ShopPosts Tagged ‘National Pheasant Fest’
Meet My First Bird Dog!
Saturday, December 31st, 2011
The quest for "Sprig," the author's first pup, was chronicled in Pheasants Forever's "My First Bird Dogs" series.
The serious search for “My First Bird Dog” began at Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest* earlier this year. Initially, I’d zeroed in on an English springer spaniel, but after seeing my first-ever English cocker spaniel up close and personal at National Pheasant Fest, I knew. And just before the holiday break, I picked up “Sprig,” a lemon and white female field-bred English cocker, from Thunderstruck Gundogs in Balaton, Minnesota – my first bird dog!
*Speaking now from personal experience, Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic is the must-see event for bird dog owners or soon-to-be owners. While I didn’t purchase a pup on the spot, I gained first-hand info from an exhibiting professional dog trainer and his valuable reference on a quality breeder closer to my home. This year’s show is in Kansas City on February 17, 18 & 19.
An English cocker is the perfect fit for me: A close-working dog – check; adept in the grasslands and wetlands – check; a small breed that’s sized for my small apartment – check; and good looking to boot – check. The breeder, Mark Mercie, said, in his experience, he found females a bit easier to work with, so I heeded his advice. In fact, in the six-month lead up to getting Sprig, Mercie took many questions from Kaily, my significant other, and I on an all-too-regular basis – I can’t overstate how important this was to us. We picked her up at her seven-week mark, and didn’t have to dangle a pheasant wing or practice puppy psychology as she was the only female in the litter.
As I type this, Sprig is sound asleep on my lap. An hour before, she was treating the flesh of my hands as a chew toy. These are the highs and lows of puppy ownership, but she’ll age so quick – my day is her week, seven times faster than me – that doing anything other than simply enjoying this time is silly.
The “My First Bird Dog” series will now shift gears to the training process, with sights set on the pheasant hunting opener in 2012. The thought of this teething, 6-lb. peanut ever flushing and retrieving a pheasant is a near-foreign concept right now, with dog training like a foreign language. My puppy passport has been punched – know any good translators?
Previous “My First Bird Dog” posts:
- Introducing “My First Bird Dog”
- What I’m Looking For
- Gun Dog Experts’ #1 Piece of Advice
- Just Show Me the DOGFAX
- Why Attend a Hunt Test or Field Trial?
- What Was Your First Bird Dog?
- Stuck Between Two Litters
- Rationalizing the Sticker Shock
- Best Bird Dogs for an Apartment
- When everyone’s a Dog Expert
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauckPF.
The Hunting Dog Top 20 Chart
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puppy, number 107 on the AKC list, but number 1 at Pheasant Fest.
One needed only attend National Pheasant Fest 2011 last weekend for proof that nothing draws people to the world of wildlife habitat conservation like sporting dogs. Quite frankly, I’m surprised someone didn’t straight up try and steal the fuzz ball Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puppy. It was that cute.
The opportunity to see less common breeds such as this is a real draw of the show. But just how common or uncommon are certain breeds? The American Kennel Club last week released its annual list of the most popular dog breeds in America (Spoiler alert! The Lab retained its eternal hold on the top spot).
Either there are less bird hunters or hunting dogs are drowning in a sea of Shih Tzus (the complete AKC list includes all dogs), or both, but most working breeds are maintaining or declining in terms of overall dog popularity. Two breeds, Boykin Spaniels and Irish Red and White Setters, took serious nosedives on the chart, each dropping more than 40 spots. If someone can clue me in as to why, I’d sure like to know.
There are some notable exceptions. Proving that facial hair can really shape image, the breed with the biggest increase in ranking over the past year – hunting or non hunting dog – is the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (from 108th to 93rd). And if you examine data going back a decade, German Shorthaired Pointers are pointed in the right direction, jumping from 24th to 16th in that time period.
Listed below are the ranks of selected sporting dog breeds according to the AKC. In parentheses after each breed is its rank from 2010, followed by its rank from 2009 and then its rank from 2000, respectively. And considering the exposure the Duck Tolling Retriever pup got at Pheasant Fest, look for the breed to break the Top 100 next year.
Note: Many pointing dogs are registered with the Field Dog Stud Book as opposed to the AKC.
Labrador Retriever (1, 1, 1)
Golden Retrievers (5, 4, 2)
German Shorthaired Pointers (16, 16, 24)
Cocker Spaniels (25, 23, 14)
English Springer Spaniels (29, 29, 26)
Brittanys (30, 30, 31)
Weimaraners (32, 31, 32)
Viszlas (41, 42, 47)
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers (48, 49, 41)
English Cocker Spaniels (66, 66, 76)
German Wirehaired Pointers (73, 74, 73)
Irish Setters (77, 73, 62)
Wirehaired Pointing Griffons (93, 108, 112)
Gordon Setters (98, 97, 84)
English Setters (101, 95, 91)
Flat-Coated Retrievers (103, 106, 98)
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers (107, 110, NA)
Pointers (111, 114, 100)
Spinoni Italiani (118, 119, 143)
Welsh Springer Spaniels (127, 136, 113)
Clumber Spaniels (131, 128, 121)
Field Spaniel (132, 137, 132)
Boykin Spaniels (133, 92, NA)
American Water Spaniels (143, 139, 125)
Curly Coated Retrievers (146, 145, 130)
Irish Red and White Setters (150, 80, NA)
And in case you missed it, Pheasants Forever’s Bob St.Pierre also touched on the most popular bird dog breeds among Pheasants Forever members in his recent blog post What’s the Most Popular Bird Dog Breed in Pheasants Forever Land?
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Public Relations Specialist
Nebraska Pheasant Hunting and Pheasant Fest
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
National Pheasant Fest is the nation's biggest event for pheasant hunters.
It ain’t over ’till it’s over, and pheasant hunting in Nebraska definitely is not over. For those of you thinking about mixing in some pheasant hunting during your trip to “The Good Life” in Nebraska for National Pheasant Fest 2011, or mixing in some Pheasant Fest with your late season Nebraska pheasant hunting trip, here are a few good-to-knows.
- Nebraska’s 2011 licenses are now available. Nebraska’s annual hunt permit is valid for the entire calendar year, which means once purchased, it’s good this January, and then next pheasant hunting season for October, November and December.
- Nebraska’s pheasant hunting season runs through Monday, January 31st, 2011, meaning you could extend your Pheasant Fest weekend (Jan. 28-30) to wrap up with a day of hunting.
- At Pheasant Fest, youth age 15 and under can enter in a drawing for Nebraska Game and Parks half price lifetime permits. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will draw for 20 half price youth lifetime permits at National Pheasant Fest. If drawn, youth can get a lifetime permit at half the cost, with the other half courtesy of the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation. Drawing options include lifetime hunting, fishing and combination hunt/fish permits, as well as lifetime habitat and Nebraska migratory waterfowl stamps. Each winner may choose one permit or stamp. Drawing forms can only be filled out in person at the event. Anyone may enter a youth in the drawing.
- Scott Linden from Wingshooting USA will bring back his popular “Bird Hunting Boot Camp” seminar to the Cabela’s Hunter Help stage for all three days of National Pheasant Fest.
- And of course, from A (Ammunition) to Z (well, at least “Y” for Yellow Lab), if it relates to pheasant hunting, it’ll be at Pheasant Fest.
The Pheasant Fest Blog is written by Brad Heidel, Pheasants Forever’s Director of Special Event Sales
Bird Dog Writes Book, “Pawing” Autographs at Pheasant Fest
Monday, January 10th, 2011
Savvy the Golden Retriever - hunter, author, renaissance dog - is coming to National Pheasant Fest 2011. Photo © 2010 Photography By Karess
Who hasn’t wondered what a bird dog would say if it could talk. You’ll find out at National Pheasant Fest 2011 thanks to a new tell-all book written by a bird dog.
John Adams is a founding board member of the Dickinson County (Iowa) Pheasants Forever chapter. Now, he’s the publicist for his Golden Retriever, Savvy, who has “written” a book, Savvy, A Golden Dog’s View of This Human World.
Adams owned The Lakes News Shopper, a free circulation newspaper in Dickinson County from 1973-2007, and in 2007 his Golden, Savvy, started penning a bi-monthly column for the paper (with a little help from her owner). Over the past four years, her columns dealt with hunting, humor, human and animal friends and enemies, and family. The best of them have been compiled into the new book.
Savvy will have her first book signing at Pheasant Fest, as the book debuts there. Stop by booth 433, Jan. 28-30 to meet the author, get her paw print on your copy of the book, and view some great pictures of Savvy in action. We’re assuming that means hunting, not writing!
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Public Relations Specialist
Rooster Road Trip – Nebraska Preview
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
Nebraska's CRP-MAP initiative opens private land to public hunting.
There’s little doubt that Nebraska is over-looked in the world of traveling bird hunters. Year in and year out, it makes the top five lists of pheasant and quail states. Throw prairie chickens into the mix and the “Cornhusker State” has more going for it than a resurgent college football program about to enter the Big Ten.
Chief among the state’s progressive habitat programs and partnerships is the CRP-MAP lands initiative. The Conservation Reserve Program – Managed Access Program opens private land enrolled in CRP and managed for wildlife to public hunting. During our visit to Nebraska, we’ll focus on these public CRP acres with the hopes of adding a few bobwhite quail covey flushes to our adventure.
I have fond memories of my only hunting visit to Nebraska in 2004. I bagged my first bobwhite on that trip and missed my first prairie chicken later that day. I also connected on one of my best shots ever during that visit as a rooster tried to escape at 80 yards. He tasted especially good next to a side of mashed potatoes. When the Rooster Road Trip visits Nebraska next Friday, it will be Anthony and Andrew’s first time afield in the state.
Nebraska Nuggets
- A non-resident small game license costs $81.00 plus a $20 Habitat Stamp equals a $101 total. The license is good through the end of the calendar year.
- The daily bag limit is 3 roosters and 6 bobwhites.
- Hunting opens daily 30 minutes prior to sunrise and closes at sunset all season.
- Nebraska has a little more than 1 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). More than 450,000 of those acres’ contracts are set to expire in the next three years.
- Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest 2011, the nation’s largest event for upland hunters, comes to the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska on January 28-30, 2011.
Road Trip Recommendation
Boyt Gun Case: How many soft sided gun cases have you ripped with your barrel bead? I rip at least one every other year. I won’t guarantee that your bead won’t rip this case, but it’s about the perfect solution I’ve found merging quality and price.
The Pointer is written by Bob St.Pierre, Pheasants Forever’s Vice President of Marketing.
Annual Pheasants Forever Shotgun Review Kicks Off Pheasant Fest in Nebraska!
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
The 12 Gauge Beretta Xplor was one of the new shotguns tested in Omaha last month.
On May 13, the Pheasant Fest crew headed to Omaha. We were joined by 30 other Pheasants Forever members for PF’s annual new shotgun test event. We shot 17 new guns on a beautiful sunny (and yes windy) day just outside of Omaha at Werner Valley Shooting Complex on the banks of the Platte River.
First off, I have never shot at a more beautiful facility in my life. The lodge, sporting clays, and 5-stand were state-of-the-art with a leather-appointed indoor range to top it off.
We shot several new models and some slightly older models with upgrades. We shot guns from Beretta, Benelli, Remington, Winchester, Browning, Connecticut Shotgun, CZ, Stoeger, Ithaca, Weatherby, Fausti USA, Verona, Franchi, Ugartechea, Parker, and an optic from Burris. We also took full advantage of the beautiful indoor range and shot a DPMS Panther 5.56 and Kimber .45.
All of the guns performed great; however, there were two that when all was said and done, people wanted to shoot more. The first was the Benelli Legacy 28 Gauge, while the second most popular was the gun with the mounted Burris Speed Bead.
After the shoot, we all adjourned to the lodge to discuss the guns and talk about National Pheasant Fest coming to Omaha next January 28, 29, and 30 in 2011.
To learn more about all these fine guns look for your Pheasants Forever Fall Magazine for my article giving you the specifics!
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