Fun Hunts

Fun hunts provide members an opportunity to work with their dogs and sharpen their shooting skills.

Each spring, Glacier Gun Dog Club hosts 3 “fun hunts” (mini- field trials). Learn more and register to participate in  one of our upcoming events!

Rules

WELCOME TO GLACIER GUN DOG CLUB’S FUN HUNT.
THINK GUN SAFETY!
The object is to find, shoot, and bag three birds in the least amount of time, using the minimum number of shells. The rules are as follows:
SAFETY —
The most important thing to remember is safety! There are always people around so be aware of the spectators, dogs, and other hunters! We hope you enjoy the Fun Hunt, and remember that the rules are in place to benefit all teams involved, and ensure everyone’s safety!
If, in the opinion of the judges or field marshal, a hunter exhibits any unsafe or dangerous behavior either on the grounds or on the course, the hunter will be disqualified without refund of entry fee (i.e., gun safety, dog fighting, etc.).
Score keepers and hunters must wear hearing protection, eye protection and at least one piece of blaze orange clothing (coat, vest or hat).
No alcohol will be allowed on the grounds until the last run has been completed for the day.
Children: A youth membership is available for a youth 10 years of age or older, with a current Hunter Education Certificate to allow participation as a hunter with parent or guardian supervision. Other Children under adult supervision are welcome, but are not allowed within the marked shooting area.
COMPETITORS —
A Dog/Handler team may only run once per fun hunt. If in the judgement of the hunt coordinator there are sufficient birds/time available a dog may run a second time with a different hunter (no score will be awarded). Third runs by the same dog are not allowed.
An individual hunter may run up to two dogs at each fun hunt. If the event coordinators determine there are sufficient birds/time available, a third dog may be allowed to run.
One hunter at a time will work a marked field. Hunters may not go outside the marked area during their hunt, but a dog may go outside to make a retrieve.
The hunter will not be allowed to watch the preceding run or the stocking of their own run. The hunter will not be allowed to communicate with spectators while in the field. Each competitor will be escorted to the appropriate field and must register with the field marshal 45 minutes prior to his/her run.
Training runs (non scoring runs) are available for training. Hunter can watch the planting of the birds. The run ends after finding 3 birds or 20 minutes has expired
SCORING:
For the Fun Hunt, each hunter will be scored using the following point system:
10 points for each bird bagged (30 points max.)
5 points for each retrieved bird (15 points max.)
5 points for each shell not used per bird bagged (15 points max.)
points for minutes and seconds not used in the 20 minute time period (ie. Time remaining 4.45, points awarded 4.45)
NOTE: Each hunter is allowed 6 shells and is awarded 5 points for each shell not used, up to a maximum of 15 points.

THE BASICS —
Three birds will be planted for each hunter. If 3 birds are bagged,  5 birds are flushed by the action of a team (wild flushes not included) or 20 minutes has expired (whichever occurs first), the run is over, and the dog is to be leashed for return to the viewing area.
Only shotguns (any gauge) are allowed. Each hunter will furnish their own shells. Some land owners restrict hunters to break actions shotguns only.
Each hunter is to hunt the course at a traditional walked pace behind the dog. Running or jogging on the course will mean disqualification.
A dog handler may have someone shoot for them, but the gunner must stay within 15 feet of the handler.
Score keepers are the only people who may accompany a hunting team onto the field. Non-members are not allowed in the field.
All dogs must be kept on a leash when not on the course. Absolutely no female dogs in season will be allowed on the grounds.
RETRIEVES
The hunter will be allowed to re-position him/herself to maintain eye contact with the dog to handle the downed bird.
A retrieve will be considered completed if the hunter does not take more than two (2) steps toward the dog after the downed bird is located. Hand signals and whistles are acceptable.
UNSAFE SHOTS
The hunter or scorekeeper may call a safety. The bird will be counted as bagged and the scorekeeper will take 1 shell from the hunter and count the shell as used.
A safety is any shot that could in anyway put spectators at risk of injury or damage property.
BIRDS
Shooting birds on the ground is not allowed. All birds must be off the ground a minimum of three (3) feet before being shot in order to be counted as a bagged bird.
If a bird flies in and lands close to the hunter so as to make an easy find, the judge may either direct the hunter away from that spot, or stop the clock, have the bird flushed and killed, restart the clock and continue the hunt. This bird will not be counted for score, nor the shells used in killing it.
TRAPPED BIRDS: A bird trapped by the dog may be counted as a bagged bird. The scorekeeper will take one shell from the hunter and count the shell as used for fire.
DEAD BIRDS: A dead bird found on the course from a previous run shall not be counted as a bagged bird.
AWARDS
In the event of a tie, two birds will be planted for each hunter and each hunter will have 15 minutes to obtain the higher score.
The point system for this tiebreaker will be the same as those outlined in rule #3.
The higher score will become the winner of the placement and the lower score will become the winner of the next lower placement.
NOTE – To register more than 1 dog per event, please open up (click) each individual event and purchase the appropriate number of registrations (1 entry per dog per event).

DO NOT PURCHASE ADDITIONAL RUNS… outside of these parameters. Any additional runs from the waiting list will be paid at the fun hunt not on the website.