Some really good posts here.
Just some thoughts and observations I would like to add. While sometimes long entries can give to -- rather than take away -- from the blind, there still are many instances where, even today, long entries are extremely difficult. Add some varying, contrary terrain and you might have the workings of a really tough initial line/entry on your hands. Now, add weather conditions, time of year. For example, I just judged an open wherein we had probably a 100 yard angle entry to the water's edge, then a difficult water blind from that point. Very few dogs had good jobs, period. Very few lined into the water (two out of 26) and only a couple more got in with just one or two whistles. Many dogs took off left (to get in way early) or right (to avoid the water) and in most cases, several whistles were required just to get in with any kind of fashion.
Instructions on blinds? There are certainly a couple of schools of thought on this. Let me pose another question. Every blind has a line to the blind. Shouldn't that line to the blind be challenged? I feel that it should. That is what it is there for, that IS THE BLIND, and any hazards associated with said blind. So, Why do some people question whether or not the judges want their dogs to be over the point, when the line to the blind is over the point, for example? Well, some people say that there is a blind corridor, and there should be equal amount of corridor on each side of the line to the blind, and if a blind's line shaves over a point, would it therefore be okay to miss the point? Perhaps this line should be more adequately over the point, instead of just shaving it [remember this is just an example] Now, let's say some dogs really work to do the blind, and some of them get lost BECAUSE of the fact that they got up on land and couldn't stand the suction, so other handlers see this and elect to miss the point and therefore eliminate the bulk of the suction. Is this acceptable? I think that as a judge, if you set up a line to the blind that is over a point, you therefore intend for the dogs to go there. Whether or not you give instructions, I don't feel that it is acceptable (except in perhaps some extreme instance, like a hurricane) to call back dogs that avoid this part of the test. IF the only dogs that do the test are dogs that miss the point, then I submit that this blind should have had a line past the point to start with, and probably many dogs would have sucked to the point. That is usually what happens with a good many dogs, anyway. On any given day with a blind of this nature you see many handlers fighting to get their dogs on the proper part of the point and not too early, and then to fight off the point. As a judge, evaluate your conditions and set up your blind(s) -- beginning, middle and end, on or off point -- and then judge the line to the blind. And I agree about wanting to see a cast that progresses admirably toward the blind. The first cast being the intial send, and then the blind progresses from there. Thanks for reading...