All of our 2025 puppies have gone to their new homes and we are going into a semi-retirement period with no current breeding plans. We have two adult children in Nebraska and our youngest is a junior in high school, so we would like the freedom to travel right now. This is our fifteenth year straight of breeding Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and breeding requires considerable time at home. This isn’t a permanent closure, just a temporary pause. We’ll keep our social media and website updated as to when we have some breeding plans established. We’ll still be at bluestemkennels@gmail.com if you need to contact us.
We are now located in rural Clover, South Carolina, in the Piedmont just southwest of the Charlotte, NC metro area.
Bluestem Kennels has been producing quality hunting AKC/NAVHDA Wirehaired Pointing Griffons since 2010. We are lifetime members of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) http://www.navhda.org/ . If you are interested in the future of the versatile hunting dogs, we encourage you to join and get involved with this organization! We are dedicated to producing quality AKC and NAVHDA registered hunting Wirehaired Pointing Griffon puppies. We are also members of the AKC breed parent club: the American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association and I was the editor of the magazine the Griffonnier for four years, from 2014 to 2018. was on the national board of directors as secretary from 2023-2025 and was the 2024 National Specialty chairperson. Charles, is very active in training our dogs and helping others train their dogs through the Foothills Chapter, Carolinas Chapter, and the new Saluda River chapter of NAVHDA. He is the director of training for the Saluda River Chapter in South Carolina. Our kennel was located in Nebraska up until July 2021, therefore we are still members and help out where we can with the Heartland Chapter.
Please see our Puppies page for information about what one of our puppies receives during their time here with us. Please see the About Our Dogs page for pedigrees, hunt test results, health and genetic test results for our current and retired breeding stock of dogs. At the bottom of this page is the gallery of our hunting photos.
You can follow our puppies, training, testing and hunting here at bluestemkennels.com. We are also on Facebook as Bluestem Kennels~Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and Instagram @bluestemkennelswpg. You can also search Bluestem Kennels on YouTube for our videos.
The voice of Bluestem Kennels is Charity Upchurch. I am in charge of the kennel, so I raise and place the pups. Charles is a serious hunter and NAVHDA trainer when he isn’t doing his upper management thing in financial services. We have three kids: our twenty-four year-old daughter, Cordelia; our twenty year-old son, Conrad; and our sixteen year-old son, Caleb.
When we aren’t hunting or dog training, we love to travel and have adventures.
The Upchurches are HuskersThe Upchurches remembering the Alamo in 2015, one of our many adventuresCrater of Diamonds State Park Arkansas, 2019Christmas 2022 at Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
I am in the process of retiring the below photo gallery and transitioning everything to the page “Hunting Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Photos” in the navigation bar above. It currently holds all of the photos from 2004 through Spring 2022, but there are no captions. This gallery below starts at 2007 at the top and goes down to 2020 at the bottom in all sorts of various shapes and sizes. My web host has changed formatting on me a few times since I started the blog, this old gallery is a bit of a mess. You can go month-by-month through the blog posts in the “Archives” dropdown on the right hand side of the page.
Charles with Sue and Louie with Murph, North Dakota pheasants 2007Charles, Will, Felix and Adam, South Dakota pheasants 2006Charles with the camp bird total, North Dakota 2008Sam as a 7 month old pup, with Charles, Sue and the North Dakota bird total 2008Sam retrieves a duck during water trainingLouie with Murph and Charles with Sue, North Dakota pheasant 2006Sue retrieves a dove to Charles, Nebraska Sandhills, Sept. 2010Sue with North Dakota pheasants 2007Sam and Sue in the fields of North Dakota 2010Cordelia, Sheaf (Brittany), Charles and Sue as a 4 month old pup, Eastern Nebraska prairie chicken 2004Sue and Charles with North Dakota pheasants 2007Sue retrieves a duck during water trainingCharles and Sam walking the dunes, Nebraska Sandhills, 09/04/11Sue, Sam, Charles and Conrad with the second limit of snipe, 2008Ira, Charles and Sam with some wild Nebraska pheasant, 01/2011The dove total for the day, Nebraska Sandhills, Sept. 2010Sam and Sue with the North Dakota bird total 2010Charity and Charles heading out to chase some ducks, Nebraska Sandhills, Oct. 2009Sam found one hiding under a tree 12/19/2010Sam, Sue and Charles’s Eastern Nebraska Prairie Chicken, Sept. 2010Sue and Charles’s second trip for South Dakota pheasant 2006Charles takes a retrieve from Sue while watching Sam work a birdSam, Charles and Sue with the North Dakota bird total 2009Sue and Charles at the Pheasants Forever Heartland Chapter Youth Hunt, Sept. 2010Sam with another stylish point 01/09/2011Charles shares one of the pheasants with a young hunterSam and Charles with a couple of creek woodducks, Nebraska Sandhills, Oct. 2010Sue and Sam retrieved Charles’s grouse double in the Nebraska Sandhills, Oct. 2010Another great retrieve from Sam 12/19/2010Locked up!Sam, Charles and Caleb with a limit of snipe, Sept. 2010Sam lets you know the bird is there 12/19/2010Sam as a 6 month old pup, with Sue, Charles and the first limit of snipe, Eastern Nebraska 2008BB, Charles and a snipe 09/24/11Sue and Charles, Eastern Nebraska Prairie Chicken 2007Charles and Sam, Nebraska Pheasant Opener 2010Sam, Charles, Sue and BB with some snipe and a blue-winged teal 09/09/11Sam watches the rooster fly over the hill as the hunter attempts a shotCharles guided three generations on 02/20/2011Charles takes a retrieve of a grouse from Sam, Nebraska Sandhills, 09/04/11Sue, BB, Sam and Charles with grouse 09/02/11Sam and Charles with the bird total on a hunt they guided 12/19/2010Charles took this limit in 10 minutes, North Dakota, 10/18/11Sam retrieves a hen pheasant 01/09/2011A successful day in the fieldCharles and Sam guide Heartland Pheasants Forever’s Youth Mentor Hunt 10/01/11Sue retrieving a rooster 12/19/2010Sam water retrieves a pheasant 09/19/11Hunters with bird total; hunt guided by Charles and SamCharity and BB on the hunt. Photo courtesy of ultimateupland.comNate, Charles, Sue and Sam with the rooster of the day, 01/2011Charity proud of her male prairie chicken, Nebraska Sandhills, 10/07/2011Sam and Charles with two early season Eastern Nebraska teal, 09/11/2010Sue retrieves a pheasant to Charles, North Dakota, 10/19/11. Photo by Susan DavyND trip bird total, we had to eat a few pre-picture to stay under limitsSam retrieving directly to hand 01/09/2011A grandfather and grandson walk into Sam’s point 12/19/2010The hunter walks into the tree to try to flush the bird 12/19/2010Charity’s first wild rooster, North Dakota, 10/15/11The hunters with Charity, Sue and Sam guiding 12/1/11Sam retrieves a rooster to Charles’s handCharity, Ryan and Charles with grouse and doves, Nebraska Sandhills, 09/04/11Ryan, Charity, Charles and a big pile of ducks, Nebraska Sandhills, 10/08/11Charles and Charity both take shots at a rooster. Photo courtesy of ultimateupland.comCharity, Charles and the dogs, North Dakota, 10/19/2011. Photo by Susan DavyCharles, Sue and Sam guiding 11/23/11Mae on retrieve 12/09/11Charity and Charles debate who shot the pheasant 10/29/11. Photo courtesy of ultimateupland.comSam retrieves a grouse with Sue watching on, Nebraska Sandhills, 09/04/11Charles, Sue and Sam guiding 09/19/11Charles, Sue and Sam guiding 11/24/11Friends Susan and Tom and their birds over our dogs, North Dakota, 10/19/11Charles, the dogs and a female canvasback duck, North Dakota, 10/17/11Sam, Charles and his pheasant limit, North Dakota, 10/17/11Charity, Sam and a pheasant 10/17/11Sue comes in with another rooster 12/19/2010A hunter walks in on Sam’s point 01/09/2011Nebraska Pheasant Opener at the Brinkman Farm with landowner Marvin Brinkman, Charity, Charles and Brian Koch of ultimateupland.comSue with her high-style point 12/09/2010Charity, Charles and Ryan with sharptails and prairie chicken, Nebraska Sandhills, 10/7/11Ryan, Charity and Charles with grouse and doves 09/03/11Charity and a gadwall duck, North Dakota, 10/16/11Sam brings Charles the retrieve while Marvin looks on. Photo courtesy of ultimateupland.comCharles and his pheasant limit, North Dakota, 10/16/11The hunters that Charity, Sam and Mae guided 12/22/11Charles and the dogs, Nebraska Sandhills 12/25/11Conrad showing off dad’s two roosters on the day 10/30/11Charles with the dogs and his pheasant limit 10/19/11Mae on retrieve 01/02/12BB on retrieve 12/09/11Charles walks into Mae’s point 12/09/11Charles and two gadwall ducks, North Dakota,10/16/11Sam points a chukar while guiding a huntRyan, Charles, and Charity with Mae and Sam. Sharptailed Grouse, October 5, 2012BB pointing 12/09/11BB on retrieve 12/09/11BB on retrieve 12/09/11The hunters that Charity, Sue and Mae preserve guided 12/23/11Charles and the dogs walk across a frozen pond, Nebraska Sandhills 12/24/112010 North Dakota trip bird totalCharles in North Dakota with Sam and BB, October 21, 2012BB, Sam, and Charles opening weekend Sandhills Sharptailed Grouse September 1, 2012BB goes face to face with a raccoon while the pack assists 01/28/12Charles, Sam, and BB, Nebraska Quail, December 30, 2012Charity practices stacking BB at the Grand Island Kennel Club Dog Show, April 2012BB’s first two AKC JH ribbons, March 2012 (we finished the final two legs two weeks later)A coon, a rabbit and a quail on the day 01/28/2012A coon and a pheasant 01/21/12Charles bagged the elusive Sandhills Pheasant 12/24/11Sue, Mae, and Charity Sandhills Sharptailed Grouse Opener September 1, 2012The hunters Charles, Sue and Sam guided 12/10/11Charles shoots a chukar over Mae 01/02/12Charles shoots a chukar over Mae 01/02/2012October 4, 2012 Sandhills Sharptails with Charles, Sue, Mae, and BB.BB Reserve Winner’s Bitch, Lake Minnetonka (MN) Kennel Club Dog Show, June 2012The bird total on guiding for Charity, Sam and Mae 12/23/11BB on point for her NAVHDA NA Prize I (perfect score 112), May 2012Matt Stratman with 3 Nebraska quail and a rooster with Sam and BB, January 26, 2013Sam caught himself an opposum while we were in MissouriCharles and Sam, Nebraska Pheasant on November 2, 2012Charles’s bird total from North Dakota trip 2012 with Sam and BB.Charles in North Dakota with Sam and BB, October 22, 2012Charity, Charles and Ryan with Sam and a mixed bag of ducks and grouse. October 6, 2012Sam retrieving a rabbit, January 5, 2012The hunters that Charity, Sue and BB guided 12/22/11Close-up of sora rail harvest, September 21, 2013The NAVHDA NA judge and Charles walk into BB’s pointCharity and Mae take 2nd Place in the Hunting Bitch Class at AWPGA National Specialty Dog Show in Sioux Falls, SD October 26, 2012Charles and 2 Nebraska quail, January 20, 2013Early Teal near Mound City, Missouri September 21, 2013Charles and BB take 3rd Place in the Amateur Walking Derby at the Heart of America German Shorthaired Pointer Club outside of St. Joseph, Missouri, February 9, 2013Jump hunting ducks in the Sandhills on October 5, 2013Charles, Sam, and BB with rabbits and quail, Nebraska, January 5, 2012Sam retrieving a sharptailed grouse on the 2013 North Dakota tripCharles and Charity each with a dove September 1, 2013Sharptailed Grouse North Dakota 2013Charles showing off a pheasant from the 2013 North Dakota tripWoodduck with BB October 6, 2013Snipe with BB on October 6, 2013Charles and Matt, Nebraska pheasants with Sam and BB, November 30, 20132013 opening day of sharptailed grouse in the Nebraska Sandhills with Sam, Charles, and BBNebraska pheasants with BB and Sam, November 9, 2013Sam retrieves a pheasant on the 2013 North Dakota tripBB finds a downed snipe 09/14/2014Charity, Fire and a North Dakota rooster 2016Charity and Charles, Sandhills Duck Opener 10/04/2014 with BB, Sam and FireCharles releases Fire on the track at her NAVHDA Natural Ability Test 10/12/2014Charles, BB and Sam with a couple of Nebraska roosters 11/09/2014Charity, BB and Fire with quail 2015Charles, BB, and Fire with a mixed bag of teal, snipe and sora 09/14/2014Charles BB and Chief with sharptailed grouse Sandhills 2016Charles with Fire, BB and Chief with ducks and snipe, Sandhills 2016BB and Charles with some more Sandhills ducks and snipe 10/05/2014Charles takes the snipe from BB 09/14/2014Charles and Fire with Eastern Nebraska snipe 2016Charity with BB, Fire and a couple of Nebraska roosters 11/09/2014Charles, Fire, Chief and BB with ducks and snipe, Sandhills 2016Charles and the dogs, ND 2015Charles with a day’s limit of roosters in North Dakota 2016Charity, Early Teal 2015Charles, Early Teal and Snipe 2015BB retrieves a sora rail 09/14/2014Lou, Charles, Charity and the dogs with the first day’s birds, North Dakota 2016Lou, Aaron, Charity and Charles with the dogs and roosters in North Dakota 2016Charity, BB and a sora rail 2016Charles, the dogs and a rooster, North Dakota 2015Charity, North Dakota rooster 2015Charles and Matt quail hunting 2015BB with another retrieve 09/14/2014Charles and Fire, North Dakota 2015Charles and a wood duck, North Dakota 2015Charles taking a retrieve, North Dakota 2015The dogs and some roosters, North Dakota 2015Dogs and roosters, North Dakota 2015Fire, Charles and rooster, North Dakota 2015Charity, sharptailed grouse in North Dakota 2015Charles with a duck, North Dakota 2015Charity, Chief and BB with a Nebraska rooster and bobwhite quail, January 2018Charity with a teal and Charles with a mixed bag of ducks, snipe, sharptailed grouse and a prairie chicken, with Chief. September 2017Charity and Charles, duck opener 2017Charles, Fire and Ruth. Shaprtailed grouse opener 2017Charles and Fire, Nebraska snipe 2017Charles, Fire and Ruth with a limit of roosters. North Dakota 2017Charles, Chief, Fire and Ruth, roosters and sharptailed grouse. North Dakota 2017Matt, Fire and Charles with a quail. January 2018Fire with bobwhite quail and a rabbit with Charles. January 2018
Hi! My name is Max, I am in the market for a wirehaired griffon come December 2022. I am a hunting guide in Wyoming, so my pup must be able to be trained to follow horses, be around horses, follow trail, and suppress its prey drive as to not kill the hunt. Additionally, I am an Ultra marathon trail runner, and would love to have a companion on my runs! Must have a lot of energy and must be apt to life in the back country! Dog will have thousands of acres to roam, and a lot of love from me! Please email me with litter dates, & with price! I am very interested! I can also drive wherever necessary to pick my pup up!
Hi me and my family are looking for new pup to add to the house we are looking for female will be a house dog and also taken out to hunt birds we raise pheasant and there are good numbers of grouse were we live in northern Pennsylvania we live in the country and own our home we have 8yr old basset hound if you have available pup please contact us thank you
Hi Dustin, We currently don’t have any available pups. Our last litter of the year is going to their new homes this week. Check back later in the year if you are interested in getting a spring pup.
Bluestem Kennels 
Mar 07, 2022 @ 19:23:35
Hi! My name is Max, I am in the market for a wirehaired griffon come December 2022. I am a hunting guide in Wyoming, so my pup must be able to be trained to follow horses, be around horses, follow trail, and suppress its prey drive as to not kill the hunt. Additionally, I am an Ultra marathon trail runner, and would love to have a companion on my runs! Must have a lot of energy and must be apt to life in the back country! Dog will have thousands of acres to roam, and a lot of love from me! Please email me with litter dates, & with price! I am very interested! I can also drive wherever necessary to pick my pup up!
May 19, 2018 @ 10:41:02
Hi me and my family are looking for new pup to add to the house we are looking for female will be a house dog and also taken out to hunt birds we raise pheasant and there are good numbers of grouse were we live in northern Pennsylvania we live in the country and own our home we have 8yr old basset hound if you have available pup please contact us thank you
May 19, 2018 @ 11:27:26
Hi Dustin, We currently don’t have any available pups. Our last litter of the year is going to their new homes this week. Check back later in the year if you are interested in getting a spring pup.