At present new faces are stepping in, taking the reins of the clubs, running their dogs, making courses and keeping this wonderful set of grounds alive and well. My hat is off to those who made it happen and who have maintained and bettered the hallowed grounds of the Gladwin Field Trial Area.
Fletcher Sep 12, A host of field trialers attended the th Anniversary celebration of the Gladwin Refuge in Field trialing began in England and other European centers in the early s. Those northern Michigan environs were bountiful timber land.
What was the future of this cutover land after the lumber companies moved out? Apologies to any whom I may have not included. Comments 0. If you wish to comment, please login. Username: Password:. Lost your password? Young Art Studio. Tennessee Open Shooting Dog Championship. Mid-Florida Brittany Club.
Tarheel Brittany Club. Associated Field Trial Clubs of Florida. Westark Field Trial Club. Cahaba Bend Field Trial Club.
Southeastern Brittany Club. Sandlapper Field Trial Club. Virgil Beasley Sr. Memorial Amateur Shooting Dog Classic. Lancaster County Field Trial Association. North Missouri Field Trial Association. Eastern Kanto Field Trial Club. Cajun Classic Open All-Age. Greater St. Louis Brittany Club. Georgia Brittany Club. Coalfield Bird Dog Club. Rolling Fork Bird Dog Club.
Chesterfield Field Trial Club. Buck-Tuck Qualifier. Sumter County Bird Hunters Association. National Open Shooting Dog Championship. National Derby Championship. Fayette County Field Trial Club. West Valley Bird Dog Club. Southwestern Field Trial Club.
Alabama Open All-Age Championship. Pointing Breed field trails are one of the oldest and most traditional of the field events and thousands of dogs have earned titles since its inception.
All dogs six months of age or older from the following breeds are eligible to participate in Pointing Field Trials:. Most Pointing field trials are held at local AKC clubs, and there are often classes you can take to prepare. Some clubs offer practice sessions or someone might be willing to take you out to work your dog.
We also recommend you attend a few Pointing field trials in person and get the rulebook so you can understand how the judging works. Find an event. Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Regardless of type, they all share a gentle nature and picture perfect looks, as well as a good nose. Some of my Setter friends and contacts readily admit they prefer a slightly slower-moving dog that they can see and enjoy as it weaves through a fall cover, with the tinkling of a bell only adding to the experience.
They live for the feathery classic point, and shooting at a bird is an afterthought. Others want a firecracker that sizzles through the woods, reaching way out in search of birds, with the distant staccato beep from a collar signaling a point.
After a location is found on the GPS receiver, they head into the cover and like to be rewarded with an opportunity for a shot. This is a breed that can fit differing personalities. I've heard more legends of English Setters being good or great grouse dogs than any other breed. That might be a product of their popularity, or it might be why they are so popular.
It doesn't matter: they are a proven breed for grouse hunting and look damn stylish doing it. I heard from a fair share of earnest grouse hunters who experimented with a lot of dog breeds until they found their nirvana with English Setters. I have many friends and acquaintances who run GSP's. That should say something about their popularity and effectiveness on grouse, given we live smack dab in ruffed grouse country.
And I had the pleasure of hunting over a particularly good one. I was impressed by this dog's no-nonsense, workmanlike hunting style. He knew how to handle and point the skittish, if not schizoid, ruffed grouse found in mid-Maine, without a lot of showing off or fanfare.
I think this is true of most dogs of this versatile breed. Tough, relentless and no-nonsense: The German Shorthair makes a great grouse dog.
That dog is over the rainbow bridge but the owner is now feeding two more GSP's. I asked him why he sticks with them. They are tough, dependable, and rarely break down.
GSP owners relish the strength and durability and easy maintenance of their dogs, along with their ability to chill out in the house, but turn it on in the woods. Being a short-haired breed, little if any time needs to be wasted combing out burrs on the tailgate, leaving more time to hit the next cover. I received input from a gentleman who runs a popular birddog website who hunts his shorthairs in a multiple of states and Canadian provinces.
He expressed how his dogs consistently hunt at a comfortable range for the foot hunter, are staunch on a pinned grouse, but naturally relocate until they crack into a solid point when they hit the scent cone.
A plus is they are largely natural retrievers, so few birds are lost. Versatile is the operative word; when not pointing grouse they can take on part-time work in a boat or blind retrieving waterfowl, and are handsome to boot. These medium-sized, hard-working pointing dogs are rumored to have originated as poachers' dogs, and are termed by some as "meat dogs. There's nothing derogatory about that as far as I'm concerned, since despite all the aesthetics prevalent in grouse hunting lore, ultimately we are trying to add protein to our game vest.
This breed was originally dubbed a spaniel but the "spaniel" was officially removed in You have two choices of field stock Britts: American or French Brittany. Generally the American Britt is larger, lankier, and a bigger runner by design.
The French Britt is more compact and generally a tighter worker. But despite "spaniel" being dropped from their name, both types have the merry, exuberant and biddable personality of a spaniel, with the point and the retrieve built in.
Britt owners I spoke with were a pragmatic group who weren't enamored with classic high-tailed points which is a good thing since Britts tails are docked. Britt owners appreciated the work ethic, nose and tenacity of their dogs.
A very good friend of mine who passed away a few years back adored his Brittanys, and I've never seen a closer bond than he had with his dogs. I had the privilege of grouse hunting with him in the states and in Canada. He was a solitary fellow, and when we met back at the truck, there was always a gleam in his eye, a grouse or two in hand, and of course a Britt by his side. If I get a pointing dog to add to my arsenal, it would likely be a Brittany.
You can't go wrong with any of the breeds covered here if the dog is well bred, trained to your needs and expectations, and you put the dog on a load of grouse. Finding your breed for hunting ruffed grouse is like finding a spouse. There are matches made in heaven, but also mismatches.
The trick is to date and play the field until you fall in love, and know when to throw in the towel and try another breed that fits you best.
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