March/April Newsletter
Transcription
March/April Newsletter
march/april from our prez calendar Got Spring Fever? I usually feel this way later in March as we report the Yankee member’s woodcock sightings. I am not giving up on winter yet, hoping for a few more opportunities to dog sled with chapter friends. Yankee Chapter activities began with a very successful Indoor Clinic. It was great to see so many Yankee Chapter friends, dog training enthusiasts, and gain some great new members, too. Sadly, the warm temps and lack of snow have impacted our two winter service activities, the dog sled rides at the Crystal Lake Kids Ice Fishing Derby and the chapter’s Wood Duck Project. I will miss the excitement of opening the boxes, never knowing what we will find. Hope those beautiful ducks have a great nesting season. Camp Sunshine. A representative from Camp Sunshine contacted us about bringing our “sled dogs” to this amazing place on Sebago Lake. The week we were invited was Oncology Week. How sad is that! We were greeted by about 25 smiling children and their families. They played with the dogs as Blaine gave them a few sledding basics. When asked what their favorite part of camp was, their answer: “the dogs.” For one hour the kids and their families smiled, laughed and became mushers! We will be back! Please look up this camp and learn what an amazing place it truly is. Next on our agenda is the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show, April 1-3, so start practicing your obedience drills, tricks and, of course, the Famous Cracker Challenge. NAVHDA International’s Annual Meeting this year was held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was pretty exciting for Blaine and I to be accompanied to this meeting by Jason and Ella (see Jason’s article on NAVHDA Apprentice Hunter Camp on page 3). The pond the state was hoping to build on our Dresden site has been put on hold by DIFW for now. Our biologist, Keel Kemper, will keep us posted on any changes that may happen in the future. Thank you to Dick Dilley for working with Keel on this project. Phippsburg Sportsmans Association Winter Kids Day March 6 Maine Sportsmen’s Show April 1-3 Augusta, Maine Fun Shoot Varney’s Clay Sports April 9 Richmond, Maine Yankee Training Clinic April 23 Dresden, Maine NAVHDA International Board Meeting The NAVHDA International Annual Meeting was held in Sioux Falls, SD, Jan 29-31. See page 3 for Yankee delegate Patti Carter’s report on the delegates’ meeting and page 4 for the story of Ella Carter’s presentation. For other info on the meeting, please refer to the International minutes that will be published on NAVHDA’s website. Closest woodcock siting so far is Geoff Matthews in Massachusetts. Safe travels little ones. Happy Spring! - Patti p.s. Thank you to all who are donating so generously to the Kenny King/Bob Bisson Scholarship Fund and supporting our chapter kids! Impressive list. visit us on facebook and at yankeenavhda.org. not your normal chapter! -- page 1 -- chapter news yankee calendar welcome new members! MARCH 6 Phippsburg Sportsmen’s Association Youth Day APRIL 1-3 9 23 Maine Sportsman’s Show, Augusta, ME Fun Shoot, Varney’s Clay Sports (rain date: 4/10) Training Clinic, Dresden, ME MAY 7 14 Vermont Training Clinic, Hinesburg, VT Yankee Training Clinic, Dresden, ME JUNE 4 Pre-Test Clinic, Dresden, ME 5 Test Prep Workshop, Brunswick, ME 10-12 Spring Test, Dresden, ME JULY 16 Water Clinic, Bowdoinham, ME 20-24 NAVHDA Apprentice Hunter Program Camp Ric Kildow, Cape Carterex, NC Andy & Elsie Christie, Windham, ME Chris Grant, Mansfield, MA Dennis Kirouac, Orr’s Island, ME Chris Rumsey, Orono, ME Alan Smith, Poland, ME kenny king/bob bisson fund thank you donors! Rick Affuso Don & Judie Bayles Shelia Bennett Betty & Don Blackman Craig Buzzell Patti & Blaine Carter Jason Carter Andy & Elise Christie Mark Cote James & Charlene Daniels Michael Daiute Dick & Ann Dilley Dennis Fournier John & Cindy Graf Greg, Lisa, Matt & Kyleigh Hodgkins David & Jaquie Kuritzky Donnie & Kelly Lucas Kip Myrick Mark & Anna Morneau Sandy Runyon Ron Volk Paul & Joan von Hardenberg Tom Barks III David & Geraldine Braun Mike Healy Dennis Kirouac Melissa Knutson Matt Lorello Robert Marsden AUGUST tbd 27 SEPTEMBER 9-11 15-18 Dean Croxford Memorial Shoot, Varney’s Clay Sports Pre-Test Clinic, Bowdoinham, ME Fall Test, Bowdoinham, ME NAVHDA Invitational, Grinnell, IA treasurer’s report The balance in the checkbook as of February 18, 2016 is $7019.20.The Money Market is $17,744.70 as of January 31, 2016. The following bills have been paid, port-a-potties for both sites, test permits, bird deposit, Maine Sales tax for second half of 2015, International Meeting expenses and NAHP video. We have ordered more of the extremely popular “Not Polite to Point” t-shirts and NA pins. The paperwork has been taken to William Bishop for preparing our 2015 taxes. The Kenny King/Bob Bisson Fund has $7561.33. Since the first of the year the Kenny King/ Bob Bisson Fund increased $635 from member donations. Thank you for supporting the kids. At the Yankee Annual Meeting, the members voted to keep the test fees at $95 for UPT and UT and $80 for NA for another year. Remember that the test fees get sent to Sandy Runyon and memberships get sent to me. Our April clinic will have chukars only and we’ll let you know the cost of birds as soon as it’s confirmed with our supplier. -- Cindy Tracy 300 tickets to be sold - $10 / ticket Drawing at the Yankee Spring Test Donated by Terry Wilson To get a set of tickets to sell or to buy your own tickets, contact Patti Carter: mmkennels@myfairpoint.net 702-725-8229 not your normal chapter! -- page 2 -- chapter news continued camp sunshine Members of the Yankee Chapter of NAVHDA travelled to Camp Sunshine on Sebago Lake last month to give dog sled rides to a whole lot of kids and their families. It was an amazing day as Patti and Blaine Carter, Andrew and Dani Friend, Tim Dunton, and Wyatt Knutson brought smiles and cheers to everyone there. Founded in 1984, Camp Sunshine provides retreats combining respite, recreation and support, while enabling hope and promoting joy, for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families through the various stages of a child’s illness. To learn more about Camp Sunshine, visit www.campsunshine.org Camp Sunshine is the only program in the nation offered year-round with the distinction of having been designed to serve the entire family in a retreat model. The program is free of charge to families and includes on-site medical and psychosocial support. Please take the time to research this camp and all it does. The Yankee mushers will definitely be back next year! navhda news navhda annual meeting -- by Patti Carter Thanks for allowing me to be the Yankee Chapter’s delegate and represent you at NAVHDA International Annual Meeting in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There were no motions submitted by chapters for this year’s meeting. However, there were items discussed amongst delegates, executive board and members. The St. Croix Chapter submitted an item for discussion. They felt that rubber ducks (Dokken Deadfowl Trainers) used in the Double Mark Retrieve took away the integrity of the 2015 Invitational. They hope to resubmit this discussion item next year as a motion. Discussion was heartfelt as members wanted the Invitational to continue as a premier event. They felt the rubber ducks used in the double mark portion of the test took the quality away from last year’s test. Executive Board representative and Director of the Invitational, Tracy Nelson, stated, “NAVHDA did the best they could under the circumstances dealt them by Ohio’s Department of Agriculture.” As far as the disease that prevented ducks from being used in this year’s Invitational? The Department of Agriculture overrides the Department of Natural Resources when making these decisions. Fifty million chickens were euthanized across the US in 2015. If the Department of Agriculture feels what we are doing is threatening to the livelihood of tens of thousands of their farmers, they will again stop recreational dog activities. Clyde Vetter suggested the EC put together a committee of experts for dealing with these diseases.The committee should include scientist, biologists and legal. Delegates ended their Invitational discussion by strongly suggesting NAVHDA puts together a contingency plan for the Invitational. Membership questioned the possibility of a cancellation insurance policy for the Invitational. There is a very good possibility 2015 could repeat itself. Finally discussed was the size of the Invitational and how it can be managed in the future as it grows. Tracy Nelson stated, to date the EC has agreed to accommodate the numbers that wish to test. It is getting increasingly hard to gather the man power to conduct this event. Her committee has discussed possible alternatives to the one big test, but to date they can still accommodate all entries. Sponsors and Advertising: Membership asked how NAVHDA was working on growth and finding new sponsors. The EC stated, they are in a continual search for new sponsors and always welcome member suggestions. not your normal chapter! -- page 3 -- Ella Carter Presents the NAVHDA Apprentice Hunter Program -- by Jason Carter Down the aisle she walks boldly carrying all twelve years of confidence and life behind her in a room filled with NAVHDA’s elite far, far, far exceeding her own age and experiences. She reaches the podium and calls upon the assistance of Joe Raia, Director of Youth Development. “Mr. Raia, would you please hand me my firearm?” Just off to the side she had planted a toy rifle for him to collect for her. “Mr. Raia is the gun loaded?” Accidentally pulling the trigger, CLICK “Not anymore I guess,” he says sheepishly. “Is the safety on? Is the action open? Thank you,” she replies as she collects her rifle and the auditorium fills with laughter. That was the 2016 NAVHDA Annual Meeting in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ella Carter stepped up as the Yankee Chapter representative to share her NAVHDA Apprentice Hunter Program camp experiences with our international membership. Roughly a week prior to the meeting her excitement and anticipation began to grow. I’m not sure if it was more about the experience of flying out, presenting her first public speech or knowing she would get to skip school, but her thrill was undeniable. I asked her to come up with a short speech that would highlight some of her favorite experiences at the NAHP camp. As the list grew into pages it became apparent we needed to trim it back a bit. She decided to highlight two of her favorite activities, which were dog work and shooting. With the speech mostly thought out, we finished packing and caught our flight out to Sioux Falls. “OMG, is that our jet, is that our food, is that a four story indoor waterslide in our hotel?” The weekend was complete with kids galore all around and an indoor waterpark setting the stage for what would be a trip of a lifetime. The day before we left, I asked, “Ella what about your speech?” “I have plenty of time Daddy!” was her response. The morning of our trip I repeated, “Hey Ella, how about that speech?” “I have it covered DAD!” Just moments before, again I asked, “Hey Ella you’re up next, you sure you’re all set? You nervous?” “Nope. I got this, RELAX!” Then her turn came to speak. “Would Ella Carter please come up and share your camp experience,” Joe Raia called out. Up she walked and presented a well thought out presentation, making us all very proud. “Can I go to the hot tub now dad?” “Yes you can, Spuddy Buddy.” What an amazing weekend we had with all our NAVHDA friends and family. A huge thank you must go out to the Midwest Tristate Chapter of NAVHDA for putting on such an incredible event for all of us. Something we’ll remember for many years to come. NAVHDA Apprentice Hunter Program The Yankee Chapter is very proud of members Jason and Ella Carter who introduced those in attendance at the Sioux Falls meeting to our apprentice hunter program. The response at the meeting, on Facebook and NAVHDA International website has been huge! Many chapters having requested our program. Because of new NAVHDA insurance policies, we will no longer be able to conduct an overnight camp. The chapter is currently setting up a committee for Apprentice Hunter Camp 2016. It will be conducted as a day camp with many of the same educational events as before. We need volunteers! Please contact Jason Carter at 207-721-0557. We would like to thank Josh Swan for helping the Yankee Chapter pass along our passion for youth through his video about the NAVHDA Apprentice Hunter Program. The video captured the excitement, emotion and unforgettable experience. You can view the video on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/Oek1IGlohTc not your normal chapter! -- page 4 -- member news The Chapter sends heartfelt condolences to Cindy Tracy on the passing of her father, William Hackett. Bill grew up in Bowdoinham, was a Naval veteran of the Korean Conflict, a businessman and a lifelong member of the Brunswick Mason’s United Lodge No.8. Check out this awesome bull shot by Matt Hodgkins! Great job, Matt! Charles Ellithorpe recently said goodbye to his handsome Gordon Setter, Piper. He and Piper chased grouse across North Maine Woods for many seasons. Surely Piper will live on in Charles’ memories. Casey Mowers lost his young Lab pup Sager to an accident this month. Our thoughts are with Casey. Congratulations to Jacklyn Silva on her Hunter Safety Certificate! Rob Shaw’s Nickel jumped on their bed recently in the middle of the night barking to let them know Robert was having an asthma attack. Amazing dog! Congrats to Sydney McCarren and her dog Joey find their first set of antlers of 2016! Congratulations to Jason and Ella Carter -- seen here at the NAVHDA Annual Meeting receiving their breeder’s award. Paul and Joan von Hardenberg reported in January that North Carolina totally shut down due to 2” of ice. Our most recent report from the roving Hardenburgs came from Texas where they said Dusty is finding quail on every walk they take! So this is how our Pres., Patti Carter, with Carol Trahan, Wight Greger and Lynne Spaeth spent her free time in Sioux Falls at the Annual Meeting. Thomas and Isabelle Edling are having fun doing UT bumper drills with Jesper and Cooper on the beach. Spoiled dogs! Fergi, Tiza, Gnarly, Scratch, Tank and Rudder ran the rig in the Georgia quail fields last month. not your normal chapter! -- page 5 -- Jason and Ella Carter made a new friend in Sioux Falls. fun shoot varney’s clay sports - richmond, me -- april 9 (rain date: 10th) 10:00 a.m. Please come join us for our annual winter fun shoot that we now hold in April. Varney’s Sporting Clays in Richmond is where you’ll find us. This is open to friends and family of the Yankee Chapter. It doesn’t matter your level of shooting as long as you’re safe. It’s all about getting together, having some fun, and maybe improving our shooting skills. Brad is offering a case of shells to anyone who can shoot 50 straight in sporting clays! Brad always sets up an interesting as well as challenging sporting clays course for us bird hunters. Also available is skeet, modern skeet, and his idea of fun with his “Super Skeet.” It involves hoola hoops and mirrors! It can’t be explained, it has to be experienced. Safety is first and foremost. Everyone needs eye protection, and ear protection is highly recommended. No shot size bigger than 7-1/2. Blow the dust off your guns and come have some fun shooting. Skeet-25 targets-$6.00. Modern Skeet-25 targets-$6.00 Super Skeet-$6.00 Sporting clays-50 targets-$30.00 april training clinic green point wildlife management area - dresden, me -- april 23 9:00 a.m. The first outdoor YANKEE TRAINING CLINIC of the 2016 season is just a few weeks away. Whether you’re testing a dog this year, introducing a puppy to the wonderful world of bird hunting, or just giving your hunting buddy a tune-up, come join us. We’ll cover all kinds of field work for all levels -- steadiness, tracking, retrieving, heeling and lots of obedience drills. (No water work yet.) The clinic will start at 9 a.m. At noon, we’ll fire up the grill for LUNCH. Please bring a side dish, salad or dessert to share. What to BRING: What the weather will be doing is anyone’s guess, so be prepared for everything from mud to bugs. Boots and layers are recommended. Don’t forget to bring water, leash, and a stake or crate for your dog. You might also want to bring a canopy in case it’s rainy or hot sun. When you get to the field, come to the tent to sign in and pay for your chukars and lunch ($5). We’ll also be holding a RAFFLE during our lunch break. Any and all donations are welcome. Funds raised at our clinic and test day raffles are used to offset costs such as shotgun shells and the port-a-potty. Thank you for your continued generosity and dedication to the Not Your Normal chapter. DIRECTIONS: 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. REMINDER: The Yankee clinics are designed to give everyone and their dogs a variety of training opportunities. When it is not your turn in the field (or at the water), it’s easy to find something else for you and your dog to do: practice heeling and stay on the placeboards, find a partner and do retrieving drills, ask to walk along with other dogs in the field to pick up tips and strategies, offer to be a ‘gallery’ for dogs practicing tracks and retrieve by drag. And don’t forget to chip in and help our terrific set-up and lunch crew! PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEAD OR STAKED UNLESS YOU ARE WORKING YOUR DOG IN THE FIELD, DESIGNATED EXERCISE AREA, OR AT DRILLS. THANK YOU! not your normal chapter! -- page 6 -- the indoor clinic february 13th was a great success! Photos by Patti Carter and Misi Knutson Hi! I just want to thank everyone for a great clinic yesterday! The information and demonstrations were invaluable in my understanding of training my pup as well as seeing the finish product. I now know what to work on. Special thanks to “Bill “ for taking so much of his day to work one on one with me and my EP Gauge. He took my day from initial frustration and feeling I failed my Pup in training, to enthusiasm and a better understanding of the training process. Thanks Bill! See everyone next clinic. Chris Grant not your normal chapter! -- page 7 -- from our director of training Training Puppies to Track By Richard Dilley, photo by Ann-Marie Dilley Tracking is often the most overlooked milestone in the puppy training program. Many novice trainers (we all were once) think that if the puppy searches the field and finds and points birds that the dog will naturally track. Tracking requires the puppy to concentrate and stay focused on the job at hand which is not easy as puppies are easily distracted. Waiting until after you have trained the dog to work in the field, searching and pointing will make it even more difficult. At that point most dogs, when released, will search rather than track. I like to integrate tracking in my overall puppy training program with obedience, field, pointing, retrieving and water. Start with building desire. Allow the puppy to chase and catch a flightless bird and carry it around. This is often done at the breeder’s kennel before you bring the puppy home. Play with the pup with a fresh killed bird and let it carry the bird around. Tie the bird with a string and pull it a short distance on the ground. With your puppy on a leash, bring it to the track, give a command, (track, fetch or anything you choose, just be consistent) tap your hand on the ground along the track, drop the lead and see if the puppy will continue down the track. If not, pick up the lead and walk the track with the puppy, tapping the ground as you go. Let the pup pick up the dead bird. This is his reward. If you make it a game, it won’t take long for the pup to figure out that if he follows the smell, he will get the bird. As the rest of your training progresses, make the tracks longer and more difficult, but always make it easy enough for the pup to ultimately find the bird. Try to drag the bird with the wind at your back as much as possible. This will make the puppy track with its head down. When the puppy is tracking the dead bird drag reliably, remove the lead and work on the release. The release should be soft and not interfere with the pup’s concentration. The release is usually done by looping a soft leather lead under the pup’s collar and holding both ends as a leash. When the pup starts tracking, release one end of the strap allowing the pup to move forward without any interference. Another approach is to forego the leash and cup your hand under the pup’s collar. When the pup starts to track, open your fingers, let your hand slip out, and free the pup to continue down the track. In either case, make the release soft so that it doesn’t interfere with the puppy’s forward motion and concentration. Once the pup is released, stand quietly (no more commands) look in the direction of the bird and let the pup do its job. The pup will probably pick it up and, with little or no coaxing, bring it back to you. As you progress, make the tracks longer, with at least one turn and into cover. When you are confident in the pup’s ability to track dead bird drags, you can move on to live birds. I don’t like to start my puppy on live bird tracks until it is pointing in the field. Allowing the pup to catch the live bird is counterproductive if you have not yet achieved pointing. Start by finding a field, clear of bird scent, where the grass is not so high that the bird will not run. Show the pup the bird and then put the pup out of sight. Make sure the primary wing feathers have been pulled so the bird cannot fly. Pick a starting point in the field about 20 yards from the cover. Mark the starting point with a few breast feathers and then walk about ten yards, dragging the live bird in the direction of the cover. At this point, release the flightless bird and it will seek the cover. Walk back along the track to the starting point. Remember that the pup has previously tracked you and the dead bird. Leaving your scent in the first ten yards will help the puppy get started. Bring the puppy out to the original starting point and let it begin the track as you have been doing. The pup will probably stop where your track ends and then circle and come back and then track the bird into the cover. If the pup does not go down the bird track right away, stay quiet and continue to look in the direction of the bird. Give the puppy time to figure it out. If the pup can’t figure it out, help by walking forward until the pup finds the bird. After the pup has accomplished this phase, release the bird from the starting point so that there is only bird scent in the track. Take the pup directly to the point where you released the bird and start it from there. At this point, the pup should be ready to track. Repeat, making the tracts longer, until the pup is tracking to your satisfaction. Keep it fun and don’t overdo it. Start early. Make it fun! Start simple and gradually make it harder. The puppy must always succeed and win the bird. If you have a problem at any point, return to a place where you are confident of success and move forward slowly in the training until you achieve your goal. not your normal chapter! -- page 8 -- cranky yankees remember when you’re shooting: get a clue before you see blue! This column offers advice by Nick Racioppi and Jason Carter about Maine’s hunting laws and regulations. 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 “Thick and blue, tried and true. Thin and crispy,way too risky.” ice safety General Ice Thickness Guidelines - For New, Clear Ice Only: 2” or less - STAY OFF 4” May allow ice fishing or other activites on foot 5” often allows for Snowmobile or ATV travel 8” - 12” of good ice will support most cars or small pickups 12” - 15” will likely hold a medium sized truck. Remember that these thicknesses are merely guidelines for new, clear, solid ice. Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe. coyote hunting February is a great time of year to hunt coyotes. Males are out and about looking for a mate and calling them is particularly effective due to breeding and hunger. Coyotes are a very challenging species to hunt. Accord them the respect they deserve. While we may desire to reduce their populations, coyotes are an integral part of Maine’s fauna. Coyote control has many opponents, some of whom are trying to find ways to shut us down in the legislature or in the courts. Don’t give them ammunition to succeed. Obey all hunting laws, practice good landowner relations, utilize coyote pelts for their fur value, and refrain from publicly displaying dead coyotes, especially on the internet. What you do and say as a hunter reflects on all Maine hunters. Be a positive role model for the sport! About 94% of Maine is in private ownership. Chances are, you will be hunting coyotes on someone else’s land. Even when not legally required to do so, always seek landowner permission to access their land for hunting. Obey posted signs. Not all landowners may feel the way you do about the need to protect deer by hunting coyotes. Please be respectful to landowners who deny you permission to hunt coyotes on their land. Find a meaningful way to thank those landowners who do grant you access. Coyotes are exempt from Maine’s wanton waste law. This means you are not legally required to utilize the coyotes you kill. However, be smart about it. Utilize pelts when they have a monetary value. Return unusable coyotes or coyote parts to the woods, well away from public view. Ravens, crows and other scavengers will benefit. Try a meal of coyote stew or sausage sometime! Rumor has it that properly prepared coyote meat has the color and texture of veal, with a very mild flavor. Think of it as eating venison -- only one critter removed. Let me know what you think then I’ll take your word for it ! :) truffle sniffing dogs (article sent in by Paul Brouha) Eladio Salvador Redón, a large truffle producer in Sarrión, Spain, employs five pickers, all of them Moroccan. They spend much of their working day digging around the roots of trees where trained dogs have detected truffles in the soil. The black truffle, with its pungent aroma, is, after all, a mainstay of French gastronomy. Spaniards barely eat them. Scientifically known as the Tuber melanosporum, it is even commonly known as the Périgord truffle, after the French region that long led in its production. Dogs like these, with their sensitive sniffers, are trained to help workers zero in on truffles in Eladio Salvador Redón’s fields. Credit:Arnau Bach for the New York Times not your normal chapter! -- page 9 -- it’s a dog’s life Here are some interesting stats from Cornell University’s DOGWatch: A survey of more than 10,000 pet owners in 11 countries – 3,100 of them in the U.S. – has found that American owners are especially lenient with their dogs and consider them equals in the household. -- While 8 percent of U.S.owners say their dogs rule the household, 59 percent say they share control. -- Dogs are more likely to sleep in their owner’s beds in the U.S. (41 percent), and least likely in Spain (14 percent.) -- 22 percent of U.S. owners spent $1,000 on their dogs in the last two years. -- 70 percent of U.S. respondents cited fur and hair as their most significant complaint about pets. -- 43 percent cited tracking in dirt as their most significant complaint about pets. -- 90 percent of U.S. owners say pets make them happy. say what? ... a few notes about dog hearing Dogs hear at a wider range of frequencies than humans. The low end of the range is similar to humans (humans hear down to about 20 Hertz, or cycles per second, dogs are at about 40 Hz). But at the high end, they are quite different. Humans hear to about 23 KHz or 23,000 Hz (kilohertz = 1000 x Hz) but dogs can hear up to 45 KHz! Although as dogs age they may become deaf and some dogs are born deaf. When dogs become aware of a sound they’ve heard their ears will prick up and move around. Part of the reason why dogs can hear better than humans is that their ears have more mobility which enable it to maximize its ability to ear. The shape of a dog’s ear also helps it hear more proficiently. As we cup our ears, some dogs ears are already in that position. snazzy bacon-wrapped woodcock from some folks at the Ruffed Grouse Society Take a half slice of bacon (maple bacon is also good), place a half woodcock breast flattened to about 3/16th inch thick on it and place a half slice of cream cheese 1/8 inch thick on top of that. Then place a marble sized dollup of ginger compote on top and complete the wrap. These are grilled on the barbeque until the bacon is done and they are ready and bite sized. Delicious! Jared Gordon sent in this family portrait of Hogan, the twins, Crystal and himself. not your normal chapter! -- page 10 -- contacts, sponsors & info yankee board of directors 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: Dani Friend 288 Chopps Cross Road, Woolwich, ME 04579 207-389-4470 dani.friend2012@gmail.com Treasurer: Cindy Tracy 37 Eider Lane, Topsham, ME 04086 207-725-4562 trac4fam@comcast.net Dir. of Testing: Jason Carter Dir. of Publications: Judie Bayles Dir. of Judge Development: Terry Wilson Dir. of Training: Blaine Carter Dir. of Gunning: Matt Lorello Test Secretary: Sandy Runyon Dir. of Grounds: Dick Dilley Delegate at Large: Bill Tracy barking dog guidelines Litter Ads - 1/4 page max size free for members $15 / month non-members ISSUE APPROX. MAIL DATE Jan/Feb Mar/Apr Business Card Ads May $25 /year members June $35 / year non-members July/Aug September Display Ads - 1/4 page max size October $35 / year members Nov/Dec January 1 March 1 May 1 June 1 July 1 September 1 October 1 December 1 SEND US YOUR STORIES & PHOTOS! “If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you.” Please send us your photos and stories -- we love to hear from you and are always looking for material. Send up to three photos and stories 250-400 words. Besides your hunting and training stories, please share recipes, tips, dog humor and anything else you think the Not Your Normal Chapter folks might enjoy. Send them to anisfield@gmavt.net by the 20th of the month. Thank you all! “The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.” not your normal chapter! -- page 11 -- classifieds & chapter sponsors HYNSON’S SPORTING GOODS STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!! One Old Town Loon Kayak 120 Blue -- $300. One Old Town Loon Kayak 120 Green -- $300. One Old Town Kingfisher Canoe (Fiberglass) Blue -- $250. One Remington 11-87 Automatic 12 ga Super Magnum Black Matt Finish-- $450. One Remington 870 Pump 12 ga Super Magnum Black Matt Finish -- $150. Contact:Jim Hynson, 274 Blodgett Road, Pittston, ME 04345 207/582-7048 jrhynson@roadrunner.com Do these dogs know how to celebrate their birthdays, or what! Willy Levasseur Pigeons for sale: Merrymeeting Kennels is downsizing their homing pigeon numbers for winter. Darn critters are still sitting on eggs! These are very strong flyers as they spend the day in the trees and flying laps around the local air space. $10.00 each or trade a pair for a bag of cracked corn. 207.725.8229 Tera Carter Emma Brey not your normal chapter! -- page 12 -- Jack Gordon gets big air!! (Okay, we know this isn’t a dog photo, but it’s too much fun not to share!) not your normal chapter! -- page 13 --