Someone Please help me understand - "runninig blinds into the wind"

[J Hoggatt]

Would someone help me understand WHY any Judge would intentionally set up blinds to be run into the wind?! I guess don't understand-- but it has seems to be happening with some regularity - in both Senior and Master Events recently.

I told some new guys to the game - that a Judge would never do this intentionally - and the said their last two Senior Test had Marks and Blinds into the wind - and then I ran a Master Test with the same scenario. Now they want to train into the wind marks and blinds - I guess I don't understand- would someone help me......

[Bob Gutermuth]

They have been running into the wind blinds for several years in licensed trials, it was just a matter of time until they made their way to the hunt test game.

[J Hoggatt]

Thanks Bob.....

BUT WHY!?!

What is the purpose ?

My comment is this - "it makes good handling dogs look bad" (they think they have been set up) and "bad handling dogs - just run to the scent AND look better than they should"

Other thoughts?

[Wyldfire]

Since the wind changes here in the mountains every 15 or so minutes you pick the best blind for the terrain and go with it. The Open I was at this weekend was a perfect example. The judges set up a down wind blind and halfway through the wind switched into their faces and the dogs could no longer hear the whistle at the end of the blind. They stopped the test set up a new one 90 degrees to it. Ran test dog and as the first dog ran wind changed again into their face and dog couldn't hear the whistle again. So they set up a short blind in a different location and used it for all the dogs. At hunt tests distances hearing the whistle is not usually an issue so a good blind to me is more important than wind direction.

[Ted Shih]

If you are judging a 70+ dog Open, you are going to be looking at dogs running land marks all day Friday.

What do you do when the weather forecast says wind will be at your back for three hours in the morning, but then switch 180 degrees for the rest of the day?

What do you do in the mountains where the wind changes as the temperature warms?

Not saying that running into the wind is smart where wind is consistent all day long

But sometimes, what do you do?

[John Kelder]

You play the hand you are dealt . Sometimes you don't get to see all the cards .

[Mike Boufford]

You play the hand you are dealt . Sometimes you don't get to see all the cards .

Bravo! Also think of this in hunting situations. Are you going to pick your shots based on the wind, or take the shots you are given?

[lablover]

What does this tell you?

Train for it!

[Gun_Dog2002]

A blind is about straight lines and control. In a well designed blind, holding a line and being under control can be exhibited just as well regardless of wind direction.


/Paul

[Ken Bora]

The Wind is speaking to us

What does this tell you?

don't know, I dont speak wind