Sunday, June 16, 2002 |
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Tests One and Two - Land Double With Blind on Left
Sunday arrived clear, cool, temps in the upper 50's and little wind. Although there was to be no formal caravan, there was a "pilot" car to lead participants to the site. It was a beautiful 20+ mile ride to the site, a lush valley off Hwy 140. At 7 a.m., the test set up, a double and a blind, was nearing completion. There were two mats facing the lush green valley. A flowing creek was a short distance in front of the line and wound it's way angling back to the left. Spoils from trenching it were piled on the far bank.
To the right, about 125-140 yds from line, a set of live gunners shot a flying hen pheasant to the right. Deeper to their left, a second set of guns were positioned on the edge of a narrow tree stand about 175-190 yards out. They threw a dead hen pheasant angled back to the right. As the dog was sent, they retired behind a log blind. The left mark was thrown first, followed by the flyer. Handlers were instructed to stay on the mat when sending and not move in front of them when running. Also, they were to pick up the last mark on the left (blind) mat.
About 40 yards directly to the left of the reitred guns was a pair of stumps on a sparsely wooded hill across a dirt road. A dead hen pheasant was planted there also about 175 to 190 yards away AFTER the dog was on his way back from the last bird. In case a dog arrived back sooner than the bird was planted, they were directed to a nearby blind until it was placed. The marks were run from the right mat and the blind from the left one. Dogs had to cross the narrow creek for all birds. (That was helpful for the dogs as it cooled them down.)
Many of the dogs "shopped" for the flyer as the falls were varied and hen pheasants had little scent. Some lost a firm mark crossing the creek and berm. The retired mark caused a few more problems. A direct line to the bird angled across the creek and a number squared it instead. Those arrived to the right, into the expansive meadow. They seemed unwilling to go back to the woods and hunted the field. Others winded the blind and hunted short. A fallen log on the way to the area also pushed them right. A switching and relatively gusty wind at times also influenced them.
The blind was the most challenging as the line to it angled into the creek (Current flowing in towards the line) then angled out on the far shore and across it again. It continued across a dirt road to the wooded hill beyond. The angles, narrow creek and wooded area on right kept handlers busy trying to hold a line. Poor initial lines demanded a quick correction and a fast dog could nearly jump across the creek and into trouble. A wind in toward the line discouraged dogs from taking the casts into the water and there were numerous refusals at times.
It took 7-8 minutes per dog and by mid afternoon there was doubt that all 110 would run on Sunday. Toward evening the test deteriorated. There were a number of no-birds and a handle or two. That fact combined with dusk rapidly enveloping the site, motivated Judges to suspended the series after dog 97 ran. (There were still a few reruns to complete in the morning.) The test would resume on Tuesday morning with one test dog running at 7:30 and the first dog, 98, at 8 am.
To the right, about 125-140 yds from line, a set of live gunners shot a flying hen pheasant to the right. Deeper to their left, a second set of guns were positioned on the edge of a narrow tree stand about 175-190 yards out. They threw a dead hen pheasant angled back to the right. As the dog was sent, they retired behind a log blind. The left mark was thrown first, followed by the flyer. Handlers were instructed to stay on the mat when sending and not move in front of them when running. Also, they were to pick up the last mark on the left (blind) mat.
About 40 yards directly to the left of the reitred guns was a pair of stumps on a sparsely wooded hill across a dirt road. A dead hen pheasant was planted there also about 175 to 190 yards away AFTER the dog was on his way back from the last bird. In case a dog arrived back sooner than the bird was planted, they were directed to a nearby blind until it was placed. The marks were run from the right mat and the blind from the left one. Dogs had to cross the narrow creek for all birds. (That was helpful for the dogs as it cooled them down.)
Many of the dogs "shopped" for the flyer as the falls were varied and hen pheasants had little scent. Some lost a firm mark crossing the creek and berm. The retired mark caused a few more problems. A direct line to the bird angled across the creek and a number squared it instead. Those arrived to the right, into the expansive meadow. They seemed unwilling to go back to the woods and hunted the field. Others winded the blind and hunted short. A fallen log on the way to the area also pushed them right. A switching and relatively gusty wind at times also influenced them.
The blind was the most challenging as the line to it angled into the creek (Current flowing in towards the line) then angled out on the far shore and across it again. It continued across a dirt road to the wooded hill beyond. The angles, narrow creek and wooded area on right kept handlers busy trying to hold a line. Poor initial lines demanded a quick correction and a fast dog could nearly jump across the creek and into trouble. A wind in toward the line discouraged dogs from taking the casts into the water and there were numerous refusals at times.
It took 7-8 minutes per dog and by mid afternoon there was doubt that all 110 would run on Sunday. Toward evening the test deteriorated. There were a number of no-birds and a handle or two. That fact combined with dusk rapidly enveloping the site, motivated Judges to suspended the series after dog 97 ran. (There were still a few reruns to complete in the morning.) The test would resume on Tuesday morning with one test dog running at 7:30 and the first dog, 98, at 8 am.
L to R - Dennis and Mary Lou Bath & Don Driggers
Jan Bunn
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Line for tests one and two
L to R - Bill Speck and Roy Pelton
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