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This Too Shall Pass – Things my Hunting Dogs Ate and Other Light Off-Season Reading.

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By Keith Schopp

Content warning: This post includes detailed descriptions of foreign object removal.

I was washing the truck while the five dogs played in our fenced yard, glancing over occasionally to ensure all was in order. That’s when I noticed Stella, my dominant one-year-old German shorthaired pointer, chewing on the collar of Emma, my three-year-old Labrador retriever.

My first reaction was that it was kind of cute. I decided to break it up, and upon closer inspection, Stella was chewing on Emma’s flea and tick collar! In fact, she clearly had chewed off a good chunk. I called the other dogs over and noticed that the flea collar on Lena, my nine-year-old German shorthaired pointer, was completely GONE!

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Get the Picture: How to Capture the Spirit and Success of your Hunts

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By Nancy Anisfield

Originally published in Covers magazine – Spring 2019

Get creative with your photos! For example, interacting with dogs can show more than a typical pose. Photo: Nancy Anisfield

Many of us have been seduced by the convenience of cell phones and pocket-sized digital cameras. Unfortunately, we take our smart phone cameras for granted and as a result, we snap away without careful thought. We end up with a few blurry shots of a dog’s head, lots of empty skies, a skanky grouse hanging off a post or a grainy indoor photo too dark to see who’s who. We also forget to ask if a picture will pay tribute to the real spirit of the moment. It can be hard to develop an image that tells its own story.

Here are some tips to improve the quality and composition of the photos that capture our special moments.

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Winter Foot Care and Injury Prevention for Bird Dogs – RGS

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winter-foot-care-bird-dog

Examining risks and foot care methods for bird dogs during the winter.

From the crusty hard snow to the dry air and freezing cold temperatures, winter conditions can take a toll on your bird dogs, especially their feet. Being prepared and knowing how to deal with foot care, maintenance and injuries simply come with the territory of owning bird dogs. 

Having owned a large sled dog kennel, I am very familiar with booties, putting booties on my dogs and getting a sore back in the process. I have found it much easier to prevent problems than than trying to heal an active dog’s foot. Foot injuries take time to heal.

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Kentucky Grouse | Life is a Journey – RGS

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Mark Reese grouse hunting in Kentucky

Lessons in life are always there if we can only let ourselves take time to learn them. This past weekend was one of those times that I continued to learn. As President of the Kentucky River Ruffed Grouse Society, I have been leading the charge to help this bellwether bird of forest health for this period of time. From habitat search to fundraisers I have been involved.

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FILM TRAILER | Live For October

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Watch the latest trailer for an upcoming Ruffed Grouse Society film.

Follow RGS/AWS Northeast regional director, Joe Levesque through the October woods as he shares the experience with Zach Hein of CZ-USA and Alex Costa of ANR Design.

This is a story about the grouse woods, unpredictable weather, witty birds, first hunts, and friends. Join RGS/AWS as you feel the experience and Live For October.

Full Film to be released August 2019

In the Time of Ruffed Grouse…

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ruffed grouse hunting in New Hampshire

Hunting ruffed grouse through the golden age, whenever it may be for you.

“Golden Ages” come and go. Consider for a moment why the term even exists. The idea itself can be relative. My ‘Golden Age’ can be different than it might be when examining a larger timeline. The individual elements that define my Golden Age may vary greatly compared with those of others. This story reflects some of those moments, but the term relative seems to be a much more relevant word . . . 

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Flushing Grouse – A Grouse Hunting Film

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A film exploring hunting grouse with flushing dogs in Michigan alongside Ruffed Grouse Society members Fritz and Ric Heller.

Full Flushing Grouse Film released on 10/7/2019

Have you ever hunted grouse with a flushing dog? If not, this is your chance to get a feel for the action. If you have, you won’t need to watch this film to know how exciting it can be, but we think you’ll enjoy it anyways.

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EDITOR NOTE: GIVE ME A WINDOW . . . That’s all I need . . .

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Nagy Illustration

By Matt Soberg, RGS & AWS Editor & Director of Communications

Now is your window to help RGS & AWS create healthy forests and increase the voice for  the future of grouse and woodcock – New member drive ends April 1!

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I was flying to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home of the Ruffed Grouse Society headquarters, watching a movie on my smartphone through the GoGo entertainment app offered by Delta, when I heard a character say, “Give me a window, that’s all I need.”

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping Your Grouse Dog Combat the Cold

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TIPS FROM:

Basic CMYK

The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping Your Grouse Dog Combat the Cold

Although the 2017 ruffed grouse season is winding down, it’s important to stay vigilant about keeping your hunting dog safe in chilly conditions. Cold weather can be harmful for a dog. It can affect his or her immune system, making the dog prone to disease and injury. By following these tips, you can help reduce disease and the risks of hypothermia, a dangerous drop in body temperature, and frostbite, the freezing of tissues caused by exposure to very low temperatures.

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DO Know Your Dog’s Limit

Pay attention to your dog’s tolerance of cold weather. Keep a close eye on puppies and senior dogs, as they cannot withstand wintry weather as well as a dog in his or her prime. A good rule of thumb for limiting outdoor exercise during winter is that if it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your dog.

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GROUSE CAMP TOUR STARTS TODAY!

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NEW YORK & NEW ENGLAND

2017 GROUSE CAMP TOUR

October 21 – 29

#grousecamptour

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“There is an old New England saying to the effect that if you give a man a shotgun, a bird dog and a violin, he won’t amount to a damn.”

 ~William Harnden Foster ~

Join the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society for the third Grouse Camp Tour, where we celebrate habitat, membership, volunteers and the grouse/woodcock hunting experience. This year’s Tour will be throughout the New York and New England region: New York Grouse & Woodcock Benefit Hunt – Malone, NY, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and Southern Maine.

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