Minnesota Outdoorsman

Hunting Forums => Hunting Dogs discussion => Topic started by: Joe on April 04/07/06, 10:01:59 PM

Title: Spring Trials
Post by: Joe on April 04/07/06, 10:01:59 PM
Anyone heading up to Four Brooks WMA for the spring trials? I've got my young setter running in the puppy class. She just made the cut, so she may be the oldest one running.  Should be alot of fun.
Title: Re: Spring Trials
Post by: Mayfly on April 04/07/06, 10:02:38 PM
What are the dates and times? It may be fun to head up for the day and watch.
Title: Re: Spring Trials
Post by: Spinach on April 04/07/06, 10:08:57 PM
I'd love to come up and watch for the day, let us know the schedule.

Title: Re: Spring Trials
Post by: Mayfly on April 04/07/06, 10:11:13 PM
I'd love to come up and watch for the day, let us know the schedule.



We'll go together and bring 30 media kits.... ;)
Title: Re: Spring Trials
Post by: Joe on April 04/08/06, 06:45:07 PM
They ran the puppies and open shooting dog today and tomorrow there will be 2 more trials. I don't think I'll be heading up tomorrow. I was glad I went. I learned a lot and I got to find out what trials were all about.

One good thing I found out is I have a great foot hunting dog, which doesn't make for a great trial dog, at least not these types of trials. They were really looking for dogs that would run big, and I mean big. They were so far out of range you would need to be on horse back to hunt with them, in fact all the judges were on horse back. My pup is a much more close working dog(30 to 50 yards)and that suits me just fine. In the grouse woods I don't want my dog hell and gone. I want her in range so I can hear the tinkle of that bell.

I stuck around to walk along for the open shooting dog and that was also a learning experience. All in all a fun day.? ?
Title: Re: Spring Trials
Post by: Spinach on April 04/18/06, 01:12:19 PM
I'll take a great foot hunting dog over a great trial dog any day.

My dog is the same as yours, she has a range 0f about 20-50 yards, she works hard, retrieves, finds birds and gets along with other dogs while hunting. Thats all I ever wanted when I trained her. ;D

My only complaint is she allows all other dogs to retrieve a downed bird before she will, she is dominant when hunting (quatering, pointing etc...) but when a bird goes down and there are 2 or more dogs, she backs off of the retrieve, even if she is the first one to the bird.