I was talking with my son today, and I told him I wanted to work Tucker on longer Marked and Blind retreives. I wanted to stretch him out to about 150 yards. My Son replied, don't you think that's a little far. I said, well Craig Klien was talking about running blinds at 400 yards. My son looked at me with doubt, and said, Dad if I shot a Duck and Tucker had to run 400 yards to retrieve that duck. It's a safe bet I missed.. and the duck decided to fly to the next county.

I'd say your son has a lot of commen sence . Over the last 10 years hunting North and South Dakota and MN I doubt I've ran more then 5 blinds that were over 200yds. In most hunting situations if your dogs farther away then that its out of sight.

You get a lot of slaps on the back though when your dog comes back from one of those long ones.

400yds is a long, long way out there, I don't have a dog right know that could a 400 yd blind, marks thats another story.

Craig-

I've had Gauge retrieve wing shot strong cripples out to a water distance of 200 yards. Duck did the death glide for about 150 yards hit the water and Gauge chased him for another 50 or so yards. And the cherry on top....when Gauge did catch up with the swimming duck, duck dove..Gauge drove...Gauge won. Not a prouder moment in my life

Here is another example..hunting in Idaho on a river with a swift current. Always trained the pups to take a straight line to and from the fall. Shot the first duck, Gauge took a straight line, by the time he reach the spot were the duck had landed, the duck had drifted downstream about 30 yards. After about 30 minutes Gauge brought the duck back to hand. Shot another duck..Gauge this time "RAN THE BANK" about 50 yards, judged the duck and made an easy 20 yard retrieve. Field Trial Judge disqualified. Huntin Judge "Me" I awarded Gauge with a JAM!

Chessies learn quick!! With the way some friends shoot I should be running all age open by next spring and dominating!LOL

Whenever the subject of long falls comes up, I remember the morning I led a guest Lab better than 400yds through calf-deep water over plowed South Louisiana gumbo to recover a duck - three stinkin' times! To the same corner of the field in one stinkin' morning!

I know the distance because I also deer hunt the spot and have laser range-findered it. And though I also took note that we didn't drop another bird in that particular corner the rest of that season or the next, long duck falls happen. And geese are worse.

I've posted this before, but my dog who does compete also, will always retrieve 2 pheasants at a time during the hunting season when the going is tough and he is retreiving birds at the bottom of a really long, steep hill whilst I'm at the top. He puts one in his mouth normally, and then pins the wings back on the other and carries the other bird by them. He has yet to do it to me in a competitive situation thankfully, but when there are 100's of birds to pick up it is a really sensible way to go about things!