A storm front passed thursday night followed by colder weather and stiff winds.  Dawn arrives mostly cloudy and windy with temperatures in the 30's.

Judges and workers arrived on the 8th test site to find the wind completely different.  After moving the line and setting another test, the judges rearranged the throwing order.  The 8th series, a water triple with a retired gun and honor began.

Two sets of guns were across a pond with the 3rd on the left base of a cattail peninsula.  The right gun shot a flyer to the right 150 yards away followed by the 2nd one to their left back at the shoreline.  They threw a bird flat to the left where it splashed into the cattails 174 yards out.  The last set was closer and on the left shore.  They shot and through a dead duck back to the left.  It fell in 12 in. pasture grass 109 yards from the line.  There was an honor to the right and it took about 12 minutes per dog to complete.  At 8:30 am dog #62 started the 8th series.

Overall, most  early dogs had little problem with the marks.  Later dogs had to contend with switching winds which penalized one bird but would reward another. Several missed the flyer and hunted wide and deep while others drove through the retired mark as if on a blind or tried to return to the flyer. Some had to be handled.
The Eighth ended at 4:48 p.m. with dog 54 (rerun). All participants left for the next series site where the callbacks were given. 24 dogs remained to challenge the Ninth. The thirteen lost we:10,13,15,17,29,52,54,59,60,72,81, 91 and 106.

GALLERY COMMENTS :

"Seems to be time consuming with few answers."

"Beautiful view of area, gallery had excellent view of entire test."

"Curious cows surrounded one dog during a test, then chased her.  She dodged their charge,
  grabbed the flyer and returned unscathed. (#80-Hanna)

The gallery was moved to a new location near Donnelley. Upon arrival, a water quad with a delayed mark and retired awaited contestants. There were two sets on guns deep within a large pond which had grassy strips of running water beyond a stretch of swimming water. Two other guns were located on shore. One was a few yards to the left of the line and the other to their left. The first bird was the long left mark, a dead duck thrown to the right where it landed in running water 194 yards away. The long right one then shot and threw a dead duck also to the right landing in the running water 190 yards out. The close set of shore guns then shot a flying duck to the right which arched over the first two falls and sluiced it about 15-18 yds. from line. The dog was sent for it then either of the long marks. Upon return from the recovered long mark, the fourth set of guns farther down the shore shot and threw a dead duck to the right where it splashed into the pond 55 yards from line. After retuning with it, he was then sent for the remaining long mark .

A single test dog was run at about 6 pm and the first dog #75 arrived on line at 6:35 pm. It took about 15 minutes to complete. Several dogs ran , but encroaching shadows caused the test to be suspended at 8:15 pm. It will resume again Saturday am with the test dog at 7, first running dog at 7:30. (Photos and diagrams of tests 8 and 9 will be posted later)