BigGameHoundsmen.com

Hello everyone,

I am letting everyone know about the 2011 Fun Days and Field Trial.

The date for the trial is May 21st, 2010. We will start setting up on May 20th, which will include finding good trail locations. The event will take place in the Big Creek Campground South of Austin, NV as it did in 2010, with the trials themselves being done a couple miles to the north. EVERYONE is welcome to stay Friday through Sunday morning.

On Friday, we plan to have a kid’s telemetry contest, so for those with kids, please bring them along, as we would like to make this a family event. This event will be for kids under 16 years old. Please bring a tracking box and collar for each child. There will also be a puppy race Friday evening for all puppies under 6 months of age.

On Saturday, there will be 8 heat races, 1 re-entry race, 2 semifinals (if needed) and a final race. The cost for entering each dog is $10, and there is no fee for dogs that advance to the (semi)finals. The first line and first tree dogs of each heat will advance. Dog supplies will be given out as prizes for the first line and tree dogs in the heats. Races will start at approximately 6:30 AM on Saturday. Entries will be accepted on Friday night, and the heats will be drawn then. Entries will re-open at 6 am on Saturday, until the first heat starts. Dogs drawn on Saturday morning will be added to the heats. Any dogs that are not entered by the start of the first heat will have to enter the dogs in the re-entry race.

The Final race’s prizes will be the Calcutta auction, and belt buckles. We have two belt buckles for the final heat. One is “Champion” and one is “Reserve Champion.” The Champion will be the first dog to LINE AND TREE. The reserve champion will be the first dog to line, EXCLUDING the champion dog.

There will be a staging area for all dogs not participating in the current heat. It takes approximately 1 hour to lay each drag, and run the race. We could use volunteers with pick-ups for shuttling people from the staging area to the heat location. This should help keep things running smoothly. Please let us know if you would be able to help with that. We could also use volunteers to be line and tree judges. It takes 2-3 for each race, depending on exactly where the tree location is.

After the heat races, we will have an NHA meeting, pot luck BBQ, raffle, and Calcutta auction for the final heat. NHA will provide the hot dogs and hamburgers. It would be great if everyone could bring a side dish of their choice. I will keep a running list of the items on the discussion forum, so please contact me with what you will be able to bring. The final race will then be run in the evening on Saturday.

This year also, we will have a raffle for a custom made aluminum dog box. The tickets cost $20 each, and can be purchased up to the point of the raffle. We will also have a normal raffle for various items, and the cost of that raffle is $1 per ticket or 6 for $5. If anyone could bring raffle prizes that would be great as well!

Any questions, feel free to call me. My number is 775-318-0173, and Paul’s is 775-934-1738.

Have a good one, and hope to see you there!!

- Marcial

Is there a good place for camping with a trailer? Any water or shade?

With it being early in the year, there should be plenty of room for campers. We had a 30 foot 5th wheel and an 18 foot tounge pull camper in the campground in July last year and no problems, and there were very few other people in the area. One person in our group also had another 25 ish tounge pull camper farther up than the forest service campground. Plenty of water, maybe too much, which might make it difficult getting a trailer past the campground in there. The run off will be quite strong I imagine, unless it really warms up and it all dumps out quicker. Even with an fast thaw before, there will still be a lot of water, and there is plenty of shade up there for the dogs, in the campground, and dispersed. In water, I am meaning dog water, you will have to bring your own drinking water.

Here is the link to the campground to where we are having it.

If that doesn't work, look up the Toiyabe national forest, then camp grounds under recreation, then the Big Creek Campground.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... Campground

Dale, the campground is real nice with several improved camp sites.(1 group spot and 5or 6 others).The creek flows year round and there are trees for shade. Above and below the campground there are lots of un-improved camping sites that have plenty of space for campers. I have some pictures up on the web site(in the members forum) of last years event that show a bit of the campground.

On Saturday, there will be 8 heat races, 1 re-entry race, 2 semifinals (if needed) and a final race. The cost for entering each dog is $10, and there is no fee for dogs that advance to the (semi)finals. The first line and first tree dogs of each heat will advance.

Can you give a little more details as to how you are only having 8 heats race's regaurdless of how many dogs you have entered over all?

Last year we did 4 - foot laid - in the mountains. First one started being drug at 5 AM - finished the 4th drag at 10ish (5th drag actually due to our error). Started laying the final drag about 1 hour before sunset. It was DARK when the last dog (mine) got out. We had 32 dogs enter - and we figure we shouldn't be more than about double that this year. 1/2 mile drags for the heats and 1.5 mile or so drag for the final. We just don't have the time to do more than that unless we get a LOT of volunteers to lay drags - and we all still want to run dogs. And actually having too many people laying drags could be an issue too - too much confusion. Basically as one group is turning loose on one drag - the next drag will be getting laid down. The people will gather up their dogs, go back to get the next group, and by the time they get ready to dump - that drag should be finished.

The drags will not be laid over the same spot. They will all be similar - and about the same distance - and in that country - dogs better be in shape, lol.

Its going to be a tight time schedule all day long. Paul and I will surely be laying the drags - he the first few for sure - and will see if I enter any dogs at all, or where they all fall into the heats at.

I think we have a system figured out that should keep everything running smoothly so we can all enjoy the heats, and not have to worry about bickering too much throughout the day.

If you like - you can give me a call, I can explain it a little better. I am getting ready to head off to work soon - but anytime tomorrow and through the weekend I will be available.

Marcial

Well even with the rain and the wood thief's I'd say this year was a definite success!!! It was good to see all the familiar faces and meet a few more. Cant wait till next year!