FARMSTEAD
HUNTING PRESERVE
and SPORTING CLAYS
Private
Upland Game Bird
Hunting
August 1 through March 31
UPDATE INFO
11/12/2007
Hello All, Sorry for taking so long to get new information up on the website. I upgraded my operating system and it broke the program I was using to keep the website up to date. I did not realize that I would not be able to download the site easily into another program and update the site. So I have ended up just loading everything into a word processor and edit the website the old fashioned way...(read SLOW way!) Anyway, The fall season has been going well. We have had a bunch of great weather that has made hunting in short sleeved shirts a reality through the first week of November. Our birds this year are, in a word, incredible. We have had dozens of compliments for the challenge that they are presenting. Many of our guests swear that they are tracking naturals when in the field, the roosters powerful flush and cackle convince them even more. They are making for some memorable and challenging hunts.
I have started to get some calls about goose hunting. So far the beautiful weather has not encouraged great goose hunting. We are keeping our eyes open for arriving flocks...but as of yet the numbers are just not in.
I have taken down the bulletin/comment board on the site because the spammers have found it and I was getting as many as 40 spam posts an hour for all sorts of junk on there. Until I find a spam proof way of posting comments and such that section will remain closed.
A Bit of Sad news. Baron, my big ol'
Male German Shorthair had to be put down after a month long battle
with a auto-immune disease. He was never in any pain, the Vet
said that his body just wore out essentially fighting with itself.
I was able to share Bear's love for
the hunt with hundreds of people over the course of his 9 years
of guiding here at FARMSTEAD. Every year I hear so many, "remember
when Baron (fill in the blank with any of dozens of stories)"
Baron was a rescue Dog brought to me by the county Sheriff 10
years ago. He was nothing but Skin and Bones, at his first visit
to the vet he weighed less than 45 pounds...this was on a frame
that at the peak of his health carried a trim, muscular 90 pounds.
The time, training and love I put into him was rewarded greatly,
with hundreds of amazing points, several jaw droppingly long retrieves,
incredible bird work, and for being the primary trainer of Jasmine
and Kirby, as well as a plethora of great memories.
My favorite story that I love to relate
to guests was when we were at the end of a afternoon hunt. The
hunters were tired after two days of hunting and let's just say
their shooting was less than accurate. We had gone 10 flushes
without a bird being hit. As we were working some cover below
the Finnegan lodge, Baron came on point. I could see him shaking
with intensity, he had to have that bird. As we approached him
he glanced at the shooter, and then back to the bird which was
locked down just a few feet ahead of him. Two other hunters approached
and were going to back up the primary shooter. When everone was
set the primary shooter walked forward and flushed the rooster.
A beautiful going away flush. Two shots from the 12 guage over
and under...3 from the first backup and 3 more from the second.
The rooster flew away cackling over the hill. Rooster #11 was
flying away, unruffled. Baron took a few steps forward marking
the bird...it didn't fall. He took another few steps forward,
I thought he was going to start hunting again. But instead he
turned to face the group of hunters. I am really glad we couldn't
understand dog. Becuse I am sure there would hve been some words
in that tirade of scolding barks we received that wouldn't be
appropriate for a family board. He went to one side of the line
of hunters and walked in front of us barking with various intonations...He
was MAD. Once he passed all the hunters he headed up the road
to the lodge. He was done. We all agreed that there was no mistaking
what Baron was saying. I whistled and called a couple of times
to see if he would return but he was done. Jasmine finished out
the last 200 yards of the push. I was concerned though because
I didn't hear his barking anymore. My brother had come from the
lodge to pick up all the birds we didn't get and said Baron wasn't
there, so I sent Dave to go look for him. Dave came back about
10 minutes later with Bear in the front seat of the pickup. He
found him almost a mile away on the gravel road, heading back
home, still letting loose with the occasional "doggy swear
word" as he trotted along.
He was a unique dog with a quirky
personality. The sound of a gun would bring him to attention and
send him bolting out to look for the downed bird...but the quiet
popping of gum while chewing would cause his ears to drop, his
tail would droop...It was a sad sight, a classic Hung Dog look.
I could never chew gum around him. I called him Baron the Gum
Shy Bird Dog. Someday I just might have to write a book with that
title. Baron was the type of Dog that became so much more than
a great Gun Dog or Pet...He truly was part of the family and will
be greatly missed.
I have put together Photo's from this
past year. I wasn't able to get photos from most of our hunts...something
I plan on changing in the future. The photos posted are from February
26th 2005 to March 31st 2006
The Finnegan Warm up lodge.
Oregon Preserve Licenses: Preserve Licenses are available at FARMSTEAD.
Oregon state law requires that persons using a hunting preserve
must either have a valid Oregon State Hunting license with HIP
Validation and Upland Game bird Stamp or a Preserve License. Non-Resident
hunters can save money by purchasing a non-resident preserve license.
Preserve licenses can be used on preserves in Oregon. They can
not used for hunting outside of a preserve.
Non-Resident Preserve License - $10.50
Resident Preserve License - $4.50
Preserve Licenses are valid for the entire season.
All the reservation forms are
available to print and send in here on the net. Give us a call
at (541) 333-2498 or E-MAIL us to check on a particular day's availability.
Check out our mid-week special if
you can get away Monday through Thursday.
FARMSTEAD
PO Box 216
Grass Valley, OR 97029
1 (541) 333-2498 or (541)333-2364
Reservations Required
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