Series Four - Land Marks & Blind

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Report composed by Sue Taylor with help from Tim Fahl (drawings) and Jesse Vanhouwe (technology)

The caravan gathered at 7:30 am at the Clubhouse and travelled the short distance to the Lost River property.  This time the test site is at the South end of the property, an area with hills and trees and bushes and cover making for interesting and challenging terrain.

The weather today is forecasted to be more seasonal and typical for August in Saskatchewan.  It should be clear and sunny until mid afternoon, at which time there is a slight chance of light showers.  Temperature as we set up is 12C, and by early afternoon should reach the low 20s C.  Winds are pretty steady from the West (23km/hr) this morning, and should remain moderate (23km/hr gusting 35 km/hr) for the rest of the day. 

As the participants arrive this morning the scenic area is has groups of snow goose decoys and one group of Canadas. There are several bushes and trees on the right and left of the test. 

The judges have one tent set up with their table in it where they can confer between dog runs. The smaller tent is set up adjacent to that for the marshalls and workers.  At the judges instruction the gallery is quite close behind the line so they can see the test and competitors have been instructed to be as quiet as possible. Sponsor banners are up on the gallery tent again including Purina, SportDog, Garmin, and Kent.  Today’s test sponsor is Rick and Louise Roberts from GoldnGun Retrievers. 

 The judges addressed the participants and let them know that they had, up until this point, carried some dogs with weak work and they would need to run very well today to keep playing.

They then described what was going to happen.

Handlers would start with their dogs in the holding blind and be called to line with a gunshot.  They would walk up towards the painted circle and when they got in the area of the line the judge will call to the right hand gun hidden in the trees and they will throw a mallard from right to left and be shot from the line.  This bird lands 3 or 4 feet into the cover. This 1st mark will be a poison bird – the dogs will leave it and run the blind, but then after running the blind it will be scored as a mark when they pick it up.

The line to the blind is left of the line to the poison bird, through decoys, down into a valley,  tight to the central big bush, crossing the natural gap to the edge of the cover. The blind is 114 yards from line.  With this wind the dogs might wind the poison bird on the way to the blind, but if dogs are pushed too far left they might curl around the central bushes and go out of sight. 

When the dog returns with the bird from the blind, as soon as they have turned and sat the other three birds will be thrown and shot. 

The second bird down is the short left bird thrown a slight angle back left to right along the left treeline, 68 yards away. The judges call for this bird and the gunner calls back and it is shot from the line.

The third bird down is the long left middle bird thrown as a 45 degree in-throw from right to left towards the treeline. Again, judges call for this bird, the gunner returns the call and then the bird is shot from line. The line to this bird is fairly close to the line to the short left bird (bird 2). 

The go-bird (bird 4) is a huge, high winger throw coming out of the central bush angling back from right to left. There are decoys on the way to this bird, but there are none deeper than the bush, so dogs will have to punch through to go deep enough to get this bird.

After their dog has picked up all their birds the handlers are directed back into the other (left) holding blind, as they will do the walk up to line with the next running dog as an honour.  They will be released after the running dog is on their way to the blind and has passed through the decoys. 

The female test dog today was  Jenga again, owned and handled by Angela Borthwick. Jenga did the walkup well.  She required some convincing and a few whistles to leave the poison bird mark (Mark 1), and then curled behind the central bush before coming back into sight and being handled to the blind. She went for the go bird winger bird next, went wider left than the correct line and surprised everyone by not winding it but then worked it out. She did a nice job on the short left bird, going into the cover with purpose. Angela then tried to get her to take right mark (Mark 1), but Jenga deviated left and had to be handled to the bird.  Jenga then came back and stepped on the long left bird.

The male test dog  today is Sconnie, owned and handled by Grant St. Germaine. Sconnie was a little excited again but he did a reasonable walkup and sat to watch the poison bird (Mark 1).  When sent for the blind he went right at the poison bird but Grant stopped him twice and gave him an excellent cast back towards the blind – which he took.  He then watched the three marks go down, but crept forward enough that the judges asked Grant to heel him back to the line.  Sconnie went just upwind of the go-bird and had a small hunt.  Next he was sent for the short left bird and he blew past it  but then looked back and turned towards the trees and turned and grabbed it.  He was sent then for the right hand mark and nailed it.  Then Sconnie drove out to the long left middle bird and got it.

The test was now ready to start for the participants. The first running dog, Dog 1 was called to line just before 9am and the test was underway. 

In the first 10 dogs (before the first bird change) there were a few very good jobs on the blind and a couple of weak jobs where the dogs put up a fight wanting the poison bird.  One dog got the poison bird and was not allowed to complete the rest of the test.  There were 4 handles on the short left bird, one handle on the long left middle bird, one handle on the poison bird (Mark 1).  

We were amused to see a pheasant escapee from yesterday peeking in and watching the test from the right.

Not much changed with the test or the wind for the rest of the afternoon.  At least one other dog picked up the poison bird and there were several handles on each of the birds.  The last dog ran the test at1:15 pm. 

A swarm of Club and non-Club workers descended on the field, picking up decoys, taking down tents, picking up gunner stations etc.   Before deciding callbacks the judges are taking advantage of the abundant Club workers and setting up their test for tomorrow.

The judges completed their callbacks shortly before 7pm Thursday evening. 

20 dogs back.  Dog 14 will start the series tomorrow - water marks & blind. 

Caravan will leave the Clubhouse at 730am.