Fowl Dawgs 4 Promotional Sweepstakes - full Set up for grabs to lucky RTF user

[Chris Atkinson]

Edit: June 24, 2012,

The deadline for entries has arrived. The random draw for qualifying entries has been done. Those drawn were, on order:

Post #54 by bruce, post 15 by Vammy, #34 by Matt Weberpal, #44 by sara c, and #35 by tom476.

These have all been moved into a separate poll thread. Please go here

Fowl Dawgs Voting Poll link to pick the winner

and click on one of the above 5 entries as your vote. The one with the most votes wins the set.

Thanks,

Chris




Rick Stawski is giving away a full set of his Fowl Dawgs 1, 2, 3 and 4 series to a lucky RTF user.

All registered users may sign up to win in this thread. But to do so, you must follow the rules.

1) You may post ONLY ONCE in this thread. Anybody posting more than once in this thread is ineligible to win.

2) You may edit your one and only post in this thread right up until the deadline, which is Sunday June 24.

3) To enter, merely post in this thread one simple topic - your favorite retriever memory. It can be a poem, a story, an image, anything. But here's the kicker, it will be voted upon. The winner will be the one with the most votes.

4) This thread will be locked on Sunday June 24. At that time a random draw will be done to select five (5) posts in this thread.

5) A poll will be run for a limited time period. During that time, all RTF users may vote using the poll buttons for their favorite of those 5 randomly drawn entries.

This sweepstakes is part luck, part skill, part popularity. In the end, one of you will win a full set of the Fowl Dawgs series, including the new Fowl Dawgs 4.

Good luck and have fun! Chris

[Chris Atkinson]

Waste of time. Rules will be ignored same as last contest. Ends up being a popularity contest.

Sandy,

Rick Stawski asked me to help administer this little fun giveaway.

I'm pretty sure your sort of participation is outside of what Rick was hoping for. I can't control how folks vote, but I would sure imagine you're not exactly in the lead at this time.

I, by the way, am no longer eligible to win. This is my second post in the thread.

I would suggest that you either a) edit your post if you are interested in participating in the giveaway or b) choose to spend your time elsewhere. Do not post any further posts in this thread.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Chris

[Terry A]

My Favorite retriever moment was with my 1st Lab Java and my middle son Andrew. Andrew was 12 yrs old and trained with us every day. We had so much fun spending time together. Java and I ha passed 3 Jr test and Andrew wanted to run him for his title. I was thrilled to let him do it. I told him to make sure he held on to the collar so we would not have a break.

Well in the Land series, Andrew took the dog off lead and walked at heel to the line giving me the "I got this Dad" look
1st to marks were picked up clean and the dog never even looked like he might break.

In the water series, somehow we were the last dog. Once again, Andrew walk the dog off lead to the edge of the water, 1st water mark went down with a big splash, The dog was steady and made the retrieve, 2nd Water mark was a no bird, Loud pop about 20 yards down the shore, winger goes off but no bird. Andrew turns the dog around and they reload. Back to the line, this time the dog was a little hyped up so I told him to hold the collar, Once again he ignored me. Andrew signals for the bird again, loud pop and the winger goes into the water. No bird number 2. No bird # 3 was like #1 but this time the dog is about to come unglued. The judge tells him, "Son, you might want to kisten to your dad and hold the collar but again he chose not 2. The 4th bird went off, no pop but the dog saw the bird and the splash.
The dog got his title but even better, my son was hooked. He is great with the dogs and and I cant wait for him to finish college and come train with me again.

Terry

[Mark L]

I could go on all day putting in FAVORITE memories... A few even involve training with the notorious Melanie Foster, and some things she had Peyton doing that amazed me. But... Here goes one that will live forever.

Peyton's first ever retrieve on live game during a pheasant hunt.

I was hunting with a buddy, his lab, and his 11 year old son, Jake. We got about 1/2 way across the field and Peyton gets birdy for her first time ever. After about 20 seconds, she zeros in and finds the rooster. Up he comes with all of the noise and cackling he can muster. Jake pulls up his Remington 870 and fires two shots. The birds is hit lightly and sails about 150 yards away. Peyton who I had been training to sit to flush did exactly that, so she marked the bird like a champ. As soon as it hit the ground she was off like a rocket and hammered the retrieve. As soon as she hit the AOF, she snatched the still live bird up and came running back. Jake was so excited, he was telling his dad that he was going to go get it from her. His dad told him to wait, because she was doing her job to bring it back, which she did with style.

Little did I know, the reason Jake was so excited was because Peyton's first ever pheasant was his as well. A first for the both of them.

We were able to get one more bird up that day, which Peyton retrieved as stylish as the first.

The rest as they say, is history.

Mark

[Carol Cassity]

While I have many "favorite" retriever and hunting memories, my all time favorite memory involves a little boy (I don't know his name) and Blitz. We were in Ontario for the summer and had the privilege to run at Kingston and Area HRC’s spring test. One of the extras offered by the club was a fun retrieve with kids. There was a little boy who was slightly spooked by the quite animated black lab someone had for the kids without a dog. I noticed that the little boy seemed keen to run a dog, but the big black lab was just a little too much for him. So, I offered Blitz for the little guy to run. Blitz was a real gentleman with the little boy, waited patiently to be sent and delivered to hand when asked. Attached are the pictures that someone from the club sent me. Passing the Grand, getting Master titles, earning 500 points, going hunting and training are all cool and memorable, but seeing Blitz work with and be run by that little boy is my favorite retriever memory of all time. The joy on that little guys face will stay with me forever.

[liljp1514]

Here is a quick little poem I threw together recalling my puppy (at the time just barely a year old) and his first live bird retrieve.

Only lasting a few seconds, but seemingly forever,
Was my puppy’s first live bird retrieve endeavor.
It was an October dove hunt, in a dusty peanut field,
As Miller sat quiet and attentive at heel.
The birds started flying, and his excitement grew.
As a single flew closer, and my gun I drew.
As shells were ejected, and recoil expired,
I knew the bird had not been retired.
It sailed over a nearby terrace and fell.
So I lined my dog as best I could tell.
With a quick command, he was off like a light.
And soon he too was out of sight.
Shortly thereafter he came proudly trotting back.
And the goal of his retrieve he did not lack.
He promptly sat at heel with his prize,
As the bird had yet to see its demise.
To grab the bird was my intent,
But I failed to grip it, and off it went.
Only three feet high as it tried to flee,
My puppy did not have to wait for me.
Off he blasted, and gaining very fast,
This second retrieve, very long did not last.
His timing was flawless as he leapt with care,
And retrieved the dove right out of midair.
My puppy had proven he had what it takes,
Regardless of all my training mistakes.
I hope you all enjoy the pleasure,
Reading of a memory I will cherish forever.

[winger]

My best retriever moment, well one of my best. My pup had a huge tendancy to flare left on blinds. When we started out on cold blinds his lines sucked. A lot of attrition and a lot of training time was spent on blind work. In a seasoned test this spring he picked up his land doubles which i was worried he's overun the memory bird. Decent 80 yard go bird and a 35 yeard memory bird. Land blind 62 yards outside the falls. Lined him up and sent back. Lined to the stake where i sat him. Heard ine of the judges say it was the blind of the day. Those words did not make me proud it made me feel as if my pup and i belonged where we were at, gave us accountability for all the training we have been through. I am not a pro, this is my first dog at an elevated level beyond mear dog. Can be intimidating when you are amongst pros and old timers with what they know are proven methods. Water series, not bick water, marks pretty straight forward. Blind didn mt look tough cutting the pond about 45 degrees the down the shore into the back of a small finger 5 yeards up the bank. I beviever 34 dogs were brought to water from land. I sat and watch the blind chew up digs and spit them out. Had a good cross wind they did not like casting into, wanting to bank early and so on. Our turn cam up, picked up the water double and lined him up. Now the line was 3 feet from the water. Most wiuld be happy with that but as we have trained the issue if 90 degreeing the bank that close has reared its head. Thought he was locked in and sent back. He 90 degreed it and made it 5 ft before i stopped him. We sat intently waiting, already knowing where he raised my blood pressure. Gave him a silent over inti the water which he took and then parralleled him down the bank to the pin picking up the duck. If it would have been a 39 yard entry no issues but the close ones we had wars with. Judges came up to me thinking this is not good, both judges usually do not come out unless they are giving you the DAH tag. One judge shook my hand and said it felt good to finally pass a dog today. The other one said he could not believe thepup would parallel the shore like he did and his initial thought was "here we go again".
Very next test was a senior double. Stiff land marks in knee high grass. He front footed both. Went to land blind which was 82 yards through a keyhole. The said it wasn't a keyhole but it was. If the dog got left you lost him. Lost sight of the dog down a little revine just hoping he would pop out in the same spot. The line was obvious once standing on the mat. My pup lined it

Next went to water blind. 40 yard angle entry into water then diwn the shore up the opposite bank 10 yards, duck is behind a log. Sent the pup, i honestly think he'd had lined the entry but stopped him just to thraed the hole that was obvious they were to split ti get wet. 3 whisktes later he was on the way back with his duck. Few dogs were dropped on this blind

Last series was a water series, walk up with a 30 yard splash and a ling bird requires swimming getting out and an 80 yard run up an incline of a hill diaginally. Mas sweating this. Di i secondary select, get that short bird 10 yards off the go birds line or send long. Havn't secondary selected as of yet so not much faith. Sent him for the long, he starts but stops for the short. Takes off for the long and lost his mine. It was obvious he lost the mark. We had not trained in this tight of lines, but we do now. Had to habdle him to the last bird. Long wait for that test to finish on the bubble. Finally time for the ribbons snd our number was called. Afterwards talked to the judges thanking them for the test. I love running challenging test. For some reason they just mean more to me. Judge admits he gives no freebies but is fair to the dogs. Explained that if the title was given by him that dog is ready for masters work. If not there is no doubt what needs worked on. I knew what we needed to do in training afterwards to help with masters. Of course he saud mu pup was marked down on the last retrieve but the dog was confused, he could see it. The reason he passed was the work up to that point and that he was willing ti work as a team to get through it and pass.

These two test are my favorite memories as of yet. They showed me my dog is capable of running with the big boys dogs and really brought us together as a team. Two ribbons earned that mean a lot more than the other ones in which we flee through with no adversion

[swamprat II]

Nothing better that a limit of ducks on a cool frosty morning looking out over the river, with my trusty Chesapeake Bay Retriever that picked them up!

[Jeannie Greenlee]

Bang earned her first ribbon. An orange, I completed the junior test successfully ribbon. All went well, but the last retrieve was story worthy! And here is the story;
We had made it to water, the first water retrieve was a straight forward 80-85 yard swim to pick up the duck and come back to mama. The second and last retrieve was in the middle of a bunch of lily pads. After the duck hit the water and made a splash I couldn't even see where it was. So, I sent Bang in the direction of the splash. She swam out and got tangled in the lily pads and did a 360 to get out of them which is when she lost her mark. She got up on shore and hunted around, got back in the water then back on shore. She started to head back to the old fall and I made sure that was what she was doing and I gave her a whistle sit, which she did very well. I gave her an over cast to get her back in the area of the duck. Mind you I couldn't see where exactly the duck was. I was just hoping and praying that she would be able to see it or get a good nose full of it once I got her over there. So she swam back into the lily pads (what a good girl!) and picked up what appeared to be a couple of lily pads and started swimming back to me. There was talk at the line like: The judge said, She wouldn't bring lily pads back would she? Which I answered, I honestly don't know! Then there was a lot of does she have it? by not only myself but the judge and the gallery. At one point I asked the gallery if they could see if she had the duck. The judge was standing right behind me and told me to stop her when she got close so that if I couldn't see the duck I could give her a back cast to get her back out there. I walked up and down the bank but no matter what vantage point I tried to gain there was only green in her mouth. When she got to about 10 feet in front of me I could see one single feather sticking out of this lily pad duck buritto that she was bringing me. She got out and delivered the bird and lily pads and everyone that was there cheered and clapped. I was so proud of my girl! Not only did she bring me the duck but she gift wrapped it too!

[Richard Davis]

One of my favorite memory of retrievers that we have owned & trained happened at HRC Upland here in Central Fl.test when we first started running them. My wife Had a FBL that we trained without collar. She was named Tillie & titled HRCH after several years.. She was an excellent duck hunting & phesant hunting retriever. I digress. At the Upland test we did walk up & first flyer fine. On 2nd flyer, I didn't have whistle in my mouth & when quail flushed & was shot she broke & ran out & caught dead quail in midair like an outfielder in baseball looking over her shoulder. One judge was a friend & he said that was spectacular but you are out.