Ruff Country Gun Dogs

08/16/2024

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07/03/2024

Great training seminar in upstate NY coming up in 10 days

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05/23/2024

It was on the way to where I was going so I stopped by. Glad I did - Ginny place 3rd of 15 entries; she had a good run and 3 pretty finds on a warm day. Sandy Valley Bird Dog Club, Freeland PA, May 19, 2024. Thanks to Sandy Valley Birddog Club and all who helped, Judges Dean Avillion and Jason Williams, and owners & handlers.
Open Derby:
1st: MIA Star/ Robert Ecker
2nd: Ironstone Shenanigans/ Robert Ecker
3rd: Ginny/ Andy Weik

05/02/2024

Did a little bird work with Ginny this morning - she doesn't mind pointing a pigeon when no grouse are to be had.

04/19/2024

Ruff Country Simply Ginger "Ginny" had a great week at the National Red Setter Field Trial Club spring championships and trial at Pyramid State Park in Pinckneyville IL April 14-18. She placed 2nd in the Open Walking Derby on Sunday, and followed that up with 1st in the National Red Setter Futurity on Wednesday. Temperatures in the 80s all week were a real test of the dogs. Click the pics for names of dogs and handlers. Andy Weik

04/19/2024

Ginny enjoys a good swim in her down time!

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03/26/2024

Ginny sniffed a pigeon yesterday afternoon. The day before everything was under 3-4 inches of snow. Update: added pic from today (3/26), more pigeons, starting the steadying process, good day.

01/08/2024

Good article from Purina on finding the right hunting dog for you
https://www.purinaproclub.com/taxonomy/term/1451?fbclid=IwAR0T-NcCVBb1yOAd4vlCJ8PAMLtrf0fKccb_k8h7n6rgBwKAu5_Ah6VBJLE

Choosing a hunting dog can be a daunting task. Do you want or need a flushing breed or a pointing breed? A big bold brush buster or small pocket rocket? Male or female? A dog that runs big, or a close-in companion?

11/06/2023

The "truck bird" - one of those laws of grouse hunting, you've been hunting for a couple hours all over briar-tangled coverts, and just as you unload the shotgun back at the truck a grouse bursts into flight in full view and not a twig in the way. My first bird dog, Butch (English setter) always seemed to hunt a little harder as we neared the truck (probably not wanting to end the hunt), and often located the truck bird. Ginny's not that stubborn, but this morning as we got back to the vehicles at the end of our hunt, she took a long cast up the hill and established point @ 105 yards (according to the GPS) . After a short discussion we decided to reload the shotguns and investigate. But before we went 20 yards, Ginny started working back down toward us at a brisk pace with her tail doing figure 8s, telling us she had bird on the brain. As she got near us she pointed, relocated, pointed, relocated and pointed. Moments later a grouse rocketed from the cover and hunter Chris swung his shotgun and snapped a shot that brought the bird back to earth for good. That capped off a memorable weekend in which Chris and his cousin Shawn connected on a few woodcock; in fact this was Shawn's first ever hunt, and he bagged a woodcock and came close on a couple of grouse. Wonderful weekend! With Catskill Casts & Coverts , Ruff Country Gun Dogs , and Andy Weik

11/02/2023

My pup this season is a German short-haired pointer 7 mo female named Birdy. I've been trying to get her into the grouse woods as much as possible to get her wild bird contacts and get her used to staying/working with me. She reached a milestone this morning when I knocked down a woodcock that she pointed - her first wild bird killed that she pointed (last week she pointed a couple stocked pheasants that I shot). For the rest of the fall and winter it'll be just grouse for her - they are a bird dog's best teachers. This morning she pointed 2 grouse and 2 woodcock. She's got a lot of drive, likes to point, and is a sweetheart. With Ruff Country Gun Dogs, Andy Weik and

11/02/2023

Moxie (2yo English cocker spaniel) got some duck duty on a little beaver dammed creek this morning. The wood ducks were noticeably fewer today than a week ago - it's that time of year when they skeedaddle south. Love starting the day with critters on a beaver pond - owls turning in, squirrels and woodpeckers waking up. And sharing a mandarin with Moxie. With Ruff Country Gun Dogs, Andy Weik and

11/01/2023

My bird hunting buddy from Minnesota Steve Brousseau dug up this Grouse in the Hand video that I and Matt Soberg made back when we both worked for RGS. Enjoy! with Andy Weik and Ruff Country Gun Dogs

The Ruffed Grouse Society shows the basics on determining the age and s*x of ruffed grouse presented by RGS regional wildlife biologist Andrew Weik. The vide...

11/01/2023

A bird hunting friend from Minnesota sent me this link -- a blast from the past. The video was put together by the legendary Matt Soberg, when we both worked for RGS. There's another one on grouse that I'll dig up in a bit. With Andy Weik and Ruff Country Gun Dogs

American Woodcock Society Regional Wildlife Biologist Andrew Weik shows how to age and s*x American woodcock - the video also features the AWS publication "A...

10/31/2023

Dan was able to catch up with a couple woodcock with Ginny during the 2nd week of October. First wild birds, and a new fan of the culinary delight of properly prepared woodcock. With Catskill Casts & Coverts, Ruff Country Gun Dogs and Andy Weik

10/29/2023

Here are some pics from the first week of October - during a stretch of weather with highs in the low 80s (we were able to keep the dogs cool and find birds by hunting around brooks and beaver ponds).
Mike from OH was back for a 2nd year, and is looking forward to making it 3 in a row next year. with Catskill Casts & Coverts and Ruff Country Gun Dogs

10/24/2023

In the Catskills of NY I guide with Rick Watson and Catskill Casts & Coverts, and instruct at our Grouse Schools and Women's Cast & Blast every year.
In Central and Northern NY I guide independently. We've had a few dates recently come available for guided hunts: October 27, 29, 30, & 31; November 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Woodcock season goes through Nov 14; if you've got a young dog that needs wild bird experience or you want to try your hand at the trickiest thing in feathers (ruffed grouse), book now!

10/06/2023

Welcome to Ruff Country Gun Dogs. I am in my 3rd year as a NYS registered hunting guide offering guided hunts for ruffed grouse and American woodcock in central and northern New York. My dogs include a couple of field-bred Irish setters (aka red setters), a German wire-haired pointer, and an English cocker spaniel. Andy WeikHere's the crew: