Test 3 is a Land and Water Double
We are set up today in a field called "The Derby Field." It is 63 degrees with a light rain and a light breeze. This will be a Land and Water Double with Ducks. The sits up on a hill overlooking a pond. Beyond the pond, a large field rises us towards the far tree line.
For Bird #1, (we will refer to this mark as LL for Long Left) the gun station is about 317 yards in front of the mat. The gunners shoot and throw a drake mallard to the Right with the duck landing in a wide strip of cover that is just deep enough to hide the bird. The dog navigates down the hill and enters the pond between a clump of bushes and a hay bale. Crossing the pond on an angle, they exit the pond, cross a road, drive the field to the right for their bird.
There are so many areas for the dogs to get lost. If they square the pond exit, they end up behind the guns in a wide open field, If they miss the cover there is an opening deep of the guns. They really need to mark this bird!
For Bird #2, (we will refer to this mark as R for Right) the gun station is located 103 yards to the handler's Right. This Hen Mallard is shot and thrown to the Right, landing behind two cedars.
There will be a gun change after 27 dogs run today.
