Centercut, “Pete” has a good find on chickens backed by Montaro’s Rock behind the Gates Camp in Broomhill.

Hard Driving Dot (Hard Driving Rita x White Powder Pete) points a covey of chickens in the alfalfa! Dot is owned by Brian Ralph of PA.

Hard Driving Lucy searching for birds behind the Gates Camp in Broomhill. Lucy is owned by Shawn Thomas and is out of Hard Driving Bev by Centerpiece. She is a full older sister to Hard Driving Rita.

6 month old Boots is a littermate to Dot and Betts out of Hard Driving Rita x White Powder Pete.

Brian Ralph’s Bobber has a good find on chickens!

Hard Driving Betts, littermate to Dot and Boots shown here at 6 months. Betts was named after field trial reporter, writer Bill Allen’s* wife…very big shoes to fill. Betts is co-owned by Joe and Chris Mathan.

Rock has a find backed by Pete.

Betts finds chickens behind the Gates Camp, Broomhill.

From Broomhill, Joe traveled to his camp near Lakota, North Dakota. At the end of the month, he heads to his first trial, the North Country Shooting Dog Championship at Namekagon Barrens in northern Wisconsin. From there he will go to the Wisconsin Coverdog Championship in Augusta.

*Bill wrote “The Unforgettables and Other True Fables” available through Strideaway.

Joe judged the 2011 Pelican Open Derby with Mazie Davis. In the spring of 2009, Mazie judged the Armstrong Umbel Endurance Classic for Grouse Dogs held in Marienville, PA. Wild bird trials have many similarities whether they are conducted on ruffed or sharptail grouse. Whether for walking shooting dogs or prairie all-age dogs, wild birds present the same set of difficulties for bird dogs and require an understanding of the species of birds’ behavior.

Pal O’ Mine “Fin” has a grouse find!

Third week of August Joe and Cheryl took the string of field trial dogs to northern New Hampshire to train with Tony Bly. Chris Mathan came from Maine to drop off Hard Driving Rita, Hard Driving Betts (Rita’s five and a half month old pup by White Powder Pete co-owned by Joe and Chris), Pal O’ Mine, Pal’s Sea Pearl and Pal’s Kitty Hawk. All but Kit were headed to the Davis Camp in Broomhill, Manitoba with Joe. Chris returned to New Hampshire at the end of the week to get Kit and to see what progress had been made with the dogs.

Joe with Rita and Tony head back to the truck.

Betts went for a swing through the Red Barn where she found her first three grouse and a woodcock! At Chris’s request, Joe brought Hard Driving Bev along for the trip. Thanks to Craig Doherty for supplying the pigeon on a hot afternoon with poor scenting conditions. Chris managed to get this photo of three generations:

Hard Driving Rita (Bev x Centerpiece), Hard Driving Betts (Rita x White Powder Pete) and 7 x grouse Champion Hard Driving Bev (Jeb’s VD x Beaver Meadow McGee).

Sharptail grouse are commonly called “chickens” by field trialers!

Both Joe and Colvin still have a few openings for field trial and personal hunting dogs of any pointing dog breed. Your dog(s) WILL BE REGULARLY worked on WILD birds and will be returned to you tuned for field trial competition or the upcoming hunting season.  Your dogs will also receive the best care and nutrition while at “bird camp”. Both Colvin and Joe have stellar reputations. Nothing is better than the prairies for any type of bird dog — youngsters as well as older dogs. Give Joe a call today!

Lucy backing Mabel pointing sharptail grouse in Broomhill, Manitoba.

Sharptail grouse are tremendous birds for younger dogs especially when they are first being steadied. When Joe went into flush, several more birds lifted.

Joe preparing to run a dog in Broomhill.

Working dogs with Colvin and Mazie Davis on their Broomhill grounds.

2011 HDK_SummerTrainingBrochure

The HDK Summer Training Program starts on Joe’s training grounds in Pennsylvania in June. August will include one week in northern New Hampshire training on ruffed grouse and woodcock. After that Joe will be heading to his North Dakota camp to train dogs on sharptail grouse, (and some pheasants and huns). Following the four week North Dakota program, Joe heads east for one week of training on ruffed grouse and woodcock in Wisconsin. For full details, please download the HDK 2011 Summer Training Brochure: 2011 HDK_SummerTrainingBrochure

Dodger is a 4 year old male pointer by Ch. Erin’s Tin Soldier out of Ch. Hard Driving Bev. Dodger has had extensive experience hunting wild birds in Texas, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. He is broke steady on wild birds, backs, handles with ease and has unlimited bottom. Dodger would be competitive as a (big running) walking or horseback field trial dog. He would make a great wild upland bird hunting dog for a serious bird hunter who needs a tough dog who can hunt all day. Price: $2,500. Please call Joe for details.

Is this your dog? Trying to get her in shape for the spring trials? Good Luck!

Here’s A Better Idea:

Send your older dog down to sunny North Carolina to be conditioned and fine-tuned or your young dog to get a start on birds. 1,000 acres of managed quail habitat with plenty of pre-released birds.

Joe is taking only a limited number of dogs for 3 to 4 weeks of intensive training and conditioning. $750 per dog, leaving February 18 from PA. Your dog needs to be dropped off at the kennel prior to the 18th or you can meet Joe on route. For more details, contact him today via email or call Hard Driving Kennels at 814-789-3715.

A more recent photo of Willy will be posted when available!

Willy is 4 years old and out of CH. Hard Driving Bev by CH. Centerpiece. He is a littermate to Hard Driving Lucy. Willy is steady to wing and shot and is very classy on point. He has been trained extensively on wild birds: grouse & woodcock in Minnesota and quail in Texas. The quail hunting ranch in Texas where he is has been sold. For more information and price, please contact Joe at: 814-789-3715.

Willy_pedigree

Tic_Pedigree

Tic in Pennsylvania (2009)

Tic in Texas (winter 2009).

On his return he will be heading up to the Michigan championships to compete with his string. Then he heads south again for the PA Grouse Championship, then back up to Michigan for the Lake States Grouse Championship.

Augusta, Wisconsin Field Trial Grounds