Friday, November 16, 2001 |
Test 7 - Water Blind with planter (Zoom in)
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Test 7 - Full distance
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Again, Friday morning arrived with delightfully clear skies, mild temperatures and little wind.
The site was the same pond that was used Thursday, but the line had been moved to the far left end of it. It was a long angle entry to the narrow, point filled channel (the near side from Thursday). Judges instructed handlers that the line was over the last, right point. The bird lay on shore beyond a bay behind it about 270 Yards from line. It was marked by an orange stick.
Dawn was just breaking when the first test dog was called to the line. When he could not recover the bird under control, a succession of 3 others were invited to try it. Just before 7:30 the last one completed it an the running dogs were called to the line.
The long entry was through several patches of high cover where a dog could be easily lost, mainly to the left, before the water. If they disappeared into it, they usually re-appeared on the open land to the left, well off line and in a position which discouraged the distant water entry. There was a pick-up or two from there. Those that traveled down the channel could be lost in the running water before the required point. If they cheated the water on the right, they could easily be lost in the dense cover on the right shore. Those would re-appear deep in the meadow to the right. Most of those were also mortally wounded.
The test took about 6 minutes per dog and ended with dog # 12 at 10:15.
The gallery was told to wait 1/2 an hour until the new test could be readied at Moree's. Call backs came swiftly and only 21 dogs remained in contention. Those dropped were: 6, 34, 46, 47, 49, and 78. Dog 41 would start test 8.
The test was being organized in a rolling grassy field as participants arrived. It was an in line triple with two retired guns. Test dogs were called to line at 11:50 a.m. After they ran, judges decided to scrap the test because of heavy cover.
The line was then moved a good distance to the right on top a rolling hill. A triangle triple with two retired guns was quickly organized. One test dog was run at 12:50. He did it and the first running dog, #41 was called to line. She completed without handling but - no one could see what she did. When the same became true for the second, that test was also scrapped. Judges quickly drove down the road, apparently to examine another field. The gallery was told to wait until called.
The site was the same pond that was used Thursday, but the line had been moved to the far left end of it. It was a long angle entry to the narrow, point filled channel (the near side from Thursday). Judges instructed handlers that the line was over the last, right point. The bird lay on shore beyond a bay behind it about 270 Yards from line. It was marked by an orange stick.
Dawn was just breaking when the first test dog was called to the line. When he could not recover the bird under control, a succession of 3 others were invited to try it. Just before 7:30 the last one completed it an the running dogs were called to the line.
The long entry was through several patches of high cover where a dog could be easily lost, mainly to the left, before the water. If they disappeared into it, they usually re-appeared on the open land to the left, well off line and in a position which discouraged the distant water entry. There was a pick-up or two from there. Those that traveled down the channel could be lost in the running water before the required point. If they cheated the water on the right, they could easily be lost in the dense cover on the right shore. Those would re-appear deep in the meadow to the right. Most of those were also mortally wounded.
The test took about 6 minutes per dog and ended with dog # 12 at 10:15.
The gallery was told to wait 1/2 an hour until the new test could be readied at Moree's. Call backs came swiftly and only 21 dogs remained in contention. Those dropped were: 6, 34, 46, 47, 49, and 78. Dog 41 would start test 8.
The test was being organized in a rolling grassy field as participants arrived. It was an in line triple with two retired guns. Test dogs were called to line at 11:50 a.m. After they ran, judges decided to scrap the test because of heavy cover.
The line was then moved a good distance to the right on top a rolling hill. A triangle triple with two retired guns was quickly organized. One test dog was run at 12:50. He did it and the first running dog, #41 was called to line. She completed without handling but - no one could see what she did. When the same became true for the second, that test was also scrapped. Judges quickly drove down the road, apparently to examine another field. The gallery was told to wait until called.
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Test 8 - Land Triple with Two Retired Guns
About 20 minutes later, participants caravaned to the new site, a pond/field within the Moree Game farm. The line was set "T" end of a gravel road facing rolling fields intersected by old corn strips a fairly wide strip if sprouting winter wheat and tall, grassy patches.
Three sets of guns were located within the field. The closest was on the left, on the left side of a gravel road. They shot a flyer duck to the right, over the road, where it landed in the tip of a corn strip about 134 yards from line. A second set was stationed to their right, a bit closer to line. They threw a dead hen pheasant to the right. It fell in a patch of cover and old corn 142 yards out. To the right and much deeper, a third set stood on the right side of a strip of winter wheat. They walked out into the strip a few feet and threw a dead rooster flat to the left. It landed in an old corn strip across the sprouting winter wheat field about 270 yards from line. The order was: middle, right, left flyer. As the dog was sent for the flyer, the middle and left guns retired to brush/blinds.
A switching wind blew from left to right across the test at varying angles. It took about 6 minutes per dog.
The first test dog ran, successfully at 2:40 p.m. The first running dog #50 came to line at 2:50 p.m., only to receive a no-bird.
Some dogs ran to the left of the flyer guns and a few had hunts, but most recovered it well. Handlers then sent for the middle mark. There were also hunts on that, but most retrieved it after a short search. The right bird was the "money" mark. Dogs seemed reluctant to angle across the winter wheat strip into the old corn on the left where the bird lay. They could not wind it from the strip (right). And a number drove deep hunting out of sight behind the hill beyond. Some recovered quickly, but quite a few hunted fruitlessly for some time before locating it.
The test was finished at 5:30 pm. Call backs came by 7 p.m. and listed 16 in contention. The 5 lost were: 7, 12, 26, 50, and 58.
The ninth is scheduled for the Cooper Black grounds - predicted to be water marks. Test dog 6:45, running dog at 7 a.m.
Three sets of guns were located within the field. The closest was on the left, on the left side of a gravel road. They shot a flyer duck to the right, over the road, where it landed in the tip of a corn strip about 134 yards from line. A second set was stationed to their right, a bit closer to line. They threw a dead hen pheasant to the right. It fell in a patch of cover and old corn 142 yards out. To the right and much deeper, a third set stood on the right side of a strip of winter wheat. They walked out into the strip a few feet and threw a dead rooster flat to the left. It landed in an old corn strip across the sprouting winter wheat field about 270 yards from line. The order was: middle, right, left flyer. As the dog was sent for the flyer, the middle and left guns retired to brush/blinds.
A switching wind blew from left to right across the test at varying angles. It took about 6 minutes per dog.
The first test dog ran, successfully at 2:40 p.m. The first running dog #50 came to line at 2:50 p.m., only to receive a no-bird.
Some dogs ran to the left of the flyer guns and a few had hunts, but most recovered it well. Handlers then sent for the middle mark. There were also hunts on that, but most retrieved it after a short search. The right bird was the "money" mark. Dogs seemed reluctant to angle across the winter wheat strip into the old corn on the left where the bird lay. They could not wind it from the strip (right). And a number drove deep hunting out of sight behind the hill beyond. Some recovered quickly, but quite a few hunted fruitlessly for some time before locating it.
The test was finished at 5:30 pm. Call backs came by 7 p.m. and listed 16 in contention. The 5 lost were: 7, 12, 26, 50, and 58.
The ninth is scheduled for the Cooper Black grounds - predicted to be water marks. Test dog 6:45, running dog at 7 a.m.
