HISTORY - COMING HOME
My love for English Setters began about 30 years ago but has been more fully realized in 2000, fulfilling a life long dream.
I grew up in the Saline River valley in the Smoky Hills of north central Kansas. I affectionately refer to that geographic area as "hillbilly." Among the grassy rolling hills and fertile soil with crops of wheat and milo, my love for the outdoors was spawned. I began hunting almost 30 years ago, chasing sparrows around the farm as a 5 year old to pursuing pheasants, quail, doves, geese, turkey, and prairie chickens.
As a child I would study and organize dog books, very carefully inspecting the bird dogs and always, always dreaming of owning an English Setter. My father never really believed in paying for a dog so we would get the local giveaway bird dogs. So I grew up hunting over a wide variety of bird dogs but never the prized English Setter from my childhood dreams. I developed a strong appreciation for all breeds of dogs while hunting over a wide variety but prefer the English Setter. I do love hunting over a combination of breeds to enhance the hunting experience.
A couple of university degrees, working in another state at a university, I was ready to come "home." "Home" meaning getting back to more hunting, more fishing, and my childhood dream of owning a few good Setters. I never gave up hunting and fishing during those years just reduced my excursions in what I call the lean years.
Nowadays, I've started to field trial a bit. I primarily hunt wild pheasants in "hillbilly" throughout the winter with my Setters. I'm drawn to that area by family, friends, accessibility to fertile hunting grounds and many wonderful childhood memories.
Feel free to contact me to talk dogs and hunting anytime.
Jim Gourley
Member- National Shoot to Retrieve Association(NSTRA)
Member- Pheasants Forever Member- National Wild Turkey Federation Member- Lincoln County Tourism Coalition Board of Directors- The Amazing 100 Miles Member- Saline County Bird Dog Club
Proud Sponsor/Donor for- Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Pheasant Fever Chapter, Lincoln County Pheasant Forever Chapter, NSTRA Missouri/Kansas Region, Fort Hays State University, Washburn University, Lincoln High School, WE KAN Conference, Salina County Bird Dog Club
