Wednesday, June 22, 2005 |
Wednesday began refreshingly cool with bright sunlight and nearly no wind. Temps were in the upper 50's but quickly rose during the morning. Gunners were already positioned in the field at 6:30 and the test dog called to line at about 6:45. Unfortunately she handled on both retired marks, causing some alarm to those handlers left to run. After help was need for her to find the bird, retuning handlers marched back to the parking area like a legion of the "darned". Something was definitely different this morning. The middle position threw several birds to scent the area after the dog returned. That took a bit of time so the first running dog #42 arrived on line at 7:15 a.m.
Several of the earlier dogs had difficulty on the middle mark - either loose hunts or handles. The previous day there were hunts but few, if any, handles on it. At 10:10 a.m., the last dog # 67 completed the fourth.
A move down the road back to the previous area began in earnest. Callback came shortly and 12 dogs had not been invited back. They were: 7, 18, 30, 42, 44, 73, 78, 79, 80, 87, 90, and 93. Sixty two potential NARC's remained. Sadly, dog 96 scratched due to an injury the previous day.
Several of the earlier dogs had difficulty on the middle mark - either loose hunts or handles. The previous day there were hunts but few, if any, handles on it. At 10:10 a.m., the last dog # 67 completed the fourth.
A move down the road back to the previous area began in earnest. Callback came shortly and 12 dogs had not been invited back. They were: 7, 18, 30, 42, 44, 73, 78, 79, 80, 87, 90, and 93. Sixty two potential NARC's remained. Sadly, dog 96 scratched due to an injury the previous day.
Test 5 from line
|
Test 5 close up (planter at bird)
|
The test five site faced the end of a double fingered pond with a peninsula protruding from the left between them. It curved in toward the line to the right. A set of guns were positioned toward the end of the of the peninsula. They shot and threw a dead duck to the left where it splashed in the pond, close to the far shore, about 75 yards from line.The test had two running mats on line. On the right, a dog honored for a dog on the left who retrieves the "poison' type mark. As the one dog retrieved, the honoring one returned to the holding blind until the dog recovered the bird. Next, he came out of the holding blind and picked up the blind - a dead duck 200+ yards away marked by a bush - and delivered it on the left mat. The process then began all over again.
Test dogs were called to line at 11:40 a.m. Both had numerous whistles to recover the blind. One illustrated that it was possible to go out of sight behind a mound on the left. The first running dog stepped to line at about 11:35 a.m. It took about 5 mpd. It was hot and breezy for the rest of the afternoon.
The line to the blind was down the slope then along a side hill of a relatively high mound on the left. The strip of land between the ponds was just to the right of the highest part of the mound.It tempted dogs to run down it, back toward the gun station. Beyond the land rose up to the blind . All suction - old mark, guns, wind, and slope was to the right. An over handle to the left could send the dog behind the mound. The wind angled in toward the line from left to right and was quite gusty at times. Some dogs had trouble winding the blind and care was needed to make sure they were "put on it" when in the area or they might need extra whistles.
A number of dogs needed early correction as they started toward the bird or flared to the left It was difficult to hold the side hill angle past the mound as some tried to drive up it while others thought they should go in the water. The test went quickly (Worker's party at 6 p.m.) and was completed by 3:15 when the by dog came to line. Callbacks came after a relatively short wait. Fifty nine dogs survived to run the sixth. The three dropped were: 66, 75 and 88.
When the callbacks were posted at Headquarters a note mentioned that the 6th series would be held in the "horse pasture" area adjacent to the Minnesota Iron Rage Retriever Club Grounds.Test dogs will run at 7:30; first running dog, #9 at 8 a.m. The type of test was not divulged, however rumor implied a set of land marks.
Test dogs were called to line at 11:40 a.m. Both had numerous whistles to recover the blind. One illustrated that it was possible to go out of sight behind a mound on the left. The first running dog stepped to line at about 11:35 a.m. It took about 5 mpd. It was hot and breezy for the rest of the afternoon.
The line to the blind was down the slope then along a side hill of a relatively high mound on the left. The strip of land between the ponds was just to the right of the highest part of the mound.It tempted dogs to run down it, back toward the gun station. Beyond the land rose up to the blind . All suction - old mark, guns, wind, and slope was to the right. An over handle to the left could send the dog behind the mound. The wind angled in toward the line from left to right and was quite gusty at times. Some dogs had trouble winding the blind and care was needed to make sure they were "put on it" when in the area or they might need extra whistles.
A number of dogs needed early correction as they started toward the bird or flared to the left It was difficult to hold the side hill angle past the mound as some tried to drive up it while others thought they should go in the water. The test went quickly (Worker's party at 6 p.m.) and was completed by 3:15 when the by dog came to line. Callbacks came after a relatively short wait. Fifty nine dogs survived to run the sixth. The three dropped were: 66, 75 and 88.
When the callbacks were posted at Headquarters a note mentioned that the 6th series would be held in the "horse pasture" area adjacent to the Minnesota Iron Rage Retriever Club Grounds.Test dogs will run at 7:30; first running dog, #9 at 8 a.m. The type of test was not divulged, however rumor implied a set of land marks.
"Road Kill Grill" Gourmets
|
Gunner Headquarters
|
