United Field Trialer's Association
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LaReineBritt
- Rank: Junior Hunter
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:17 am
- Location: Martinsville VA
United Field Trialer's Association
Anyone attend these events? or have any advice for ppl that plan on attending.
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ckfowler
- Rank: 2X Champion
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:05 pm
- Location: W Ohio
Re: United Field Trialer's Association
Not sure how I missed this and maybe you have already gone to one of Richard or Matt's events down that way. If so, would be interested in your thoughts.
Here is what I have learned over the years, if still looking at going (or for others in that boat). The events rely on you finding your birds quickly so it helps to have a dog that moves, doesn't potter. Running fast in a straight line is not the best as the field is not that large and you are looking for single quail, not coveys. A dog that works a pattern quickly but without huge casts away from the handler will generally do well. Scenting condistions will vary one time to the next to favor a bigger running or more methodical dog but the fast working but w/in 150 yard dog should be consistent.
You need to be able to do your part. More placements are lost for handler/shooter errors than dog work. Practice at ranges you will be shooting. Pattern your gun with different loads, find a good one and buy a bunch of them. Over pointing dogs, I favor as open a choke as you can get to shoot well. Birds should be w/in 30 yards, most often closer. Over flushers you may need a bit more choke depending on your dog's pattern but do not overdo this.
Your dog needs to retrieve and the quicker the better. You are not judged on how snappy they look but time is wasting if they are circling, dropping the bird to spit out feathers, or playing keep away at the last minute.
More often than not, hunters doing this for the first times need to make themselves walk faster in the field. Have a plan re wind direction and optimize your dog's use of it the first time through the field if you can but do not stop to enjoy how nicely they are working. It is not a leisurely walk, it is a competition with time worth points so go get things done. If you have a really big runner, this may need to be different as you may be reining in your dog to not miss birds, otherwise keep up and trust that the dog would have stopped if there was anything there. My dog works 50-100 yards and I am not so young so I hope to only each part of the field once. Other folks have 200+ yard dogs that point the bird at the far end first and then come back for the one by the starting gate. May be easier for you to do the extra walking than to reign in the dog if that is just how they roll. They look pretty standing on point for a couple minutes till you get there but you are losing time and points.
Go walk along on some runs. Watch as many different folks run as you can and see who has dogs with styles similar to yours. See what they do that works or doesn't on that day and adjust how you approach things.
Here is what I have learned over the years, if still looking at going (or for others in that boat). The events rely on you finding your birds quickly so it helps to have a dog that moves, doesn't potter. Running fast in a straight line is not the best as the field is not that large and you are looking for single quail, not coveys. A dog that works a pattern quickly but without huge casts away from the handler will generally do well. Scenting condistions will vary one time to the next to favor a bigger running or more methodical dog but the fast working but w/in 150 yard dog should be consistent.
You need to be able to do your part. More placements are lost for handler/shooter errors than dog work. Practice at ranges you will be shooting. Pattern your gun with different loads, find a good one and buy a bunch of them. Over pointing dogs, I favor as open a choke as you can get to shoot well. Birds should be w/in 30 yards, most often closer. Over flushers you may need a bit more choke depending on your dog's pattern but do not overdo this.
Your dog needs to retrieve and the quicker the better. You are not judged on how snappy they look but time is wasting if they are circling, dropping the bird to spit out feathers, or playing keep away at the last minute.
More often than not, hunters doing this for the first times need to make themselves walk faster in the field. Have a plan re wind direction and optimize your dog's use of it the first time through the field if you can but do not stop to enjoy how nicely they are working. It is not a leisurely walk, it is a competition with time worth points so go get things done. If you have a really big runner, this may need to be different as you may be reining in your dog to not miss birds, otherwise keep up and trust that the dog would have stopped if there was anything there. My dog works 50-100 yards and I am not so young so I hope to only each part of the field once. Other folks have 200+ yard dogs that point the bird at the far end first and then come back for the one by the starting gate. May be easier for you to do the extra walking than to reign in the dog if that is just how they roll. They look pretty standing on point for a couple minutes till you get there but you are losing time and points.
Go walk along on some runs. Watch as many different folks run as you can and see who has dogs with styles similar to yours. See what they do that works or doesn't on that day and adjust how you approach things.
Colin