Whats your best bird boy story????

[sprintwrench75]

Not at a test or trial but had to share it. I have a few steel tripod wingers I made that I leave out in the field.Well long story short the wife was my bird girl for the day. Mind you she is small so she really has to lean back to get any distance on the duck.She throws a few I call for another one and the next thing I know it sounds like a pack of males surrounding my female in heat. The front stake that holds it down pulled out she went @#$ over tea kettle. So glad that the winger did not fall on her these things are heavy. Other than a bruised gluteus maximus and pride she was fine.

[fishduck]

We had coed bird technicians at one hunt test. One station in particular was always missing the cue to throw the duck. Found out later that the boy and girl behind the holding blind were playing smoochie face most of the afternoon. Cooler minds prevailed and the two were seperated.

Mark L.

[2tall]

Troy, you forgot the important part. This WAS a blond wasn't it????

[HiRollerlabs]

At Watopa a couple years ago, Paul Panichi and Dave Furin were judging one of the all-age stks--Am I think, and the club had hired college-age guys to help. Needless to say, these college guys didn't have a clue. After wallowing through the land mks with many many no-birds, we made it to land blind with a dry pop and we are ready to run test dog.

Test dog comes to the line. Paul waves the white towel and nothing happens. Paul gets on the radio and splains to the bird boy that he is to pop the gun when he sees the white towel waving. The towel waves, the kid pops, the test dog runs. Gallery is asking questions after test dog, and Paul raises his hand as he's speaking and gun goes off. Then it was comical because everytime paul raised his hand (no waving towel) the kid would pop--when it wasn't wanted.

Later on the blind, some of the landowner's cattle came into the scene. Paul tells the bird boy to chase them out, and the bird boy starts waving and pointing his popper gun as he's running at the cattle which got Paul to yelling in fear he'd accidentally shoot the popper.

Paul and Dave had their patience tested that weekend. They're good judges and great guys.

[KNorman]

Our HRC uses prison trustees to throw and they're always great at it. At one Started test I was judging, we had an elderly, respectable type, old negro man. I instantly liked him. You know, a kindly grandfatherly, country man. Reminded me of an older, grey haired James Earl Jones. I have no idea what he did to land in the clink, but he was well spoken and worked hard.

Anyway, we had set-up and run a few dogs when we came to a re-birding. I drove some birds and some bottled water out to him and casually asked him what he thought of the whole test thing.

He started shaking his head and says, "Boss, I really like these dogs, but standing out here with this big slingshot tossing dead, stinky ducks for them to pick up is the darndest thing I've ever seen. You white folks have funny ways of having fun."

I laughed and laughed...and can still remember that gentleman's voice making that remark.

[Pals]

Running at a HT about 12-13 years ago, they used the Juvies to throw--mostly city kids working off their 'community time'. At the JH running my little bitch, who is very vocal--the whole wagging, crying, growling monkey routine. Well-- after retrieving the duck she spots the birds boys and runs over to say "HI"(we had this problem for years). As she enthusiastically races behind the holding blind screeching like a banshee, the kids were terrified and come running out of the holding blind in all directions. Jaz chased one all the back to the line....took forever to calm those kids down. We flunked, but man was it funny.

[kip]

charlie moody has the best stories of anyone.

[Mark Littlejohn]

We were lucky enough to be back on a Sunday for a 3rd Master series that Lou Davis was judging at Norco. There weren't many of us there to help set-up, (not even bird boys yet) so I pitched in so we could get the show on the road, and tossed a couple of test marks so Lou could see them.

When the bird boys did arrive, we put them in their stations which are now ready to go. Since they had thrown the day before, we didn't figure a lot of instructions were needed. It was a land/water triple with a short wipe out / go bird to be tossed just across a narrow ditch. The BBs were kids from the High School track team. Lou explained to the big ol kid in the near station that he needed to throw the bird just across the ditch on her signal.

Two birds are thrown, then the go bird is signaled. Apparently this kid was also QB on the football team. He cocks his arm and heaves a perfect overhand, 40-yard duck-spiral over the ditch to the other side of the levee. I think about 20 people roared "Holy $hi^!!" at the same time, with Lou being the most vocal. Not sure if we were more impressed with the kid's arm or the complete miscommunication. We could have spared a winger the first 2 series.

ml

[DoubleHaul]

Back at my first test ever, I was a nervous wreck. To top it off I had a gallery, including my training group, my mother who drove 3 hours to watch her 'granddog' and a pro we trained with who let his assistant handle a master dog so he could watch.

Land marks and first water mark went fine, so only one more bird and I was about to die. Mark was across a pond just on the other side of some cattails but we were up on the side of a hill, dog had to run down then up the dam to get in the water. My dog got a little disoriented doing this but got in the water and started swimming. Unfortunately he got out between the mark and the bird boy blind which was up a fairly strong wind.

He scented the ducks in the blind and headed in there. Judge realized what was going to happen so he got on the radio and told the bird boys not to let the dog get a duck out of the bucket.

Obviously, he was a second or two late and the dog came running out with a duck in his mouth. The bird boy gave chase. At first my dog thought it was a game of keep away and was having fun even when the second bird boy joined in. I am freaking out and it took me a while to think to blow the come in whistle. Finally the third bird boy came out with a pool skimmer they gave them to pick up birds that landed in the water so they wouldn't need a pick up dog. That freaked my dog out and he started running for dad with three bird boys, one with a long stick chasing him. The gallery was laughing like crazy but I was completely lost since I had never run a test before.

He ran all the way back to the line and came and sat between my legs. I didn't know what to do until I heard my pro friend yell "take the bird". I took the bird and heard him yell "hand it to the judge and walk away". I handed the bird to the judge, put my slip lead on and headed for the gallery. The applause was as loud as when a dog nails a tough series at the National.

The judges ciphered a bit and gave us the pass. For about two years after that, that dog turned his head and gave a bark in the direction of the gunners every time he ran past them, just in case they got any ideas about coming after him again.

[1st retriever]

Back at my first test ever, I was a nervous wreck. To top it off I had a gallery, including my training group, my mother who drove 3 hours to watch her 'granddog' and a pro we trained with who let his assistant handle a master dog so he could watch.

Land marks and first water mark went fine, so only one more bird and I was about to die. Mark was across a pond just on the other side of some cattails but we were up on the side of a hill, dog had to run down then up the dam to get in the water. My dog got a little disoriented doing this but got in the water and started swimming. Unfortunately he got out between the mark and the bird boy blind which was up a fairly strong wind.

He scented the ducks in the blind and headed in there. Judge realized what was going to happen so he got on the radio and told the bird boys not to let the dog get a duck out of the bucket.

Obviously, he was a second or two late and the dog came running out with a duck in his mouth. The bird boy gave chase. At first my dog thought it was a game of keep away and was having fun even when the second bird boy joined in. I am freaking out and it took me a while to think to blow the come in whistle. Finally the third bird boy came out with a pool skimmer they gave them to pick up birds that landed in the water so they wouldn't need a pick up dog. That freaked my dog out and he started running for dad with three bird boys, one with a long stick chasing him. The gallery was laughing like crazy but I was completely lost since I had never run a test before.

He ran all the way back to the line and came and sat between my legs. I didn't know what to do until I heard my pro friend yell "take the bird". I took the bird and heard him yell "hand it to the judge and walk away". I handed the bird to the judge, put my slip lead on and headed for the gallery. The applause was as loud as when a dog nails a tough series at the National.

The judges ciphered a bit and gave us the pass. For about two years after that, that dog turned his head and gave a bark in the direction of the gunners every time he ran past them, just in case they got any ideas about coming after him again.

That was hilarious! I feel for you though. During obedience in 4-h my dog belly crawled out to me and she never got up on the long down and for the stand for exam she was so excited to see someone coming to pet her that she jumped up on the judge to say hi! This was my first show!