16ga.com ~ View topic - Recommendations for a Setter breeder in WI?

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 203

Hello Everyone,

It has been nearly three years since Jake, my German Shorthair, passed away. He was a terrific all-around bird dog and a good friend. I have put off getting a new dog for a lot of reasons since then, but I think it’s about time, now.

My wife is putting the pressure on for a setter; my kids, 3, 8, and 10, don’t particularly care what breed—they just want to have a canine companion in the house again.

I’ve always loved my shorthairs, going back forty years, but I’ve admired setters, too, from a distance. My 8- and 10-year old boys are getting to about that age where they can more than just tag along hunting for grouse so we’ll be making more and more trips north, as well as the occasional trip to SD, ID, and OR. This pup will probably end up hunting ruffed grouse in WI more than any other bird.

He’ll also end up living in the house, sleeping in kids’ beds, and going to baseball games, soccer tournaments, and runs to the ice-cream store. So I need a dog with some hunting lineage and an easy-going, family dog-type personality.

We live in SE Wisconsin. If you happen to know a breeder, of setters, in this area, would you mind shooting me their contact info?

Thanks very much,

8mmFan

You may want to look at the below breeder. I bred my male setter to one of her dogs in February and the folks with the female have gotten good feedback. I live in your neck the woods but I drive to Idaho for my setters. I know this kennel has a very good reputation.

http://firelightbirddogs.com

A good friend of mine is breeding his dog this winter with a Spring litter. He has the niece of my male. He lives in LaCrosse, WI so that is closer than the above breeder. PM me if you have any interest. I don’t know if his pups are spoken for, but his litters are usually sold before he breeds his dogs.

Good Hunting,
Mike

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 203

Thank you! I will check them out. Where do you go, in Idaho, for your setters? I grew up west of Boise, in Middleton and Caldwell.

The boys and I didn’t make our annual trip this year due to work obligations.

Thanks again.

8mmFan

October Setters in Island Park which is basically a wide spot in the road maybe 45 minutes SW of Yellowtone’s West Gate. Pretty country up there.

Good Hunting,
Mike

8mmfan,

If you would like to purchase a serious Gordon Setter to Grouse and Woodcock hunt with, I recommend ClearCut Kennel in MN. I have an 8 month old female from ClearCut Kennel and she is doing real well. Take a good look at ClearCut if you want a serious Setter Pup to Grouse hunt with. Black and Tans are Great Setters also, having owned 3 over the past 18 years, they are great Grouse & Woodcock dogs.

Pine Creek/Dave
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers

Pine Creek Shadow our new ClearCut Kennel Gordon Grouse Dog Pup. With her buddy Pine Creek Heston our 8 year old Blue Belton, male Ryman Setter.

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 203

Thanks for that recommendation, Dave. That’s a great endorsement, as I know you do a pretty fair amount of brush-busting right here in WI.

Have you by any chance ever heard of Fireside Setters, in New Lisbon, WI? Evidently they have been breeding a line of Old Hemlock/Ryman setters. They are fairly close to home, for me.

Thanks again. 8mmFan

Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 318 Location: Central, ND

I am a brittany guy but my brother and friend have setter from Berg Brothers Setters in MN. They are excellent dogs, I strongly considering getting a dog from them when my old brit goes.

Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 163 Location: Utah

I'll give another vote to October Setters. If you're interested in a Ryman type English Setters they would be at the top of my list.

have two dogs from them. They are great house dogs and great hunters, especially on grouse.
My dogs hunt with drive. Range is reasonable and they adjust depending on the cover. Both are natural retrievers. Both were hunting andd holding birds well before their first birthday.

Mostly they are a joy to watch. They are like water flowing when hunting.

I

8mm,
If you would like to see an October setter work I can meet you at Bong Recreation Area. I think the season there has opened. I just got back from a month in Marquette and was going to get my WI license today. You might not see any birds but you can see the dog work.

Let me know and you can P.M. me.

Good Hunting,
Mike

I have two Firelight setters and could not be happier. Great around people and natural born birddogs, no training required just bird experience. If I live long enough my next setter will be a Firelight setter. Smile

8mmFan,

The men are giving you good advise on the Setter Kennels, everyone of them breeds good English Setter dogs. I would make sure the HD testing was done on the parents before the breeding was done, and that you pick an aggressive pup from what ever breeder you go with. I love Ryman Setter type dogs and owned one of the very best, if you have the right Ryman blood you will own a world class Grouse dog to hunt with.

Pine Creek/Dave
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers

Pine Creek Ryman Daisy one of the best Ryman Setter Grouse dogs who every worked the Grouse woods thru out the USA, Canada, and Scotland. Daisy hunts with my Father and Grandfather now, in God's never ending Grouse woods. To say I miss her would be a big understatement. Having owned many great Grouse dogs here at Pine Creek, Daisy was right there at the top of the list. Pine Creek Penny was right there with her stride for stride, bird for bird.

Daisy presenting Ken Graft his 1st Grouse.

Pine Creek Penny with one of her mature spooky Potter County, Pa Grouse.

Joined: 23 Jun 2019 Posts: 2

It's nice to see Rick post about his dogs from Lynn Dee Galey's Firelight line, Mike's reference to our breeder group, RymanSetters.com, and accolades for October and Goodgoing setters too. There are a lot of great choices there. You will find most of us in the group have a long track record of working together to maintain and improve this type of English Setter. With our organization online also came an increased emphasis on use of best modern breeding practices for health screening.

Here is my Sugar Creek Chiquita and my (new to me) J. Blanch 16 ga. with that gun's first Wisconsin grouse.

…and some more fun from Wisconsin:

Sugar Creek,

Real nice Setter Dogs! Loved the pictures.

Pine Creek/Dave
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers