Hello All....Minnisota Training?

MackandMe · Post by **MackandMe** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:20 pm

I am moving from Iowa to Minneapolis, MN shortly and was wondering if anyone knew of any gun dog training facilities availible? I would like to take classes with my pup, so I learn as well. I don't want to send my dog away for weeks/months at a time. I am going to be a first time GSP owner and want to do this right, so I have a great hunting dog. Im not looking to do all the cirtifications or competitions any time soon, maybe way down the road. I also don't want to spend an unholy amount of money.

Also if anyone knows of any hunt clubs around Minneapolis, or any pheasant forever groups? plz feel free to PM me!

Derc

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:09 pm

Pheasants Forever started here, a fella named Jeff Finden, and headquarters are here. There are several PF chapters in the TC area, it just depends on which one you want to join.

The game farms in the TC area are Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club (Prior Lake), Wild Wings of Oneka (Hugo), Caribou Hunt Club (Lesueur, about an hour south of Mpls.), and Wild Marsh, near Clearwater, MN. All of them require a membership, Wild Wings and MHHC are hard to get into, waiting lists. Caribou and Wild Marsh are cheaper. Then there are game farms all over out state Minnesota, everywhere, at one time there were 44.

There are many good trainers around. Most would want to take your dog and work with it. You could join the local NAVHDA chapter, they train every month. And there is a training group over on the East side of town, I could give you the name of the person to get ahold of.

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:05 pm

I will just add to what John said and include Major Ave. Hunt club west of Mpls near the town of Glencoe, also Wings North (Pine City) run by the same family as Wild Wings of Oneka, but open to the public. Most of these preserves listed so far are within an hour or a little more from TC. I visited a preserve just north of Little Falls recently, that I would have to say gave me the closest to a real wild bird hunt that I can remember. The name of the preserve is Willow Creek Kennels and Preserve. The owner Chad Hines also raises and trains Shorthairs, and he is a good guy to boot. It's a little bit of a drive from the TC (hour and a half) but worth the drive.

John, Wild Marsh is clays only. But you probably already knew that.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:28 pm

No i didn't know they were clays only at wild marsh, but never hunted birds there. Also did not know that Major Ave. is back up and running, they were shut down a few years ago.

MNGSP · Post by **MNGSP** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:15 am

What kind of training are you talking about? Obedience? Bird work?

Either way, I would recommend looking up the MN chapter of NAVHDA. They usually have some obedience classes this time of year. I attended them with my dog last year and learned a ton. You cannot beat the socialization for your pup either. It's a great learning experience for both.

Jon

Debf · Post by **Debf** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:33 am

There are a number of gun dog training groups around Minneapolis in the spring & summer.

Starting in April the MN NAVHDA chapter will have weekly training sessions. They have training groups to the east, usually in Wisconsin. Last year it was in Baldwin WI. On the west side of the Cities they have been at Major Ave for the last few years. Either of these location are about an hours drive from the heart of Minneapolis.

There is also a new western WI NAVHDA chapter trying to get started & I think they train by Hudson WI which would be very close - 30 minutes from our home in Eagan MN.

At the MN Horse & Hunt is the Southern MN Pointer Club, this is a group of men & women that get together to train each week. They aren't really part of any testing or trialing organization - although a number of the members participate in NSTRA. The Horse & Hunt is south of the Cities.

Both NAVHDA & SMPC will have quail available to buy (SMPC also has homing pidgeons to get your pup started at no cost). Membership fees are pretty low & there are good people to help you get started with your pup.

If these training groups appeal to you & this is your first gun dog I suggest you carefully observed the other members training methods the first one or two times you attend. You're going to have a number of people more than willing to help you but it doesn't necessarily mean they are good help or maybe their methods make you uncomfortable. Make sure you get help from someone who's training style make sense to you and that you can follow through on. However, all these groups have great people to talk dogs with and some pretty amazing trainers volunteering thier time.

For more info on any of these options:

The MN NAVHDA chapter has a website that can give you more info.

I know the people trying to start the new WI NAVHDA chapter & can give you an email address if you are interested. I suspect the MNGSP knows the treasurer too if the NAVHDA judge that helped him with his dog last year was Lynn. If so, he may know more about their training grounds.

I have SMPC contact info at home.

Deb

MackandMe · Post by **MackandMe** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:10 am

Thank you so much for all the help! I would love to get contact info on the NAVHDA training sessions. I actually just became a member and ordered their training DVD and book.

The main reason I want to work with my dog is because I know I NEED training as well, and what better way for both of us to learn. I feel that you can only know so much from reading books and watching DVD's. I like the hands on experience. I have had dogs my whole life so training them to Sit, Stay, Come, etc. is no problem. But I have never trained a Bird Dog. I have read Gun Dog now three times, and have been looking for more info. I figured this NAVHDA will help as well. Any Suggestions besides these?

Thanks Again!

Derc

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:38 am

Get Best Way to Train Your Bird Dog, by Bill Tarrant/Delmar Smith. And don't teach sit yet, sit is for later with a bird dog. No watch the fur fly.

Debf · Post by **Debf** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:47 am

Do you know what area of the Cities you'll be living in? If you're on the east side the new NAVHDA chapter may be your best bet. Otherwise, the MN chapter will probably be most convinent.

The MN Chapters website is: www.mnnavhda.com

Deb

MackandMe · Post by **MackandMe** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:54 am

I actually won't be getting my pup until May, so I havn't had the chance to teach anything, getting all my research started and done ahead of time so i am prepared.

As far as location in the cities, I am not sure yet. I will be working in Richfield, MN so probably somewhere closer to the south side of Mnpls.

Wagonmaster, I will check into that book, can I just get it off of amazon.com or the book store?

Thanks,

Derc

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:58 am

Amazon or bookstore, either one.

You will find that the NAVHDA green book philsophy is one way, the Smith book another. I started with the NAVHDA method, modified it to move toward the Smith method. The best thing about the Smith book is not so much the specific training methods (whoa post he uses for example), but the philosophy and his time table for letting a pup grow up and getting it into birds young.

We cannot say it enough to beginning trainers. The first part of bird dog is "bird." You cannot make a bird dog without getting the dog into birds early and often. Obedience does not cut it. They will not walk into a hunting field having learned nothing but heel, sit, stay, charge, and automatically know how to hunt at a year of age. It needs to be developed. The NAVHDA people will have birds availabe at their training sessions, or know how you can find them.

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:19 pm

Wagonmaster wrote:No i didn't know they were clays only at wild marsh, but never hunted birds there. Also did not know that Major Ave. is back up and running, they were shut down a few years ago.

Yes, Wild Marsh has been clays only since I have been going there. Pre-1992 I believe they had a preserve, but ever since they have been clays only.

Major Ave. did shut down there sporting operation, may have had a temporary shut down overall (not sure), but have been open as a game preserve as of late. I also know that NAVHDA has training days out there during spring.

All this talk about these clubs has me thinking.. Wow it's been 15 years already since you and Doug started up registered USSCA shoots. Time has just FLOWN by....

Sporting Clays in MN sure has come a long way since those days.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:57 pm

Doug was in town this fall for a couple of months, and it looks like he might be again next year. We should do a shoot when he is here, just for the heck of it.

I probably posted this somewhere, but the year we added that league competition component to the state shoot, we went from 40 to over 200 shooters. I spent the whole first day behind the register helping Terry Correll out, and never got to shoot in my own state shoot. It was time to pass it off to someone else, and there were people more than happy to take it on. Have never looked back myself. Life is an adventure, always looking forward.

In fact, I have not shot in the Worlds for awhile, I was thinking it might be fun to go visit the Czech Republic this year. You want to come?

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:15 pm

We'll I think the state has you and Doug to thank for jump starting the interest for registered shooting in MN. Granted the USSCA and then SCA are no more, It sure got me hooked though. Those were fun times. Some of the most memorable shoots were the 2 club 400 target weekend at Rice Creek and Royal Flush. Just like a big family reunion so to speak. The after hours bat shoot at Royal Flush was the highlight of those trips.

Getting together for a shoot next year would be fun for old times sake. Although I don't shoot nearly as much as I did a few years back (other priorities these days). Maybe I could elicit the company of some of the other old timers, and make it a full squad. As for the Czech Republic, that's pretty exotic for me. I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:21 pm

Well thank you, but we were just the catalyst. There were some good dedicated shooters around in Minn. Just needed an outlet for it. It did turn out pretty good.

You change your mind on the Czech Republic, you let me know. Those Worlds are a party, just like our shoots used to be. Alot of fun and good people to meet.