DAY SIX – Test Four – Flight D – Mitchell's Pond – Bill Largent and Laurice Williams

"Mitchell's Pond" is a water triple with a blind using all ducks. The order is right, diversion shot, middle, left and then the dog runs the blind. The right bird is across the pond thrown to the left, landing at the water's edge with a splash. The middle bird is located at the end of the pond. This bird is thrown in and to the right. The bird lands on what looks like an island in the pond. Most of this island is made up of tall weeds and lunging water. The last bird down is the left hand bird which is located on the same side of the pond as the line. This duck is thrown to the right, landing in the water. As the dog returns from the go-bird, there is a diversion shot. After all three birds are picked up, they run a blind to the end of the pond between the left and middle mark.

Flight D with 95 dogs moved to test 4 at "Mitchell's Pond." Today, the wind has really picked up blowing across the test from right to left. The lefthand bird has remained consistent for both flights running this set-up. The righthand go-bird is carrrying with the wind as it falls and floating to the left as the breeze carries it. We watched five dogs do a very nice job on all three birds. The wind seems to be causing more whistles on the blind with some of the work requiring quite a bit of effort form the handlers.

#70 Kathy Folsom and My Gal Sal, MH (Sallie)

Mike and Randy

Eddie and Walter 

We scream for ice cream!!   Y U M M Y !!

DAY SIX - Test Four – Flight C – Windsock – David Christianson and John Marchica

"Windsock" is a triple shot right to left using all rooster pheasants. There is a walk-up where the right hand bird is shot to the left. The middle flyer is shot to the right. The left hand bird is shot to the right. As the dog returns with its last bird, the poison diversion bird is thrown to the right. The handler is then instructed to run the left hand blind, pick up the poison diversion bird and then run the right hand blind. The test is taking between 7 and 9 minutes per dog in the early going.

Flight C moved to the land test Named "Windsock." With Flight C, the test seems to take 6-7 minutes per dog. We watched six dogs run the test picking up three marks, two blinds and a diversion bird along with an honor. Every dog that we watched did a nice job.

#60 Ronnie Lee and Molly's Magnolia, MH MNH5 (Maggie)

#61 Ray Shanks and Pretty Woods Web, MH (Web)

Another Flight as seen across the prairie.

DAY SIX – Test Three – Flight B – Pearly Gates – Ed Arnett and Laura Judd

"Pearly Gates" is a water triple with a blind using all ducks. It is shot around the horn left to right. Decoys are situated to the right of the line at the end of the levee bank. Handlers walk up the levee to the line. Each station has been instructed to blow three calls of their duck calls and then shoot and throw. The left bird is thrown to the right onto land. The middle bird has a flat throw to the left with a splash. The right hand bird is thrown left angle back. The blind is across the pond over a long point, reentering the water through some brush and into a back pond. The bird is up on the bank and there is no diversion shot.

At lunchtime, we went to the "Pearly Gates" to check up on the progress of Flight B. Dogs will be running for 2-3 hours before this test three is in the books. It is still taking 11-12 minutes per dog.

Paul Lance describes the test …

#166 John Miner and High Times Big Dog Daddy, MH (Bumper)

Dee and Paul Lance  ( S M I L E !! )

DAY SIX – Test Four – Flight A – Roy's Pond – Bob May and Duwayne Bickle (Dewey)

"Roy's Pond" is a land/water triple with a blind. This test contains a flyer which is shot first. The handler faces across a pond and looks up on the side of a hill. The flyer comes out of a well-brushed blind and is thrown angled back to the left. The bird lands high up on the side of the hill. The next bird down is the middle bird. The gunner is to the left of the line close to the water. The duck is thrown over high dense weeds out into the pond. The third bird is the left land bird. This bird station is left and behind the line, throwing right into a mowed area over a small hill. After the three ducks are retrieved, the dog is sent on a blind to the far right corner of the pond. This duck is planted just out of the water behind some tree roots.



















102 dogs in Flight A have moved to the fourth series at "Roy's Pond." The wind is out of the east southeast at up to 15 mph. The pond itself is fairly protected by heavy cover and trees on the end with the blind. However, the wind is pushing the flyer farther out onto the hillside. This flyer continues to be the "money" bird of this location. The first seven out of ten dogs had to be handled to pick up this flyer.

H O O R A Y !!  The Jelly Bean Machine is up and running!!

"You can't just eat one!" Eh, Steve?

#65 Barbara Mains and Whip-R's Red Ryd-R, MH (Ryder)

Thank You to the Sponsors of the 2013 Master National Event