Tarheels - Day 4
April/24/2009
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Another day, more new training grounds. Our training group today was the same as yesterday - Jack, John Blackbird, Wild Wind-Up Willie (not William), Bruce and me. We decided that Bruce should join our little competition, he is the "Field Trialer",
Our first series was on the water. Let's put this out front - Blackie, handled by Lee, won hands down. Now remember, Blackie is a Tarheel, but we have to give Jack the credit for the training. Blackie is like the bull yesterday - magnificent!
Anyway, the first series consisted of a mark on a peninsula (a poison bird). You had to pick-up a blind where the line to the blind was downwind of the poison bird - tough stuff - and you had to set the dog up for a left hand cast off the peninsula, to keep him off the peninsula and the poison bird. Did I mention that there was an island involved? A strong left hand cast was required to keep the dogs off the island and poison bird,
The next single was across a piece of water with a point of land 3 yards off of line. The line to the bird was parallel to the shore, Bird landed up the hill with a 25 yard exit,
Third and last mark (single), required the dog to get on the opposite side of the point that the dog was not allowed to get on on the second mark, then parallel to the shore, @ 6 feet from the shore line. More tough stuff. This ate up the young dogs and a few of the older ones too.
After these two singles were picked up, all Tarheels, one Go-For, and one Long Horn (Forest) got to pick up the poison bird. The Field Trialer chose to run the test differently.
Jack let us eat lunch today while Remi taught Jade how to retrieve the larger dog dummies. (For those that don't know, Jade is John's 12 week old pup - she is a black beauty. Remi is 11 years old, the "youngest living Master Hunter" and Jack's pride and joy.)
The second series was a land triple and double blind. The Go-For's won this one, with the Field Trialers close behind. The Go Bird was a short breaking bird coming out of a thick to the right. The middle bird was 85 yards with the thrower exposed (then retiring) into thick cover in front of a tree line. The memory bird was an exposed blind thrower throwing at a dyke @ 130 yards. The first blind was in line with the Go Bird @ 75 yards. The second blind was between the long bird and the middle bird - @ 140 yards. Special mention needs to be of the first dog to run, Bella. No scent, no drag back, and a very clean run.
Pretty good day today. I did a little better and did remember the whistle. The red Beef Master bull did find his cows!
Lee Hanes
Our first series was on the water. Let's put this out front - Blackie, handled by Lee, won hands down. Now remember, Blackie is a Tarheel, but we have to give Jack the credit for the training. Blackie is like the bull yesterday - magnificent!
Anyway, the first series consisted of a mark on a peninsula (a poison bird). You had to pick-up a blind where the line to the blind was downwind of the poison bird - tough stuff - and you had to set the dog up for a left hand cast off the peninsula, to keep him off the peninsula and the poison bird. Did I mention that there was an island involved? A strong left hand cast was required to keep the dogs off the island and poison bird,
The next single was across a piece of water with a point of land 3 yards off of line. The line to the bird was parallel to the shore, Bird landed up the hill with a 25 yard exit,
Third and last mark (single), required the dog to get on the opposite side of the point that the dog was not allowed to get on on the second mark, then parallel to the shore, @ 6 feet from the shore line. More tough stuff. This ate up the young dogs and a few of the older ones too.
After these two singles were picked up, all Tarheels, one Go-For, and one Long Horn (Forest) got to pick up the poison bird. The Field Trialer chose to run the test differently.
Jack let us eat lunch today while Remi taught Jade how to retrieve the larger dog dummies. (For those that don't know, Jade is John's 12 week old pup - she is a black beauty. Remi is 11 years old, the "youngest living Master Hunter" and Jack's pride and joy.)
The second series was a land triple and double blind. The Go-For's won this one, with the Field Trialers close behind. The Go Bird was a short breaking bird coming out of a thick to the right. The middle bird was 85 yards with the thrower exposed (then retiring) into thick cover in front of a tree line. The memory bird was an exposed blind thrower throwing at a dyke @ 130 yards. The first blind was in line with the Go Bird @ 75 yards. The second blind was between the long bird and the middle bird - @ 140 yards. Special mention needs to be of the first dog to run, Bella. No scent, no drag back, and a very clean run.
Pretty good day today. I did a little better and did remember the whistle. The red Beef Master bull did find his cows!
Lee Hanes