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Elhew Bred Pointers - Northwind Kennels Grouse Dogs
Northwind Kennels is located in the Northwoods of Wisconsin widely known as The "Ruff Grouse Capital of the World." The grouse and woodcock habitat in our area is considered some of the best found anywhere in the country. Having a million+ acres of national, state, county forest, as well thousands of acres of paper company land and other privately owned land open to public hunting, in our front and back yards gives us the unique opportunity to produce top quality grouse dogs for the discriminating upland hunter.
Our Elhew bred dogs are used for our guided hunt business and this past year we can boast that are primary guide dogs averaged over 1200 points each on wild birds. Few dogs ever have the opportunity to hunt day after day for grouse and woodcock. The stamina and bid-ability of our dogs is evident in the way they hunt for us and how they meet the needs of our clients
Some of our main Guide Dogs |
Elhew bred Northern Bean had over 1400 points on wild birds this past fall season. He possesses the stamina to hunt six to eight hours a day and hunted for 46 out of 50 consecutive days this past year in the grouse woods of northern Wisconsin. Since we started hunting over him he has pointed over 6000 wild birds. Bean has set the standard in our kennel for what many a grouse hunter are now looking for in a bird dog: Close working, good eye contact, cautious and a willingness to hold point while
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we move around and past him. His ability to scent birds from great distances is an asset while guiding clients for grouse. This dog has it all and Ann refers to him as her partner and friend, Mr. Bean
Mr.Bean has produced some top quality offspring for our guide service. His prodigies have the same innate qualities that make Bean one of those once in a lifetime dogs. We feel very fortunate to have this caliber of dog and the genetics to pass down to our future grouse dogs. Pictured to the right is Mr. Bean on point
Mr. Bean’s blood line says it all with some of the best of the Elhew dogs in his background. What makes Mr. Bean so special is his ability to listen and to work for you. Most clients are shocked at all how close this dog works but all dogs used for guiding should work close for the sake of the customer. There is more that could be written about Mr. Bean but where he proves himself is in the grouse woods, the Northwoods of Wisconsin, by being one of the best dogs anyone could want for hunting grouse and woodcock.
Bean is available at stud to approved females for a fee of $750. A current brucellosis test is required.
Elhew Bred Northern Timber is a close working, very intense grouse dog. She has great style on game and an excellent nose.
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At thirteen months Timber was already working as a guide dog for our clients. She has produced one of our other main dogs for guiding, Northern Rain. Both females are exceptional guide dogs and a pleasure to hunt over. Working as a brace, no scent is left behind.
Pictured to the right is Timber congratulating one of our clients on another excellent shot
The bloodlines of our guide dogs reflect many of Bob Wehle’s top dogs that are recognized throughout the English Pointer breed of today. We can see the style, grace, and tenacity of the Elhew line in Timber and her pups.
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Elhew bred Northern Rain, pictured to the left, is out of Mr. Bean and Northern Timber. Ironically, Rain was also working as a guide dog at 13 months. Both mother and daughter developed early and both possess exceptional bird finding abilities and the style and patience to hold a point, for multiple clients over time, while taking minimal commands, if any, from us.
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Elhew bred Northern Maple, pictured to the left, is a classy large female that has great style and intensity on birds. She passes on to her offspring the great traits that Elhews are known for. The intensity on game, excellent bird finding abilities and a drive that does not quit. When we do take a break, however, she’s apt to want to crawl up in your lap. She is a genuine sweetheart.
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Elhew Bred Northern Grant, pictured to the left, is a beautiful dog to watch work the grouse woods. Grant is light on his feet, almost stealth, and is very biddable and will work the cover and nicely hold point while he waits for you to get into position. Grant will be joining the ranks with our other Guide dogs this year and should prove to be a tremendous asset in the grouse woods.
Grant is available at stud to approved females for a fee of $750. A current brucellosis test is required.
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Elhew Bred Northern Carrie, pictured to the left, possesses all the traits that will in time make her another great guide dog for us. She is coming along nicely and hopefully will start working as a guide dog this year.
Up and coming started dogs from our litter of 2007
When we have a litter of pups we always hold back enough young pups to develop into guide dogs. Shown below are the new prospects for 2010. We will not push the young dogs but will let them develop at their own rate. As normal, most females develop faster than males and the young males really come into their own between the second and third year. However, by the time one of our young dogs is two years old they have probably spent more time in the grouse woods then most bird dogs have in their first five years. We lay the foundation to produce an exceptional dog and to allow these dogs to develop to their fullest potential.
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In 2007 we did a cross with Northern Maple and Bean’s and Timber’s son, Northern Benjamin. We held back some of the pups for use as guide dogs and some to sell as started dogs. We were devastated when Ben passed on due to an accident with a pickup truck, but his offspring have been a pleasure to work with. Elhew bred Pointers are born with a natural ability to hunt and they love to hunt as much as they love to be with you.
Pictured to the right, Northern Aspen teams up with her Grandpa, Mr. Bean. Having a young dog hunt with a seasoned guide dog provides an excellent opportunity to learn from the best and to understand what her job is for two of our clients, Scott Gillman and Jones Byrd from North Carolina
Elhew Bred Northern Aspen
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Unfortunately we lost Miss Aspen this past winter due to gastrointestinal complications triggered by ingestion of a long piece of material she apparently chewed from the underside of her bedding. Nothing showed on the x-rays. Subsequent exploratory surgery revealed irreparable damage to her small intestines. We were heart broken. Aspen had matured into an excellent guide dog and had impressed all of us with her ability to find birds and to stay in close. After a morning hunt over Aspen last fall, Paul Smith, Outdoor Editor for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, wrote in his Sunday article: “By lunch, we put up 31 grouse and 5 woodcock. . . Aspen, showing skills of a much older and supremely skilled dog, worked close and gave us ample opportunities.”
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Elhew Bred Northern Freckles
In 2009 Freckles started working as a guide dog for us. Now in 2010 we look forward to her stepping into her sister’s paw prints to guide full time. The loss of Aspen has left some pretty big tracks to follow but we feel Freckles is up to the task!
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Elhew Bred Northern Oakie
This dog loves to please you and is light on his feet in the woods. Plenty of stamina and energy, but still learning the ropes, will in time be a great dog for us.
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Elhew Bred Northern Tag
Always moving but is always listening for your command. Even at a young age Tag would hunt not far out but at a comfortable distance and would drop anything if you called him. We are pleased at how biddable he is and this is not something we had to work at, he was that way from the beginning. He is a pleasure to work with and can go all day.
Our next wave of Grouse Dogs (2008 Litter)
These are our new young guns of the kennel out of Elhew Bred Northern Maple x Elhew Bred Northern Maynard. Northern Maynard is Rain’s brother and a proficient hunting partner in the grouse woods. At the present we are working with these young dogs and deciding which ones we will keep for our guide business. By the end of August we will be posting a few of these dogs for sale. If you are interested in a started Grouse dog please call and we can discuss what dogs may be available in August. To view the 2008 bloodline: please click here
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Elhew Bred Northern Sandy
Sandy is coming along nicely and will make an excellent hunting companion. He loves to hunt as much as he wants to be with you.
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Elhew Bred Northern Molly
Molly is a smaller female that is always happy and just wants to please still a little high on the energy level we will continue to try to channel her energy and increase her focus.
