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Late in the afternoon, we visited Flight A at Tired Bottom Farm. Series 4 is a walk-up land/water triple with diversion bird as well as a land and a water blind using all mallard ducks. The steep terrain is the major factor in this set up. The line is at the top of a valley sloping down to a very small pond which if it was any smaller would be considered a "pot hole." The flyer is the middle bird shot to the right down the hill with the area of the fall 50 yards from the line. The left-hand second bird is thrown right down a slight bank landing in medium cover 75 yards from the line. Then a big swing to the right-hand bird which landed on the shore on the far side of the pond at 105 yards. The diversion bird was thrown left into decoys upon the return from the first bird retrieved landing 55 yards to the right of the line. The line to the water blind took in the same terrain and factors as the right-hand bird due to the water blind being approximately 25 yards left and 20 yards deep of the right-hand bird. The land blind is to the left of the left-hand bird through a key hole 75 yards from the line.
While we were at the test, it was a even split between the dogs choosing to retrieve the flyer or right bird first. The line to the flyer was down the slope onto a flat with a large group of bushy trees on the right hand side of the area of the fall. The line to the second bird angled down the slope with suction from the flyer station. There was potential for the dogs to fall off the hill and start hunting behind the flyer station and potentially returning to the area of the flyer. The line to the right-hand bird was 75 yards down the slope onto a flat area prior to squaring the pond, across the pond and up the far bank to retrieve the bird. Next dogs had to hold the line across the slope, through a key hole to the land blind. Once again all the blinds were brushed very well and blended into the scenery beautifully.
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| Flight A - Test 4 |
FLIGHT B: Tue April 23 - Day 3 - Test 4 - Water Triple with a Diversion Bird and a Water Blind and a Land Blind
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Today's test for Flight B is a very meaty walk-up, water triple with a diversion bird, water and land blind. The flyer station situated on the back side of a causeway is shooting the first bird left across water to a small point creating bridge bird 52 yards from the line. The middle bird, thrown left flat slightly down a gentle slope lands in an area with no cover 138 yards from the line. The right-hand bird also thrown left flat to an area with no cover at the base of a pine tree landing 106 yards from the line. Upon the return from the first bird retrieved, a diversion bird is thrown to the right at 30 yards landing in line to the land blind. The handler sends the dog on the water blind first. The line to the blind is under the arc of the flyer, past the point of the area of the fall for the flyer, over a point to the far end of the pond 140 yards from the line. The 53 yard land blind is to the left, through the scent of the diversion bird at the edge of a small group of pine trees.
Prior to coming to the line, handlers should decide which their dog should pick up first: the flyer or third bird down. If the dog is sent for the third bird down, the line is an angle entry into the first piece of water and then the dog should stay in the water 3/4 of the way down the causeway. The dog then has an angle entry out of the pond, another angle entry across the causeway to retrieve the bird. On the dog's return to the line, the diversion bird will be thrown as the dog exits out of the pond.
If the handler requires secondary selection and picks up the bridge bird flyer first, the line is a slight angle into the water, across a very small piece of water with a slight angle out to retrieve the bird. Upon return from the flyer, the diversion bird is thrown when the dog exits the water. The long middle bird is difficult, the line is angle entry into and out of the first piece of water, angle across the causeway on the back side of the flyer station and angle into the second piece of water. This is a fairly long swim to the far side of the pond, angle entry out and the dog is then required to hold the line across the slight slope to retrieve the bird. This was a difficult bird to see for dogs that run early before the sun was up high since the walk up faced east.
The line to the water blind is 32 yards of land prior to entering the pond square, past the point of the flyer fall over the next point to the far end of the pond. There was tremendous suction from the flyer. If the handlers did not get a good "right back" off the second point, the dog was out of sight. The line to the land blind was through the scent of the diversion bird, with little to no other factors.
If the handler requires secondary selection and picks up the bridge bird flyer first, the line is a slight angle into the water, across a very small piece of water with a slight angle out to retrieve the bird. Upon return from the flyer, the diversion bird is thrown when the dog exits the water. The long middle bird is difficult, the line is angle entry into and out of the first piece of water, angle across the causeway on the back side of the flyer station and angle into the second piece of water. This is a fairly long swim to the far side of the pond, angle entry out and the dog is then required to hold the line across the slight slope to retrieve the bird. This was a difficult bird to see for dogs that run early before the sun was up high since the walk up faced east.
The line to the water blind is 32 yards of land prior to entering the pond square, past the point of the flyer fall over the next point to the far end of the pond. There was tremendous suction from the flyer. If the handlers did not get a good "right back" off the second point, the dog was out of sight. The line to the land blind was through the scent of the diversion bird, with little to no other factors.
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| Flight B - Test 4 |
FLIGHT C: Tue April 23 - Day 3 - Test 4 - Water Triple with a Diversion Bird and a Water Blind and a Land Blind
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Series 4 for Flight C was a walk-up land/water triple with a diversion bird and a land and water blind using all mallard ducks. The right-hand walk-up mark is the flyer which is shot and then sluiced hard back left into a small cove with several decoys 42 yards from the line. The dogs had to swing to the left to see the middle water mark which was thrown to the right and landed 86 yards from the line on a peninsula that had medium high cover along the edge and cut grass where the bird landed. The left bird thrown to the left landed in medium high cover 48 yards from the line. Upon returning with the flyer, the diversion bird is thrown to the left landing on a peninsula with manicured grass. The land blind is just outside and 24 yards deep of the left bird. The water blind is approximately 73 yards on the right bank of the pond to the left of the flyer.
The left bird station was very well hidden behind three very large clumps of pampas grass. The middle bird station is directly behind the same pampas grass but much deeper and well brushed. The left and middle bird station create a mom (left hand bird short) and pop (middle bird deeper). Coming out of the holding blind, handlers walked west and at the time we visited this test the wind was out of the west at 7 mph.
The handlers appeared to be split on their decision of what bird to pick up first. As an example, with the few dogs we watched, some dogs selected to pick up the left-hand bird first, but a couple selected the flyer. The line to the left-hand bird was through a short area of cut grass into thick medium cover. The line to the flyer was an angle entry into the cove in which the flyer landed for a very short swim to retrieve the bird. The diversion bird was thrown when the dog was mid-way back from the flyer. The line to the diversion bird was angle entry into a very small cove and then it angled up on to a peninsula to retrieve the bird. The line to the middle bird was a line on land paralleling the shore with an angle water entry, across to the peninsula up the bank to retrieve the bird. The line to the water blind was angle entry into the very first piece of water, then angled across the small peninsula through the scent of the diversion bird, before entering back in and across the mouth of the small cove where the flyer was shot.
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| Flight C - Test 4 |
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