I know nothing about hunt tests except what I've read on RTF. Is it correct that in a marking test you are allowed to handle and still get called back?
how about this scene....in a junior test.
The dog clearly marked the bird. Went right to it. Was distracted by something (the pen of live birds behind the holding blind, which was very close to where the flyer went down, which got all riled up by the bird boy/gunner). Dog went behind the blind, was handled very cleanly back out from behind the blind and cast over to the bird. He knew right where it was, having marked it initially, went over and picked it up and came back with it.
How would you judge that one?
My point is, having to handle doesn't *always* mean the dog didn't mark well.
Going to the bird and leaving it, for any reason, could be construed as Blinking (which is a fireable offense).
You are right though that, in that instance, the handle required wasn't directly related to the dog's ability to mark the fall.
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