Some Gordon Setter Images

Alfred Houde · 03-28-2021, 08:13 AM

Here are some photos of my young Gordon, Hannah. It was a pretty good year in Virginia for the Woodcock, especially the second split.

mobirdhunter · 03-28-2021, 08:18 AM

Hannah looks like a pup that knows (nose?) what she's doing. We all have our own favorite breeds, but for me, the Gordon is as good as they come.

Thanks for posting!

BTW, Where in Virginia are you? I was born near Williamsburg and lived in Virginia for many years.

Alfred Houde · 03-28-2021, 08:30 AM

Currently in Stafford County. I do most of my hunting at either the C.F. Phelps or Highland WMA. Due to the various travel restrictions I didn't make my annual trips home to Upstate New York to duck hunt. I did manage to get to Maine for a bear hunt, and hunted a week of the muzzleloader season in the Adirondacks. Once the muzzleloader season wrapped up in Virginia I focused on Hannah and the Woodcock. We hunted nearly every day of the second split. She found a lot of birds. Didn't want to pick them up at first. After the flush and shot she would start searching for another bird. I took a pair of wings and put them on a tennis ball with rubber bands and tossed it around the yard for her. She went bonkers over that and the light came on. Still some work to do, but it was a great second season for her. Duck season was pretty poor for me overall.

mobirdhunter · 03-28-2021, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfred Houde

Currently in Stafford County. I do most of my hunting at either the C.F. Phelps or Highland WMA. Due to the various travel restrictions I didn't make my annual trips home to Upstate New York to duck hunt. I did manage to get to Maine for a bear hunt, and hunted a week of the muzzleloader season in the Adirondacks. Once the muzzleloader season wrapped up in Virginia I focused on Hannah and the Woodcock. We hunted nearly every day of the second split. She found a lot of birds. Didn't want to pick them up at first. After the flush and shot she would start searching for another bird. I took a pair of wings and put them on a tennis ball with rubber bands and tossed it around the yard for her. She went bonkers over that and the light came on. Still some work to do, but it was a great second season for her. Duck season was pretty poor for me overall.

I have hunted Phelps and Highland, but for turkeys, and long ago (or so it seems). Your tennis ball trick sounds like a good way to persuade a dog to pick up a woodcock. Just curious how many woodcock hunters you run into? I'm sure more than during my time in VA, but I imagine not many. Most of my bird hunting was on the paper company lands in the Piedmont when we lived outside of Richmond. We found woodcock then, and I never encountered another bird hunter who would admit to hunting them. Times change.

Alfred Houde · 03-28-2021, 09:54 AM

I know two other dedicated Woodcock guys who hunt Phelps. Both hunt with English Setters and are super nice guys.

Phelps gets a lot of pressure being so close to NoVa/D.C. Once the regular firearms season for deer starts, I stay out until it's over. The good news is it is only two weeks on the WMA. Bad news is it overlaps the first split of the Woodcock season. Most of the deer hunters are out of the woods by noon, but I still stay out until it ends. Just too many out there. Saturdays and holidays the parking lots are full. During most week days I pretty much have it to myself. Opening Day of muzzleloader season (Saturday) is no different than the regular firearms Opening Day, so I wait until the Monday after and hunt during the week.

I don't Woodcock hunt at Highland. There are Grouse there, but I mainly see bear hunters with hounds. Whole different property than Phelps.

Ken Hill · 03-28-2021, 12:26 PM

Alfred,

A great looking Gordon. Where did you get Hannah?

Ken

Alfred Houde · 03-28-2021, 02:46 PM

Ken:

Thanks. She is out of Stoneybrook Gordon Setters in Statesville, North Carolina. Steve Faust is the breeder.

Her full registered name is: Stoneybrook's Lady Machrihanish

mobirdhunter · 03-28-2021, 03:15 PM

Alfred, Faust has gotten some good press of late, focusing on his guiding and his Gordons. Hannah looks to be from great lines.

Alfred Houde · 03-28-2021, 03:28 PM

Yes, he is great guy and very honest breeder. Very dedicated Conservationist as well. I missed out on a previous litter that he had. I was too far down the list for a female. Two years later (2018) I had first pick and didn't hesitate.

He has some real nice Gordons and they get plenty of work and exposure. He has an import from Slovakia that is the biggest Gordon I have ever seen. Beautiful, a real gentle giant. He moves through the woods like a ghost. From what I am hearing, he has produced some real nice pups.