what is typical cover in a FT or HT?

[fishn]

Never been to a field trial or AKC or UKC hunt test, and was just wondering what "typical" cover is for such an event. I mean, is it 12" high grass in a hayfield or 4' high weeds where you almost need a machine to get thru and a deer could bed down 5' from you and you would never see it? Or somewhere in between? I hope to get to some events this fall, but just wondering in the mean time.

It's still kind of hard for me to imagine 400-600 yard retrieves in any terrain, except maybe water (where the dog could see).

Thanks

[paul young]

i think the ideal situation is grass or weeds tall enough to hide the bird unless the dog has marked it well and hunted for it intelligently, but not tall enough to create paths for the later dogs to follow.-Paul

[badbullgator]

I think it depends on where the test or trial is held. You my see very short golf course type grass if a sod farm is the only place a club has and in other cases you will see fairly heavy cover. I agree with Paul's statement, but grounds are hard to come by in a lot of areas and you have to use what you have to work with

[Mark Littlejohn]

You can't judge what you can't see. If the entire property consists of:

"...4' high weeds where you almost need a machine to get thru and a deer could bed down 5' from you and you would never see it?",

..you can't conduct a test in that. The dog won't see the marks, and no one would see the dog. If it has some high patches like that, the judges will work around it or find some way to incorporate it that further tests marking, perseverence and style.

ml

[fishn]

Thanks everyone, like I said, I have no idea what's involved, so I appreciate your answers and explanations.

[fishn]

You can't judge what you can't see. If the entire property consists of:

"...4' high weeds where you almost need a machine to get thru and a deer could bed down 5' from you and you would never see it?",

..you can't conduct a test in that. The dog won't see the marks, and no one would see the dog. If it has some high patches like that, the judges will work around it or find some way to incorporate it that further tests marking, perseverence and style.

ml

2-Dogs, if there were 4' high weeds as described above and the judges tried to incorporate it into the test, would they expect the dog to go thru it or is around it OK? If thru, how bad does it have to be before they allow the dog to go around? For instance, a 20' diameter briar patch and the bird is on the far side-is around going to put the dog out?

Thanks

[badbullgator]

2-Dogs, if there were 4' high weeds as described above and the judges tried to incorporate it into the test, would they expect the dog to go thru it or is around it OK? If thru, how bad does it have to be before they allow the dog to go around? For instance, a 20' diameter briar patch and the bird is on the far side-is around going to put the dog out?

Thanks

I have seen marks run through fire flags and through fallen corn rows where you could not see the dog for at least a portion of the retrieve. I agree you cannot judge a dog you cannot see, but I also think there are some scenarios where a dog may have to be out of sight momentarily. This could be in a hilly environment or heavy cover between the dog and the mark. I do not like AOF’s that are in cover so heavy you cannot see your dog and think in that case you are correct in the statement that you can’t judge the dog, but on the path to the AOF it is not always as clear cut as it might seem and running through 15-20 yards of cover where the dog is out of sight mid way through a 100 yard marks is different. If I am judging and there is a good mark and between the line and the fall there is cover the dog really needs to hold the line and make it through the cover (note I am not talking about 4’ high cover as above necessarily). I do not try to set up something like that, but if it is the best mark you can throw in the area given to work with you roll with it. Avoiding the cover will get you dinged on perseverance. Any situation where I would use something like that would have to be a very true to life hunting type scenario.

[mjh345]

No such thing as "typical cover" at a test or trial!

[Mark Littlejohn]

BBG is right, its not uncommon to incorporate heavy cover into the test. Common sense tells you that it would be unwise to route dogs into endless cover. I've set up and run numerous tests where on a good line to the aof the dog is out of sight, but there were a lot of places where it should reappear; good line or bad.

Avoiding cover is cause for losing points on perseverance. Throw enough birds into the middle of the cattails or heavy stuff for your pup, and he'll start diving in there.

[RF2]

No such thing as "typical cover" at a test or trial!

We have a winner! You will see all of the above mentioned cover variants, including the 4' weed grass, 4' reeds on the edges of water, and even swimming water that is hidden from the line. All of this will be along the line to the AOF with the intent to confuse the dog and deflect them so they lose the mark. My advice...train for the worst conditions and hope for the best!