SCORING:
Georgia State Bird Dog Championship - $5.00 from each entry will be held back and put in the championship purse and will be paid out to the top three hunters at the end of the year along with a very nice trophy and prizes. Total prize will be divided as follows 1st Place - 50% 2nd Place - 30% 3rd Place - 20%. Each division will support itself.
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS:
Points will be awarded for each division based on the number of entry into that stage. All entrants will recieve a minimun of 1 point. The dog with the most points at the end of the 09/10 season will be crowned Georgia State Bird Dog Champion for that divison. Divisons are Pointing Dog, Flushing Dog and Puppy.
RULES
1. All runs will consist of one hunter and one dog, four birds, 8 shells and twenty minutes of time. The same hunter/dog combination can enter the same stage 2 times only, with the higher score being used for determining placement.
2. Four quail or pheasants are planted before each run.
3. Fields will be flushed each morning. No dog from the contest or any contestant will be used in the flushing process. No dog entered in championship can be in the field except when it is their turn to run. No dogs will be allowed to exercise on or around premises without permission
4. Scorekeepers will accompany all hunters into the field. Only 1 hunter and one dog will be allowed in the field.
5. If you have any questions on your hunt they will be asked before the starting time, you will make your own decisions on how to hunt your field once the hunt is started. The scorekeepers may tell you how much time you have left, call a safety, caution you if you run, and may help locate lost dog.
6. Hunters must hunt with the dog. This is not an endurance test for the scorekeepers. They will score only what they see. If you run, you will be warned the first time by the scorekeeper, 2nd time will be a 5 minute penalty, 3rd time automatic disqualification!
7. No hassling with any scorekeepers! Any abuse of the scorekeeper will be an automatic disqualification.
8. Only 8 shells per hunter are allowed to be. Hunters supply their own shells. If a hunter shoots more than their allotted shells their run will be disqualified.
9. Hunters must wear an orange cap or orange vest.
10. When a dog goes on point, then hunter should yell POINT, to draw the scorekeeper attention. You should make sure the scorekeeper sees the point before acting on the bird. Remember scorekeeper will score only what they see.
11. Trapped birds are counted as bagged birds. However, one shell is deducted from the dog handler. If the dog retrieves the birds to the hunter, retrieve points will be awarded.
11[A] Pointing Division: Trapped bird is if dog breaks point and traps or catches a bird firmly, no points will be given for the point. It will be scored as a trap and only 5 points will be awarded. If bird refuses to fly after an honest attempt to flush, the hunter may pick the bird up and throw it, without harming the bird. The bird must still be alive to get scored on. Dead birds found in the field will not be scored. Once a dog has an un-shot bird firmly in its mouth. That is called a trapped bird. Even if dog drops the bird and hunter still has to shoot it.
11[A1] Honest attempt meaning nudging the bird with your foot before picking it up. Bird must not be injured before throwing up. Prior to picking up the bird approval must be obtained from score keeper. Anything other than honest will be scored 5 pts. taken off for the point.
11. [B] Flushing Division: Trapped bird by a flusher will be credited their full 10 points, but a shell will still be taken away. Hunter must stop forward motion within 15 yards when a dog is in process of trapping bird. You will still get full retrieve points if dog brings bird back within one step.
12. No birds are permitted to be shot on the ground. All birds must be off the ground. Any bird shot on the ground will not count as bagged bird.
13. No dead birds or bird parts are to be left in the field. A team will only get credit for what he brings back to the truck when the brace is over. Scorekeepers have the options to count all harvested birds at the truck when the brace is over.
14. To be awarded a 10 point retrieve hunter may take no more than 1 step after the shot or trap. If you take more than 1 step it will be scored as an assist, and 5 points will be awarded. If your dog cannot locate downed bird, hunter goes to that area to help, the dog must still retrieve bird within 1 step to get a partial which is 5 points.
15. All birds are to be carried by the hunter at all times.
16. In the event that a bird is shot down and dog picks it up and starts its retrieve, but drops the bird and starts another, that is called a switch. If said dog continues to complete his first bird work he will not be penalized. In the pointing division, if pointing dog goes on point with a bird in its mouth. You may walk to the point and get full retrieve points, without a penalty. In the event a bird is shot and falls in the field and dog or hunter fails to produce it, it cannot be scored as a bagged bird.
17. Flags or mowed strips will determine the boundary of your fields. Participants may walk their fields the day before the hunt, only.
18. All hunters must report to the headquarters 30 minutes prior to their scheduled hunting time. First brace of the day will get a 5 minute grace period, if hunter is not ready said run will be forfeited.
19. If a dead bird is found or retrieved by a hunter or a dog, the bird does not count as a legal bird.
20. In case of unforeseen problems as to which a bird may cause a dangerous shot, scorekeeper will yell SAFETY or DON’T SHOOT. If this happens you will be awarded full points for a safety. A safety bird cannot be scored on again for 3 minutes. If said bird is worked before 3 minutes it must be taken out and not scored again. Pointing dogs must still point and flushing dog must still flush in order to get full score on a safety. If you shoot after a safety has been clearly called, you will be disqualified. Safety will not be called for the dog.
21. If a hunter knows it is a dangerous shot, they are not expected to shoot because they never heard safety called. In that event. it will be called to the attention of the rules committee and ruled accordingly.
22. Gun Safety will be practiced at all times. Any unsafe practice will be addressed by the officers and could lead to a disqualification!
23. Absolutely no running. The first warning will be a verbal warning, the second warning will be a 5 minute penalty, the third will be a disqualification for that run.
24. Hunters may not see their birds being planted. Competitors cannot watch the field they will be running in. Spectators are not allowed for liability reason.
25. All mechanical devices may be used during the event. Training collars, beeper collars, and dummy collars will be allowed. ( But not Abused )
26. No choice of time running in event.
27. In the course of the bird plant. If a bird escapes the planter it will be replaced in a timely manner. If planter or scorekeeper would happen to bump a bird already in the field, that is considered bad luck and the hunt would go on.
28. In the event that a bitch should come in season, it will be withdrawn from that brace and moved behind all male dogs or will run last brace of the day. No more than 2 last braces per day per dog.
29. No alcoholic beverages will be consumed during event or prior to participating in the event. If caught doing so they will be ask to leave the grounds and all entries forfeited. Any competitors or visitors seen drinking alcohol during the event will be asked to leave the grounds.
30. All participants will conduct themselves in a sportsman like manner or they will be removed from the grounds.
31. Hunters must use a legal gun. (Minimum of 26" overall length, and 18" barrel). All automatics and pump guns must be plugged to hold no more than 3 shells.
33. In the event that a bird flies into the field from another field while the hunt is in progress it may be acted upon by contestant as a legal bird. EXCEPTION: Dog or hunter cannot leave the field to produce a bird into the field. A dog may go out of bounds to retrieve a shot bird. If hunter has to leave the field to retrieve dog he may do so, but the gun must stay in the field.
34. If a bird falls over a fence, a road, or in another field after being shot. The scorekeeper will award a full retrieve if the scorekeeper determines the bird was hit good enough for a possible retrieve.
35. Preserve owners or managers holding tournaments may not compete for trophies or prize money in their own hunt.
36. All young hunters must have hunters safety certificate.
37. Holding of the dog in the pointing division while flushing the bird will not be allowed. You will be penalized 5 points off of the point.
39. If a dog has moved all of his birds and hunter wants to quit before time is called. Scorekeeper will decide if the field has been cleaned and give the option of quitting.
The scorekeeper will write down as 20 minutes being used.
40. Scorekeepers or bird planters cannot compete in the same division they have been working in.
41.FOR ANY UNFORESEEN SITUATIONS ARISING, A DECISION BY THE RULES COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL.
Brace sheet will be published on our web page by Thursday before the event. www.GeorgiaStateBDC.com Puppies must be under 2 years of age to compete in the puppy division.There will be a cash award, prizes, title and trophy for the high point dog in each division for the year. The individual stages will be limited to first paid 80 entries. No hunter can have more than 8 entries.No late entries accepted after the deadline, NO EXCEPTIONS! All entries must be paid and received by noted deadline.All unpaid entries may be rejected.Georgia State Bird Dog Championship reserves the right to accept or deny all entries. Cancellation policy after the drawing. Entry money will be returned except $25. If canceled before posted on the internet a full refund will be made. CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR DOG!This page subject to change.
Any questions e-mail info@GeorgiaStateBDC.com or call 478-946-1435