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What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by matt null User icon on 1/3/2023, 2:13 pm

What made him/her special? What was the breed and bloodline?

Thought this might be an interesting question...

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Justin User icon on 3/11/2023, 10:57 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Sitting in the saddle judging allowed me to see quite a few great performances. One of the best was not in the saddle though it was on one of the steep courses of Kilkenny. CH Daddy’s Little Boy Butch just absolutely tore it apart, his bell was everywhere and when he stopped it was deadly silent. There was so much anticipation walking in on him standing so tall and looking absolutely fantastic. There was nothing in my eyes or in my mind that could touch him. CH Straight Forward was another that blew me away everytime I saw her run.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Appleseed3 User icon on 3/11/2023, 10:13 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

On the Brittany Side of things. Roger McPhersons' Libby. Winner of ABC Grouse and New England Grouse. I was there as Reporter. She could stay with any Longtail. Dave Hughes Handled as well as Roger. AH

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Larry Davidson User icon on 3/9/2023, 3:41 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Beaver Meadow Bette.
Always swinging for the fence.
Tony Bly is one of the best scouts.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Bill Holtan User icon on 3/9/2023, 9:13 pm, in reply to "Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Bette is a good answer also.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Kevin Klein User icon on 1/27/2023, 6:02 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

I walked soo many Ch. braces !!! Dogs in strange cover ? Dogs miles away from home !!!! Best Grouse dog EVER Long Gone Agnes ! I can not even explain the desire to find and hold a grouse with this dog !!!! KK

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by matt null User icon on 1/23/2023, 5:05 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Thanks for the responses. Quite interesting.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by BrittanyGuy User icon on 1/16/2023, 4:02 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Kingway anyone?

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Bert B User icon on 1/16/2023, 4:32 pm, in reply to "Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

YES

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Bert B User icon on 1/13/2023, 3:37 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

I think this is 2 part question, so I'll offer my 2 answers. As a lifelong grousehunter, I've been blessed with several very good grouse dogs, but back 30 years ago, the bird numbers and habitat in our area were pretty darn good, as hunters, we're lucky to walk behind our own dogs for many days and years, thus we see them handle birds often, and under different conditions. So, we've all seen our dogs do " great" things.

2nd part, is coverdog trials, I've been lucky to have witnessed, up close, many good performances, from Sanderlings Clover Rail, and A Rolling Stone, each having 6 grouse, Quail Trap Sadie, having 1 bird, in several different venues, Springfield Judge having 9, that's NOT a typo, his bracemate, Blue Streak, with 6,Titanium Hammer, Ponderosa Mac, both having multiple grouse in one trial, and solo birds in others.Panola Bacon, Little Boy Butch, and most recently Springbrook Maximus. I'm sure I've missed some, but those were some really memorable performances.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Bert B User icon on 1/13/2023, 4:08 pm, in reply to "Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Oooops missed Moss Meadow Traveler and Moss Meadow Seeker

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by doze User icon on 1/16/2023, 8:29 am, in reply to "Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Ditto on Moss's Travelor...Ken put him down once when I was looking at another dog from him to purchase. I had never seen a dog fly through the woods with a single minded purpose of finding grouse, before or since then. And finding grouse he did.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Mike User icon on 1/10/2023, 9:56 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

No need to go into detail, some of the best performances i saw were … BEV
Another dog that gave his all and had some great performances was Shady Hills Billy

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Grouse Fan User icon on 1/10/2023, 4:28 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

The most dominating performance I’ve ever seen by a grouse dog in a field trial was Grouse Hill Bell winning the PA Championship. She ate that course up and made every move you would hope to have seen with a grouse find in cover so sparse you’d swear no way a grouse would be there. That same Championship, Straight Forward had one the best relocations on a grouse I’ve seen to this day. She was a master at getting them pinned down and rarely went birdless. Close to Grouse Hill Bells performance was Daddy’s Little Boy Butch winning the Grand National. He was running so hard that he literally bounced off trees and had one way out on a limb grouse find and another shortly before time to put the icing on the cake. You see lots of good performances and if you are lucky a few that stick out far and above anything you’ve ever seen.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Evangelos Aposporis-Spata Sett User icon on 1/18/2023, 4:50 pm, in reply to "Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Grouse Hill Bell (John Capocci's Pointer) was exceptional. I had hunted over her many times and then witness her at multiple Championships such as NY. Straight Forward I owned her after her trial retirement so I am biased...Ch Ponderosa Mac was phenomenal and so is Grouse Hill Bullet Proof. Not only they find Grouse but their running, gate, style and stamina is amazing. Regards

Re: What's Ryan Frames best grouse dog he ever seen in action?

Posted by Dean Conklin User icon on 1/9/2023, 6:06 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

It would be very enlightening if Ryan Frame would offer 5 of the best Grouse dogs he had the pleasure of watching dogs handle grouse.

Re: What's Ryan Frames best grouse dog he ever seen in action?

Posted by Solon User icon on 3/11/2023, 6:43 am, in reply to "Re: What's Ryan Frames best grouse dog he ever seen in action?"

Ryan has written about several great grouse dog performances. Here is a quote: "I scouted as Dave Hughes won the Minnesota Grouse Championship with Springfield's Judge, a setter dog. Judge had nine grouse finds , all pointed, in the hour. Even if I set that performance aside as an anomaly, he found a lot of birds versus the competition in other events too. But looking at that performance, no dog has had nine finds on those grounds in the 15 odd years since." He also cited Stillmeadow's Jim for a great performance.

Solon Rhode

Re: What's Ryan Frames best grouse dog he ever seen in action?

Posted by Appleseed3 User icon on 1/13/2023, 7:39 pm, in reply to "Re: What's Ryan Frames best grouse dog he ever seen in action?"

Agree- I do respect Rogers' response and Solons> Enjoy reading all of them.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by colin ervin User icon on 1/9/2023, 3:07 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Wow!! So many great dogs that I have seen over the year's, and not all trial dog's. One of my favorite's was Yukon Annie. But the list goes on and on. I think about all the dogs that find birds in the trial's,on a consistent basis. that is no easy task. Happy New Year to all, and may your dog's all be pointing grouse.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Roger Johnson User icon on 1/9/2023, 10:53 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Thought about this for a while before throwing my oar in the water. The dog that keeps coming to mind is 'Fruchey's Ladybug'. ESB Out of a breeding done by Andy Eaton, (Missouri's Turnto Prince X Andy's Lady Zev). Owned by Wayne Fruchey, She was as tough as they come (that may be an understatement) and could stick grouse. Looking at old photos and notes, Lots of them. However her claim to fame was producing the Ch Ghost Train (Grand National 1969) (Fruchey's Ladybug X Samson Montcalm) and as they say, the rest is history..

Roger Johnson

Roger Johnson

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Bill Holtan User icon on 1/8/2023, 2:08 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

I’ve mulled this over since I first saw it posted and one dog immediately came to my mind. Then I kept thinking of different dogs and I guess I feel very fortunate to have seen many great grouse dogs. But I keep going back to CH Dance Smartly PF female owned and handled by Jerry Kolter.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Tom Derosa User icon on 1/7/2023, 4:49 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

The definition of a good grouse is one where you don't load your gun until your dog is pointed.You only carry three shells if thr limit is 2 and you only carry 5 if the limit is 4.Birds point per number of flushes tells you if you have a good grouse dog.Ive had the good fortune off having seen some truly great great grouse dogs.Some were trial dogs and three 4 were gun dogs.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Brent User icon on 1/6/2023, 7:50 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Bev

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Solon User icon on 1/6/2023, 6:09 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

Long Gone Madison. 5 solid grouse finds on a work out in northern NH. Maddy was 7X ch/7x Ruch. Parents Grouse Ridge Reroy x Long Gone Agnas.

Solon Rhode

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by doze User icon on 1/5/2023, 9:04 am, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

I have had dogs I have a lot of faith in finding birds if they are around, and some that for whatever reason just don't get it even if they have the desire. For me the best dog is the one I have down at that moment and nails the bird and has a classy intense point. I feel more pride on the dog that doesn't find as many birds but runs his heart out and really works at it. When I used to coach baseball I always pulled for the kid that worked his tail off but didn't get the results vs the kid that got the results but didn't put the work in.

Re: What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?

Posted by Mike User icon on 1/3/2023, 5:13 pm, in reply to "What's the best grouse dog you've ever seen in action?"

I have a strong bias. One of my dogs from 20 years ago.
Couldn’t have asked for a better breeding.
Orange and white Brittany
Call name “Murph”

"Boudreaux's Five 'nten" aka "Boudreaux's Five'n Dime"

Daughter of Nolan's Last Bullet

A bird finding machine who rarely pushed too hard or bumped a bird.

Mike Siegel

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