Friday, June 21, 2002 |
Gunner (Ret)
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Gunner (Ret)
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Live Gunners
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Test 7 - Water Triple With Two Retired Marks
A dark, foreboding sky hovered over participants about 6:30 am as they started to the site of test #7. It was back at the same ranch where the third series had been held. The weather forecast told of scattered showers and a high of about 80. However, by the time cars were parked, the clouds had dissipated and the sun soon appeared.
The site was deep within the ranch and cars traveled slowly as to not disturb the owners. Once again, the line was on a dike facing a flooded pasture of lunging and swimming water. Nearly straight out from line on the left, a gunner was stationed in a boat in the flooded field. He threw a dead duck back to the right where it splashed into the water about 110 yards from line. To his right and a bit closer in stood another gunner, also in a boat He threw a dead duck to the right, that splashed in the grassy water about 105 yards away. On the dike to the right of the line a live gun station shot a bird flighted to the left and sluiced it as it landed in the water about 75 yards deep converging toward the middle mark. As the dog recovered the flyer, the two boat gunners retired by sitting down in camouflaged blinds encircling the boats The order was left, middle, right flyer. It took about 12 mpd.
At about 8:15 the test dogs demonstrated that the birds could be hard to mark and hunts and a handle were needed to recover them. At 8:56 the first running dog, #38 boldly strode to line. When he handled on two and the next on one, handlers feared a repeat of the #6 results. Never the less, the test continued and slowly completions outnumbered handles. Unfortunately, several of those who handled added a second handle to an earlier one. By late morning several dogs were applauded for outstanding work.
Early dogs had little wind and what there was could switch a bit. The flooded grassy cover looked quite similar and dogs could loose a firm mark when swimming to it. The short flyer was very exciting and could also distract the dogs Some, when sent for the middle bird second, passed between it and the boat, drove deep and winded the left one. Once they recovered it, It was very difficult to send them back to the middle one. A few dogs seemed to lose their mark on one or the other and swam out of the area. Those either hunted wide or had to be handled back. Later paths formed through the flooded grass but most did not lead directly to where the birds lay. One or two also switched.
One dog was taken from the holding blind after it appeared to have inhaled a fox tail (Was OK to run later.) Several no-birds were time consuming as by-dogs were needed to pick them up.
As test time improve, a water blind appeared to be the next test. It would be held in the same area after the marks were completed.
At about 3:45 number 7 was history when dog 47 returned with her last bird. (Had 2 no-birds and had to run last).
As the next test, a single water blind was organized farther down the dike, the callbacks were given. Once again the fairly short but demanding marks had taken a toll. Only 18 dogs remained for the eighth series. The 12 dropped were: 2, 8, 14, 36, 38, 46, 54, 60, 62, 86, 90, and 100. One handler, #67 possibly felt he would not be called back and left. A cell phone call reached him and he hurried to return to run the blind.
The site was deep within the ranch and cars traveled slowly as to not disturb the owners. Once again, the line was on a dike facing a flooded pasture of lunging and swimming water. Nearly straight out from line on the left, a gunner was stationed in a boat in the flooded field. He threw a dead duck back to the right where it splashed into the water about 110 yards from line. To his right and a bit closer in stood another gunner, also in a boat He threw a dead duck to the right, that splashed in the grassy water about 105 yards away. On the dike to the right of the line a live gun station shot a bird flighted to the left and sluiced it as it landed in the water about 75 yards deep converging toward the middle mark. As the dog recovered the flyer, the two boat gunners retired by sitting down in camouflaged blinds encircling the boats The order was left, middle, right flyer. It took about 12 mpd.
At about 8:15 the test dogs demonstrated that the birds could be hard to mark and hunts and a handle were needed to recover them. At 8:56 the first running dog, #38 boldly strode to line. When he handled on two and the next on one, handlers feared a repeat of the #6 results. Never the less, the test continued and slowly completions outnumbered handles. Unfortunately, several of those who handled added a second handle to an earlier one. By late morning several dogs were applauded for outstanding work.
Early dogs had little wind and what there was could switch a bit. The flooded grassy cover looked quite similar and dogs could loose a firm mark when swimming to it. The short flyer was very exciting and could also distract the dogs Some, when sent for the middle bird second, passed between it and the boat, drove deep and winded the left one. Once they recovered it, It was very difficult to send them back to the middle one. A few dogs seemed to lose their mark on one or the other and swam out of the area. Those either hunted wide or had to be handled back. Later paths formed through the flooded grass but most did not lead directly to where the birds lay. One or two also switched.
One dog was taken from the holding blind after it appeared to have inhaled a fox tail (Was OK to run later.) Several no-birds were time consuming as by-dogs were needed to pick them up.
As test time improve, a water blind appeared to be the next test. It would be held in the same area after the marks were completed.
At about 3:45 number 7 was history when dog 47 returned with her last bird. (Had 2 no-birds and had to run last).
As the next test, a single water blind was organized farther down the dike, the callbacks were given. Once again the fairly short but demanding marks had taken a toll. Only 18 dogs remained for the eighth series. The 12 dropped were: 2, 8, 14, 36, 38, 46, 54, 60, 62, 86, 90, and 100. One handler, #67 possibly felt he would not be called back and left. A cell phone call reached him and he hurried to return to run the blind.
Test 8 - Water Blind
Site from line
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Zoom view to show blind
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The line for the blind was located a ways down the dike, about where the live guns had stood, and faced the water 90 degrees from the marks. It was a long land angle water entry. Two bird crates were located off the right side of the dike, just around a slight right turn. In the bottom crate were a few live ducks. Farther down the dike a decoy gunner sat in a chair with a sack of birds next to him. Since the wind was from right to left across the test, dogs could wind them from the water as they swam/lunged by. On either side of the dike, about 30 yards from the line, two rocks were tied with red ribbons. Handlers were told they could move up to that point to handle once the dogs crossed them and entered the water(?).
The first test team tried to demonstrate the series only to be misinformed of where the bird lay. It had been planted by a boat on a rat trap in open water. After, Judges had it moved to the right shore and planted in a clump of weeds instead of open water. That proved wise since a gale force wind accompanied a storm passing in the distance. After a few more adjustments, number 8 was ready. A second test dog was then demonstrated the revised blind. At 5:12, dog 61 braved the wind to initiate the test. (Coincidentally her name was FC-AFC Northwind Gale Force!)
To recover the bird, a dead duck, dogs had to run down the dike and enter the water about where it curved to the right. They had to parallel the shore past clumps of cattails, and weeds, occasionally quite close to the inviting shoreline and the smell of ducks resting on it. The bird lay in a protruding patch of light green cover about 200 yards from line. It took about 10 mpd
Some dogs did not like to run down the center of the dike and tried to go left where the flyer had fallen previously. Others went to the right perhaps avoiding the water ahead. Once in the water some were nudged to the left either by the strong wind or old falls. As the dogs swam farther down the shore they were drawn to it by the smell of the ducks and/or the punishing conditions and some tried to exit early.
By 8:05 the eighth ended when 57 returned to line. Happily, the departed contender had been able to compete as he returned in time.
It had been difficult to get an exact sense of the work since the view was blocked from behind the line and the gallery was too far away.
About 9:35 pm the callbacks arrived in the popcorn room of the Shilo. Three had been lost and 15 remained in contention. Those dropped: 3, 40, and 61. The ninth would be held back at "mountain goat hill" a short distance from HQ. It would be a land blind with test teams at 7:30 and first running dog shortly thereafter. Dog 105 would run first.
The first test team tried to demonstrate the series only to be misinformed of where the bird lay. It had been planted by a boat on a rat trap in open water. After, Judges had it moved to the right shore and planted in a clump of weeds instead of open water. That proved wise since a gale force wind accompanied a storm passing in the distance. After a few more adjustments, number 8 was ready. A second test dog was then demonstrated the revised blind. At 5:12, dog 61 braved the wind to initiate the test. (Coincidentally her name was FC-AFC Northwind Gale Force!)
To recover the bird, a dead duck, dogs had to run down the dike and enter the water about where it curved to the right. They had to parallel the shore past clumps of cattails, and weeds, occasionally quite close to the inviting shoreline and the smell of ducks resting on it. The bird lay in a protruding patch of light green cover about 200 yards from line. It took about 10 mpd
Some dogs did not like to run down the center of the dike and tried to go left where the flyer had fallen previously. Others went to the right perhaps avoiding the water ahead. Once in the water some were nudged to the left either by the strong wind or old falls. As the dogs swam farther down the shore they were drawn to it by the smell of the ducks and/or the punishing conditions and some tried to exit early.
By 8:05 the eighth ended when 57 returned to line. Happily, the departed contender had been able to compete as he returned in time.
It had been difficult to get an exact sense of the work since the view was blocked from behind the line and the gallery was too far away.
About 9:35 pm the callbacks arrived in the popcorn room of the Shilo. Three had been lost and 15 remained in contention. Those dropped: 3, 40, and 61. The ninth would be held back at "mountain goat hill" a short distance from HQ. It would be a land blind with test teams at 7:30 and first running dog shortly thereafter. Dog 105 would run first.
Gallery - Test 7
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(L to R) Sandy Thorson, John Pampy,
Bill Daley & Marilyn Fender |
