From 500 yards away, sitting atop his horse, John Zeman watched the beginnings of his "perfect scenario" unfold, as if the entire drama before him had been choreographed for some higher purpose.
This was early last September in northeast Montana. Zeman's 4-year-old German shorthaired pointer, Liza, locked up on point in an overgrown alfalfa field. For several minutes she stood frozen in time and space, her stubby tail canted at 45 degrees, her sinewy, white-and-liver-colored body glistening in the sun. The distance closed, Zeman jumped off his horse, grabbed his 20-gauge over-and-under from its scabbard and flushed a covey of sharp-tailed grouse.
"I knocked down one bird, but the most gratifying part of that whole deal was that Liza was completely steady throughout — on point, with the flush and then the shot. She didn't break until I released her for the retrieve, which she brought to hand," said Zeman, 54, of Zimmerman. "Some guys want to shoot a lot of birds, and that's completely fine, but what I'm looking for is that perfect scenario where all my training with my dogs comes together. As a bird hunter, that's what really gets me going."
With Game Fair in Ramsey starting Friday and the early-autumn bird-hunting seasons only weeks away, Zeman, a self-described amateur dog trainer who co-owns his family's construction business, is in full preparation mode. In fact, Zeman is constantly preparing, his friends say. Dog training isn't merely a hobby. It's his lifestyle. And he's superb at it, they say, a dog whisperer of sorts who is willing to impart his decades of experience to help anyone.
"The one thing about John, apart from his extraordinary aptitude as a trainer, is that he's genuinely a nice guy," said Julia Schrenkler, 49, an adult onset hunter whose German shorthaired pointer (GSP) Wren has been trained by Zeman. "If you're lucky enough to spend time with him, you can't help but learn from him. He's so generous it's a little humbling."
A member of Pheasants Forever and the German Shorthaired Club of Minnesota, Zeman, at 15, purchased his first GSP for $150. Nineteen others have followed. Today, he has five dogs. Zeman's GSPs have won field trial championships, among other accolades. He trains regularly at his small hobby farm and often at Four Brooks Wildlife Management Area, state land open for dog training and field trials. Using a GoPro camera, he often videos his training and conditioning sessions and posts them on Facebook. He said it's a way to "preserve some memories and have a little fun." He's developed quite the following.
"I had a mentor when I got my first dog who taught me so many things, and I'm grateful for that," said Zeman. "That's why I feel an obligation to help others. I want to show them what their dogs are capable of."
With German origins dating back to the 17th century, GSPs are often likened to the Swiss Army Knife of pointing breeds. "They're versatile, athletic, intelligent, great family dogs and have a high, high prey drive," said Zeman. "I like to hunt every bird under the sun, so they're perfect for me."
