from our prez... june 2014 May 17st Training Clinic: (or was it a water clinic): Typhoon? Not quite, but the windblown sideways rain had several burly chapter members keeping our little pop up shelter grounded. We took the chill off while our chefs cooked delicious burgers. What a day! Needless to say, attendance was down but Yankee Chapter workers were many. We had the opportunity to work our own dogs for a change. It is always good to train in the rain once in a while. I spent part of the day doing my annual rain gear questionnaire and the winner once again is RUBBER! I am looking forward to seeing lots of you at our next clinic on May 31st. Those working toward Utility will have the opportunity to go to the Dresden Bog for water work. We will be swimming the younger dogs in the Cider Mill Pond at Green Point. There will be drills conducted throughout the day, so don t miss out. Most importantly, I always encourage folks to crate their dogs and head to the field to listen and learn, whether it be NA or UT. June 1st Test Prep Workshop: The most important thing I can say about this event is Don t Miss It!!! It is free to chapter members and packed full of information from several NAVHDA Judges and Trainers. Its content benefits us all. See details in this newsletter on page 4. Spring Test- June 6-8, Green Point Wildlife Management Area, Dresden, Maine: Tom Barks reports we have two full days of testing so far. He is still taking applications but contact him ASAP. Contact Jason Carter if you would like to help out test day. Check out details of test weekend on page 3. calendar Pre-Test Clinic Dresden, ME May 31st Test Prep Workshop Brunswick, ME June 1st Spring Test Dresden, ME June 6-8 For times and info about these events, go to pages 3-4. Gun Raffle: The winner was chosen at the Merrimack Valley test this weekend. Gun donor,terry Wilson, drew the winning ticket belonging to Dana Michaud. Huge thank you once again to Ugly Dog Hunting for their beyond generous support of our chapters. Best of luck to all those testing this spring in Yankee as well as our neighboring chapters. Hope to see you at one or more of the events. Keep training; it s a great lifestyle! -- Patti Check out the yankee chapter website for training videos, photos, training sites and test information, our events calendar, and more! www.yankeenavhda.org And don t forget to like us on Facebook! www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 1 -- visit us on facebook, too!
welcome new member! member news Jean Murdock-Gallant Windham, ME thank you to the following contributor to the Kenny King /Bob Bisson Fund: Dennis Fornier $ treasurer s report The Raffle at the Vermont Clinic brought in $150 and the sale of some very nice hunting boots netted the Chapter another $300. The Yankee and Merrimack Chapters Gun Raffle raised $2000 for each chapter. chapter business At the recent Derby Test held in Dresden Yankee Chapter breeders Tom Barks, David and Carol Trahan, Blaine and Patti Carter, and Jason Carter tested their recent litters in the DK system. It was an extremely successful weekend for all. Walter Peck, Sandy Runyon and Norm Roy shown here with Dave and Carol Trahan. Winner of the Yankee & Merrimack Chapters Gun Raffle is Dana Michaud. Many thanks to Terry Wilson who donated the gun, and to everyone who sold tickets and bought tickets. Highest ticket sales goes to YC member John Petros. Thank you!!! Change of postal address or email address? Don t forget to let us know! Send any changes to Judie at judiebay@ comcast.net. Terry Wilson, Matt Lorello and friend Mark Austin bagged these great gobblers earlier this month in Waldoboro. Patti Carter s big smile here is for Merrymeeting s Justatiza V award in the Adult Female Class at the DK Test. Congrats! Bill and Cindy Tracy shared this photo of Hunter who has a torn ACL and can t cruise his favorite trails on foot. Cindy writes, If you can t run, you can ride! The Chapter wishes Jim Gardiner s Smokey a speedy recovery. Smokey broke his leg in an encounter with a passing car, but has had surgery and is on the mend. And check out Mark Morneau s tom: 22.2 lbs, 9 1/2 beard, spurs left 1 1/4 right 1 3/8 -- great bird! CONGRATULATIONS! Flinkham Sporespeeder wrote in that his long-haired weimaraner Prunester had a nasty porcupine encounter last week. Ole Prune had 47 quills in his snout. The only good that came out of it was that Flinky said they ran out of toothpicks at the pig roast that night, so the quills came in handy. Dave and Jacquie Kuritzky sent in this training photo of Bling. Snazzy point! www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 2 -- visit us on facebook, too!
pre-test training clinic - may 31! The Green Point Wildlife Managment Area will be the site for the Pre-Test Training Clinic Saturday, May 31st and for our Spring Test. The clinic starts at 9:00 a.m. Testing dogs will get priority on the sign-up lists for water and field, but there will be plenty of time for other dogs to train as well. Everyone is welcome! Even if you re not testing a dog this year, the clinic is a great way to give your favorite hunting partner a tune-up on his or her skills in the field or water. At noon a BBQ lunch will be served.please bring a side dish, salad or dessert to donate -- handlers and helpers get mighty hungry on these long training days. (We won t have a raffle at the pre-test clinic, but will have one again on test weekend.) Make sure to also bring plenty of water for your dog(s) and some form of shade or rain protection (tarp or tent) as well as crates and stakes. Don t forget the bug, spray! And PLEASE keep your dog on a leash unless you re in the exercise area or working. If your dog is in heat or may be coming into head, please tell the sign-up staff. 2014 bird prices Ducks $15 Chukar $11 Quail $ 8 Pheasants $15 spring test -- june 6-8! Spring Test weekend is almost here! Help is needed to make everything run smoothly, and working a test is one of the best ways to learn about the excitement of NAVHDA testing. If you d like to volunteer to sell raffle tickets, plant birds, set up the tent, be ago-fer, help with lunch, etc., please contact our Director of Testing, Jason Carter. The test will begin at 7 a.m. sharp each day. Handlers should be at the test grounds no later than 6:30 to have enough time to park, air their dogs, take a DEEP BREATH, and find the donuts and coffee before meeting with the judging team. Don t forget to bring lots of water for both you and your dog(s). There s no shade or cover at the Dresden field, so bringing a tarp or tent is a good idea if it s hot or raining, or both! Saturday and Sunday our grill will be up and sizzling with burgers and dogs and whatever else we can come up with. Donations of salads, side dishes and desserts are greatly appreciated. SUPER RAFFLE: We ll be holding a Super Raffle at lunchtime on Saturday. All donations welcome. Anything goes! The raffle funds are used to offset clinic and test day costs, such as shotgun shells, the portable toilet, equipment, etc. We extend a big THANK YOU to everyone who contributes and everyone who buys raffle tickets. directions to dresden training grounds Take I-295 to Exit 43. Go east on Route 197 through Richmond. Turn right onto Route 128. Go 1 mile. Grounds are on the right side. Watch for signs. More information about our training sites is available on our website: www.yankeenavhda.org. To get the weekend started in typical celebratory Not Your Normal Chapter fashion, the Carters have invited everyone to their house for a lasagna dinner on Friday night at 6 p.m. (33 Simpson s Point Rd., Brunswick). After the test on Saturday, there will be a no host dinner at Joshua s Tavern at 123 Maine Street in Brunswick. We ll have a section reserved. Come help the testing handlers relax and share their stories of the day. We encourage all Yankee members and their friends and families to drop by any of the test days to cheer on the handlers and their dogs. Applause is always welcome! GOOD LUCK TO ALL HANDLERS AND THEIR DOGS! www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 3 -- visit us on facebook, too! DON T FORGET YOUR BUG SPRAY!
test prep workshop -- sunday, june 1st -- brunswick, maine This new workshop was a great success when it debuted last spring. It s all about helping your dog succeed on test day. It is a workshop for handlers, not their dogs. As many of us learned after testing dogs several times, there are lots of ways we handle our dogs and ourselves during a test that affect its outcome. Practical tips can be picked up during training clinics, but often testing questions or situations just don t come up. Besides, we all know that test day is very different from a training day. How does this workshop differ from a NAVHDA Handlers Clinic? NAVHDA Handlers Clinics focus on the NAVHDA testing and judging system - on the scoring system, what judges look for, and what the elements of the test are designed to accomplish. The hands-on part of a Handlers Clinic usually has the participants assuming the role of judges, giving them an opportunity to evaluate dogs themselves. The Yankee Test Prep Workshop will focus on handlers actions and options in the field and at the water. We won t be teaching any tricks or ways to beat the testing system. We will present practical and effective handling advice for both the Natural Ability and Utility Tests -- things like field time management, giving commands, interacting with the judges, gun handling, giving praise, tips on receiving the retrieve, etc. The workshop is led by Yankee Chapter members who are NAVHDA judges and pro trainers. Yankee s VP will moderate the session, and there will be two handlers with dogs to demonstrate handling. What s the format? The workshop will cover Natural Ability in the morning and Utility in the afternoon, approximately three hours per session with a break in the middle of each. Participants can attend both sessions or just one. This is a people clinic, not a dog clinic -- you won t be working your dog. We will have two handlers and their dogs to demonstrate, as needed. The workshop is free of charge to all Yankee members. Non-members will be asked to pay $10 and can apply that to a Yankee Chapter membership ($20) if they d like. Coffee and water provided, but BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Merrymeeting Kennels, 33 Simpson s Point Road Brunswick, ME. For more information contact Nancy Anisfield: anisfield@gmavt.net. Participants should bring something to sit on. Full-day participants should bring their own lunches, beverages, etc. a few summertime tips Freeze beef boullion into ice cubes for a hydrating treat (kept in a cooler) in the field or on the road. This is especially helpful for dogs that don t like to drink. To throw dummies farther, use a throw grip (round ball that slides on the end of the throw rope) or tie a triple-thick knot at the end of the rope. The bigger hold on the rope will give you a more effective windup. Never put insect repellent with DEET on dogs. There are natural repellents made specifically for dogs, such as Vetri Repel, which has a mixture of lemongrass oil, cinnamon oil, sesame oil and caster oil working to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 4 -- visit us on facebook, too!
from the vermont clinic... FIRST YANKEE CLINIC ATTENDANCE: A DOGS PERSPECTIVE written with the help of Rick Affuso Hello Yankee NAVHDA Members. We are Oak and Cody, Britts and hunting partners of Rick Affuso. Rick suggested we share our first ever Yankee training clinic with you. Thank you Terry and Nancy from Ugly Dog Hunting for the use of your home and training grounds. The day started for us at 2:30 AM when Rick let us out in the yard...on the road by 3:00. Arrived at 7:30. Rick grabbed me, Oak, and off to training. I found myself surrounded by canines with brown short hair and some with kinky hair. Boy, talk about ugly dogs. The only dog with fur like us was some kinda sitter or squatter or setter. Listening to this guy Blaine and watching two of those brown dogs run a brace got my interest. Now some drills. Heel, whoa, sit, parading around with those other dogs and handlers. Rick seemed to like it. Whatever. Let s get to some birds already. Me (Oak) ran a brace with some ugly dog named Tank and Blaine. Heel, whoa, point, honor, fetch, quarter, sit. Watching Rick and all those guys chasing that chukar so the darn thing flies to shoot it was quite amusing. Brace over, good run according to Blaine.... Back to the truck, watered and crated... Cody: Out to the training field. Heel, sit, stay. Got to watch a bunch of other dogs chase birds. Those gunners sure took some feathers off those chukar. Good shootin. Finally my turn. Braced with Tank and Terry. Boy, I can t wait to get some birds. Hunt em up and off I go. Rick and Patti behind. First bird found. ^&%& this whoa and steady stuff! This bird is mine!... Oops now the neck shocker. I guess I better steady up. Finish up and back to talk with Blaine and Patti to evaluate the brace. Headed home about 9 pm and arrived at about 2 am. (Not even one stretch or pee break!) Glad to be home in our own beds. After listening to Rick, though, we all agreed that this Yankee Chapter and all our canine buddies are really Top Dogs. Thank you for one great day of training and friendship, we enjoyed meeting all of you. -- Howl at ya later. OAK and CODY www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 5 -- visit us on facebook, too!
from our director of training... Blaine Carter Retrieve by Drag: An opportunity to evaluate a dog s willingness to independently work without influence from the handler Let s break down the exercise to see what components are at play in each part of the activity. Fetch Command. Here the dog must go out by on the scent trail and locate the game. This is a function of the dog s desire for game. Decision by the game. Cooperation begins the moment the dog locates game. He now must make a decision. Should I leave it, play with it, eat it, bury it, urinate on it, or bring it back? What the dog does next is a reflection of his training and his willingness to work for the handler. Where does it change from cooperation to obedience? When the dog makes the independent decision to return to his handler with the game. Return. The dog comes out of the woods directly back to the handler to present the game. Or, the dog comes tearing out of the woods straight toward the handler but stops 25 yards in front to urinate, then continues coming in only to run past the handler in a big circle, stands beside the judge for a moment, then finally sits behind the handler with the game. What just happened? In that scenario, the dog made multiple decisions to prolong his possession of that game. Completion. The balance of cooperation and obedience is what we observe at the completion of this exercise. We ll present further training tips next month on the retrieve by drag. -- Blaine and Patti may 17th TYPHOON training clinic! Wet doesn t come close to describing our training clinic on the 17th. We had a skeleton crew but still did some great dog work: Eight dogs did duck searches at the mini water search nearby -- awesome jobs by those young dogs. Misi Knutson s Stella did great on her first duck search and pheasant track. Andy Baker s Smokah was impressive in the field! Bob Brey s Tanna did a great duck search and field. Blaine Carter s Fergi backed Lena Amirian s Spinoni on point. Debbie Brey was a great worker bee. Gunners Nick Racioppi, Matt Lorello, and Mark Morneau were very wet...who wasn t! Andy, Mark and Bob held down the corners of the tent. Dick Dilley was awesome, helping everywhere despite still recovering from back surgery. So many more wonderful Yankee handlers and dogs and volunteers -- You all actually made it a fun day for the Not Your Normal crazy Yankee Chapter! Smiles and hugs here for Blaine Carter and Jean Murdock-Gallant despite the mud and pounding rain! www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 6 -- visit us on facebook, too!
cranky yankees This column offers advice by Nick Racioppi and Jason Carter about Maine s hunting laws and regulations. The Cranky Yankee s are not lawyers. They give their best interpretation of often complex laws. Is there a hunting regulation you don t understand? A situation in the field you weren t sure how to handle? Send the Cranky Yankees and email and let them look into it for you: Jason: jcarter@rsu1.org Nick: feathersfins@comcast.net We had a Cranky Yankee moment just the other day after the training clinic when discussing if we needed to have a propagation permit on site during our tests even though we purchased a field trial permit for that day. We were pretty sure that at least one person must have a propagation permit on site during all tests... Could we be wrong? After reading the law again, we learned that we needed a propogation permit on site during the clinics but not for our tests since we paid for a field trial permit. Here are the regs: 12055. LICENSE TO HOLD FIELD TRIALS; WILD BIRDS 1. License required. A club or organization may not hold field trials as provided under this section unless the club or organization has a valid license issued under this section. Each day a person violates this subsection that person commits a Class E crime for which a minimum fine of $50 and an amount equal to twice the applicable license fee must be imposed. [ 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, 2 (NEW); 2003, c. 614, 9 (AFF).] 2. Application and issuance. Upon application of a club or organization, the commissioner may, at the commissioner s discretion, issue to the club or organization a license authorizing the following. A. The licensee may hold, at the time and place stated in the license, a field trial for sporting dogs for the purpose of demonstrating the skill of the dogs in retrieving dead or wounded wild birds. [2003, c. 414, Pt. A, 2 (NEW); 2003, c. 614, 9 (AFF).] B. Members of the licensee club or organization may shoot and kill with firearms wild birds propagated or legally acquired by members of the licensee at the field trial held at the time and place specified in the license. [2003, c. 414, Pt. A, 2 (NEW); 2003, c. 614, 9 (AFF).] C. Persons may participate in a field trial pursuant to this section without a hunting license. [2003, c. 414, Pt. A, 2 (NEW); 2003, c. 614, 9 (AFF).] MRS Title 12: CONSERVATION Chapter 915: HUNTING: SEASONS, REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS A separate application must be filed for each field trial proposed to be held by a club or organization, as described in this section. remember when you re shooting: get a clue before you see blue! Phippsburg Sportsmen s Association Contributes $15,000 Pres. Dana McLean and VP Troy Wallace with Campaign Manager James Cote and SAM s David Trahan The Phippsburg Sportsmen s Association has contributed $15,000 to the campaign to Save Maine s Bear Hunt and Management Programs! We would like to extend a big Thank You to the Phippsburg Sportsmen s Association and all of its members for their hard work and their generosity! ALERT: There s been more news lately about the possibility that dogs have gotten sick from eating jerky treats made in China. Fox News recently reported that since 2007, over 1000 pet illnesses and deaths may be linked to toxic jerky treats, according to a recent update from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is still unsure of the specific cause for the reported illnesses and deaths, but most cases reportedly occurred after the pets had eaten chicken, duck or sweet potato jerky treats imported from China. Vermont Veteran s Legislation Signed: Governor Peter Shumlin on May 5th signed Act 116 that provides that a Vermont resident who is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces and who is 60 percent disabled (used to be 100 percent) as a result of a service-connected disability may receive a free fishing, hunting, or combination hunting and fishing license, which will include all big game licenses, except for a moose permit, with certification by the veterans administration. The legislation also has a reciprocity provision for veterans from other states. www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 7 -- visit us on facebook, too!
LITTER ANNOUNCEMENT VC Wild Sky s Shining Star ( Corey ) owned by Casey Matthews NA Prize 1, Utility Test Prize 1, Invitational Pass X Chasers Gonna Get It Von Yard owned by Alan Burkhart NA Prize 1, Utility Test Prize 1 Pups will whelp at the end of May. For more information, contact Casey Matthews: 603-664-9608 (Please call after 6 p.m.) Check out the license on Brad Varney s new Jeep! Casey Barks caught this great shot of Harper on Easter after she, Tom and Tom took her swimming for the first time. We guess the water made her ears curl! If you want a friend for life, get a dog. -- Harry Truman There s a guy with a Doberman Pincher and a guy with a Chihuahua. The guy with the Doberman Pincher says to the guy with the Chihuahua, Let s go over to that restaurant and get something to eat. The guy with the Chihuahua says, We can t go in there. We ve got dogs with us. The guy with the Doberman Pincher says, Just follow my lead. They walk over to the restaurant. The guy with the Doberman Pincher puts on a pair of dark glasses and he starts to walk in. A guy at the door says, Sorry man, no pets allowed. The guy with the Doberman Pincher says, You don t understand. This is my seeing-eye dog. The guy at the door says, A Doberman Pincher? He says, Yes, they re using them now, they re very good. The guy at the door says, Come on in. The guy with the Chihuahua figures What the hell, so he puts on a pair of dark glasses and starts to walk in. The guy at the door says, Sorry pal, no pets allowed. The guy with the Chihuahua says, You don t understand. This is my seeing-eye dog. The guy at the door says, A Chihuahua? He says, You mean they gave me a Chihuahua? www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 8 -- visit us on facebook, too!
classifieds Got a boat, gun, trailer or something you d like to sell? Send me the info in an email -- 50 words max, including price and phone. Make sure you get it to me by the Monday of the last full week in the month. anisfield@gmavt.net NEW: Used Homemade Storage Box for Pickup Bed. Measures 5 8.5 long, 4 wide, 8 deep. Painted flat black exterior. One slight ding. Two drawers with hasp locking and handles. Great for concealing and locking long guns and other utility equipment. $50 or best offer. Contact Jim Hynson @ 207/582-7048 or jrhynson@roadrunner.com. 8x10 oil painting, framed 12.75x14.75, entitled Musk and Lace ; $80.00. Contact artist Remillie Norsworthy. Home phone 207-764-0162 or whiteroc@ mfx.net. www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 9 -- visit us on facebook, too!
calendar of events May 31 Pre-Test Clinic Green Point Wildlife Management Area, Dresden, ME June 1 Test Prep Workshop Merrymeeting Kennels, Brunswick, ME June 6-8 Testing Green Point Wildlife Management Area, Dresden, ME July 26 Water Clinic & Fun Day Bowdoinham WIldlife Management Area August 9 Dean Croxford Memorial Shoot Varney s Clay Sports (rain date August 10) August 23 Pre-Test Clinic Bowdoinham Wildlife Management Area September 5-7 Testing Bowdoinham Wildlife Management Area September 11-14 Invitational board of directors contact info President: Patti Carter 33 Simpson s Point Road, Brunswick, ME 04011 207-725-8229 mmkennels@myfairpoint.net Vice Pres: Nancy Anisfield 1067 Silver Street, Hinesburg, VT 05461 802-482-2561 anisfield@gmavt.net Secretary: Nick Racioppi 55 Hedge Bridge Road, Woolwich, ME 04579 207-442-7252 feathersfins@comcast.net Grinnell, Iowa please support navhda s sponsors: Treasurer: Cindy Tracy 37 Eider Lane, Topsham, ME 04086 207-725-4562 trac4fam@comcast.net Dir. of Testing: Jason Carter Dir. of Judge Development: Dave Trahan Dir. of Gunning: Matt Lorello Dir. of Grounds: Dick Dilley Dir. of Publications: Judie Bayles Dir. of Training: Blaine Carter Test Secretary: Tom Barks Delegate at Large: Bill Tracy barking dog guidelines Litter Ads - 1/4 page max size free for members $15 / month non-members Business Card Ads - $25 /year members $35 / year non-members Display Ads - 1/4 page max size $35 / year members $50 / non-members Story submissions -- 350-500 words max! www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 10 -- visit us on facebook, too!
www.yankeenavhda.org -- page 11 -- visit us on facebook, too!