10th Series - Test Description Update

UPDATE: A third gun was also added to the long mark to further increase visibility.

After both of the test dogs completed their series, the judges sent the grounds crew out to cut the willow that is on the line for the left bird way back. This will increase the visibility of the gunners from the mat.

Tenth Series – Water Triple with Two Dead Ducks and a Flyer

This test is a water triple with a hen flyer … the birds are shot left, middle, right flyer.

The line to the flyer, is right of the mat. this hen is located on the back side of a pond at 134 yards from the line.

Bird 2 is in the middle of the test. This bird is a dead drake thrown right at 260 yards. The line to this bird takes the dog down a terraced field into the left corner of the first pond. The dog must then go over a levee and into a second pond. They proceed across this pond to the next levee and the bird. The dog loses sight of the gun while in the first pond and regains sight on the first levee.

Bird 3 is on the handler's left. This is a dead drake thrown to the left at 328 yards. This bird lands on a point at the far side of these ponds. As the dog angles left across this terraced field, there are obstacles in the way. A thick willow tree is at the edge of the first piece of the water forcing the dogs to decide left or right. They then cross a small pond losing sight of the mark by a curving levee. The correct line takes the dog over the levee, then across the next pond and out to the bird.

There are levees cutting all through these ponds and there are many number of ways to take land and end up with either a shorter swim or get totally lost.

 

Left hand Bird – 328 yards

Middle Bird – 260 yards

Right hand Bird – 134 yards

Ninth Series - Water Double with Ducks

The 9th Series Water Double with Ducks is set on a hillside facing west. 

The long bird is a duck thrown left at 321 yards. This set of guns is directly in the front of the mat on a hillside. The line to this bird takes the dogs down the hill into the pond, over another hill into a second pond, then up a third hill to the gun. 

Bird 2, another duck is left of the mat. The two gunners sit right before a road. This bird is thrown left across the road landing 117 yards from the line. From the mat, the line to this bird is down the hill and into a small pond. Once exiting the small pond the dog must go up a short hill, then cross the road and go into a field. There is a levee to the right of this small which might tempt some of the dogs to take the land which leads them away from the mark.

 

Eighth Series – Later in the morning …

 This is what the Eighth Series test outlook looks like for the second half of the series … 

Eighth Series – Land Double with Two Dead Hen Pheasants

Test 8, Land Double with Two Dead Hen Pheasants, is set beside a beautiful lake. The mat faces southwest up on a hill. Both marks are down a terraced hill to a large flat field. The right side of the field is a dense tree line, while the left side is a very steep levee that angles down into a the field and is shaped in a semi circle.

The right hand gunners, bird 1,  are sitting by a hay bale and throws this hen pheasant right at 209 yards. They throw this hen towards the tree line tucked behind a hay bale. The line to this bird is down the terraced field into the flat field below.

The left hand gunners, bird 2, sit in front of the line deep into a field at 230 yards. This hen pheasant is thrown towards a heavy clump of cedars at the base of the steep levee. The line to this bird takes the dog half way down the terrace and then they need to angle cross the levee. 

Seventh Series – Land Double with Two Hen Pheasants

The mat for Test 7 sits on a mound facing south. The wind is out of the west. There is a road that runs front to back through the test, splitting it. 

Bird 1 lays 202 yards straight in front of the mat. The guns sit to the left of the lone tree on the side of a steep hill. Everything on the left side of the road slants to the left getting steeper the farther you go out.

Bird 2 is to the right of the main road. This bird is thrown right to from the base of a mound back towards the back of the first bird. This bird is 164 yards from the mat.

 

 

Sixth Series – Water Double with Ducks

Test 6 sits on the side of a hill over looking two training ponds. There is a gravel road running left to right across the test. There is also a tree line running from just across the road on the right of it. The tree line towards the back of the field at a left angle. Across the back of the field lays a tree line that creates a barrier along the back of the field.

Bird 1 is a dead duck located along the far right tree line. The gunners throw down the tree line. From the mat, the dog will go down a hill and through the pond, cross the road then get into the far field where it will get into the brush just in front of the tree line. This bird is 322 yards from the mat.

Bird 2 is a dead duck thrown left along the far tree line landing 252 yards from the line. When the dog leaves the mat, it will go down the hill into the other pond. There is a heavy clump of cedars pushing the dog to the right corner of this pond. The dog then crosses the road and has to adjust their line due to two thick large clumps of cover angling left to right. The dog then goes up to the tree line for the bird.

 

Fifth Series – Land Double with Dead Rooster and Hen Flyer

Test 5 is a Land Double with a Dead Rooster and Hen Flyer. The mound faces north in a terraced field that goes uphill all the way. There are a few hay bales spread around the field and two mounds. The terraces run left to right across the field.

Bird 1 is a dead rooster thrown to the right at 227 yards. This bird is to the handler's left. When it is thrown, it is an angle back landing in cover almost to the back of the field. The line to this bird will take the dog left of a mound, then tightly to the right of a hay bale. The guns are on the left of the hay bale.

Bird 2 is a hen flyer. This bird is 182 yards from the line in front of the mat. The hen is shot to the right, landing up on a terrace in front of a mound. The line to this bird is up hill all the way.

The gunners are instructed to stand until the first bird is picked up.

 

4th Series - Water Series with Dead Drake & Drake Flyer with a Sluice

Test 4 is a Water Test sitting on the same hill as test two. We are facing north this time looking out over several ponds. The dead drake station is 275 yards from the mat. This bird is shot first to the left. The line to this bird is down the hill into the big pond, then over a long point and back into the big pond to the far shore, where the dog will then go up a terraced hill to get the bird. The gunners are behind a large clump of brush and bushes.

The flyer station is to the far left side of the handlers. They are out on a point shooting the drake flyer into the water to the right of the point landing approximately 143 yards from the mat, finishing with a sluice.

 

3rd Series - Land Double with Two Dead Pheasants

Test 3 is a land double. Both birds are dead roosters. Theses birds are both thrown to the right.

Bird 1 is located 242 yards from the mat on the mid right side of the field. The gunners are sitting on the left side of a gravel road that runs straight through the property. They shoot then throw the rooster across the road to the base of a tree with bushy cover surrounding the trunk. The line to this bird takes the dog down a hill on a right angle. Then up the next hill to get across the road and to the bird. There is a large clump of brush approximately 40 yards short of the gunners that can push the dogs either right towards the bird or left towards a wide open hillside.

Bird 2 is 238 yards from the mat on the handler's right side. The gunners shoot and throw to the right. The line to this bird takes the dog on a right angle down a hill. The dog must continue this angle up a hill, across two roads and then out into an open field. These gunners are sitting in a neutral position with open areas on all four sides where the dogs can hunt.

 

2nd Series –Double Water Marks with Two Dead Ducks

Test Two is a test with two ponds between the mat and the birds. There is a land bridge between the two ponds that angles to the left. Both birds are dead ducks with the first bird being a Drake and the second a Hen. The gunners have been instructed to stand until the dogs reach the water.

Bird #1 (Left Drake) is on far hillside to the left of mat. Two throwers man the station and throw this dead drake to the left. The bird is 190 yards from the line. The line to this bird will take the dog down a hill, across a small pond and up the far hill.

Bird #2 (Right Hen) a dead hen is to the right of the mat. These two gunners throw the hen to the left. The line to the this bird takes the dog down the hill, across a small pond with lily pads in the right corner. The bird lands 173 yards from the line.

 

1st Series - Land Double w/ Rooster Flyer and a Dead Rooster

Test One is set on a terraced field facing west. The mat is on a large mound. Bird #1 is a dead rooster thrown right from a hay bale at 230 yards to the handlers left side. Bird #2 is a rooster flyer shot to the right at 200 yards from the line. This bird is to the handlers right side. The wind will currently be hitting the handler just behind their left ear.

The line to the flyer will take the dog down 2 terraces and then up a slight hill. The gunners and this bird are both to the right of a large cedar in the field.

The memory bird sits on a hill being thrown upward. The dog must go down 2 terraces, staying right of the guns but left of the large cedar on this side of the field. This is a wide open space that will tempt the dog to hunt to the left.