Monday, September 28, 2009

Cold blustery days - camp wrapping up

Well, we are packing up and winding down - we will still road the dogs and work a few dogs on birds every evening but for the most part - we are finished working dogs and wrapping up camp.

We have available for purchase a few puppies. These pups have been run on the prairie all summer - pointed many wild birds, and are running great. They have been properly exposed to gun fire and are some of the best bred llewellin setters in the country. They are for sale for $750 each.

#1 Mystra - female chestnut full masked tricolor. She is a top notch field trial prospect - she is out of Whiterock Mali by Whiterock Forever Knight, both her parents have numerous derby and shooting dog wins. Mystra is a solidly built female that runs with a merry cracking tail and points with a 11 oclock tail. Super nose, she has been run off horseback and makes 200 yd casts on a regular basis and has pointed and held birds for me to ride up and flush. She reminds me of her aunt Diva - and should be a top notch shooting dog prospect. She should go to a serious AF or AKC field trialling home.

#2 Tymora - female chestnut belton. She is another very good field trial prospect, littermate sister to Mystra. She is a very nicely built female, almost masculine build (reminds me of Diva). Runs with a merry tail, and this dog has been observed making 350 yd casts when run for horseback. Has pointed and knocked many pheasants and sharptail. Very enduring dog often running 8 miles while I road older dogs and making strong forward casts into the prairie to point birds. She should be a top notch field trial prospect. AF or AKC field trialling homes would be best.

#3 Xena - 3/4 masked chestnut tricolor - Strong dominant bitch. Littermate sister to Mystra and Tymora. She points with a 12 oclock tail and has a great nose - pointing countless pheasants and sharptail this summer. She has not the endurance of Mystra and Tymora but still has very good bottom. She makes 200 yd casts occasionally but mostly will run about 150 yds from horseback. She will be a very good AKC Gun Dog or a dog for a serious wild bird hunting prospect.

#4 Loki - Full sibling to Diva and Knikki - By Shoeleathers Tanner out of Sherrods Pretty Polly. This is a big male tricolor belton. He has pointed numerous wild birds and conditioned to gun fire. He is a strong male, and has good endurance. Points with an 11 O clock tail. And has a good nose. He works at 100-125 yds from horseback. He runs with a lively tail but a bit low. In workouts, he is not as serious as I would like to see, but still very attentive and trainable. He will be a great hunting dog I believe.

#5 Chester - This a a full masked chestnut tricolor. He is going to be a 60 lb plus dog. Runs big, have seen him make 400-500 yd casts, but needs to develop more endurance. He points with an 11 o clock tail and will be a fine dog for a serious wild bird hunter. While here on the prairie he has had lots of contact with wild pheasant and sharptail, showing a nose for birds. Should be a great hunting dog for a serious wild bird hunter.

Contact Chuck Wilson - 254-644-5207 if interested.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Fine day for puppies

Well, we are giving the older dogs the day off, today. We ran puppies. We have several trial prospects - that may be available for purchase (we can't trial them all) Mia is standing broke to the flush along with her sister Dolly. One of these pups is gonna be a serious trial dog. Dolly is a client dog that has made tremendous progress.

Mystra, Tymora, Diana and Xena - All pointed birds today and did a great job they are conditioned to gun fire now and are doing great - Diana and Tymora - Had numerous points and flushes on wild birds. Xena is holding point very well.

Molly and Haley - Had numerous finds - holding to the flush - they had a great run for over one hour.

Tucker - Ran today because he is really starting to make a turn - it is very probable that if I had 10-20 more days here on wild birds he would be broke with style and class. He had a semi-broke find today - he was making game and I saw birds running through the grass - a gentle whup and he stopped and pointed - he stood through the flush of 15 birds and through the shot - holding until I collared him away. He had a stop to flush - that I whoaed him on - and handled it fine too - then on a third contact he stopped to flush on his own and held with manners through the shot. I am so happy to see this from him. Should we be able to get him broke - he will be a very nice trial dog.

Knikki - Had a broke find on a pheasant. We then moved into a wheat field that holds sharptail - this was just what Knikki needed - he had numerous wild flushes that he mishandled and was corrected and after about is 3rd stop to flush correction was stopping promptly on the wild flushes.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, September 25, 2009

Great Training day

We, had visitors for a week - Joe and Janeen Schneider from Houston. Our days were great, especially yesterday.

All the braces had birdwork. Most of the dogs are seriously ready to run in upcoming trials.

Dogs we ran were:

Chewy, Dot, Tymora, Mystra, Knikki, Diva, Mali, Jackie, Maggie and Collin.

They all ran wonderful shooting and all age races respectively. Each had a contacts with birds with the broke dogs handling it with all in order - puppies and derbies held to flush.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Cooler Days

Dot - Running a big all age race, she had one mishandled opportunity to point birds in a high wind.

Chewy - Running big all age race, he pointed a single sharptail and finished strong.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Cooler days was very good for the dogs

Maggie, Collin, Molly, Dolly, Jake, Doc, Bess, and Haley - have been running very well, they have had multiple finds on pheasants and sharptail in the last couple days.

Max - Running well, finds birds and holds to the flush or shot.

Kiwi - Running very well, she has not had much birdwork lately, however. Right, where she needs to be for a puppy aged dog.

Buster - Running a nice very comfortable foot hunting range. He has found multiple birds today but was not holding steady. I have been taking Buster and Tucker out often at night to hope more birds would help - it seems to be working but very slowly for Buster.

Tucker - Had some stop to flush today with some correction, this progress is good and gives hope that Tucker is making the turn towards being broke. He finds birds most days and his ground work is great.

Trevor - Making progress, about where he should be for a derby aged dog. Finds some birds, green broke in yard training.
Lucy - Broke, Broke and more broke - runs a nice gun dog race. Sweet dog that is a pleasure to train.

Jackson - Still not much progress. Runs short and seems not to care about hunting or birds.

Hope - Running great and had a nice broke piece of birdwork on an honor of a bracemate on sharptail. Making progress towards our goal.

Tech - Ran great, hunting improving and patterning great. No birds today though.

Kane - Great shooting dog race. One broke find - Diva and he made some fantastic moves and are a pleasure to watch and train.

Diva - Still the diamond of the show. Running great and I foresee great things for her.

Knikki - Did some bad stuff yesterday - ended up in the harness because he was chasing wild flushes like a puppy.

Jackie and Mali - Multiple broke pieces of work - running very well. They are coming on great and should be great competitors this season.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Cold front coming


Well, the last couple days have been warm, but we will get a cold front coming in this weekend.

Dolly and Mia - They ran together this morning and had several points or contacts with numerous pheasants. Nice pair of littermates.

Jakey, Collin, Maggie, Molly and Bess. Ran this morning and did a nice job reaching out on the prairies, staying forward and pointing some birds. Molly had a nice find on a 3/4 grown rooster pheasant. Collin and Jakey shared a find, and Maggie had numerous finds and knocked a bunch of sharptails.

Buster - Had a nice find and some other contacts. Still working close.

Tucker - Running great, had a nice find. More he runs and makes contact the better he is getting.

Diva - Ran a big shooting dog race, no opportunity at birds.

Jackie - Had a nice back, ran better than she has previously.

Mali - Had a beautiful shooting dog race, she had one find and a stop to flush.

Max - Had a nice find and a good gun dog race and pattern.

Star - Ran a nice gun dog race, and had a broke find.

Lucy and Kane - Ran well with a broke find each.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Warm Days

We worked a bunch of puppies today early. Dolly, Mia, Bess, and Molly. Each of these dogs had at least one productive point on wild pheasants, they hunted diligently and to likely places to hold birds.

Dot and Chewy - Ran a pretty nice shooting dog race, in very tough conditions. Dot had 2 finds, Chewy had one find.

Knikki and Rhemy - Ran a nice shooting dog race, went to likely objectives. Knikki had a broke find and a back. Littermates that scorch the country.

Jakey and Tech - Ran very well making 200-400 yd casts. Jakey pointed 1 bird, and Tech had contact with 2 more. Progress continues.

Collin and Maggie - Ran extremely nice moderate shooting dog race. They went to likely objectives and made intelligent casts. Unfortunately, the numerous birds we saw driving into the training grounds scattered into the cornfields where they are relatively safe from being found by the young dogs.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Still a bit on the warm side


We got a bit done today in spite of the warm weather. Haley, Collin, Doc, Maggie Jake all had multiple finds or contacts on the numerous pheasants that are getting out now that the crops are coming off. At times there were 4 pups either backing or pointing today.

Max - Ran well, had a nice race in the heat at nice comfortable gun dog range with one non-productive

Lucy - Had a beautiful stop to flight, on a sharptail that I rode up. Made some very nice gun dog casts

Cord - Great race, had one honor and one piece of broke bird work.

Hope - Had some non-productives and one find on a pheasant, with a pretty nice AKC Gun Dog race.

Kane - 3 honors and one broke find - nice shooting dog range.

Jackson - Still not wanting to hunt much. Will continue to work on him.

Buster - 3 finds on pheasants - derby broke manners - very nice close hunting dog range.

Tucker - Made some huge moves - had bird contact, but did not get any pointed. Will continue to work him on areas where we have lots of birds.

Star - Ran well, but did not have any bird work.

Trevor - Ran well, but scenting conditions were not great and he had no bird work.

Sally - Ran well, one bird contact. Making progress

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Training today



We ran the puppies first this morning. The puppies we ran were: Doc, Collin, Molly, Dolly and Mia.

Doc - Ran well, he pointed 3 pheasants and ran all over the alfalfa fields we were training on sometimes getting in there over 300 yds.

Collin - Made some huge moves, he pointed 2 pheasants, and his application was good. Listening better.

Molly - Ran hard and had more points and backs than I could count but about 6 or so of each.

Dolly - Ran big, made some 200 plus yd casts, pointed 2 pheasants and honored Mia twice.

Mia - Ran big, made some casts in the 100-300 yd ranges, pointed 4 pheasants and honored Doc and Mia once each.

Dot - Ran super well, nice shooting dog range. She had a non-productive on a pheasant that ran out and flushed 100 yds in front of us I believe.

Cullen - Pointed 1 pheasant - ran well and to the front, super nice and developing field trial dog.

Buster and Tucker - Had numerous opportunities to point birds, but failed to do so. Still hoping that the light will come on for both of them.

Chewy - Ran a nice shooting dog derby race. Mishandled his bird, but getting much better.

Knikki and Diva - Ran big shooting dog race for over an hour. Knikki had a nice piece of broke dog work with Diva backing mannerly. Diva made some great moves but did not come up with any finds.

Mali and Jackie - Ran a moderate shooting dog race for an hour. Jackie had an non-productive early with Mali backing. Mali returned the favor later. Near the end of the hour Mali had a broke find with Jackie backing mannerly. It was great work - Jackie was tempted by a grouse flying right over her head, she maintained her composure and only turned her head to watch the flight of the bird.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

P.S. I am getting my field trial schedule for October firmed up. I need emails from the following people, so we can firm up whether campaigning the dogs in field trials is warranted.

Donna Gibbons-Markey - Hope and Maggie
Rhonda Berg - Collin and possibly Haley
Bourke Harvey - Dot
Stan Copeland - Dolly


Let me know - all these dogs are capable of placing/winning field trials.

Waning of Summer


The old trainer started the morning as the sun came up. The air was crisp, a hint of frost on the ground, and the dogs and horses were excited. He saddled his old reliable field trial horse, walked over to the dogs and unsnapped his young irish setter from the chain. Summer was waning into fall, the colors of the trees had started to turn. He marveled at the brilliant painting on the canvas of the Earth that the Creator had blessed him with. The chokecherries and plums were ripening and large groups of prairie birds had started to congregate near these areas feasting on the manna from Heaven. He planned to run his younger dogs around these areas to get them in more opportunity to point birds. Time was running out and the old trainer felt the urgency of the coming field trial season, and the necessity of getting his young dogs broke and in great shape, as judging by what he had seen at the few prairie trials he attended the competition would be fierce again this year, just like it was every year. He was confident in his shooting dogs, they were as prepared as he had ever had them and he felt for sure. That this would be, His Year.

He reflected on the young derbies he had at camp and felt this was a very good crop of derbies, as good or better than most he had in the previous summers.

There was the brilliant orange and white nephew of his old dog. He had already placed in a prairie derby stake this year. He had just gotten better in the weeks since that trial, maturing in application and bird work on every opportunity.

A young tri color bitch. She was the daughter of a field trial winner herself, and as the summer passed into fall, she had been a whisker away from placing in a trial herself. He thought to himself, she will put it all together soon, and be hard to beat. She had intelligent expressions, and he could tell she understood what was expected of her and she improved and showed greater potential each work out.

Then there was the strong willed, naturally talented orange and white derby from north Texas. Related to some of the best dogs he had trained, but more strong willed and quite trainable once he decided to be trained. This dog likely had greater potential than any of the other derbies. He thought to himself. Once he makes the turn, wow!

He felt the young derby put his head against is leg - demanding a pet and a scratch from his old master. The excitement of the dog was evident by the trembling and excited whining as the old trainer lead him to the starting line to turn him out for his workout that would last nearly an hour. The brilliant copper hue of the dogs coat shined in the early morning sun as the old trainer turned the dog loose to roll across the prairie. Soon, he was a copper dot against the yellows, and reds of the turning leaves and flora of the prairie. He made a cast down a small drainage, working into a the wind and pointing at the edge of a small cluster of buffalo brush. The old horse quickened his pace without urging to the motionless young irish setter standing with the feathering of his coat moving in the light breeze. The morning sun reflected off his copper colored coat and there appeared to be a halo around the young derby.

The old trainer waited, taking in the scene and etching it in his mind with all the other memories of summer training camps of the past. Memories that would sustain him when he was no longer able to heed the Call of the Prairies. He marveled at the brilliant scene in front of him, the young irish setter was drinking in the scent like Nectar from the Gods. His lip quivered as he inhaled the scent. Out of the corner of his eye he watched his master. The old trainer dismounted and walked into the brush, a the large covey of sharptail exploded from under his feet, the old trainer fired a blank from his old blank gun and turned. He was pleasantly surprised to see his young charge still standing motionless as the birds sailed over a low hill. He reached the young dog and petted him, as he collared the young dog to give him a well deserved drink of cool water.

The old trainer remounted and whistled his young charge on. The young red dog, slashed up the prairie, with huge moves in a mature application for the remaining time. Pointing brilliantly three more times and displaying impeccable manners. As he harnessed up the young dog and roaded him back to camp. The old trainer reflected on todays turn of events. How many times, in the past had a dog made a turn seemingly out of no where. Turning in a brillant, broke shooting or all age performance. The old trainer realized it was the way of the prairie. Each training session, each mishandled bird, taught his young charges more than he ever could in the same time. Soon, those young dogs were putting it altogether, and standing broke like old veterans, something that was not as easy to do at home in Texas.

He returned to camp to see his other young dogs eagerly awaiting there turn on the prairie. The old trainer was as close to heaven he had ever been, and was regretting the turn of the season which would send him back to Texas. For the winters on the prairie were as harsh as the summer was heavenly.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Monday, September 14, 2009

Great training day



Well, we are entering the last phases of training here in SD. With plans to go to MT in a couple weeks to run in a field trial in Great Falls.

Buster - Still running short - still hoping to see him start firing and moving out.

Tech - Ran great today but did not find any birds to point.

Tucker - Running great - still needs some bird contact.

Dolly - Running really well, she had 4 derby broke finds and a great race today.

Mia - Running better, she had 2 finds and I was able to walk almost in front of her and flush.

Haley - Running a great derby race, 2 finds.

Bess - Starting to run better - had one find.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Puppies had a big day



We ran a bunch of pups today - they all did fantastic.

Doc - Pointed 3 pheasants, that I was able to flush and fired the gun as he broke to chase. He knocked about 30 more. Pinning pheasants in wheat stubble is really tough.

Haley - Pointed 2 pheasants, I was able to flush the birds before she broke and chased and fired a blank. This is great for her, she has turned the corner I think. She had many more contacts

Jake - 6 pheasant finds - I flushed 4 of them before he knocked them and chased. Get job on the ground.

Molly - 6 finds, I was only able to flush in front of her on one but, great job on the ground overall.

Collin - 10 finds - 4 of which I was able to flush before he broke. His application and handling is getting much better.

Dolly - Pointed 4 pheasants, I was able to flush all of them. Doing a great job. Superior young puppy with loads of potential.

Some of you have asked about the potential of your dogs to trial.

These dogs have great potential - perhaps even the ability to make history for llewellins. Jake, Collin, and Maggie have the potential ability to compete at the highest level shooting dog stakes, if they continue to be exposed to wild birds, worked towards that goal and get a bit of luck.

Haley, Dolly, and Molly have the potential to be great AKC field trial dogs and with proper development - Regional level American Field trial winners. Again, this opinion is based on the potential I see right now - and I am sure I haven't seen all the ability in these dogs, and my feeling is they will get much better as they age and mature.

Dot - Standing broke on her two bird contacts today. This dog could take it as far as she wants to go.

Chewy - Stood broke on one bird, derby broke on another. Potentially a very nice big going shooting dog or all age dog

So far, I am really loving what I am seeing from all these dogs. I look forward each day to run them and see them put it all together more and more each day.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Friday, September 4, 2009

Another Great Day Training



Another cool day that was conducive to running our bigger running dogs.

Cord - This is the best bird dog llewellin I have ever seen. Seldom does this dog not have several broke finds on wild birds on his outings. Today was no different he had 3 broke finds on pheasants and a stop to flight of a group of pheasants that was rode up by another handler. He just turned 16 months old.

Kiwi - Lauren Soulis's pride and joy. Kiwi ran very hard this morning in heavy cover and pointed a pheasant and mishandled another. Still working on getting her broke - she is still young but progress is being made.

Collin - Ran a big race in heavy cover and found 5 groups of birds - pointed on 3 occasions but did not hold long enough for me to get off the horse and flush.

Chewy - Ran a nice shooting dog race, had contacts with birds, and one honor. He is still figuring out handling wild birds, but progress continues.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Training is really getting good



We have had a great couple days training. We are making great progress. The dogs are coming along great with a few exceptions.

Lucy - Ran well with several broke finds on pheasant and a couple times she honored well on other dogs points. Her range is comfortable foot hunting range, great nose and impeccable manners.

Squirt - Nice going, comfortable foot hunting range, she had 5 broke finds and 3 stop to flights as we rode up birds that sailed over her head.

Max - Worked well in heavy cover and stuck a sharptail several times . He broke at the shot but progress continues.

Tech - Ran very well, working the cover, intelligently and wind appropriately. He pointed birds twice and I was able to flush in front of him on one occasion. Progress continues.

Sallie - Ran well, worked the cover well still maturing on application. No birds were pointed.

Hope - Worked the cover well, at moderate foot hunting range, she had 4 finds and 2 honors. She is getting tighter on her birds.

Trevor - Ran well, had 3 bird contacts but mishandled them. He is a moderate working hunting dog, that shows progress in every outing.

Dot - Ran a forward, hard going shooting dog race, she pointed birds on 4 occasions, all handled with derby manners and a stop to flush near the end of her hour with broke dog manners.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Lost my Cell Phone

If anyone needs to get in touch with me - please phone my camp phone - 605-865-3173 - I lost my cell phone training today and the nearest Verizon Store is in Aberdeen, SD.

Keith- Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Great day training

Well, today we had a light rain early and it was overcast and cool most of the morning. We roaded dogs early - and ran 4 groups of dogs.

Our first group had many pheasant finds - Kane had 6 broke finds, and 8 or 10 honors. All with manners appropriate to a mature, broke dog.

Doc - Had a great run, a derby broke find and two more points on running pheasants - His owner Kevin was grinning from ear to ear watching his little guy run this morning.

Bess - Ran by herself but had a flash point on a group of birds. Race was appropriate for her limited amount of horseback handling.

Tucker - Ran hard, well applied race, worked the wind great and had 6 pheasant contacts over the hour he was on the ground.

Keith - Posting from Under the Rusty Windmill