Series 10 - Quad

The field for today's test is under a high power lines and is framed on the right by trees and to the left is a corn stubble field. The northwest portion of the field has strips of mowed cover and bales to are located to the front of the field.

The mat sits on a high edge of the field facing northwest with the winds east southeast at 5 mph shifting southeast. The sun is shining and it will be a cloudless day.

The first bird is a long retired at 370 yards thrown to the right into the corner of the timber break. This bird is a rooster pheasant.

The second bird, a short retired, is 195 yards from the mat. This hen pheasant is thrown to the left across a gap along the trees. The line for this bird goes through the mowed strip of heavy cover, past the bales and up to the break in the timber to the bird.

The third bird the middle retired. The hen duck lays at 210 yards thrown to the right into the base of the tree line.

The fourth and final bird is a rooster flyer. This rooster is at 155 yards shot to the left. The line to this flyer will be through the mowed strips of heavy cover and navigate through multiple hay bales to enter the corn field. (Please note: The Diagram and Sketch both show the flyer shot to the right … The Judges decided to change the direction to be shot to the left because it was being thrown into the wind and created a couple of no birds as a result.)

10th Series Land Quad

Long Retired – 370 yards

Short Retired – 195 yards

Middle Retired – 210 yards

Flyer – 155 yards

Tenth Series Land Quad sketch by Official Artist Jean Wu – THANKS for all your hard word this week, Jean!

The Tenth Series aerial diagram from Grounds Chair David Colwell – Thank you for all your hard work this week, David!!

Series 9 - Water Triple

The mat for the 9th Series Water Triple sits on the south side of a dirt (mud) road facing northeast. Across the road stretching left to right is a pond with an irregular shore line. On the far right side of the pond is a tree line that extends from the road and angles on the far side of the pond to the left.

Bird one is a long retired hen pheasant thrown to the left at 280 yards from the mat. The retired station comes out from the tip of the tree line and throws the bird out angling it back into a corn field.

Bird two is a hen pheasant thrown to the left down the tree line. This retired station is located half way down the tree line with the bird landing in the grass against the trees. This hen pheasants lands 220 yards from the mat.

Bird three is a duck shot left and sluiced. This gun station is located to the handlers right, down and across the road at 100 yards. Their chairs sit on the shore at the base of a point shooting left into the pond with a sluice. After the dog has completed his marks, there is an honor mat to the left of the running mat. This test is taking 10 minutes per dog.

Ninth Series Water Triple with Two Retired and an Honor

Long Retired – 280 yards

Short Retired – 220 yards

Duck Flyer with sluice – 100 yards

Ninth Series sketch by Official Artist Jean Wu

Ninth Series aerial diagram by David Colwell

Series 8 - Land Quad

Series 8 - Land Quad

We are in a field framed by trees and dotted with hay bales that for the moment are snow covered. The field has mowed strips and large squares of cover.

The mat faces northeast for this Land Quad. It sits on a raised edge of the field. The shadows on the right side of the field will diminish as the sun clears the tree line on the right.

Long Retired: The first bird is a dead rooster thrown to the right at 295 yards. The gunners stand at the base of trees and they retire behind bales of hay. The line will carry the dogs through a mowed area to the area of cover where the bird lands.

Left Flyer: The second bird is a hen flyer with the gunners standing at the right edge of a large square of cover, but left of an island of trees separating the second and third gun stations. The bird is 215 yards from the mat.

Short Retired: The third bird is a hen pheasant at 165 yards. This bird is thrown angled back to the right. The gunners will retire inside the trees.

Right Flyer: The fourth and final bird is a flyer drake. It is 100 yards from the mat and shot into heavy cover.

Eighth Series – Land Quad with Two Flyers and Two Retired

Bird One: Long Retired – 295 yards

Bird 2: Left Flyer – 215 yards

Bird 3: Short Retired – 165 yards

Bird 4: Right Flyer – 100 yards

Sketch of Series Eight by Official Artist Jean Wu

 Aerial diagram by David Colwell

Series Seven – Water Blind

Test Seven is a water blind at the Five Finger Pond. The mat faces NE. The wind is currently SW at 10 mph. The line to the bird skims left of a hay bale, on through a slot between two more hay bales. The dog then moves left of a point and into the water. He must swim to the first point, get up on the end and cast back into the water going to the left end of the next point. The dead hen mallard is located 265 yards from the line.

The extraordinary cold poses a problem with the dog wanting to swim. The next obstacle is that there is very little water behind the first point, encouraging the dogs to stay dry.

A log has been laid in the field close to the second set of bales. The handler is allowed to move up to this point to handle their dog.

Seventh Series Water Blind – 265 yards

Seventh Series Water Blind sketch by Official Artist Jean Wu

Aerial Diagram by Grounds Chair David Colwell

Series Six - Land Blind

The Sixth Series is in the same field where the Fifth Series was held. The field has mowed strips and is lined with trees on the right and far end. A brush pile has been added in front of and just to the right of the line.

The mat is facing south with a wind out of the north at about 14 mph. As we are about to start this Sixth Series, sleet is beginning to fall.

We start slightly forward and right of the line from the marks. There will be a double dry shot from a set of two gunners sitting to the left of the line to the blind.

The line is through the arc of the middle retired gun from the Fifth Series and on down the field angling through a slot created by large round hay bales. The blind is 310 yards from the mat where they will find a rooster pheasant.

 

Blind Planter close-up at 310 yards

Sixth Series Sketch by Official Artist Jean Wu

Series 5 – Land Quad – Day 2

Day two at Test five, and we have about half the remaining dogs left to run today. There is not as much snow on the ground this morning as we began with yesterday however 3-5 inches of snow has been forecast for today! We will have one test dog this morning to kick off day two of this test at about 6:30 am.

Test Description
Test Five is a quad with three retired and a rooster flyer. The test is in a hay field dotted with almost 30 large hay bales. There are strips of sage grass cover that has been mowed into the field. The mat is at the north end of the field located on a hill side. 

Bird #1 is the long Right Retired dead rooster station is against the far tree line at 315 yards from the mat. This bird is thrown to the left, landing in the area around a bale of hay.

Bird #2 is the Middle Retired station located at 130 yards in front of the mat. This well brushed set of bales is where the gunners retire after throwing a hen pheasant angled back slightly to the right.

Bird #3 is the Left Retired station located 185 yards from the line. The guns are also retired in hay bales. This hen pheasant is thrown on a deep angle back to the right landing in a strip of heavy cover.

Bird #4 is a rooster Flyer at 235 yards to the left of the line. The gunners shoot this rooster to the left.

Long Right Retired – 315 yards

Middle Right Retired – 130 yards

Left Retired – 185 yards

Flyer – 235 yards

Here is an aerial overview diagram of the Fifth Series (minus hay bales)

Fifth Series Aerial Diagram by Grounds Chair David Colwell

Series Five - Land Quad

Test Five is a quad with three retired and a rooster flyer. The test is in a hay field dotted with almost 30 large snow covered bales. There are strips of sage grass cover that has been mowed into the field. The mat is at the north end of the field located on a hill side.

Bird #1 is the long Right Retired dead rooster station is against the far tree line at 315 yards from the mat. This bird is thrown to the left, landing in the area around a bale of hay.

Bird #2 is the Middle Retired station located at 130 yards in front of the mat. This well brushed set of bales is where the gunners retire after throwing a hen pheasant angled back slightly to the right.

Bird #3 is the Left Retired station located 185 yards from the line. The guns are also retired in hay bales. This hen pheasant is thrown on a deep angle back to the right landing in a strip of heavy cover.

Bird #4 is a rooster Flyer at 235 yards to the left of the line. The gunners shoot this rooster to the left.

Long Right Retired – 315 yards

Middle Right Retired – 130 yards

Left Retired – 185 yards

Flyer – 235 yards

Here is an aerial overview diagram of the Fifth Series (minus hay bales – or as some have called them today – MARSHMALLOWS!)

Fifth Series Aerial Diagram by Grounds Chair David Colwell

Series Four - Water Triple with Two Retired and a Flyer - Day 2

Our temps today are at 32 degrees with a high of 36 degrees. It is overcast and we have some light snow cover on the ground. We have 15 dogs left to run in the 4th. We will begin with Dog #96 after the test dogs.

The area is the Siren Field for those who know the area and is down the road from where the First Series was held.

The mat faces south and sits atop a mound. The wind is negligible but a light north northeast.
The test should take 6 minutes to complete, though the test dogs took a bit longer.
As you look out from the line, beginning from the left you will see a field dotted with hay bales and the pond lies beyond them.

The left hand three gunners are 275 yards out and at the base of the trees. They will fire twice and throw a rooster pheasant to the left. It will land in or near tall cover. They will retire into the trees when the dog is sent for the flyer.

The middle gun is two people that are 260 yards out and will throw a hen pheasant after two shots are fired. They will also retire.

The Flyer station on the right sits at the base of the power line towers The hen duck is shot left into thick cover.

The order of guns is left to right. The two controlled birds will retire when the dog leaves to pick up the flyer.

New Photo from the 4th Series on Tuesday morning! (November 13)

Fourth Series Water Triple with Two Retired and a Flyer (from Monday morning November 12)

Left  Retired – 275 yards

Middle Retired – 260 yards

Flyer – 115 yards

Thanks to Official Artist Jean Wu for this sketch of the Fourth Series

Series Four – Water Triple

Our temps today are at 41 degrees with a feels-like temp of 38 degrees. It is overcast and promises rain. Today we have a triple. The area is the Siren Field for those who know the area and is down the road from where the First Series was held.

The mat faces south and sits atop a mound. The wind is negligible but a light north northeast.
The test should take 6 minutes to complete, though the test dogs took a bit longer.
As you look out from the line, beginning from the left you will see a field dotted with hay bales and the pond lies beyond them.

The left hand three gunners are 275 yards out and at the base of the trees. They will fire twice and throw a rooster pheasant to the left. It will land in or near tall cover. They will retire into the trees when the dog is sent for the flyer.

The middle gun is two people that are 260 yards out and will throw a hen pheasant after two shots are fired. They will also retire.

The Flyer station on the right sits at the base of the power line towers The hen duck is shot left into thick cover.

The order of guns is left to right. The two controlled birds will retire when the dog leaves to pick up the flyer.

Fourth Series Water Triple with Two Retired and a Flyer

Left  Retired – 275 yards

Middle Retired – 260 yards

Flyer – 115 yards

Thanks to Official Artist Jean Wu for this sketch of the Fourth Series