Chev turned 8 today and Biff is now 62.  We had ginger desserts to celebrate – a ginger pancake for Chev, Finley and Xupe to share and gingerbread cake for Biff and me. It was a beautiful January day in Minnesota, with snow sparkling in the cold sunshine this morning. The peace was broken, however, when the dogs cornered an unlucky rabbit and Chev wound up with the bunny.  ((t was a mercifully quick kill.) Griffs are known in Europe for being hunters of feathers and fur, and they proved their dual purpose today.

We received some hunting photos in December with Croix and with Edgar, both pups from Norling Rise’s summer of 2015 litter.  Croix was number 12 and his brother, Edgar was number 7.

That’s Croix (above) after what looks like a very successful day of hunting. His person wrote, “A little hunting update: My dad and I took Croix out to North Dakota for a quick 4 day pheasant hunt this year on public land. He did very well staying close and working back and forth. He put up 22 birds but only 3 were males. A local game farm contacted me after hunting there last year and ask if Croix and I were interested in guiding pheasant hunts. This last Sunday afternoon, after 10 inches of snow, we did our first guide hunt for a couple of gentlemen from the area. It was a 10 bird hunt, and like normal, Croix found another one off to the side with his nose (the one that the hunters missed.)  Compliments from everyone where given to both of us, as the question on how old he was came up.  The hunt lasted 2 hours and Croix was still itching for more.”

 Below are all Edgar with his birds and his people.

from Edgar’s person…

“Edgar and Nick hit the field on December 26 and got their first pheasant! Ed pointed like a champ and carried the bird. We’re still working on retrieving to-hand 🙂

The boys hunted with three other men and two other dogs–one (dog) called it quits after an hour, and the other wasn’t really a hunting dog. All the guys were impressed with Edgar’s drive, energy, and focus. He’d have gone hours more if he was allowed.

Edgar had a blast and napped the entire following day. I hope to join them next time.”

With hunting season for pheasant and grouse ending on January 1st in Minnesota, Biff took Xupe out for grouse yesterday, sneaking one more day of hunting in for the year.  The crusty snow made for crunchy loud footsteps.  Although they saw a couple of grouse, they didn’t come home with any.  Still, Biff said that he enjoyed hunting one of his familiar places and checking out a new stretch that he hasn’t hunted before.

Photo of ruffed grouse among catkins from the Ruffed Grouse Society’s website

Pheasant tracks and traces are easy to spot in the snow.  The birds take cover in the marsh grasses and under the rows of conifers that run parallel to the marsh and the training field.  (Those large tracks in the last photo are snowshoes, not pheasant!) I think Winter is my favorite season living out here.  It was my least favorite when we lived closer to the cities! Let it snow!

The winter’s arrived in Minnesota and all three dogs are loving the snow.

Chev (just above) has become a dad a couple more times this fall.  Here are some of his recent offspring, whelped in Iowa to mama dog, Holly. I’m pretty sure all the pups from this litter are spoken for. Biff has the most recent info about Chev’s other breedings.  Give him a call at 612 382-3060 for info.

Biff takes Chev, Finley and Xupe out for pheasant in the fields and grouse in the woods a few times each week during the fall. The hunting changes as the fall progresses, improving from September into the late fall.  The leaf fall along with drop in temperatures makes for better grouse hunting in the woods. The harvest of cornfields improves the chances of getting pheasant as their hiding places are reduced.  Meanwhile, back at home, we see roosters in our driveway and have flushed them from under our pine trees. Those birds do not make it to the dinner table. Instead Biff will feed them corn through the winter.

Here’s an amazing recipe for pheasant or grouse (or chicken from the grocery store!) from the cookbook, Créme de Colorado.

• Breast meat from 2 birds washed and dried, cut in strips
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. chopped shallots
• 1 pkg. sliced mushrooms
• 2 T. minced fresh parsley
• 3/4 c. vermouth
• 1 c. heavy cream

Wash the bird (soak the butchered breast in water a few hours before taking the meat off the breast) and pat dry.  Toss the cut up meat in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, melt butter and sauté meat for a few minutes on each side.  With slotted spoon, remove meat to a buttered casserole dish. In the same skillet, sauté the shallots, mushrooms and parsley until the shallots are transparent and the mushrooms cooked.  Add the vermouth and cream.  Cook ’til the sauce is heated through and pour over the meat.  Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes, ’til the meat is tender.  Serve over rice, wild rice or flat noodles.

Note:  We’ve done this recipe with the meat from just one pheasant breast and it’s plenty for two people, with leftovers that warm up well the next day.

We recently received these two photos of 16 month old Forest (Norling Rise’s Juniper Berry from the summer 2015 litter.)  Good boy, Forest!

Happy Hunting season to all.  Biff’s out hunting with Xupe as I type this.  Grouse, ducks and pheasant are all open in Minnesota now.  The leaves are coming down and the weather’s been cooling off, both good for getting into the woods and fields.

We received wonderful news about Mavis (from the summer of 2015’s “B” litter.)  Owner, Ann’s message follows. Huge congratulations to Mavis, Ann and John!

“Greetings Patti & Biff,
Wanted to wait till official paperwork came back before we shared the news. Early morning September 10th, John, I, Mavis and Nels drove to 4 Brooks Nature Center to participate in the NAVHDA natural ability test. We were a bit late so missed the question/answer period. But since we were dog #7 to run, had time to watch the entrants ahead of us. Mavis was a hunting machine! She earned the maximum number of points in the use of her nose, tracking, water work, desire to work, search, pointing and cooperation to earn a Prize 1 with the highest attainable points of 112. With a sire of Chev and avid hunters for breeders, it’s no wonder she excelled. Thank you Patti, Biff, Chev and Reine for our girl Mavis. Happy hunting season to all!
Ann”

Perfect Prize 1’s do not come easily.  We are thrilled for you.  Happy hunting!

We received some impressive news this week about one of the puppies from our Summer 2015 litter.  Edgar, who lives in the Madison area of Wisconsin, earned a Prize II in the NAVHDA test of Natural Ability, no small feat.

Here is what his people shared about their experience:

Wow!  Where did the summer go?!

July and August were as rainy and humid as any summers we can remember in recent history.  We’ve done a lot of “hanging out” these past few months, in the good company of Chev, Finley and Xupe. Dutch (Xupe’s brother) visited in June, Walter (from last summer’s litter) visited in July and Patti was able to visit Atz (another of Xupe’s brothers) in Colorado during early August.  We love seeing folks’ growing Griffs.

Below are some photos that never got posted.

Last summer’s litter turned one on June 14th.  We received these photos of Croix, Remmie and Walter (in that order) as 1 year olds.

That’s Chev below, always eyeballing and sniffing the garden for who knows what?!  Biff planted tomatoes, so all three dogs have been gated from entering that part of the backyard.

And below is Atz, Xupe’s brother who lives in the Denver area, with his human “brother” and best friend. Like Xupe, Atz is part Finley and part Chev – in looks and personality.