Result: Moose River Grouse Dog Club

Location: Moose Junction, Wisconsin

Post Date: May 14, 2025

Submitted By: Jerry Furnish

Open Shooting Dog (front row): Ed Graddy with Northern Slopes Bell, Eric Saetre with Northwoods Cedar, and A. J. Kalupa with Kona's Blue Sky. (Back row): Jeff Marek (judge) and Steve Snyder (judge).

Starting Friday, April 25, we were treated to one last spring trial in the woods before Wisconsin's quiet time, and it didn't disappoint. We had great weather throughout, wonderful sportsmanship, and a team of members willing to help in any way necessary to have a successful venue. The birds were cooperative, and the numbers were more than adequate. Spectators were witnesses to fine grouse dogs running on one of the most unique trial grounds. Congratulations to all placed winners. Both the Shooting Dog and Derby stakes featured some of the top-ranked dogs in the country, and we had more than a few pleasurable braces.

The Moose River Grouse Dog Club would like to thank the following for another successful event:
To all club members who helped clear courses, helped with prep work leading up to the trial, and those who helped during the trial, including Tim Kaufman, Ed Graddy, Bill Frahm, Sig Degitz, Jerry Furnish, Lindsey Saetre, Eric Saetre, Ben Mergens, Tucker Johnson, Colin Peterson, Jeff Marek, and Greg Johnson; Judges Steve Snyder, Jeff Marek, Kyle Peterson, and Hannah Peterson; Douglas County Forestry Department for their cooperation in allowing us to hold our event on county forest land; Trent Sprague at Moose Junction Lounge for the wonderful lunches, fantastic campground facilities, and a great place to serve as our trial headquarters; to everyone who participated and entered dogs, the Moose Club is extremely grateful.

Notables:
Brace 5 - Bear Bait Course - At the conclusion of another great meal provided by Moose Junction Lounge, we made our way to Bear Bait Course for the fifth brace. Often in a competitive stake, one brace stands out, and the dogs and handlers provide a balance of excitement and birdwork, producing two placers in the process; Setters Northern Slopes Bell, orange and white, along with darkly marked Kona's Blue Skye, provided. Handlers Graddy and Kalupa broke the dogs away shortly after 1 p.m. on a partly cloudy backdrop with 56-degree, mostly calm conditions.
At the breakaway, both dogs immediately found likely cover to the right and showed maturity in handling scent over excitement during the run out. At 2, both bells went silent, and handlers and judges entered to find both staunch some 25 yards off the trail in a deadfall tangle. Graddy approached first, and a grouse started somewhere between the dogs. After a brief discussion, Graddy was asked to fire, and judges decided on a divided find, all in order for both. Bell continued on in a very controlled manner, always forward and at times at the edge of her bell but always in tune with Graddy. She had a well-behaved woodcock at 15, followed by a grouse at 36, a solid back at 39, all in order. At 50, her bell was lost, and after a brief search, Bell was found in the middle of a nearly impossible to navigate tangle surrounded by standing water. After a brief attempt to flush, Graddy asked to collar out, which was granted, and she finished her brace out front, much the way she began. Overall, it was an effortless handle by Graddy and a well-run and connected hour by Bell. According to judge Snyder, Bell displayed the quality expected of a grouse dog and was worthy of first place.
Following the aforementioned divided find at 2, Kona had a forward run and dissected cover well. At 15, she crossed from right to left on high ground and turned back into the breeze, and her bell stopped abruptly. She was observed some 30 yards from her bracemate, honoring with perfect manners. At 32, Kona was working through a maze of fallen logs when the distinct sound of a seasoned grouse exploded from the vicinity and carried over her and beyond. The bell stop was immediate, Kalupa's gun didn't faze, and an in order stop to flush was noted. At 39, Kona delivered her own grouse find and finished out her brace without incident. Though not quite reaching the range or intensity in run as her bracemate, all questions about birdwork were asked and answered. Kona stayed forward and in control with an easy handle credited to Kapula, earning her a third-place finish.

Brace 4 (Spruce Course) began shortly before 11 a.m. with the sun showing briefly with a 49/54-degree start/finish. This brace featured our newly crowned Grand National Invitational runner-up, Northwoods Cedar, handled by Eric Saetre, and a well-built, darkly marked setter, Berg Brothers Hatchet, handled by Colin Peterson.
At 15, the course turned abruptly right, and Cedar was left over a hill and became briefly disconnected, leaving distance between handlers, but Cedar soon made a huge move turning the clock from 9 to 12 to make the front. Before Saetre could catch up, Cedar's bell was lost at her handler's 11 o'clock, and the decision was made to move in, followed by judge Marek. As the gallery made its way forward with Peterson and judge Snyder, we made a left-hand turn and ran into Cedar, pointed just off trail. As Saetre made his way, followed by Marek, a grouse was flushed behind Cedar, but as he got closer, a woodcock screamed its way up and out of sight in front of her, leaving little doubt the grouse was incidental and the woodcock was recorded. A well-spaced woodcock was found and handled in order at 37, and Cedar continued her big run throughout and looked as impressively athletic near the end as in the beginning. At 59, she was again found on point, but no bird was found. Saetre made the decision not to relocate, and Cedar's strong run, coupled with solid bird manners, made for a well-deserved second.

Moose Junction, Wis., April 25
Judges: Steve Snyder and Jeff Marek
OPEN SHOOTING DOG CLASSIC [One-Hour Heats] - 8 Pointers and 18 Setters
1st-NORTHERN SLOPES BELL, F1682006, setter female, by Ponderosa Mac-Out of the Shadows. Ed Graddy, owner and handler.
2d-NORTHWOODS CEDAR, F1691883, setter female, by Erin's Prometheus-Northwoods Carly Simon. Eric & Lindsey Saetre, owners; Eric Saetre, handler.
3d-KONA'S BLUE SKY, F1688883, setter female, by Northwoods Sir Gordon-I'm Blue Who. A. J. Kalupa, owner and handler.

Open Derby
We had another great derby turnout, which has been the case all spring. The future of our club holds great promise behind this group of solid young dogs and their handlers.
Cedar Creek's Pointing Upland ("Tess) ran a very mature race. She was greatly connected to her handler and showed whenever Acker asked her to. At 12, she had a deep find on a woodcock, coupled with an always forward and active run. Tess was awarded first.
Tyler Northwoods ("Tyler") showed outstanding manners on a grouse at 3 and was found in the most likely cover throughout his run. Tyler had a powerful race, finishing the 30 minutes as strong or stronger than at the breakaway. Tyler was awarded second.
Dirty Waters Chiltepin ("Chili") had a woodcock contact at 9, and a forward pushing race. Chili was at the edge of her bell at times, but always showed forward and powerful. She took several great edges in likely cover and always seemed to be where she should be. Chili was awarded third.

Judges: Hannah and Kyle Peterson
OPEN DERBY - 14 Pointers, 15 Setters, 1 Irish Setter, and 2 German Shorthairs
1st-CEDAR CREEK'S POINTING UPLAND, F1711522, German Shorthair female, by Kimber Tactical-Covey Up's Sanke River Latte. Matthew Acker, owner and handler.
3d-TYLER NORTHWOODS, unreg., pointer male, by Miller's Upgraded Version-Northwoods Comet. Josh Matel, owner and handler.
3d-DIRTY WATERS CHILTEPIN, F1706190, pointer female, by Elhew Sinbad-Silver W Free Spirit. Keenan Foley, owner and handler.

Open Derby (front row): Hannah Peterson (judge), Matthew Acker with Cedar Creek's Pointing Upland, Josh Matel with Tyler Northwoods, Keenan Foley with Dirty Waters Chiltepin, and Kyle Peterson (judge).