Why I run Hunt Tests

By Rick Steenhoven

  Over the years I have had countless people ask me why I run Hunt Tests.  My reply is always the same “Because I get to work my dogs all summer long. And because of that, they are always primed and ready for hunting season, which is why I have a hunting dog to begin with”.   For me this is the paramount reason I play the game.  However, there are so many more benefits to be harvested that it is almost impossible to name them all.  Different people have different reasons, and all of them are valid.  Because I work as a hunting guide in South Dakota in the fall, it is imperative that my dogs be in tip-top shape on opening day.  I don’t have the luxury of being able to give them a couple days off because of sore feet or stressed muscles.  Nor do I have the opportunity to refine their training or make harsh corrections when I have hunting clients in the field with me.  These people are expecting to see my/our dogs in prime shape on opening day, as they will not be there next week when the dog finally recovers from his stiffness or finally begins to listen and respond properly.  By running Hunt Tests during the summer, my dogs are being judged and held to a standard that the average dog owner never realizes is possible.  They are put to the test in REAL-LIFE hunting scenarios.  These scenarios serve as a barometer to tell me where we need to put our emphasis on training in order to be fully ready for hunting season.  It could possibly be that our quartering is not up to par, or maybe our blind retrieves need some pattern field drills.  Maybe we have an honoring problem, as we always have a number of dogs in the field at a time (ever had to quarter in a brace at a hunt test?)   Perhaps we didn’t pick up the trail because old Sport wasn’t sure how far he was allowed to get into the field without you.  Or maybe he has some blind/line manner issues.  This is especially important to me after sitting in a very small duck blind all morning with an unruly dog who the owner thought was Super Dog.  All of these scenarios are indeed real life hunting situations, and by running hunt tests we can become aware of where the problems are by means of objective judging standards.

  Whether you work as a hunting guide or just go out hunting with your dog on occasion, the product is till the same.  You want your dog (and yourself) in tip-top shape when you go to the field.  You don’t want your dog running wild flushing birds at 200 yards, nor do you want them barking and whining in the duck blind.  You want them to be able to run blind retrieves for the birds they did not see fall across the creek.  If you hunt with a buddy who has a dog, you don’t want to see a dog fight over a bird because neither dog will honor.  I have seen friendships stressed over this very issue.  Regardless of how many times you get to go hunting, there is no need for you to have to wait until you are out in the field to see what needs fixed.  Just run a hunt test once and you will know exactly where your emphasis needs to be placed.  You will also be in the midst of people who have been there and can give you advice on how to fix it, and maybe even go out training with you.  Some of the finest quality people I know, I have met at Hunt Tests.  Additionally we all have a common objective and interest, which can foster life long friendships and relationships.  You might even find a new hunting partner who will introduce you to his secret spot because he would like to hunt with you and your dog.  This has happened to me on several occasions. 

 Hunt test and field trials are a formal means of testing your dog, as well as being rewarded for exemplary performance.   I have had many people over the years tell me that they don’t want to run Field Trials with their dog. They just want a good hunting dog.  This was ME, just 20 short years ago.  I did not know. I was ignorant to the game.   I have found this to be the case with most people in that they do not know that there is indeed a difference between a traditional Field Trial and a Hunt Test.  While most of us in NAHRA have a clear understanding of the differences, many people do not know the difference between the two games.  In short, a Field Trial is a test in which the dogs compete against each other, and a Hunt Test is where the dogs are judged against a standard, not each other.  Traditional Field Trials have been in existence for several decades, while hunt tests have only been around for just over 20 years.  Hence, more people have heard about field trials than hunt tests.  Both games are played very similar, but in a traditional field trial the tests tend to be a bit more demanding in that they must choose only one dog as the winner, so the tests need to be extremely challenging to weed out the dogs not exhibiting exemplary performance that day.  Almost all of the people that had previously told me that they had no desire to run hunt tests, are now hooked on the game because of that one-time exposure to our game, at my request and coercion.  Because of this, I challenge each and every one of you to make every effort possible to expose all of their friends who own working dogs to attend and possibly run in a hunt test.  They will likely be hooked, just as many of us have been.  

  Now on to the question of which is better; Hunt Tests or Field Trials; the answer lies within each of our own desires and expectations.  I personally don’t run traditional field trials because I do not have the time or financial resources to be as competitive as that game requires.  I truly wish I did. While my dogs can perform most tasks asked of a dog in a field trial, they would have to do it better than any of the other dogs entered that day to place or win.   That is indeed quite an accomplishment when you consider some of the high quality dogs and trainers that we have today.  This game is VERY competitive, and my hat goes off to any dog that even places in a traditional field trial.   I personally like to run hunt tests because I can compete against an established standard, and it is possible for my dog to have success, regardless of what any of the other dogs did or how they performed on that day.  

       In summary, I would always welcome the opportunity to go to the field with any dog who has achieved an FC or AFC title from a Field Trial, or any of the most advanced levels of a Hunt Test, regardless of the organization.  These dogs have had countless hours of training and have been held to the highest standards of a working dog.  They know their work, and perform it flawlessly.  It is indeed a special treat to go hunting with a dog that knows his game and performs it with the style and grace of an accomplished performer.   You will very likely be awestruck by what an accomplished dog can do, and the pleasure will be all yours.  This will be especially true if that dog is your own.  Please support all dog testing programs to the greatest extent possible.  You will thoroughly enjoy yourself and it is our insurance policy on constantly increasing the quality of mans best friend.