The U.S. Military’s “Super Dog” program demonstrated that neurological stimulation occurring from three to sixteen days following whelping have a profound effect forever.  Recommended stimulation involves tickling between the dog’s toes, holding the pup in both a vertical position, perpendicular to the ground, with the head up and the head down.  Further exercises should include holding the pup in the palm of the hands with the nose pointing to the sky.  Puppies exposed to stress during this period are more adept in handling stress when exposed to new situations, training, or corrections down the road.  Not only does the breeder determine the pedigree, the breeder should prepare the pup from birth until the buyer takes possession of the hopeful.

The socialization period occurs from four to twelve weeks of the pup’s development.  Weaning from mom’s milk, exposures to outside influences, or lack of exposures, are critical to sculpturing the pups’ personalities.  If a pup from four to six weeks of age misses socialization with other dogs, the pup is more likely to be fearful of dogs.  Correspondingly, if the youngsters are denied people contact from six to twelve weeks, the dogs will lack proper social skills with humans.  The greater the exposures the pup encounters during this critical period, the more likely the pup will demonstrate improved social skills, emotional soundness, and an open mind towards new learning.

During the socialization time frame a fear period occurs normally around eight to ten weeks. During this fear factor stage, the pup is much more inclined to permanently associate fears. The pup that is frightened during the fear factor stage may take a long period of time to return to normal, if ever. If the pup has not been properly developed prior to the onset of the fear stage anything that the pup associates with the fear with may always be a fear stimulus throughout the dog’s life.

After sixteen weeks, the pup becomes less susceptible of the paired association.  After twenty weeks, the imprinting stage is really on the down side.  A dog’s personality is pretty much made by five months of age, the rest is teaching.  After twelve weeks of age, the pup should explore independence.  The pup that bonded with you and stuck with you like glue would rather run through the fields with no never mind to what you want.  If the pup has been properly developed in the neonatal, transitional and socialization periods, now is the time to lay the groundwork for more advanced training that lays down the road.  Basic obedience, and creating good habits and behavior are all taught to the dog in the twelve to twenty week period.  A dog that has heard “Here,” “Here,” “Here,” and did not respond and got away with non-compliance is a big deal.  It will require more pressure later on to enforce compliance.  And no dog exhibits more style and more confidence with more pressure.  By introducing good habits, enforcing an effort to respond in a timely fashion to a known command and rewarding success we can mold the dog into the partner we are seeking. Don’t baby the dog, spoil the dog, and let the dog blow you off.  Short repetitive sessions of yard work will pay huge dividends down the road.  If the dog does not learn to learn, take mild pressure, handle stress, and look to the owner for direction at this time, a window is forever lost.  By implementing yard work at this age, you will train with less pressure.  And less pressure is better.

Peter Patenaude, a registered Maine guide, has been a Filson advocate for over six years. His blog Boot & Canoe, focuses on traditional skills and Maine’s outdoor heritage. Peter shares some tips for a successful snowshoe hare hunt with you.  Find them useful?  Make sure to leave a comment below!

At the end of a fresh snow, there is nothing more fun than to chase snowshoe hare through a stand of thick evergreens.  This is certainly a much easier and more productive activity with a set of trained dogs, but can also be done with a few willing people.

I never grow tired of snowshoeing out on top of a new white blanket and finding that first set of tracks to follow.  Not only is this a great way to get some much needed winter exercise, but it is a very exciting chase that will certainly bring camaraderie to a hunting party.  After the hunt, it is short and easy work to clean the snowshoe hare and get it into a pot.  I have always found it hard not to stew the meat as it becomes tender and sweet tasting after a long day of slow cooking.  Here are some tips that can be useful for a first time snowshoe hunter:

1. Wear a full brimmed hat.  You will be thankful when snow is not falling down the back of your neck while you are busting through the covered branches.

2. Wear eye protection.  As I have mentioned before, eye injuries are very common in the woods and spruce/fir trees are full of small dead branches.

3. Be the beagle.  Have one hunter act as the dog and push through the brush while the other waits and looks for the hare’s movement.

4. Carry a plastic bag.  It would not be pleasant if the hare released its bladder into the game pouch of your jacket on the walk out.

5. Watch the circle around you.  The hare will not leave familiar grounds and will work around a large circle of its territory.

6. Blow a whistle.  If the hare is running, blow a whistle and it may stop to see what the noise was.  I find the sound of my shotgun will stop him just the same.

7. No mess.  When cleaning the hare, I do not cut open its stomach. After skinning, I remove its legs and the meat running down its back.

8. Cook with fat.  It is a very lean meat, so stewing a hare with bacon or duck makes for a tasty meal.

The first few months of a dog’s life are a critical development period. It is imperative that ‘Pupster’ develops desired behavioral patterns through proper exposures and training in the early months in order to maximize his genetic ability. During the first six months the canine pupil is learning about the world and what works for him. An effective trainer will encourage and reinforce desired behaviors by implementing programs structured to guarantee that the dog learns easily and with an open mind.

The first twenty weeks of the dog’s mental development are referred to as the imprinting stage. This is an important period when the dog’s view of the world and behavioral patterns are shaped. During the imprinting stage the dog is associating cause and effect and learning what works for him. Throughout this imprinting stage consistent repetitions of desired behaviors followed by rewards the dog perceives as positive (cause and effect) are needed to cement the desired response to future commands when the dog is generalized. Generalization is the process where the dog learns he must respond to a known command in a timely fashion in similar circumstances and places, even with distractions.

The response to a known command in a timely fashion must be accompanied by a paycheck the dog perceives as meaningful. A $100 reward is much more likely to motivate the dog to repeat the behavior than a five cent reward so to speak. On the reverse, as the pup is so monumentally impressionable during the imprinting stage, a negative association with a specific circumstance or place may permanently scar the protégé. A puppy that is ill-prepared for the explosive flush of a cackling rooster or the sound of the shotgun’s report may have problems and end up blinking, or purposefully avoiding birds altogether. From twelve to twenty weeks is a great time to introduce the youngster to birds, guns, checkcords, the field, and water.

Before advancing to avoidance training and correcting the dog for non-compliance we first implement clicker training and positive rewards such as food treats to illicit the desired behaviors and show the pup which behaviors work for him. We want to reinforce the desired behavior and reward the dog for giving an effort. Once the dog understands the behavior that is desired of him we will ask for accountability when he does not respond in a timely fashion. We will raise the bar of accountability but do not want to overload the dog or have unrealistic expectations.

For more information on clicker training and the pup’s early development Filson Bloggers can check out George’s DVD Great Beginnings for the pointing or retrieving breeds found on his website www.georgehickox.com.

Peter Patenaude, a registered Maine guide, has been a Filson advocate for over six years. His blog Boot & Canoe, focuses on traditional skills and Maine’s outdoor heritage. Peter shares some more tips for a successful partridge hunt. 

Partridge hunting can be a difficult thing. Chasing those small brown and tan chickens through the woods is sometimes a very frustrating experience, even if you have fully prepared for, and researched, the hunt. When starting out, a dog spoiled me by letting me know when a grouse was nearby. She was a great companion that taught me many lessons and will surely never be replaced– I think her last lesson was to teach me how to find small game on my own. Over many seasons spent in the woods, with both successful and unsuccessful trips, I have come to realize certain patterns and tricks for finding birds.

1. Habitat- Look in wet places; I will often jump multiple grouse after originally only spotting one, so be ready.

2. Trees- Do not only look on the ground. Partridge will often sit up in trees and you can commonly see groups of 4 or 5 of them in the same one.

3. Listen- I cannot count how many birds I have found by hearing them walk in the leaves.

4. Time and Temperature- Pay attention to both of these. You will start to notice a pattern of when certain roads and areas “turn on.”

5. Stop- When walking, a bird will hold up and wait for you to pass by. If you stop, it will get nervous and bust, giving you your shot.

6. Look- Let yourself take everything in and your eyes will pick up on movement– usually the neck and head.

7. Search- It is very easy to lose a bird after it has been shot. If possible, they will always find fallen trees or brush to bury themselves under, so take your time and search these areas and you will usually walk out with one in hand.

Eaglerock Kennels has been breeding some of the finest English Setters ever to point a bird for over 38 years. These loyal companions are as at home in the outdoors as they are by the fireplace. Filson pro-staffer and manager of Eaglerock Kennels, Michael Thompson can thank his trusted Filson gear and good bloodlines for continued successful hunts in the field. 

We at Eaglerock Setters pride ourselves in a rich heritage of breeding, trialing, training, and hunting some of the finest English Setters available; the Eaglerock Setter.  Founded by the late John Yates and now continued by myself and my wife Tammy we have refined and refined again many of the finest bloodlines to produce the Eaglerock Setter; a companion gundog steeped in tradition and sure to please even the most discriminating upland gunner.

It was our goal to not only carry on the tradition of having fine dogs but also to make owning an Eaglerock an unique experience for our clients. Just as we have painstakingly researched and bred to provide an exceptional dog we are as particular in placing our dogs in homes where they will excel in all they do.  From birth until the puppy goes home clients are kept updated and informed on the pups progress. It is always exciting when they get their first bath, have a collar placed on them, walk on a lead, and of course point.  The interaction lends itself to clients who become friends.

Friday and Saturday November 2- 3, 2012 was our first Puppy Luncheon.  Clients traveled in from as far away as Maine and Michigan to participate.

On Friday I took the guys hunting over the of father of this litter and another couple of our setters.  We had a great hunt and it gave them the opportunity to see not only how our dogs hunted but also what gear we used.  This is my full time job so my suit of choice is Filson.  It can get pretty nasty in here in PA between the multi-floral roses and the weather so these guys got to see where their gear fell short.  Needless to say they borrowed Tin Chaps and Gamebags in an attempt to keep up.

Saturday was the luncheon which was a smashing success.  Clients got to visit and get to know each other, swap hunting and dog stories, and have a question and answer time all while playing with their new pups and enjoying a catered lunch.  There was a demo table set up with some of my new Filson gear, RST shotshells, and some training books from my predecessor John Yates.  At the close of the day the Purina sent everyone home with a tote bag filled with food samples, bowls, towels, and a Purina hat.  

This was yet the beginning of another tradition for us at Eaglerock.  Reputation is everything especially in this business and we stake ours on providing fine companion gundogs to great people, a task we could never accomplish without the help of companies like Filson, RST, and Purina.  They carry on and help us carry on the tradition of excellence in the field.