Welcome to the Southern Tier Chapter of NY NAVHDA. Our long established chapter is one of the most highly recognized in all of NAVHDA in regards to quality of training, testing and comradity of members.

Twenty Five years ago a few men, not your average Tom, Dick and Larry, interested in versatile hunting dogs had heard word of NAVHDA. They saw the Finger Lakes NAVHDA training dates published in Gun Dog magazine and decided to visit and see what it was all about. Needless to say, they were so impressed with what they had seen that they were determined to form their own chapter. That was the beginning of the Southern Tier of NY Chapter of NAVHDA! This April 2009 marks the 25th Anniversary of our very first training date. Just as a reference as to how long ago 25 years was, here are a few bits of trivia:

* Pete Rose becomes the first player in National League history to collect 4,000 hits
* Average Cost of new house $86,730.00
* Gallon of gas $1.10

By Garrick Otero (Photo by Rob Drieslein)

There’s good news and bad news about ruffed grouse in New York, “depending on how you look at it,” according to Megan Skrip, a graduate student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Skrip studied the bird’s population for her recently completed master’s thesis. She attempted to learn why their numbers have declined 75 percent from the 1960s to the present. “They are the second-most-popular game bird in New York State, wild turkey being the most popular,” Skrip said. Some people think that popularity is at least partly responsible for the sharp drop in the bird’s numbers.

These three birds [the American woodcock, the ruffed grouse and the
whip-poor-will]...are "coal mine canaries" telling us by their absence
that young forest habitats are quickly disappearing. Are we listening?
Do we hear the emptiness? Will we listen?'

Regional Training Seminars

• Rick Smith Foundation Seminars
• Al Burkhart Clinic

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Rick Smith Foundation Seminar - If you're looking for a better relationship with your dog, both at home and in the field, you've come to the right place. From puppyhood through the basics of being a bird dog, all the basic skills you and your dog will need can be found here. You will be trained to train your dog. You'll work with the Command Lead, check cord, and whoa post, as well as the chain, and your dog will have numerous opportunities to work birds