Tuesday, June 19, 2007 |
The weather forecast for today indicated a radical change from the last few .The rather cool, windy conditions would be replaced by hot weather with temperatures in the 90's.
The test would be held on a site a short distance from the second and third series. Once on site, we found that the test dogs had an early start. The first test dog, Bleazard with UFO, ran at 7:19, followed by Frye with Fat City Free Rider at 7:35 am, who handled on one bird/mark.
The test would be held on a site a short distance from the second and third series. Once on site, we found that the test dogs had an early start. The first test dog, Bleazard with UFO, ran at 7:19, followed by Frye with Fat City Free Rider at 7:35 am, who handled on one bird/mark.
Test 4 Land / Water Triple
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Two Retired Guns and an honor
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The test was a land water triple with two retired guns and an honor on the left. The line was set on a slight rise overlooking the same winding creek used on the second and third series. Within the field, three sets of gunners were stationed. On the left, nearly straight out from the line, one set stood on the top of a slopeing hill. They shot and threw a dead duck flat to the right down hill. It landed in a mix of sage brush and grass about 150 yards from the line. To the right and deeper in the field on the same side of the water, a set of flyer guns shot a duck flat to the right. It landed in short pasture grass 200 yards out from the line. Lastly, the third set was on a wide spit of land encircled by the winding stream. They shot and threw a dead duck across the stream that converged with the flyer. It landed on the shore's edge 130 yards out from the line. The order was left - dead bird, middle - flyer, right - dead bird. As the dog was sent for the first bird, the two outside dead bird gunners retired. Also, there were decoys on the widening of the stream between the flyer and the right gunners. The wind blew in from right to left, occasionally switching.
The test took roughly 8 -10 minutes per dog to complete.
When set for the right bird, some dogs were reluctant to cross the creek a second time and hunted on the wrong side of the guns. Eventually, most hunted their way across the stream to pick up the duck. On the left mark, dogs would drive up the hill either in front or behind the retired gunners and hunt for the bird. There was also a dirt road behind the gunners and some hunted back and forth occassionally behind the hill to the left of the gunners.
A few dogs split the difference between the left mark and the middle flyer hunting the "no-man's-land" between the two. There were few handles, but most hunted their way to one or the other. Most handlers took the outside retired marks first. When sent for the flyer, a number of dogs appeared to not to want to take the line to the flyer as it converged with the right bird already picked up. Those took a line behind the flyer guns and also hunted there - some quite heavily. In some cases, dogs missed the water on the left mark.
After about 1 p.m. the wind picked up significantly and work deteriorated to some degree. From that time until the series was suspended for the day at 6 p.m., there were 4 handles and 2 pick ups and some wide, loose hunts. Prior to that there were only 3 handles. Most of those occured on the left retired mark.
By afternoon, the temperatures had risen into the mid 80's with a welcome breeze.
At 5 p.m. an announcement was made that the test would be discontinued after dog 25 ran. Test dog would run at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and the first running dog shortly after. Dog 25 was excused from his honor shortly after 6 p.m. and the test suspended. There would be no partial call backs tonight.
The test took roughly 8 -10 minutes per dog to complete.
When set for the right bird, some dogs were reluctant to cross the creek a second time and hunted on the wrong side of the guns. Eventually, most hunted their way across the stream to pick up the duck. On the left mark, dogs would drive up the hill either in front or behind the retired gunners and hunt for the bird. There was also a dirt road behind the gunners and some hunted back and forth occassionally behind the hill to the left of the gunners.
A few dogs split the difference between the left mark and the middle flyer hunting the "no-man's-land" between the two. There were few handles, but most hunted their way to one or the other. Most handlers took the outside retired marks first. When sent for the flyer, a number of dogs appeared to not to want to take the line to the flyer as it converged with the right bird already picked up. Those took a line behind the flyer guns and also hunted there - some quite heavily. In some cases, dogs missed the water on the left mark.
After about 1 p.m. the wind picked up significantly and work deteriorated to some degree. From that time until the series was suspended for the day at 6 p.m., there were 4 handles and 2 pick ups and some wide, loose hunts. Prior to that there were only 3 handles. Most of those occured on the left retired mark.
By afternoon, the temperatures had risen into the mid 80's with a welcome breeze.
At 5 p.m. an announcement was made that the test would be discontinued after dog 25 ran. Test dog would run at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and the first running dog shortly after. Dog 25 was excused from his honor shortly after 6 p.m. and the test suspended. There would be no partial call backs tonight.
Range Rovers" - Parked
Judges (L to R) Linda Patterson,
Sally Foster and Bill Goldstein |
Announcer Tom Cox
The American Enterprenural Spirit
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