LOBANK

OPENING WEEKEND

2011-09-16T20:26:00.000-04:00

Do you believe it!!!!..............I forgot my camera.

Cool weather has arrived. Normally opening weekend is hot but it was 37 degrees this morning and tonights forecast low is 27 with heavy frost. Hurray!

I roaded Daisy 3 miles at 10 mph just to take the edge off before turning her loose in the woods. Luckily I was able to get her into birds early. She pointed a beautiful brood of 7 grouse that left nearly one at a time and held steady through out.. You guessed it, I missed with both barrels and they were gone before I could reload. We tried to follow them up but they made good their escape. I was so proud of her for handling well and staying in touch. I'm pretty certain these are the first grouse she's ever seen as she's been run in quail trials most of her life.

I was so worried that Daisy woud run way too big for our Michigan hunting but so far so good. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I can't wait to take her to Kansas to hunt with Shawn.

Lu, Bette and Daisy are sound asleep on the sofa. Bette is in the middle, laying on her back with her legs straight up in the air. Its' been a good day.

DAISY

2011-08-31T17:38:00.000-04:00

Daisy got to go to South Dakota too. I had to stay home and work. Maybe next year I can go too!

I'm so excited about Daisy. She just turned two and I'm sure she has a great future in front of her.

REPORT FROM SOUTH DAKOTA

2011-08-24T07:21:00.009-04:00

Scott Chaffee sent this picture (via Rich Hollister) of Al pointing a covey of sharptails in South Dakota. He reports that Al is doing very well and is reaching his prime. He is running strong and finding alot of birds. He was an August pup and compared to the pups born the January before with whom he had to compete, he's always been just a step behind. Exposure to wild birds make a bird dog and this trip to summer camp has made all the difference.

Now Daisy is a different story. When he first turned her loose she ran wider than any dog at camp and ran thru coveys like a 6 month old pup. I can just see her testing a new handler and having the time of her life. I told Scott to put her on a check cord and remind her that he was in charge and that she needed to remember her manners! He did that and although she's probably not as happy being controlled she's getting the job done. She's a precocious 2 year old and a good one.

I remember years ago when Jack Nicholson and I would drive out Mackinaw road to a 200-300 acre field of wheat stubble. There were young pheasants everywhere and our dogs mostly trained themselves. That field is now an industrial park and I haven't seen a wild pheasant in 10 years. Birds make all the difference and it's unfortunate that we now have to send the dogs 1500 miles away to find them.

The mornings are cooler now and I've been able to get Lu and Bette into the woods. We're finding grouse and woodcock consistently and they are ready for fall.

Most people can't wait for summer and hate to see it end. Not me........I can't wait for it to be over. Hurry fall!

NATIONAL AMATEUR GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP 1978-2011

2011-08-04T17:59:00.005-04:00

Recently a friend called to ask me about the National Amateur Grouse Championship and how it got started. That conversation brought back lots of good memories My good friend Jack Nicholson and I worked hard to get it established and sanctioned by the AFTCA and now it's about to run again for the 34th time. I've saved most of the pertinent files from the beginning of the trial and ran across the picture above. It was taken October 13, 1978 and is Dr. Holly Gray, President and Miss Leslie Anderson, Secretary of the Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America presenting the national championship trophy to Jim Steitler owner and handler of CH. Pleasant Valley Clyde. Jack, where has the time gone?

Another Hot Weekend

2011-07-31T18:21:00.002-04:00

It's just too damn hot! Mid 90's again all weekend.

Jim Shifflet and Kit Foster came over today and we cleaned, painted and set out the johnny house. But, it won't do us much good without birds.

Our usual supplier of quail has evidently gone out of business. He's never returned my calls. I contacted Matt Mentz in New York and he has plenty but its too hot to ship them. So I guess we have no choice but to wait until the weather breaks.

Al & Daisy left today for South Dakaota. I hope all the wild birds will do them good and the conditioning get them ready for the fall trials. I sure wish I was going with them!

IT'S JUST TOO HOT

2011-07-25T20:35:00.002-04:00

The past couple weeks have just been too hot and humid. Our water is low and the temperature last Saturday was 72-74 degrees. The fish are stressed and unless released immediately will die. Most responsible fishermen I know are urging people not to fish or at least fish very early in the morning.

The heat also makes it difficult if not impossible to run the dogs. I've limited it to dawn in nearby open fields just to get them some exercise. Training on birds will have to wait.

Hurry October!

Hex Week

2011-06-30T08:08:00.012-04:00

What a week it was!

Shawn Wayment, aka "BirddogDoc" flew in from Colorado and his friend Brandon Racette drove from State College, PA. to experience "Hex Week" on the Ausable. We had been planning the week for nearly a year and luckily the stars aligned and conditions were perfect.

We waded the North Branch, joined good buddy Jim Shiflett to wade the South Branch and float the Main Stream. We caught brook, rainbow and brown trout with the prize going to Shawn for catching (and releasing a 24 1/2 brown trout on a hex dun well after midnight.

One night Kit Foster drove over from Charlevoix to meet Shawn and Brandon. Shawn and Kit share a deep affection for cover dog bred setters and had lots to share.

It was truly a wonderful week of comradarie and one we'll all remember for a long time. More later............................

FIRST WEEK AT LOBANK

2011-05-11T11:46:00.000-04:00

Finally got a week to spend at LoBank. I intended to run and road the dogs, do some spring clean up, yard work and of course fish. So far, nothing but cold and rain. Lizzie came up for Mothers Day and we enjoyed a Bloody Mary bar and breakfast buffet with the Shifflets then went into Gaylord. We bought a new grill and some flowering crab apple trees. I managed to get them planted and hopefully they'll provide some color later this spring and grouse food in the fall. Our nesting season began April 15th. We can't run the dogs in cover so I've just been roading to give them some exercise so they'll relax around the house. Except Daisy....she is never tired! After 45 minutes at 10 miles per hour she was barely panting. She's in incredible shape after spendinng the year with Luke Eisenhart. I'm running her in the last trial of the year next weekend at Highland. She has numerous open placements but needs an amateur to be eligible for amateur championships. Hopefully we 'll get the job done. Scott's running Al and he's ready too. He looks so good! I wish I had some fish pictures to post. We had a few Hendricksons on Monday but not many. Ever since the air and water have been too cold. The guides at the local fly shops are just sitting around waiting as normally the season is in full swing by now. I have a client coming to fish tomorrow but the forecast is 70% chance of thunderstorms. We'll see what the day brings.

STEELHEADING ON THE PM

2011-04-28T21:44:00.004-04:00

One of the most exciting fishing adventures that Michigan offers is the annual "steelhead run". Actually, steelhead are lake rainbow trout that migrate up the rivers from the great lakes to spawn each spring. The female or hen creates a "redd" in the gravel by fanning her tail to lay her eggs. The males congregate around the redd awaiting the opportunity to fertilize them. Older bigger males are continually warding off the younger smaller ones. One of my goood friends, Jac Ford, is a early retiree from the GM executive ranks and now guides fishing trips in his second life. Jac called last weekend to say he had a cancellation and a free day and asked if I'd like to fish. I told Jac I would but had a client who would love to try it too and asked if I could bring him along. We met for breakfast in Baldwin and were on the river by 9:00 AM in a driving rain. One of the most common techniques is to slowly float the river looking for redds and then wade back upstream to a position to drift weighted egg sac flies to them. In the picture below, Jac and Joe wade back upstream to a large redd we had just passed over. Below, Joe is listening to instructions from Jac while Jac loads another rod. It was a successful day. We managed to land 6 fish between 24 and 36 inches. Each gave us an exciting fight with many jumps and leaps from the water. More importantly, it was a great day on the water with good friends.

SHIFTING GEARS

2011-03-12T10:26:00.004-05:00

Although there are several important field trials, including the Michigan and Great Lakes Championships yet to run, my thoughts are beginning to turn to fishing. Lizzie and I drove up to LoBank yesterday to take my pickup back. There are still snow banks plowed higher than the 4 ft. fences but only a couple of inches on the ground. They tell me they've had far less snowfall than usual and that the water level of the river is below optimum. Hopefully we'll get some warm rain in the next few weeks to complete the melt and replentish the water table. This past winter we chose to close up the cottage rather than spend alot of money in propane to keep it warm. We walked through the place and found everything to be in tip top shape. The company that does everything will be there March 29th to re-open and my winter of discontent will be over. I've told my office not to expect to see me on Fridays or Mondays. The Mid-West Fly Fishing Show opens today in Warren. Vendors of all types, from boats, rods, reels and tying material to home furnishing and improvements are there. I'm leaving my checkbook and credit cards at home! I'm excited that my friend Shawn Wayment, "Bird Dog Doc" is coming in June from Colorado. I expect he'll find the AuSable quite different from the bigger waters of CO and ID. I'm planning both a day and night "hex" float on the Main stream and South Branch as well as alot of spot fishing on the North Branch and Manistee. I'm really hoping the weather will cooperate and the hatches are on schedule. I wonder if Shawn has ever sat on a log in a river at 2 A.M. waiting for the hex and the big browns that devour them. "Tight Lines"

NATIONAL OPEN SHOOTING DOG CHAMPIONSHIP

2011-02-12T21:21:00.005-05:00

Just returned from Union Springs, AL and the National Open Shooting Dog Championship. I spent the entire week riding 14,000 acres of quail heaven and watching the best bird dogs in the country. It simply doesn't get any better than this!

WOODCOCK ARE HERE

2010-10-03T09:08:00.003-04:00

The Woodcock flights are here. Yesterday afternoon the "girls", Lu and Bette had nine finds in less than two hours and there were many other wild flushes. Ofcourse I forgot my camera but I'll certainly take it today. The weather is beautiful, low this morning was 38 degrees with bright sun it will be 50 this afternoon. I hope the birds like it and hang around for a few more days.

Labor Day

2010-09-05T18:37:00.005-04:00

Lizzie's working so I'm at Lo-Bank with the whole "family". Kit Foster came over Friday night, brought a wonderful filet of salmon and the fixings for a martini. We grilled steaks and enjoyed a VCR tape of old "American Sportsman" segments with Curt Gowdy. My all time favorite was quail hunting at Sedgefields Plantation with NC Wrapup. Curt hunted with football coach Bear Bryant of Alabama. Billy Morton handled the dog and Jimmy Hinton rode along. Everyone looked so young but then again it was at least 30 years ago. Saturday morning Kit went to the work detail at Gladwin and I went to the annual meeting of the North Branch Foundation. When Kit got back we worked his young setter Waylon on some planted birds. Kit's trying to steady him up so he can get in front of him to flush. Waylon is an exciting young dog, beautiful on the ground and on point. He's barely a year old and will be a good one! We were invited to dinner at Jim & Sue Shifflet's. They made shish-ka-bobs, I took acorn squash and Kit made a wheat, cheese and tomato salad that I simply can't remember the name of! Two couples joined us and the eight of us had a grand evening. Sue is always so kind to remember me when Lizzie's not here. This morning I scouted out some of my favorite coverts. Grouse season opens September 15th and I'm anxious. Both Lu and Bette had nice finds but there doesn't seem to be as many birds as usual. We've had really strange weather all summer and I hope it didn't affect the hatch significantly. It always seems so quiet and lonely here without Lizzie. Yes, I can run the dogs, fish and relax but its just not the same without her.

LETTER TO MY LEGISLATORS

2010-09-02T18:13:00.001-04:00

It was announced yesterday that 1 of every 6 people in the United States is receiving some type of federal/state assistance. Also yesterday, several Michigan lawmakers disclosed that Michigan welfare recipients could use their "bridge" (welfare ATM cards) for cash at any of Michigan's casinos and their intention to introduce legislation to ban it. However, it was noted that being able to use the cards for cash everywhere else was an "educational" experience intended to teach recipients good money management skills. So here's my question............where does my responsibility end when it comes to providing an educational experience? Is it educational to use the cash for liquor? How about cigarettes, cell phones, pagers, HDTV's? How about tattoos, fake nails, lottery tickets or designer jeans and shoes? I have worked every day of my life since I was 16 years old. I worked full time while earning a bachelors degree at MSU. I've paid far more than my fair share of taxes and contributed generously to charities. I've volunteered thousands of hours to non-profit organizations . I chose NOT to drop out of school, have illegitimate children, do drugs or drink excessively. I've chosen to NOT break the law, do prison time, abandon my son or beat my wife. There are certainly many people who deserve help and temporary assistance. However, I believe that assistance should be limited to basic foods, shelter and perhaps utility bills. I do not support the use of bridge cards for cash in ATM's and hope you will join in efforts to modify the program. Simply put, I, a taxpayer am NOT responsible for the individual choices made by others that may have led to their present condition.

From the Wall Street Journal "Obamacare"

2010-09-01T20:41:00.001-04:00

By HAL SCHERZ Facing a nationwide backlash, Democratic congressional candidates have a new message for voters: We know you don't like ObamaCare, so we'll fix it. This was the line offered by Democrat Mark Critz, who won a special election in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district after expressing opposition to the law and promising to mend it—but not to repeal it. As a doctor I know something about unexpected recoveries, and this latest attempt to rescue ObamaCare from repeal needs to be taken seriously. For Democrats who voted for ObamaCare, this tactic is an escape route, a chance to distance themselves from the president with a vague promise to fix health-care reform in the next Congress. To counter this election-year ruse, my colleagues and I at Docs4PatientCare are enlisting thousands of doctors in an unorthodox and unprecedented action. Our patients have always expected a certain standard of care from their doctors, which includes providing them with pertinent information that may affect their quality of life. Because the issue this election is so stark—literally life and death for millions of Americans in the years ahead—we are this week posting a "Dear Patient" letter in our waiting rooms. The letter states in unambiguous language what the new law means: "Dear Patient: Section 1311 of the new health care legislation gives the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and her appointees the power to establish care guidelines that your doctor must abide by or face penalties and fines. In making doctors answerable in the federal bureaucracy this bill effectively makes them government employees and means that you and your doctor are no longer in charge of your health care decisions. This new law politicizes medicine and in my opinion destroys the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship that makes the American health care system the best in the world." Our doctor's letter points out that, in addition to "badly exacerbating the current doctor shortage," ObamaCare will bring "major cost increases, rising insurance premiums, higher taxes, a decline in new medical techniques, a fall-off in the development of miracle drugs as well as rationing by government panels and by bureaucrats like passionate rationing advocate Donald Berwick that will force delays of months or sometimes years for hospitalization or surgery." We cite the brute facts of ObamaCare's passage: "Despite countless protests by doctors and overwhelming public opposition—up to 60% of Americans opposed this bill—the current party in control of Congress pushed this bill through with legal bribes and Chicago style threats and is determined now to resist any 'repeal and replace' efforts. This doctor's office is non-partisan—always has been, always will be. But the fact is that every Republican voted against this bad bill while the Democratic Party leadership and the White House completely dismissed the will of the people in ruthlessly pushing through this legislation." Then we address the Democrats' evasive campaign maneuver: "In the face of voter anger some Democratic candidates are now trying to make a cosmetic retreat, calling for minor modifications or pretending they are opposed to government-run medicine. Once the election is over, however, they will vote with their party bosses against repealing this bill." The letter's final lines are the most important: "Please remember when you vote this November that unless the Democratic Party receives a strong negative message about this power grab our health care system will never be fixed and the doctor patient relationship will be ruined forever." This message is going out to an electorate that is already frustrated over what they see happening to health care. Missouri voters rejected ObamaCare overwhelmingly in August, voting by a margin of 71%-29% to reject the federal requirement that all individuals purchase health insurance. Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen has assessed that ObamaCare is "a disaster" for Democrats. And around the country many little-noticed primaries have reflected voter rage—including the Republican primary victory of surgeon, political newcomer, and advocate of repeal Daniel Benishek in Michigan's first district. Meanwhile, the Obama administration's damage-control efforts have fallen flat. The latest round of pro-ObamaCare television spots targeting the elderly and starring veteran actor Andy Griffith have not only failed to move the polling numbers. They have caused five U.S. Senators to ask for an investigation of the ads as a violation of federal laws barring the use of tax dollars ($750,000) for campaign purposes. America's doctors have millions of personal interactions each week with patients. We have political power. And we intend to use it by working to defeat those who have disrupted and gravely endangered the best health-care system in the world. Dr. Scherz, a pediatric urological surgeon at Georgia Urology and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, serves on the faculty of Emory University Medical School and is president and cofounder of Docs4PatientCare. Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

PROJECT HEALING WATERS

2010-08-26T20:29:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we took our Project Healing Waters group of wounded veterans to the Pere Marquette River for their first actual fly fishing experience. Seven professional guides volunteered their time and boats. Afterwards we grilled brats and swapped fish stories. What a glorious day away from the VA Hospital for the guys who gave so much!

MORE MANISTEE RIVER

2010-08-22T12:59:00.005-04:00

Jim most people would call that fish bait! It was so small Scott had to take a picture of it. We ate well While the fish slept at the "Brown Trout Hilton"

DRIFTBOATS NEED SEATBELTS

2010-08-21T20:37:00.006-04:00

Scott Smith Yesterday my friend Jim Shifflet and I had the opportunity to fish the Manistee River with Scott Smith of Adrian, MI. Scott is a dentist by trade( he offered to sharpen our front teeth to be able to bite off leaders)but is better known as a fly fisherman extraordinaire. "Scott is one of the founding partners of the Ausable Angler Fly Shop in Mio Michigan. He began fishing when he was 2 ½ years old and has been a dedicated fly angler since 1984. He has been a lead instructor at the State Council of Trout Unlimited fly fishing school for 19 years. Scott loves to fish streamers but is equally skilled in all aspects of fly fishing. He has fished throughout the world and holds numerous fly fishing world records. Scott has one daughter, four grandchildren and a pack of spaniels" www.ausableanglers.com We met Scott for breakfast in Grayling and then launched his drift boat just below M-72,west of Grayling. A light rain was falling but it turned to partly cloudy with a nice breeze. In late August we expected to fish grasshoppers with a few BWO's thrown in. We were prepared but the fish weren't. We saw many large browns in the crytal clear water but for reasons only mother nature knows they simply weren't interested in feeding. Jim managed to hook a nice brook trout and several small browns. Scott tried ants, hoppers and various streamers but was skunked. Lucky me managed to hook and land the biggest fish of the day, a 10-12 inch brown. We may not have caught many fish but the day passed quickly with lots of good fish stories and both Scott and Jim hitting submerged logs and sending me flying out of the front of the boat. The first time I fell backwards but on Jim's attempt I fell to the side and soaked my right arm to the shoulder. Thus my question: Should drift boats have seatbelts or are my friends trying to tell me something?

I WISH SHE COULD TELL US

2010-05-28T08:59:00.007-04:00

A new girl came in to our lives this week. Meet Chloe. My wife Lizzie has the biggest heart in the world. She follows the Golden Retriever Rescue site and came across an older female that no one seemed to want. We were told that this sweet girl was found by animal control and that judging by her matted coat they estimated that she had been on her own for more than a month. She was held at the pound for 29 days and not claimed. One day before her scheduled demise, The Golden Retriever Rescue was notified and they came to get her. The rescue organization put her in a foster home, cleaned her up, took her to a vet and put her up for adoption. It seems that placing an older, special needs animal is difficult as after 2 months no one came forward to offer her a home. It is estimated that she is about eight years old. Her teeth are broken and worn. Her hips and rear legs are weak and unsteady. But it's very obvious that she was someones very special companion. She loves car rides and wants nothing more than to be next to you. Don't you wish our dogs could talk. We wish she could tell us whats happened to her and how she came to be alone. Oh well, thats not possible and we can't do anything about yesterday but we can make sure she lives the rest of her life in a loving home, is protected, cared for and a part of the family.

FIELD TRIALS OVER--TIME TO FISH

2010-05-16T08:52:00.002-04:00

I have just returned from the Flanagan farm and Grouse Ridge Kennels in Norwich,New York where I judged the Empire Championship and Empire Derby Classic. It was a wonderful week and truly a pleasure to be with my old friends and the trials hosts' Peter & Katie Flanagan. Forty four of the nations top walking shooting dogs competed for the Empire title and closed out the 2010 spring field trial season. Now its time to turn to fishing at LoBank. The hendricksons and bwo's are hatching and soon our famous brown drake hatch will begin. Yes its time to put away the chaps and pull on the waders.

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

2010-04-25T19:14:00.005-04:00

Some how this years opening day of trout season wasn't the same and I'm sure never will be the same again. The cold, windy, rainy day was the same as it's been recently but the early morning trip to Gates' to see Rusty was missing. The Lodge is there, the staff of friends was still there and is being capably managed by Rusty's chosen successor Josh Greenburg. It was "the Gator" who died last December at age 54 who was not there except in spirit.

The Anglers of the ASable sponsored a "Celebration" of Rusty's life. More than 700 Anglers and friends of the AuSable gathered beneath a huge tent to listen to his closest friends tell stories of Rusty's life and re-dedicate themselves to the continuation of his life's work....the protection and preservation of our precious AuSable River.

Rusty knew us all and somehow touched our lives in a most positive way. He was a dear friend, a remarkable man, and certainly a life worthy of celebrating'

PROJECT HEALING WATERS

2010-04-20T20:12:00.002-04:00

Last Wednesday I led our first PROJECT HEALING WATERS class for the wounded soldiers at the Lutz Veterans Hospital in Saginaw. We had eleven veterans of various disabilities and stages of recovery take part and all were excited at the possibility of being able to fly fish this summer. Eight volunteers from the Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited, including my friend Carl Hubinger (pictured above)demonstrated various portions of the fly fishing sport. Next week we'll begin casting lessons and then the very basics of fly tying. Look for a Project Healing Waters program in your area or if there isn't one--start one!

EXACTLY MY THOUGHTS

2010-04-02T08:11:00.000-04:00

Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. ~Chuck Clark_

SUPPORT ALBERT SNYDER

2010-03-31T18:14:00.003-04:00

Support Albert Snyder of York PA. His son Matthew, a U.S. Marine, was killed in Iraq. At Matthews funeral, vile and beligerant members of the Westboro Baptist Church protested and yelled " Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "God Hates You". The church believes God is punishing us for homosexuality by killing soldiers. Snyder sued and won but the decision was reversed by the 4th Circuit and he was ordered to pay the church's expenses. An appeal is pending at the U.S. Supreme Court. Lets support Mr. Snyder and tell this fundamentalist church that there is a line in the sand that decent people will not allow them to cross. Please visit www.matthewsynder.org

AND NOW COMES HEALTHCARE

2010-03-21T21:33:00.002-04:00

The public simply doesn't understand and just as likely doesn't care. This country is now bankrupt. 1.2 trillion current deficit, 14 trillion total general fund deficit. 42 trillion unfunded liabilities in Social Security, 57 trillion unfunded liabilities in Medicare/Medicaid. Many trillions in liabilities to agencies like Fannie and Freddie, Farm Credit and on and on. California, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and others bleeding red ink yet refusing to cut spending. AND NOW COMES HEALTHCARE! Tax rates of 100% for the next 50 years couldn't come near paying down this debt. Get Angry! Get angry and demand fiscal responsibility. Get angry at politicians who think we're stupid. Get angry at the administration who purposely lies and distorts. Get angry at the political swamp Washington has evolved into. Get angry and change it.

ELHEWPUPPIES.COM

2010-03-11T20:53:00.003-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me how many new friends I've met on the internet. Don't laugh now for there is no easier way to meet people around the country with mutual interests. Today I received a call from LJ Lundstrom of Minnesota and South Dakota. LJ is developing a new website devoted to Robert Wehle, the Elhew Pointer and the desire to keep the Elhew line intact for years to come. We talked for nearly 30 minutes and after the call ended I felt I'd known him for years. I shared some memories of Bob Wehle with LJ and I agreed I'd help him if I can. Please take a look at www.elhewpuppies.com

HURRY SPRING

2010-03-09T13:30:00.005-05:00

We've been at LoBank the past couple days and trying to get some of our early spring projects completed. Its been a beautiful 50 degrees all weekend and believe it or not we've had 3 beautiful days of sunshine. Several have mentioned that the long term forecast is for more of the same. Some are even predicting Hendrickson's by mid April which would be a least 3 weeks earlier than normal . Unfortunately we're still not able to get out to work the dogs. There are some open patches of woods on the south side of hills but still 6-10 inches most everywhere else. The sun melts the top layer during the day but re-freezes at night and creates an icy crust. The river is considerably lower than we'd expect. This winters snowfall was much less than normal and the runoff will be minimal. We'll need some rain during March and early April to avoid record low depths and the resulting water temperature rise. The locals are concerned about forest fires during the summer but we grouse hunters know that "well contained" fires are actually healthy for the forests and help create new cover. Got a welcome call from Dave Hughes who told me "AL" is doing very well and he's looking forward to the springs first championship in Rhode Island. Then it will be on to the Ontario Championship before coming here in mid-April. Reports on Daisy indicate she's definitely going to be a horseback shooting dog and will probably go with Luke Eisenhardt for his spring/summer program and next falls futurities. The girls, Lu & Molly Bette, are anxious to start chasing woodcock. I'll try to get them out near home where there is much less snow in the next week or so. They've been jumping against the pickup all weekend and simply don't understand why we're here but not going out. We all say "Hurry Spring".

PROJECT HEALING WATERS

2010-02-06T18:46:00.006-05:00

For the past several months I've been volunteering my time to help organize Project Healing Waters activities in Michigan. I've been successful in introducing the program to two Trout Unlimited Chapters and the Anglers of the AuSable. We have partnered with the Lutz Veterans Administration Hospital in Saginaw and will begin our in-hospital sessions later this month. In the spring we'll take the participants fishing. Please look at the PWH website www.projecthealingwaters.org and consider getting involved in your area. Our wounded veterans need your help.

WHY DOESN'T SHE UNDERSTAND?

2009-12-05T10:06:00.006-05:00

If you think she doesn't understand you, please watch the video attached and you'll know why. Click on red title above for link. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMZ73mT5zM

AN EMPTY BED AND BROKEN HEARTS

2009-11-13T19:58:00.004-05:00

MAXWELL HERNDEN 12/26/98-11/11/09 Last Tuesday night I fed the dogs at about 5:30PM as usual. Max, our 10 year old Golden Retriever finished his dinner and I took him outside. He was happy and appeared normal in every respect. At 9PM I had to nearly force Max up to go out again and barely 10 feet out of the garage he collapsed. Lizzie and I managed to get him back in the house but he was in obvious distress.

Lizzie laid on the floor next to him most of the night to comfort him and we took him to our veterinarian first thing the next morning. Test results showed an unusually low red cell count and albumin levels. X-rays revealed a large mass pressing against his lung and esophogus and the doctor advised us that the risk of surgery was too high.

At 2PM, Lizzie and I laid on the floor of the examing room with him and Lizzie gently placed his head in her lap as the vet administered the drugs that ended the life of our special boy. We hugged him and cried.

Our home is in mourning this week. The other dogs routine is different, their place in the dinner line has changed and they know he is gone. Max's bed at the end of ours is empty and our hearts are broken.

More about Max later..............................

LU FORGAVE ME ONCE I EXPLAINED IT

2009-10-29T05:50:00.003-04:00

Early this fall, my good friend Shawn Wayment sent me the book "UPLAND AUTUMN" by William G. Tapply. It's a collection of entertaining short stories about New England Grouse Hunting. Most nights when I'm here alone (and when Lizzie is here too) before turning off the light for the night, I'll read a story or two. After yesterday's poor shooting, Lu was sulking and I was feeling bad. How could I have missed 4 birds flushed in front of perfectly handled points. Now I know. Last nights story was "HOW TO MISS A FLYING GROUSE". Mr. Tappley says he looked over 45 years of his hunting journals and confirmed it by studying the journals of others that "Over the long haul, you'll shoot one out of every twelve grouse you encounter and there's nothing you can do about it". So he suggests, the real question is how do you handle the eleven birds you missed! "What grouse hunters really need is a repertoire of explanations and alibi's to account for a 92 percent rate of failure" and "so as a service to grouse hunters old and young, I've scoured my journals and consulted my partners and other expert grouse missers and compiled a compendium of excuses which, I am confident, any grouse hunter can adopt to his needs". So you see Lu, those four misses were not really my fault. On the first I pulled up because I thought I saw hunter orange out in front of the bird. On the second I accidently had put in a "popper" training load instead of a #8, on the third my safety stuck momentarily as I had forgotten to oil it and on the fourth I knew he was too far away but I shot anyway. Thank you William Tappley and thank you Shawn.

LU WANTS A NEW PARTNER!

2009-10-28T16:06:00.005-04:00

Lu wants a new hunting partner who can shoot! Today was the absolute perfect day. It was overcast, 50 degrees, no wind and the leaves are down. Even the birds cooperated. In less than an hour Lu had two perfect finds on woodcock and one find on two grouse. You guessed it, I missed them all!

In the picture below, Lu slammed into point and as I approached her I was certain it must be a woodcock. I took the time to snap the picture, closed my side by side and walked in. To my surprise two grouse boiled out and gave me a clear shot. You guessed it, I picked the bird going away and slightly left and missed it with both barrels. Lu gave me that look that said you dummy, what more do I have to do?

Click to enlarge Oh well, it was a great day and I'll try to do better tomorrow. Hopefully she'll give me another chance.

WORKING MISS DAISY

2009-10-12T21:09:00.005-04:00

My friends Peter & Chris Delcollo sent me a young pup to take to LoBank and get started on birds. "Daisy" was a pick of the litter from Pete's 8x Champion SugarKnoll Buckshot and Joan LaBree's female out of Ch. Elhew Fibber Magee and born last May. I'd forgotten just how much work a puppy is but it only took about 10 minutes to fall in love with her. Daisy is incredibly smart and fit into the routine with ease. Molly Bette and Lu are her big sisters and Daisy follows their every move. She's affectionate and loves to curl up in my lap. The second night she slept with us and never stirred. Daisy's First Woodcock Daisy's on quail In the field, lets just say Daisy is not very concerned about where I am. According to her, there is a whole wide world to explore and I think she tries to cover it all in one cast. We're using the check cord and showing her that she'll have more fun if she stays with me. We've introduced her to birds and the 22 blank gun. She seems to have a great nose and has outstanding intensity on point. I've checkcorded her on our training quail and put her into cover where she pointed her first woodcock. We're not sure what's next for Daisy. I'll continue to work her thru early November and then its back to Virginia for the winter and their long quail season. After that we'll decide where Daisy will be best suited. In the meantime she's being spoiled rotten and having the time of her life.

MY BUDDY DICK STRAUB

2009-10-10T13:35:00.002-04:00

Dick Straub (right) shows Mike Spies some typical Michigan Woodcock cover A few days before Mike Spies arrived at LoBank, my long time friend Dick Straub and his cousin Bill arrived from Pennsylvania. Dick brought his dog "Smoke" to get him into birds before the Pennsylvania and Grand National Grouse Championships. Dick and I have been close friends since the mid 70's. After leaving LoBank last fall, Dick had a major surgery and frankly I was worried about him. He's fully recovered though and I am grateful for every opportunity to get together.

I often wish Dick and I lived closer so we could share more time together but I'm thankful for having such a good man for a friend and cherish what time we have.

LU's Brother "Ted"

2009-10-09T19:24:00.005-04:00

Isn't blogging great! This past week Lu met her brother "Ted" from California. His owner, Mike Spies blogs at "Living with Birddogs" and we've corresponded for several years now. Mike has been on an extended hunting trip and decided to come to Michigan so we could hunt grouse and woodcock and Lu and Ted could reunite once again. There is no doubt these two are littermates. They look strikingly similar and have much the same personality and idiosyncrisies. They hug just like their mother. Unfortunately it rained most of the week but Mike got a tour of the AuSable, saw "AL" run in the Michigan Woodcock Championship at Gladwin and had a few chances at hunting woodcock. In the picture above, Ted pointed a woodcock with incredible style. Mike stepped in front of him and out went the bird. I asked Mike why he didn't shoot and he said "I didn't have a clear shot". We got a good laugh over that one when I told Mike that if he saw a bird in grouse cover that WAS a clear shot!

Above Mike, Lu and Ted enjoy a minute together on the tailgate before heading out.

All in all it was a wonderful visit and I'm looking forward to our all being able to hunt and fish together again.

Early Morning Workout

2009-09-22T18:51:00.003-04:00

Scott and Tammy Chaffee just sent me this picture of Al pointing 2 grouse last week in an early morning workout .

As you can see, the cover is still thick and very green. Its been in the mid 70's for the past two weeks and there is no frost forecasted for at least the next week. I certainly hope some cooler weather sets in or Dick and Bill and Mike Spies will have a difficult time hunting.

'THE FISH WHACKER" and Ass't Dog Trainer

2009-09-06T17:27:00.003-04:00

Every summer Jill Moore, Lizzie's childhood friend brings her two boys to LoBank. This year Grant, the oldest went to a baseball tournament with his grandparents but my 11 year old buddy Max wanted to come here to fish and hunt. Max is my kind of guy. Jill tells us that he gets up early before school to watch hunting and fishing shows on television! I call Max "The Fish Whacker" because at first he put the fly line down so hard (and so often) I told him it looked like he was trying to whack the fish over the head. He's become a good flycaster though and today caught two brook trout right out in front. This morning I got Max up early to go run the dogs with me. First we ran both Lu and Molly Bette on woodcock and then went to the training field to work on liberated quail. Max had never seen a quail but soon was flushing them and firing the 22 blank gun like an old pro! Max is the next best thing to a grandson and I hope to have a future hunting buddy as soon as he's old enough to take his hunter safety class. Who knows, maybe he'll be a field trialer as well.

ALMOST GROUSE SEASON

2009-09-04T12:51:00.004-04:00

Its Labor Day weekend and grouse season is almost here. We've had cool weather the last week with lows in the mid-30's and daytime highs in the low 70's. We even had some light frost in places. As you can see the leaves are just starting to turn. The season opens September 15th and that happens to be my birthday. My son David and his girlfriend Grace are coming from Denver to help me celebrate. Likely I won't get out while they're here but thats OK. I'm a lucky guy to have been born on opening day and a wonderful family to help me celebrate the new season.

Dog Days of Summer

2009-08-14T21:08:00.006-04:00

Its the first really hot muggy weekend of the summer so I decided to stay home with Lizzie and the rest of the family. The "boys", Buster, Truman and Max really know how to enjoy a hot summer day! Truman, on the float, really knows how to relax too. Maybe there is a lesson here to be learned from the boys.

READY TO GO

2009-08-03T17:34:00.004-04:00

After 2 ACL surgeries in the past year, Molly Bette is ready to go. Thanks Jim for the new pictures.

I'VE GOT THIS ONE NAILED DOWN !

2009-07-26T11:39:00.002-04:00

SHE THINKS SHE SO HOT.......

2009-07-12T10:13:00.006-04:00

Yesterday afternoon Molly Bette strutted around here like she was queen of the castle. This morning I kicked her BUTT! I had two bevies... she had ZERO! ZIP! NADA! I guess I get Dad's chair today! YTD: LU 2 Molly:1 What a great day. "LU"

LIFE IS GOOD AGAIN

2009-07-11T18:37:00.003-04:00

Ah............Life is good again. After two ACL surgeries in the last year and missing both last fall and this spring's season, I'm feeling like life is good again. My dad took me out early this morning and I found this years first bevy of young grouse. There were 4 or 5 birds about the size of quail. I was so excited I momentarily forgot my manners and didn't wait for dad to release me after he shot the blank gun. After we got home Dad fed me a really good meal and I've been napping in his chair most of the afternoon. Ah.............life is good again. Molly Bette

TROUT HOTEL

2009-07-01T17:34:00.004-04:00

Who needs Donald Trump to build a hotel? My neighbor across the river, Lee from Columbus Ohio, built a trout hotel today. He had a dead tree he was afraid would someday fall on his cottage so he decided to put it in the river. After the North Branch was lumbered in the early 20th century, the river was devoid of large woody debris. The state and various river organizations have encouraged the placing of large trees to act as "trout hotels". In fact, Orvis has granted the AuSable River a matching grant to do just that. As you can see, there is now a structure out front that in just a few weeks will provide cover for several large trout.

LANCE'S HOG

2009-06-29T15:53:00.002-04:00

Just so you know we have brown trout too.

This is my buddy Lance holding the hog he stalked for a couple of weeks. It was just a matter of time.

I WISH YOU WERE HERE

2009-06-26T16:53:00.002-04:00

I wish my blogger friends were here to enjoy the most perfect day of the summer so far. Come sit on the screened porch, have a cold beer, tell stories and watch the fish rise in the river.

It simply doesn't get any better than this!

ART NEUMANN: GOING DOWN MEMORY LANE

2009-06-25T22:19:00.009-04:00

If you are a member of Trout Unlimited you should have or will shortly receive your summer issue of "Trout", TU's magazine. This issue celebrates TU's 50th anniversary of its founding right here in Grayling Michigan. To my knowledge, the only member of the founding group of sportsmen still alive is Art Neumann of Saginaw, Michigan where I've lived since 1973. I won't repeat his biography as printed in the story but suffice it to say that he was the original executive director of TU. He was an engineer, I believe, but nonetheless ws employed by Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors in Saginaw. He took a leave of absence from his job and was responsible for the founding of the first 30 chapters of TU. A good friend in 1980 was a physics professor at the university in Saginaw. We hunted and field trialed together and he boarded his horse at my farm. Ed and I did almost everything outdoors together except in the summer when his interest turned to fly fishing. In fact I'd get angry with him because he'd totally disappear for weeks at a time and I'd be stuck caring for his horse and cleaning its stall every morning. Yes, Ed was flyfishing up on the AuSable. I had never been flyfishing before and told Ed I'd like to go with him sometime. He agreed but said on two conditions. First, I had to attend the local TU chapters casting classes and second I had to spend an afternoon with Art Neumann at his Wanigas (Saginaw spelled backwards) Fly Shop. I agreed. On the appointed Saturday afernoon, Ed picked me up and drove me to Art's home on S. Washington. He pulled in the driveway and behind his home was the shop. The word shop is being generous as actually it was closer to a shed. It couldn't have been 12 x 18 and was jammed with equipment, rods he'd made and fly material everywhere. Ed introduced me and then abruptly turned and left. I heard his car start and realized he was leaving me. Art said not to worry and that Ed would be back for me in 2 hours. Art pointed to a stool and instructed me to sit down and advised me that if I wanted to fish for trout on the AuSable I had to be aware of the significance of the wild trout and how important my respect for the river and trout was. He told me the history of TU and many stories of his fishing adventures. At the end of our session, Art presented me with a fly box with 12 to 15 of his handmade flies. Each had a small strip of paper attached to the hook with the name of the fly typewritten on it. I used some of those flys on my first trip with Ed but for some reason decided to save some. Somehow I knew they would someday be very precious to me. Pictured below is one of those flies with the strip of paper and typewritten is "Gray Drake Spinner" click on the picture to enlarge When you receive your summer edition take the time to read about TU's founding and our AuSable River and say thanks to these fine men.......and especially Art Neumann.

BROOK TROUT TONIGHT

2009-06-19T22:16:00.003-04:00

We've still got Drakes this weekend. This 10 inch brook rose to my #14 Roberts Drake. Click on the picture for a closer view. Also took Molly out for her first run post surgery this afternoon. I put my new Astro on her and turned her loose for about 10 minutes. She was so excited and happy. We'll go slow and make sure she takes it easy for a while.

WE'VE GOT SULPHERS

2009-06-14T20:56:00.005-04:00

Kelly Neuman, a professional guide on the AuSable took this amazing picture of sulpher spinners this week. Our weather has been unusually cool this spring and there have only been a couple days when the high temperature was over 70 degrees. But now that a warming trend is on the way, we expect to see more hatches like this one. I have two important board meetings this week but come Friday I'm heading to LoBank for at least two weeks of fishing and scouting new hunting spots. I've got to order quail, get the johnny house set up and learn how to use my new Garmin Astro. Like Mike Spies says on his "Living with Birddogs" blog, "Life is Short.........Quit your job (I wish), turn off the TV and go outside and play"

DRAKES.........LOTS OF DRAKES

2009-06-06T22:01:00.003-04:00

Last night,just at dusk and during a light rain we had Drakes. Thousands of drake spinners that the rain forced down into the water and created a feeding frenzy of brook and brown trout. My neighbor and friend Jerry from just upstream of LoBank and I leaned against my dock and watched in amazement as fish after fish rose to take the spent wing spinners that came to them. Swoosh.....swoosh.....swoosh Photo courtesy of Gates AuSable Lodge I moved upstram, not twenty yards up from my dock and floated a #14 against a log and BANG! a 12 inch brook attacked it. It was the nicest fish of the season so far. I netted it and reached for my camera. Guess what.....it was still hanging where I left it the night before. Lizzie was in the house and we hollered for her to bring the camera out but she said she didn't hear us. Now this is the same woman who can hear the flick of my lighter when I try to sneak a cigarette out in the garage. Likely story! I sure wish all my western friends who nymph in roaring fast water could have been here to experience the Drake hatch on the North Branch.

GO WITH A BUDDY!

2009-05-25T22:30:00.003-04:00

Take my word for it.........if you trip over a submerged rock in the South Branch of the AuSable you'd better have a fishing buddy with you and your cell phone in a plastic bag! Thanks Jim for helping me out. Now if you could only help me re-create hundreds of phone numbers and email addresses.

OPENING WEEKEND

2009-04-26T16:42:00.001-04:00

39 DEGREES POURING RAIN 25 MPH WINDS NUFF SAID................

SAYING GOODBYE TO ROCKY

2009-04-21T17:55:00.003-04:00

In my 40 years of owning and field trialing pointers and setters I've sold only two dogs. The first in 1979, Dale's Deputy, I raised from a 6 week old puppy to a 5 year old with more than 40 field trial wins. Briar as he was called was closer to me and far more important than my first wife. In the late 70's, Japanese breeders were importing successful grouse dogs to compete in their walking trial and be foundation breeding stock. After several important field trial wins were reported in the American Field, a gentleman named Goro called me from Tokishima Japan and offered me $7500 for Briar. I was dumbfounded and at first dismissed the idea as impossible. Goro kept calling and raising the offer until I just had to take it. In the late 70's that much money could have paid off my mortgage! I took Briar to Detroit's airport with knots in my stomach and almost turned around a dozen times. I'm not ashamed to admit I cried all the way home and was a miserable SOB for six months afterwards. The second was Marti Gras, a successful pointer female that was hit by a car and shattered her rear leg. "Peggy" would never be a field trial dog again and so I sold her to a gentleman from Florida who would foot hunt her and raise puppies. Today, I agreed to sell Rocky back to his breeder Ross Callaway and Scott Hicks, owner of Echo Plantation in Chester, SC. Rocky is an incredible dog. As he got older though, it became apparent that his natural range was going to be way to much for hunting and walking trials. I was faced with having to force his range back down or finding someone who would let him develope his natural abilities. Ross and Scott will do exactly that and I won't be surprised to read, some time in the future, that he won the National Open Shooting Dog Championship. I loved having Rocky. He was as comfortable on the sofa as in the field. He is a very happy guy, very affectionate and just a joy to be around. I told Rocky to call me if he wasn't happy and you'd better be sure I'll be watching to make sure they're treating him like the king he is. Good luck to Ross and Scott.

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-12T10:24:00.005-04:00

I'm generally a very optimistic, positive person but I have to admit the last couple of weeks have really gotten me down. Its been a long cold winter and I've been climbing the walls waiting for spring. A couple weeks ago we finally got a little taste of spring and I took Lu and Molly out to look for woodcock. I ran Lu first and in spite of laying around all winter she ran well and had a very nice woodcock find that required two relocations. The bird was running well out in front of her and she finally got it pinned on the edge of a bog. I put it to wing and she stayed steady to wing and shot. A great start. Molly was next and was off like a shot at breakaway. After her ACL surgery last September she was so excited to finally be hunting again. She looked great and had two woodcock finds. On her second find I found her standing some 50 yards into the cover. Her tail was at twelve o'clock and she was incredibly intense drinking in the scent. But as I approached her I saw that she was holding up her left rear leg, the non surgical leg. I flushed the bird and she watched it fly away. When I released her she ran three legged. Yes, an ACL tear of the other hind leg. How could that happen! The surgeons at Michigan State assured me that last falls ACL tear was a traumatic accident and not a deformity in her leg structure. They told me that in 50% of the cases they treat, the other legs ACL tears as well but in Molly's case it was very unlikely to happen. So, after $4500 worth of surgery and rehabilitation its happened again. Most of my friends and knowledgeable dog people have advised me to put her down. But when she nuzzles her head in my lap and looks at me with with those loving eyes I just can't do it. She'll have surgery again this coming Wed. April 15th. At least this time her rehabilitation will be during the summer when the pool will be open and she can swim. Damn............ If there is any good news it's that LoBank is open. Lizzie and I drove up yesterday to get my truck to take to the field trials. There is still snow on the ground and the piles from the snow plowing are still waist high. BUT, starting next weekend we'll be going up. Fishing season opens the last Saturday of April and our town of Lovells will be brimming with excitement and the traditional opening weekend festivities! With the market since last October, the cold snowy winter and Molly's leg its been a miserable six months! I think I should be due to win the Lotto or at least catch a 20 inch brown.

Still Snow!

2009-03-17T21:05:00.002-04:00

The image below is from today's National Weather Service posting of the snow depth in Northern Michigan. Notice the small circle in the left center that indicates 10 inches.............thats Grayling! Even though its been unseasonably warm the last few days we've still got a long way to go. I'm getting really anxious to return to Lobank. The woodcock should be showing up soon and Molly's ready to try out her repaired ACL. So far she's showing no indication of a problem. Lu had her summer haircut last Sunday and she's ready too. Trout season opens the last Saturday of April and I've got a new Helios rod to try out. We spent last week in Siesta Key FL and I tried to bank some "Atta Boy's" with Lizzie for the upcoming season. Hurry Spring!

Tax Day Protest

2009-03-06T16:46:00.003-05:00

I've never been to or frankly never even considered joining a protest but I'm considering this one. Go to www.taxdayteaparty.com

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN IT?

2009-02-10T21:28:00.004-05:00

If your following the "National Championship" at the Ames Plantation, it was reported that National Ch. Shell Creek Coin had 5 finds. His bracemate, last years champion Whippoorwill Wild Agin had two unproductives. The first two braces before them had a total of 3 finds.

Photo:Brad Harter Doesn't it make you wonder why this particular dog was able to find birds and the others weren't. Does he have a better nose? Did he go to different cover types? Was his race slower and more deliberate? Does he have a better handler that directed him to likely bird locations? How can you possibly explain what makes one dog so much better than the others, at least on one particular day? Ah, the mysteries that keep us searching for that really great dog.

VERY BAD NEWS

2009-02-10T19:52:00.004-05:00

We have just learned that our dear friend Rusty Gates has been diagnosed with cancer. He said that he felt pain behind his left shoulder blade and almost casually mentioned it to his doctor. First x-rays and then CAT scans confirmed the worst. Not one person has ever contributed more to the AuSable River than Rusty Gates. He was the founder of Anglers of the AuSable (www.ausableanglers.org) and for the past 22 years has led the fight to protect our river system.

Rusty's book, Seasons on the Ausable was writen for the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Anglers and all proceeds go the the organization.

Rusty and his wife Julie operate Gates AuSable Lodge on the mainstream (www.gateslodge.com ) and it serves as the hub of almost all flyfishing activities in the area. Everyone's first stop on a fishing trip is Rusty's place where he's always available to talk about the hatches and offer tips to improve your luck.

Rusty's journal is being posted at www.caringbridge.org Simply enter "rustygates" in the search field.

For those of us who admire and respect him its been a humble reminder of our mortality. I pray for Rusty to have the strength, courage and faith to recover.

OUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK

2009-02-06T07:53:00.002-05:00

AND OBAMA SAYS GOVERNMENT IS THE ANSWER Watchdogs: Wall Street got extra $78 billion in bailout By Kevin G. Hall and Greg Gordon • McClatchy Newspapers • February 6, 2009 "WASHINGTON — The federal government overpaid by about $78 billion for stock and other troubled assets when it bailed out big banks last year, and it lacks sufficient internal controls to police and protect taxpayers’ investment in the institutions, government watchdogs said Thursday. Elizabeth Warren, chairwoman of the congressional oversight panel for the bailout effort, formally called the Troubled Asset Relief Program, is to release a report this morning on the $78-billion overpayment. Her report will follow a report issued Thursday by Neil Barofsky, the program’s new special inspector general, who said the Treasury Department needs to put more safeguards in place to protect taxpayers."

REMEMBERING RONALD REAGAN ON INAUGURATION DAY

2009-01-19T22:09:00.006-05:00

President Ronald Reagan "The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much." " The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." " The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." "The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away." "Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15." "Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." "No matter what time it is, wake me, even if it's in the middle of a Cabinet meeting." "No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!" "It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?" " If the federal government had been around when the Creator was putting His hand to this state, Indiana wouldn't be here. It'd still be waiting for an environmental impact statement." "I've never been able to understand why a Republican contributor is a 'fat cat' and a Democratic contributor of the same amount of money is a 'public-spirited philanthropist". "Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other." I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A CHANGE

2009-01-17T17:18:00.003-05:00

I've been looking at your blog formats and colors. Now that I'm more comfortable with the mechanics I'm giving it a try............Comments would be appreciated.

Lazy Winter Days

2009-01-11T20:18:00.006-05:00

Sometimes we need a crash day and especially during January when its so cold and snowy. A few weeks ago I ordered the DVD of the 2008 National Championship at Ames Plantation and the VCR tape of the 1997 Championship that David Grubb won with Miller's Silver Ending from Brad Harter at www.PleasantHillProductions.com

These productions far exceeded my expectations and even had the dogs lifting their heads when they heard the handlers squalling and the shots from their shotguns. Believe me they are the next best thing to being there or being out running your own dog.

WALKING FIELD TRIALS

2009-01-01T12:55:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year......................... There's quite a conversation taking place on the Coverdog Message Board (http://members3.boardhost.com/coverdog/ regarding Walking Field Trials. I must admit that I've had some fun stirring up the pot but the underlying thesis of how field trials will continue to evolve and attract new participants is a serious one. The question being discussed today is the use of mounted scouts at walking field trials. Walking field trials have become extraordinarily popular in the last 10 years. New sanctioning organizations like NBHA, U.S.Complete and ABHA have been born and offer varying standards of performance and judging. Breed organizations have also sanctioned competitions and hunt tests. However, as they become more popular and owners handle their dogs in more and different trials, the standards for each seem to me to be melting towards uniformity. I find it difficult to understand why walking trials allow horseback scouts. In fact, most everyone except the handlers are on horseback. If the handlers dog makes a wide cast to the side or rear, with the permission of a judge, the handler may send his scout to find the dog. Perhaps the dog is pointing but more than likely the dog is simply headed in the wrong direction. By the rules the scout is simply to find the dog without handling it but in the real world a scout is a second handler. The dog will key off of the direction of the horse and by simplying turning the horse in the direction of the course the dog will bend and end up ahead. Is that a fine performance by a walking dog? Wouldn't it be great if we could dispatch a scout to round up the big running dog while we're hunting instead of standing still, hollering or whistling or changing directions to go with him instead of the way we had planned. Does the assistance of a mounted scout really help determine the best performance of a walking field trial dog? I've had the pleasure of watching, handling and scouting in some of the country's most prestigeous field trials and I've seen scouts do most everything. I've seen scouts reach down to grab the dog by the collar, lift it up in the saddle and take it to a point ahead on the course where he can turn it loose in the direction of the course and have it show to the judges well out ahead where it should be. I've seen handlers have scouts or helpers riding the roads in their trucks, pick up the errant dog and drive him to the front so the dog shows in front as the judges and handlers come around a section of woods. In my opinion, walking field trials should seek the dog that stretches out or closes in relative to the geography of the course and always in the best interests of his handler. I do not want to foot hunt with a dog that needs to be chased down and turned. Many will argue the scout plays a role in ensuring the safety of the dog by being able to keep it from crossing roads or avoiding other dangers. However, and again in my opinion, field trial clubs should not be holding trials where those dangers exist. Field trialing is a wonderful way to enjoy your dogs year around. There is room for all types of trials with different rules,ie:, all-age, horseback shooting dog, cover dogs and walking trials. Lets resist the temptation to run the same dog in each and bastardize the intent of all. Speaking of bastardizing, I've judged Brittany trials and often heard the phrase "he runs like a pointer". Why would anyone want the wonderful Brittney breed to run like pointers? Why are we developing pointing labs? Oh well, thats a discussion for another post.

ELHEW SECRET

2008-12-18T20:52:00.007-05:00

One of my most prized possessions is this bronze of Elhew Secret by Robert G. Wehle. It was a gift to me from Bob during a visit to his winter home in Midway, Alabama. Bob was a wonderful artisan that both sculpted and painted images of his favorite dogs and horses.Bob sold many of his creations from his Lime Rock Gallery in New York.

I've been searching for several others he created including the desk size image of Snakefoot. A life size version of Snakefoot was given to the Field Trial Hall of Fame and another to the town square of Union Springs, Alabama where sits atop a marble column inscribed with the names of eleven men from Bullock County Alabama that have been elected to the Field Trial Hall of Fame.

Not many people realized that Bob was not only the squire of Elhew Kennels but an accomplished breeder of race horses, homing pigeons, cattle and an artist extraordinaire.

Just Pictures

2008-12-10T18:08:00.016-05:00

Medicine Bow National Park in Wyoming

Molly's brothers

My buddy Lance

Buster

Baby Rocky

Floating with John Dallas and David

Molly

Lu in a summer workout Hey Shawn..........it worked ! Thanks

IT'S TOO COLD AND MUCH TOO EARLY!

2008-12-03T19:54:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving brought snow and cold...................way too early. Unless we get an unexpected thaw my grouse hunting is over for the season. Time to build a fire, sit back and savor the memories from 2008.

REALLY GOOD NEWS

2008-11-12T21:14:00.005-05:00

I took Molly in to Michigan State's Vet Clinic this afternoon for her 8 week post surgical exam. The surgeons said the TPLO has healed perfectly and she's clear to gradually resume "normal activities". But when I came home and told Lizzie I was going to take her hunting in December he mother put her foot down and said "not till spring!"

Lizzie says we didn't leash walk and baby her for 8 weeks to risk ruining it by running her too soon.

I don't know about your house but in mine whatever Mama says goes!

JUST ROCKY

2008-11-09T11:52:00.021-05:00

The Field Trial season ended last week with the Lake States Championship Open Derby. Rocky ran well but unfortuantely went birdless and didn't place. So I picked him up from Scott Chaffee and took him to hunt a few days at LoBanks and give him some fun and R&R.

Don't ever let anyone tell you a field trial pointer won't make a good companion dog. Rocky came into LoBank and claimed the couch. I'm sure he thought he'd gone to a 5 star all-inclusive resort! He slept on the bed with Lu and I and had to be dragged up in the morning to go outside.

At 15 months old, Rocky has the breeding, the style on the ground, the speed and the strength to be a good competitor. What he needs now is experience. Grouse that have been hunted all season run like pheasants and flush wild well ahead of you. He bumped his share of the jumpy grouse and simply has to learn just how close he can get to them without putting them to flight. Thats something you can't teach a dog; its something he has to learn through experience and exposure to alot of wild birds.

Grouse season closes now for the firearms deer season but re-opens December 1st thru December 31st. Two years ago we had no snow and 40 degrees most of the month but last year a blizzard came in the first weekend of December and we didn't see the ground again until mid April.

If the snow comes we'll start again in the spring and get him into as many birds as possible but hopefully we'll have another weekend or two.

LU'S FAMILY REUNION

2008-11-04T21:31:00.022-05:00

Lu's mother, 3xCH Keystone's Red Ryder (Lacey) and half brother, CH.Keystone's Red Rage (Mickey) came to LoBank from Pennsylvania on their way to compete in the Grand National Grouse Championship in Gladwin, MI for a family reunion. Unfortunately, Lu's brother Ted didn't come from California.

Their owner Craig Peters and I spent two days chasing grouse and woodcock and as you can see the dogs relaxed on the sofa and shared puppyhood memories.

Its simply amazing how similar Lacey and her offspring are. Every little idiosynchrocies that I thought made Lu unique turns out to be inherited from her mother. Lu sits on my lap and pushes her nose and forehead against my neck and chin. I'll be darned Lacey does exactly the same thing!. Both are extremely human oriented and seem to understand every word and gesture directed to them. Mickey is the same but not quite as expressive as the girls.

We'll be watching the progress of the trial and keep our fingers crossed that Lacey and Mickey do well.

To learn more about Craig Peters "Keystone Setters" go to http://keystonesetters.blogspot.com/

IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE!

2008-10-19T17:05:00.004-04:00

I suppose that at 62 years old the headline of this post could apply to alot of things.............However, this weekend I found out that my "TREE" doesn't work anymore. It must have been around 1979. My dog "Dale's Deputy" was a white and orange setter sired by Ghost Train. Briar had really come into his own as a grouse dog and I was excited for the upcoming trials. In the first trial of the season Briar was in the first brace on Saturday morning and I had slept late. I tore around the house to gather my things, made a thermos of coffee and took off. It was about an hour and a half to Gladwin and I'd have to push it. I drank the thermos of coffee while driving and by time I headed north on Bard road mother nature was telling me that I really need to stop. Oh, I can make it I thought...............OH NO I CAN'T! I pulled to the side of the road at a driveway, went into a stand of pines just off the road and and covered a small cedar tree with a warm shower. Relieved, I rushed on to the first course breakaway, turned Briar loose and watched in amazement as he laid down the race of his young life, had several grouse finds and won the trial. I'm not normally superstitous but the following week I stopped at the same cedar tree just to be safe and I'll be damned Briar won again. The third weekend he did it again! Simply amazing, young Briar won all three spring grouse trials that year. Only Jack Nicholson and Tom Novak knew about my lucky charm but despite their pleading never knew precisely which driveway it was. Last Friday on my way up to Gladwin to watch Rocky run in the Wolverine Derby Classic I decided that a little extra luck couldn't hurt. That small cedar tree is still there but now its at least 25 feet high. I gave it a little sprinkle and chuckled to myself remembering way back when. Rocky ran a very good race but unfortunately went birdless. I guess that since the cedar tree is older he doesn't work very well anymore either.

Dick & Bill

2008-10-11T18:25:00.005-04:00

What a pair! Dick and Bill are cousins who grew up together in Oil City, PA and are actually more like brothers. A little birdie told me they were two of the five starting basketball players on their high school team but I didn't ask what their record was. Since they were kids they've hunted grouse and flyfished together.

Dick's the field trialer and his young English Setter "Smoke" was remarkable. He had numerous steady to wing and shot finds on both grouse and wookcock. He's not quite 3 yrs old and will be a consistent threat on the grouse trial circuit. "Emmy", his pointer was still on the field trial circuit with Dave Hughes and didn't make it to Lovells.

Bill's English Pointer "Patty" is the veteran of the bunch. She must have an extraordinary nose as she seems to manufacture birds no matter what the conditions. If I could have but one hunting dog in my life, Patty would be my choice hands down.

Between these two dogs, Dick and Bill probably saw more than 75 grouse this week and we had grill roasted grouse and woodcock every night with our martini's.

WHAT A WEEK!

2008-10-10T13:36:00.003-04:00

My much anticipated week at LoBank with friends Dick & Bill Straub has certainly turned into a week to remember, Molly's home mending her ACL and the world's markets are at 5 year lows. I've spent most of my time working harder than normal from my LoBank office and keeping in touch with clients. Sometimes I wish phones, computers, blackberry's and television were never invented! Oh well, I've made my living this way for 25 years and now is the time my clients need me most.

After the market closed yesterday afternoon I managed to get out for a late afternoon hunt. All week Dick and Bill have found grouse feeding on thornapple berries at about 5:30 PM. The one above tried to let me walk past it but when Lu crossed the front towards me its scent gave him away. ATTA Girl!

Todays Friday and I'll be back out again this afernoon after the market close and all weekend I hope.

More later...................................

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS

2008-09-27T12:31:00.007-04:00

What more could you ask for? We have beautiful fall colors, cool mornings to hunt grouse and woodcock and sunny afternoons to fish for fall colored brook tout. The one above was taken with an ant on 7x tippet.

My dear friends Dick & Bill Straub from Pennsylvania will be at LoBank the first week of October. Dick and I have been friends since the mid-70s and have hunted and fished together most every year. Dick judged the Grand National Futurity in 1979 and placed my pointer Stargazer. When the Grand National was in Marienville we'd trial and hunt there and likewise in Gladwin. Bill is a retired physician who loves to fish and hunt but was never foolish enough to get involved in field trials. He always has dogs like his current pointer Patty that didn't make it in trials because she was too smart to run off, handled and found birds.

Dick and Bill are really quite a pair. By the time I'd struggle out of bed at 6:00AM they'll be ready to go. Once last year I got up at 4:30AM to go to the bathroom and they were sitting at the dining room table having breakfast! I'll need to take another week off to recover from trying to keep up with them.

It just doesn't get any better than this.....................................

A QUICK UPDATE

2008-09-25T21:47:00.002-04:00

Molly's home. Her TPLO surgery went well and we can expect a 100% recovery. The surgeon at MSU told me he was certain that the ACL tear was caused by a traumatic injury and not a genetic weakness. Now comes the hard part...............trying to keep a 16 month old fireball quiet. Its 8 weeks of crate living and leash only walking and then another 8 weeks of rehabilitation. Hopefully she'll be full strength by spring. Thanks for all your kind messages and encouragement.

What a Bummer!

2008-09-16T19:57:00.003-04:00

A week ago Sunday, Molly had one of the best grouse finds I've seen in a long time. It was a covey of 6 or 7 birds that lifted in pairs. I shot the blank gun 3 times as they lifted and Molly stayed steady and up on her tip toes to watch them fly. I was so excited. Later that evening she was limping and holding her right rear leg up. I suspected a thorn in her pad or perhaps a muscle strain. By Wednesday it hadn't improved so I took her to the vet and my worst fears were confirmed...........torn ACL. Molly will have a TPLO procedure next Monday at Michigan State University Veterinary Clinic. She'll be out at least 12 weeks or the whole grouse season! What a bummer............

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN

2008-09-08T19:51:00.006-04:00

John R. “Jack” Stuart I have never known a man kinder, more unselfish and more honorable than Jack Stuart. We met in 1974 and were friends until the day he died. Jack was orphaned at an early age and raised by a farm family near West Branch, MI. That experience brought him a true appreciation for what was important in life. It was neither fame nor glory for Jack but simply the love of family, friends, his dogs and field trials. After completing his education at Ferris State University, Jack worked for the Department of the Army Quartermaster Corp and often talked about his ability to find solutions to problems. He had the type of mind that enabled him to sort through a complex problem, determine the basic facts and apply a reasonable solution. Later, in the bird dog world, Jack invented the Stuart Game Bird Releaser (the electronic version is now marketed by Tri-Tronics) and patented it. He determined that to effectively work his dogs on planted birds he’d need to control when they flew. Thus the releaser with a string release sprung the birds into the air when the dog got too close. Jack manufactured the releaser in his home workshop by hand and sold more than 50,000 of them to bird dog people all over the world. In 1943 Jack and his wife Ruth bought the Surrey Motel on the Tobacco River near Farwell, MI., remodeled it themselves and made their life there. Jack always had setters and as Detroit area business men came to the Farwell area to hunt grouse, Jacks dogs and their training became well known. Soon Jack was working dogs for these businessmen and running his “Tobacco River” setters on the grouse and shooting dog circuit. In 1974 I had just purchased a young setter pup from Wayne Fruchey that I called Briar and on the recommendation of several grouse trailers enlisted Jack to take him to his winter training grounds in Jack, Alabama to prepare him for the next springs Grand National Grouse Puppy Classic. Many field trailers said that Jack was always too easy on his dogs to bring them to the pinnacle of success. There is no doubt he loved those dogs and treated them like his children. Jack Stuart, John “Jack” Nicholson and I had formed the Ruffed Grouse Field Trial Club in 1976 and had applied to the AFTCA to form and run a National Amateur Grouse Championship. It started as a Classic in 1976 and was awarded Championship status in 1978. Being a professional and unable to enter his dogs, Jack Stuart volunteered to be the trial reporter and was in his glory riding along with the judges and publishing the trial report with the American Field. At the time Jack Stuart was nearly 75 years old. I believe he reported the first six renewals of the trial. Jacks field trial reporting gave him the impetus and confidence to assemble many of his old pictures and begin the outline of a book. I can see him right now pecking away at his old Underwood portable typewriter. In 1983, BIRD DOGS and UPLAND GAME BIRDS was published. Jack may have thought his effort was a training book, but anyone who reads it will know it’s a window into Jacks heart. When Jack’s wife Ruth died and was cremated, Jack called his dearest friends, Jack Nicholson, Wally Brzenk and I and asked us to assist him in spreading her ashes at her favorite spot at the Gladwin Field Trial area. He provided each of us with white gloves and told us that he’d appreciate our doing the same for him when the time came. Years later when he did die his son found the white gloves in his safe deposit box with strict instructions that we were to be called. Jack Nicholson flew in from Phoenix, Wally came from Sanford and we took his son to Gladwin, used the same white gloves and completed Jack Stuart’s last request.

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN

2008-08-31T12:22:00.004-04:00

The 1978 Grand National Grouse Champion "GHOST STAR" brought some of the most significant changes to the Grouse woods I can remember and in my opinion started the trend towards smaller, more animated and shorter coupled grouse dogs. Ghost Star was sired by CH.Ghost Train ex Hi Kaliber Tiny. Like her mother, Ghost Star was tiny as well. I don't know for sure but I'd guess she weighed no more than 30 pounds. She was owned by Terry Shermoe and was handled by his son Bryant of Lansing, MI. Up until that time most of the setters that were winning in the grouse woods were larger, more powerful dogs like Pleasant Valley Clyde. The courses in Gladwin and Marienville had grown into pole timber and they demanded a more powerful dog that reached to the limits. A timber cutting program had been initiated at Gladwin and in 1978 the new, very thick popple cover was integrated into the courses. Also important was that Tri-Tronics had introduced the shock collar as a training aid and the A1-70 was now being used by more and more handlers and trainers. Ghost Star reflected the use of the collar in her patterning and took advantage of the new tighter courses. It was obvious she was trained to delve into the cover only so far, turn to the front, cross the course path and work the other side to her perscribed distance, round to the front and cross the path once again. Many trialers thought her pattern was much too mechanical and said she missed alot of good cover and natural objectives by not having the freedom to complete her casts. To her credit though she displayed incredible speed, a cracking high tail and proved she was a very good birdfinder with an exceptional nose. Given the young popple cover and the resulting increase in the number of birds available on the courses, Ghost Star began the trend of much smaller, shorter coupled, closer working grouse dogs that lasted almost 20 years. Personally, I'm not sure the this trend was entirely helpful to the setter breed but nonetheless GHOST STAR's win of the Grand National and the North American Woodcock Championship changed what was expected of cover dog champions.

Show Your Support

2008-08-30T08:15:00.002-04:00

If you support John McCain please drive with your headlights on during the day. If you support Obama please drive with your headlights off at night. Thanks

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN

2008-08-28T20:07:00.004-04:00

David Grubb I was elated to see my old friend David Grubb elected to the Field Trial Hall of Fame. It was a well deserved and long overdue honor. I had dogs with Dave for close to 20 years and was always amazed at his skills with dogs. To be able to run and win with the same dogs in all-age, shooting dog and cover dog stakes is remarkable. Yet it seemed that Dave always had disappointments, setbacks and bad luck. Several times I ran his dogs because of health problems. I remember one Pheasant Futurity when Dave was very high on several prospects. Bob Simmons, Dave’s long time helper came to me in the morning and said Dave was sick, couldn’t get out of bed and I had to run the dogs. I remember Bernie Matthys who was reporting and I glancing at each other and knowing I was completely helpless to control them. Another time at the Michigan Championship, Bob came to me and said Dave threw his back out and couldn’t move. I ran all his Championship entries and what a string it was. It included CH. Penelope, CH. Frank Pierson, CH. Memphis Cowboy and CH. Colonels Lemon Girl and others. Essentially all you had to do with these dogs was ride behind them and flush their birds. To this day I think Frank should have won but it was probably my handling that kept him out. But the ultimate disappointment for Dave was when he was hospitalized the night before running CH. Millers Silver Ending in the 1997 National Championship. Winning the National was Dave’s foremost goal. As it turned out, Ray Grace, after taking Dave to the hospital, frantically searched for John Rex Gates to handle Silver Ending the very next morning. John Rex agreed even though he had never seen the dog and as I did, he simply rode behind him and flushed his birds. In the record books, John Rex was the handler of the 1997 National Champion and Purina Award winner and in parenthesis is David Grubb, trainer. Congratulations Dave for the well deserved recognition.

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN PART FIVE

2008-08-28T19:41:00.004-04:00

PLEASANT VALLEY CLYDE Paraphrasing the quote that the truly great field trial dog is always on the verge of being lost but comes back perfectly describes the great grouse dog champion PLEASANT VALLEY CLYDE owned and handled by Dr. James Steitler DVM of Dubois Pennsylvania. Doc Steitler could hear a pin drop in the middle of the celebration of a grand slam homerun in Yankee Stadium. He was so attuned to Clyde (or at least it appeared that way) that when most thought he was gone and out of judgment it seldom failed that Doc knew precisely where he was and if he was pointing a bird. Judges, including myself, anticipated Clyde’s brace with both excitement and dread. It seldom failed that Doc would call point after not seeing or hearing Clyde's bell for quite some time. One of the judges would dismount, glance at the other as if to say send a search party if I don’t make it back in two hours and follow Doc well back into the woods and disappear. But, Doc seldom failed to find Clyde majestically pointing a grouse after having pinned it so it could not escape. Clyde was a silky white setter with an evenly marked black mask. He was a relatively large dog with a good deal of leg underneath him and a race you’d think was more suited to all age horseback stakes. He looked very similar to his older kennelmate, CH. Pleasant Valley Liz who won the Grand National in 1972 and 1973. CH. Pleasant Valley Clyde was runner-up in the Grand National Grouse Championship in 1975 and won it convincingly in 1976 and 1979. Clyde’s record was 31 placements, producing 17 winners with total wins of 93. Together, he and Liz produced the wonderful champion Pleasant Valley Mandy.

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN PART FOUR

2008-08-27T19:04:00.002-04:00

Elhew Flying Dutchman Robert Wehle Richard Shear I met Robert Wehle, Dick Shear and Elhew Flying Dutchman on Sunday November 3, 1974. I was at the Gladwin grounds after the Lake States Grouse Championship had concluded and had arranged to stay right thru the conclusion of the Grand National Grouse Championship and Futurity. The Grand always started on the first Tuesday of November and it was the Sunday before. I was standing in the parking lot of Alibi Hall when a station wagon pulled in with New York license plates. I recognized Bob Wehle immediately and casually welcomed them to Michigan. Bob said they had just gotten in town and needed a place to work their dogs on some birds. Not being suspicious, I volunteered to show them some spots as I was going to work my dog too. Afterwards I realized that they had probably been to Gladwin more times than I and just wanted to find some new places. Anyway, I volunteered and took them to one of my favorite spots where I had found grouse a few days before. On our way out of the refuge with me following behind them, Dick Shear suddenly slammed on his brakes, jumped out of the car, ran to the rear hatch and opened the four wooden crates that were stacked in the back. Four liver pointers jumped out and ran to the front of the car. I opened my door, got out and walked to the front of their car and there was Elhew Flying Dutchman pointing a grouse on the side of the road and the three younger dogs backing him. Dick had seen the grouse on the side of the road and wanted to show off. Bob Wehle and Dick Shear were showman if nothing else. Bob Wehle was one of the most imposing and frankly intimidating men I’ve ever met. If you’ve ever seen a movie with Shawn Connery they could be clones. Bob was at least 6’ 3’’ and built like a prize fighter. He had very bushy eyebrows and a deep, resonant voice. Every word he spoke was cautiously selected and you could tell he was used to being the boss. He had been raised in a very prominent family, was well educated and certainly made his presence known. Dick Shear was somewhat the opposite. Although he was known and respected as one of the deans of grouse trials he was always kind and gracious. He did have his opinions but seldom offered them unless asked. I headed a committee that started the National Amateur Grouse Championship and when I called him to ask him to support our efforts with the AFTCA he chewed me up one side and down another. He was insistent that there were already too many grouse championships and an Amateur would only distract from the Grand National. After reaching my favorite cover, Dick & Bob took Dutchman out for less than a half hour and ran the three younger dogs at once. I was told that each of them had a well handled grouse find but I stayed behind while they ran the younger dogs and can’t verify it. The morning of Dutchman’s brace Dick asked me if I’d scout for him. I was certainly glad to do so even though Dick had told me it would more than likely not be necessary. Dutchman had the reputation of being a hard running, hard to handle dog so I smiled when he said it and fully expected I’d be running all over God’s green earth looking for that dog. When Dutchman was turned loose what followed was probably one of the very best performances I have ever seen. He was a powerful, high headed, high tailed animal that moved through the woods with unusual grace. He rounded his casts to the front and when he popped out of the cover, Dick simply pointed his walking stick in the direction he was to proceed in and Dutchman responded immediately. Four times, at the end of long casts Dutchman had grouse finds with the birds pinned and precisely located. Birds had been scarce and four finds was an incredible feat. There was no doubt Elhew Flying Dutchman was the 1974 Grand National Grouse Champion. After the announcement, the celebration and all the hoopla, Bob Wehle moved next to me, extended his hand to shake mine and thanked me for helping them. He then said “I know you have setters but I’m going to send you a dog. I assured him that was unnecessary but in my heart I was hoping he remembered and meant it. The following March, one evening after work, I answered the phone. It was Bob Wehle saying he had a dog for me. It was a liver male out of Elhew Huckster, had been born in January and was ready to go. Of course I was ecstatic and immediately made plans to add a third run to my kennels. Ten days later I picked up Elhew Drummer at the Saginaw airport and began my adventure with Elhew pointers.

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN PART THREE

2008-08-26T18:54:00.006-04:00

Missy and Wayne Fruchey The most important line in my lease of the townhouse at 1906 Graefield, Birmingham Michigan was the one that allowed pets. Finally I could have my first bird dog. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted an Elhew pointer. I wrote to Robert Wehle of Elhew Kennels in Scottsville New York and inquired about upcoming litters and being very naïve, inquired as to how an Elhew pointer would adjust to being a house dog. I received a very kind but somewhat dismissive reply from Eleanor Schaeffer, Mr. Wehle’s long time secretary informing me that they would indeed make fine house dogs if I brought it up that way but that all puppies were reserved. Further, if I sent a $100 deposit my name would go on a long waiting list. And, by the way a puppy is $400, plus crate and FOB Rochester, New York. That last line hit me like a punch in the stomach as that was almost a month’s salary! (By the way, I still have that letter folded neatly in my copy of Wehle’s book, Wing & Shot) Meanwhile, I had subscribed to a magazine titled “Hunting Dog” and noticed an ad from a guy named Wayne Fruchey in Beaverton, Michigan. His setter “Ghost Train” had just won the Grand National Grouse Championship and he had puppies on the way. I really didn’t know where Beaverton was but found on a map that it was no more than 2 ½ hours north of Detroit between Midland and Gladwin. Besides that, puppies were only $125. I called Wayne and the following Saturday drove up to Beaverton. He showed me Ghost Train, called Rusty, and a very pregnant Jet Stream’s Judy who was by Ch. Commanders Jet Stream. I didn’t have the foggiest idea about what those bloodlines were but Wayne assured me they'd be outstanding birddogs and I’d love a pup to hunt with. I left a $50 dollar deposit and requested a female. Wayne said I’d have first choice of the females. It wasn’t an Elhew pointer but I convinced myself that a setter’s disposition would probably be better in the house and besides she was only 2 hours away. I visited Wayne’s kennel every Saturday after the pups were born and at 3 weeks old I chose my companion for the next 12 years. She was white with an evenly marked black head and light ticking. She was on the smaller side compared to the others, again to make it easier in the house. I took her home at 7 weeks (I laugh at myself now) and worked her on a grouse wing both morning and night. When she was big enough we started walking nearby fields and at 4 months she pointed her first pheasant. Missy slept by my side of the bed for rest of her life and was honestly far more important to me than my first wife. I ran Missy in one field trial, a puppy stake the following spring. Tom Novak, the owner and handler of CH. Jetrain judged and at the end of the stake I thought she had done pretty well. She didn’t place and after the announcement I went up to the Tom and asked what he thought of my dog. He said “Dale, she a nice stylish little dog but she just hunted too much.” I thought how on earth could a hunting dog hunt too much and that he didn’t know a damn thing about hunting dogs! Of course I knew later that he was saying she didn’t run enough for field trials but at the time I was surprised and disgusted with his opinion. My meeting Wayne Fruchey, I figure, has cost me at least a half million dollars. Not only did he sell me my first bird dog but he took me to my first field trial and introduced me to my first professional trainer, Don Olson. If you don’t know Wayne you should. He and his family are the nicest, kindest people I know. Both his grandfather George and his father Art were professional grouse dog trainers and they and Wayne are responsible for bringing in hundreds of new cover dog field trailers. Wayne’s line of Ghost Train setters dominated the grouse woods for decades. He’s devoted 50 years of his life, at least, to the Beaverton Grouse Dog Club and the management of the Gladwin Field Trial Area. His son Tom is now a recognized judge, club official and fierce competitor and his grandson Matt is an excellent handler, field trial reporter and competitor. That’s five generations of Fruchey’s from Beaverton Michigan. If anyone in the world deserves to be recognized in the Field Trial Hall of Fame its Wayne Fruchey.

GREAT DOGS and GOOD MEN PART TWO

2008-08-26T18:49:00.004-04:00

BOB PATZER I doubt if any of you have ever heard of Robert “Bob” Patzer but he’s the one responsible for introducing me to hunting. Bob and his wife Michelle were neighbors in an apartment complex I lived in while a junior at Michigan State. One day in early September, I came home from class and as I pulled into the parking lot Bob and his friend Craig were unloading a beautiful bird dog. They had been out running the dog on coveys of young pheasant. I thought the dog was a white and black pointer but as they later explained to me he was actually a dropper, ½ setter and ½ pointer and the product of an accidental breeding. I didn’t know Bob that well, honestly just to say hi in the hallway but I struck up a conversation about the dog. Eventually, that dropper named Buddy became the first dog I ever shot a bird for over a solid point. Bob Patzer was raised in Stevensville in the southwest portion of Michigan and the heart of Michigan’s pheasant country. He had grown up hunting and explained to me that there were thousands of pheasants in the farm country just outside of East Lansing and that he started hunting on September the 15th, opening day of small game season in Michigan. Pheasant season didn’t open until October 20th but he filled his days before October hunting squirrel and rabbit. He asked if I’d like to join him some time and I said of course. For a college student in 1967 $25 was allot of money. Somehow I managed to come up with it and went to Meijers, a Michigan discount department store. I bought a single shot with hammer, H&R 16 gauge shotgun on sale, a box of shells and a canvas vest for just a few cents over $25. I was ready. For the next 60 days Bob and I hunted small game and then pheasants and quail. I must have cut a lot of classes as it seems that we were always out at dawn and out again in the afternoon until dark. I was hooked! After Bob and I graduated we went our separate ways but reconnected 5 years later in the Detroit area and hunted as often as our schedules allowed. We dropped the squirrels and rabbits and moved on to grouse and woodcock until October 20th, pheasants and quail October 20 thru November 15th and ducks in the late December season. All without a dog. I haven’t seen Bob in 30 years. Somehow we drifted apart after I moved to Saginaw but one day I saw a newspaper article quoting a Robert Patzer about Michigan road construction and it said he was the President of the Michigan Road Builders Association. I got the number for the office in Lansing and left a voice mail for him but he never called me back. Maybe it wasn’t the same guy.

GREAT DOGS AND GOOD MEN

2008-08-22T21:08:00.007-04:00

The last night I was in Denver after fishing Wyoming, David, Grace and I went to the predetermined restuarant to meet my internet friend Shawn Wayment. I have to admit that there was some trepidation on our part as we weren't sure quite what to expect or even if he'd show up. Nonetheless, we were determined that we'd have a nice dinner to re-hash our fishing experience and say our goodbyes. Shawn and I had shared our blogs and communicated regularily by email. I knew he was a pointer guy, a veterinarian and avid bird hunter. I hoped it would be an enjoyable evening but also realized it could be the quickest dinner in the history of eating out. As I had hoped, it was a very enjoyable evening. David and Grace got bored with "dog talk" and went to the bar to listen to the music. Honestly, the evening didn't last long enough. I am considerably older than Shawn and he seemed genuinly interested in some of my stories of grouse trials and the great dogs I had seen or judged over the years. They were dogs he had only read about or knew by reputation. Just before we left Shawn said " You really should write on your blog about some of those dogs, their owners and their handlers." Perhaps no one will be interested other than Shawn but I've decided to start a series of posts titled "Great Dogs and Good Men". I hope to describe some of my experiences, the dogs that shaped my opinions and hold in high esteem and the Good Men that owned and handled them. Don't be afraid to post a comment and tell me I'm wasting your time. So............here goes. PEGGY AND PAT My father never hunted when I was a boy. There was a double barrel 12 guage with hammers in the rafters of our basement but my dad made it very clear that the consequences of my handling it would be severe. I asked my dad many times why he never hunted but he always replied that he used to but didn't want to now. I always suspected that there had been an accident or incident that caused him to put that gun away and never touch it again but I never knew for sure. My uncles bird hunted and our neighbor Eddie White had a pointer and hunted pheasants. I remember being fascinated by the trunkloads of pheasants and quail he'd bring home and always appreciated the long rooster tail feathers he'd give me. I suppose that in todays world Eddie would be described as a "redneck". I can see him now wearing a white tee shirt with a pack of Pall Malls rolled up in the sleeve. Eddie believed that the only purpose of his birddog "Peggy" was to hunt. He never considered her a pet or part of the family. He kept her chained to a dog house 365 days a year except for the times they went hunting. Peggy drank from a rusted galvanized pail he'd fill every few days and her food pan sat next to the doghouse most always filled with dirt, dead bugs and weeds. Every evening Eddie went out to Peggy with a can of dog food opened at both ends and push out the contents into that dirty bowl. I don't remember him ever talking to her or even petting her. He'd simply push the food into the bowl, turn and walk away. For some reason I was drawn to Peggy. She was white and liver with an evenly marked head and several body spots. I don't remember exactly when it started, I suppose I was eight or nine, but I loved to sneak over while Eddie was at work and pet and play with her. My mother caught me several times curled up in the doghouse with her. I cherished the times Eddie and family would go away and ask me to feed her. I always had dogs growing up but they were always small mutts my mother could tolerate in her house. I loved them ofcourse but somehow they never quite measured up to the strength and purpose of Peggy nor did they appreciate me like she did. My uncle Art was a bird hunter too. He kept a black and white pointer female named Pat in a pen behind my grandmothers house. Compared to Peggy, Pat lived a life of luxury. Pat lived in a pen made from cedar posts and wire fencing with a dog house in the middle of the 20 x 40 enclosure. Pat raced around it and barked at people and strange sounds. She was suprisingly muscular and powerful. I always volunteered to take Pats dinner (that always included table scraps) to her so I could go inside the pen to pet and play with her. Peggy and Pat were my ideal of hunting dogs and I knew from that time on I'd be a bird hunter and own English Pointers. Next up..........................Missy and Wayne Fruchey

SUMMER CONDITIONING

2008-08-17T12:02:00.006-04:00

August in Lovells brings heat, humidity and mosquitoes so big if two of them got together they could carry you away. So in the cool early morning we road for excerise and conditioning. I bought the roading rig from Lion Country Supply and bolted the receiver to the bumper of the Lobank pickup. Simply insert the arm with the drop chain into the receiver with a pin and away we go. The rig is designed for a 4-wheeler but necessity is the mother of invention. Molly loves to pull but as you can see LU prefers to drive. In the afternoon both dogs love the river and never get tired of retreiving a ball. Hopefully by mid-September when the season opens they'll be in shape to hunt the cool mornings. In October after a frost and the ferns are down they'll go all day or at least longer than I can.

RIVERSIDE WYOMING

2008-08-16T20:58:00.013-04:00

We took a wrong turn heading to Saratoga and ended up in Riverside Wyoming, population 59. What a great place. No tour operator would ever send you there but I'd go back in a minute.

There's a general store that had "rustic cabins", the Bear Trap Inn where Betty the waitress just glanced at my credit card, went to the credit card terminal, punched in my numbers and brought us our check. At the "Mangy Moose we met Jim the ponytailed ex executive who fishes and hunts every day and tends bar at night. We met local ranchers and those who sit at the bar all day without a care in the world.

David and I fished the Encampment River near "Baggett Rocks" the only public access within 20 miles.

Sometimes not planning brings the best results. In this case, we liked the Encampment and Riverside so much we stayed another night in "The Mountain Man" on our way back to Denver.

Medicine Bow National Forest

2008-08-11T21:45:00.003-04:00

One of the most beautiful places you could ever see is Medicine Bow National Forrest. David and I discovered "Mirror Lake" and spent 1 1/2 days fishing there. We caught rainbow, browns and brooks on #14 and #16 caddis. The lake is at approximately 13,500 feet above sea level and is crystal clear and cold. What an incredible place.

Wyoming

2008-08-10T20:21:00.006-04:00

I have to be honest and say I was disappointed in fishing Wyoming. It's something I had always wanted to do and had anticipated that the fishing would be incredible. However, David and I didn't catch the 20 inch hogs we had hoped.

Wyoming is much different than Michigan in that river bottoms are not in the public domain. A land owner who owns the land on both sides of the river owns the river bottom. You can float over it but don't dare wade it. Thus, most of our fishing was restricted to public access spots and National Forests.

Also, the rivers are fed by mountain runoff. As a result the sheer volume and speed, the rivers are many multiples of what we see in Michigan. Rusty Gates calls the AuSable South Branch unwadable at 900 cfs (cubic feet per second). The Salt River south of Jackson Hole was running at 13,000 cfs! Float it in a drift boat but if you tried to wade you'd be washed away.

As a result of the speed and rocky banks, deep pools are created and the only way to fish them is a heavily weighted line and nymphs. Thats not what this dry fly fisherman was looking for. I couldn't begin to cover our trip in one post so over the next few days I'll post pictures and descriptions of our travels and fishing experiences.

Good News

2008-08-10T20:14:00.003-04:00

Came home from Wyoming to an email from Scott Chaffee informing me the "Rocky", Sawmill Struttin, had placed first in the Lake States Open Derby. Thanks Scott and way to go Rocky!

SCRATCHING OFF THE BUCKET LIST

2008-07-31T21:58:00.004-04:00

I'm leaving in the morning for Denver to meet my son David. We'll pack up his SUV and head out for 7 days flyfishing in Wyoming and Yellowstone. A western fishing trip for big browns, rainbows and cutthroat trout has always been on my bucket list and to share it with David makes it all the more special. Always on my bucket list is to meet interesting new friends. This trip I'm meeting Shawn Wayment DVM. We're meeting for dinner in Denver the night before I leave. I honestly don't remember if I found his blog http://birddogsdocschronicles.blogspot.com/ or he found mine but we've been communicating for almost a year. I'm really looking forward to meeting him and sharing our interests in bird dogs and fly fishing. I hope the restuarant stays open late. Stayed tuned.....................I hope I'll have lots of exciting stories and pictures to share.

OOPS!

2008-07-21T23:00:00.000-04:00

In their blog UPLAND EQUATION, (http://theuplandequation.blogspot.com/) Walter Bruning and Shawn Wayment DVM posted a picture thats captioned "Never pamper your bird dog".

OOPS! I guess I've been doing it all wrong.

While I'm at work, Molly enjoys the pool and laying in the sun. What a life.

JOHNNY HOUSE QUAIL

2008-07-19T13:34:00.001-04:00

Here's Molly and Lu pointing quail this morning.

Two weeks ago Jim Shifflet, Kit Foster and I built a new johnny house and put it in a nearby meadow. I bought a feeder and watering system from Quality Wildlife and last weekend brought up quail. I left them alone all week and released some yesterday afternoon. This morning they were all back.

Even though the training season on wild birds opened July 15th, it's hot & humid and the cover is THICK. Early morning sessions on quail will have to suffice until it cools some.

FISHING WITH FRIENDS

2008-07-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

There's nothing better than having good friends to fish with. Jim Shifflet's "Stone Cottage" is just upstream from LoBank. We share a passion for both fishing and bird dogs.

Jim has a German Shorthair and a new setter pup "Tess" out of CH. Taz and Greg Hilla's Miss Canada. She's 5 months old and I can't wait to see her get her first nose full of bird scent.

Jim and I floated this past week and had a great day. He says he rolled the biggest fish he's seen in the daytime on the North Branch. I saw the splash but the only fish I saw him land fit in the palm of his hand.

BECOMING A LIBERTARIAN

2008-06-24T09:58:00.000-04:00

What you see above is an IRS pencil sharpener. The picture was sent to me by a CPA friend and I'm sure it traveled thru their professional circles with a hearty laugh. But damn..........its true.

I've just completed gathering all the info necessary to send to my CPA brother to complete my 2007 tax return. He's so busy before April 15th he doesn't even want to hear from me and automatically files an extension.

I've been a conservative Republican my entire adult life but this year I'm seriously considering voting Libertarian. Our system has failed us miserably. Besides Federal, State and Local Income Taxes there's a bankrupt social security system, a bankrupt Medicare system and both federal and state excise and sales taxes on EVERYTHING. Take a look at your phone, cell phone, natural gas and electric bills. Buy gas, cigarettes, booze, beer, wine, food, clothing................the tax list is endless.

I'm tired of hearing McCain and Obama propose new programs.............10 billion for this, 50 billion for that yet we never hear of a program thats usefullness is over and should be eliminated. I'm tired of bridges to nowhere and the proposed funding of a Woodstock museum while our infrasture deteriorates.

40% of all Americans pay no income tax at all and in fact the majority of those qualify for the earned income tax credit and get a "refund" of taxes they didn't even pay. Detroit's school system graduates less than 30% of all high school students yet per pupil funding is historically high.

If Obama is elected in November there will be at least one less taxpayer. I think I'll retire and live off government largesse. But God help our children..................

FORGET SEX WHEN THERE'S HEX

2008-06-23T22:14:00.000-04:00

Forget sex when there's Hex. Thats what the sign says at Gates AuSable Lodge http://www.gateslodge.com/ and judging from the license plates from around the country in the parking lot, OB/GYN's can plan on taking next March off. Kiss her good night and hit the river.

Rumor has it that Perk & Dave Perkins of Orvis are here and every lodge and fishing club has their lights on. Its like the Olympics Opening Ceremony and the Super Bowl of fly fishing all wrapped up together.

The Hexegenia Lambata or Hex are here. At size 8, 10 & 12 its the largest of the mayflys in the AuSable system . Don't bother going out until just before dusk, find a log to sit on and wait. At dark the spinner fall will start and the whales begin to feed. Slurp, slurp, SLAM. Hold on for dear life as that 18-20 inch brown will give you all the excitement your 5 wt rod and heart can handle.

Hex are late this year. Its been cool and lots of rain. The South Branch is still running at 600-700 cfs when it ought to be 400 cfs. Wading is risky if you don't know where your at. The Main Stream is better but still not as clear as usual.

The North Branch doesn't get the Hex that the other two branches enjoy. Its shallower, mostly all gravel and for the most part doesn't have the sand and muck bottom the Hex thrive in. Here we have Brown Drakes size 12 & 14.

Tightlines!

MEMORIAL DAY 2008

2008-05-26T18:51:00.001-04:00

I REMEMBER..............THANK YOU............................

HENDRICKSONS ALL AFTERNOON

2008-05-10T21:44:00.000-04:00

Finally a nice weekend. This afternoon it was mid 60's, bright sun, gentle breeze, water temperature 52 degrees, Grouse drumming near the banks and Hendrickson's everywhere. It doesn't get any better than this.

Fly hatches never cease to amaze me. They emerge from the gravel bottoms, surface as a dun and if their not devoured by ravenous trout fly to the cedars that line the banks. Depending on conditions, within 24-48 hours they've mated over the water, layed the eggs of the next generation and fall to the water as spinners.

Size 14 & 16 were the ticket today. I managed to land at least a dozen brook trout within 100 yards of Lobanks. Several were nice size and certainly keepers although I never do. If the spinner fall comes again tomorrow I'll move upstream some to deeper pools and see if I can entice a nice Brown Trout out from under his log.

OPENING WEEK AT LOBANK

2008-05-03T11:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I suppose the week could have been better but still it was opening week or New Years Day around here.

Molly and Rocky started the week at the Michigan Grouse Puppy Classic. Right after the breakaway the course turned sharply right but Molly decided she liked the left better. I picked her up about an hour later.It was my own fault as I had not adequately prepared her for her first field trial experience. She's been running great, handling well and finding birds. What I didn't think about is that she had never been exposed to the excitement of scores of dogs on stakeout chains, horses and dozens of people at the breakaway. Next time I'll take her a day early, stake her out and let her get used to it.

Rocky did well. He has beautiful style, high cracklin tail and patterns to the front naturally. He even backed his bracemate who had stopped in a "kennel point" pose. We all chuckled about it but the judges said "Hey-nice back". It was Rocky's first trial too and he was a little to intrigued with his bracemate the first 5-10 minutes and I'm sure thats what kept him out of the winners circle.

Both Molly & Rocky are still months shy of their first birthday and most of the competitors were almost 18 months old. All in all, I was pleased and will get them ready for next falls derby stakes.

Opening day of trout season was April 26th and I've been at LoBanks all week. Wouldn't you know the weather turned cold and rainy. There have been a few afternoon hatches of BWO's and Hendricksons but not alot of rising fish in these conditions. Most of the guys are splashing streamers with moderate success.

Lovells had its traditional "Celebration" and the Museum and Township Hall were filled with hundreds of fisherman. There were talks by regional fish biologists, fly tying and casting demonstrations, a huge kettle of chicken dumpling stew and hot coffee provided by the Lovells Historical Society.

All in All a pretty good week......................................

MEET ROCKY

2008-04-17T23:07:00.000-04:00

I recently aquired "Rocky" from Ross Callaway of Caladen Kennels in Hopkins SC. He was whelped 7-1-07 and is by CH. Strut ex Caladens Elhew Sarah. He has incredible style, is a natural backer and seems to have a great nose. He is already pointing grouse. I have put him with Scott Chaffee and he will be campaigned. In fact he and Molly are entered in the Beaverton Grouse Dog Club's Michigan Grouse Puppy Classic this coming weekend. I'll let you know how they do. I feel very fortunate to have two young dogs with alot of potential to be future champions. Meet "Sawmill Struttin"

MEET "LU" KEYSTONE'S PVT DANCER

2008-03-16T20:31:00.000-04:00

I acquired "LU" from Craig Peters shortly after her first birthday in July 2006. Craig had kept her from the breeding of CH. Hi Definition ex Keystone's Red Ryder. She is a littermate of Mike Spies "Ted" and also Bill Henke's Montero Rock. Craig felt at the time that Lu was just a little too soft to be a field trial competitor. Boy was he wrong. As she matured she became as hard driving as any setter I've owned and has really great bird finding abilities. She almost broke herself as all I ever had to do was tell her to stay as I walked in front of her and she'd watch the bird fly away. Lu sleeps at the end of our bed, rides in the front seat of the truck and wants nothing more than to please you and be with you. Although I said she'd just be my gun dog, I'm going to put her in a couple of trials this spring just for the experience. Then next fall you may see her in some of the major grouse championships.