New Member Columnby Jeremy Thompson |
The Team Shoot is out club's premier field event open to only member dogs and handlers. It's a competition for points gathered by the hunting drive, training, and instinct of our dogs and the strategy and shooting skills of our handlers.
Five Chukar Partridge are liberated at scattered locations across an area of natural mixed cover. Your dog is then turned loose and, for the next 30 minutes, the field is open to just you, your dog, and a second person of your choosing, if you wish. 50 points are awarded for each bird bagged, 10 points for each steady point, 10 points for each retrieve, 5 points for each unused shell left (out of 8 shells), and 5 points for each minute left if 5 birds are taken before your 30 minutes is up.
There is no doubt that excellent dog work is required for this game to be won. At our 2000 event, Peter Wade's "Marcus" burned up the course with all 5 birds pointed, retrieved, and bagged with 22 minutes left. Yeow! Coming in neck and neck for second were Lou Gagnon's "Zack" and Dave Trahan's "Tascha" with 5 and 4 minutes left, respectively. This is dog work worth seeing, and that's part of the reason a new member can enjoy this event.
The 2000 event was my first. I entered my then 1-1/2 year old dog "Griffin", who I knew could find game and point but had no retrieving ability. I invited my 70 something year old Dad as the gunner, as the side of a barn is about the only thing I could hit, and off we went! And we had a great time!
A good portion of the field was visible from the gallery area, and we had an excellent opportunity to see many dogs of various levels of work. The grounds were beautiful, with a panoramic three state view. Food was provided, and the other club members spectating from the gallery provided plenty of camaraderie and dog talk.
And how was my 30 minutes afield? Like a quality hunt, my Dad and I enjoyed a beautiful cover with plenty of game contact. The two judges along for our hunt were easy going and provided plenty of encouragement. As we weren't trying to win, we could hunt at a nice easy pace and have a good time. And it was definitely a thrill when my dog actually got us some points, it was a day well spent.
Although there is no minimum ability required, you need to assess your dog's level to assure that the dog is ready for an event like this. A dog that's never been introduced to gunfire, for instance, could have a real problem when you attempt to bag that first bird. At a minimum, your dog should have had enough training and game contact to be at least somewhat in control on the grounds. You wouldn't want to waste your entry fee spending your 30 minutes searching for your pup! So...I'll be back this year, and hope to see you there, too. And if you're not quite ready yet, don't forget our club Training days. See you in the field!
