Spaniel trials signal fall’s arrival Three Rivers Wingshooting Preserve in Milo to host event

Ghosts of ground fog haunted an abandoned bean field where, shortly after sun-up, a springer spaniel began quartering excitedly. With nose scanning and bobbed tail wagging furiously, the springer’s zig-zagging course quickly narrowed. Directly, the dog ran straightaway, following the flow of bird scent toward a swale sprawling at the end of the field.

Jogging, to be within shotgun range of the bird when it flushed, the hunter cursed as he stumbled on overgrown furrows. He was in perfect position, though, when the spaniel abruptly checked at the edge of the swale and charged into a clutter of cattails. Almost simultaneously, a cock pheasant broke cover, cackling, clattering and trailing tail feathers that waggled with the frenzied wing beats. Until, that is, at the top of its rise the bird folded and fell when the hunter’s 12-gauge belched a charge of No. 6s.

For the uninitiated, a pheasant that appears dead in the air often isn’t. Accordingly, the springer’s thrashing sprint through the swale told the hunter the downed bird was running. In short order, however, the dog delivered the pheasant to the hunter’s hand. Therein, of course, lies the value of owning an experienced gun dog. Otherwise, the loss of crippled birds would be shameful. And let’s face it, when it comes to flushing and fetching game, spaniels wrote the book. No wonder, considering the breed is believed to have existed in Spain – hence the name spaniel – at the time of the Roman conquest.

Centuries later, when the spaniel’s reputation as a versatile hunting dog had spread throughout Europe, the dogs were divided into categories described as land dogs and water dogs. Eventually, the land dogs were subdivided: those that flushed game were called “springers,” those that pointed were called “setting spaniels.” Although the history of pointing dogs is somewhat obscure, it is believed that the English setter was developed by breeding setting spaniels with field spaniels. Likewise, English pointers are the progeny of setting spaniels bred with hounds.

Obviously, spaniels were paramount to the development of gun dogs and the time-honored tradition of bird hunting. Therefore, it’s a sure bet that hunters whose preferred autumn attire includes shooting vests and briar-proof pants will flock to the Maine Spaniel Field Trial Club’s forthcoming springer and cocker spaniel trials. Sanctioned by the American Kennel Club, the trials will be held at Three Rivers Wingshooting Preserve on River Road in Milo. The dates to draw a bead on are: Sept. 7-8 (springers); Oct. 26-27 (cockers). The trials are open to the public. Lunches and refreshments will be available, but don’t feed the dogs.

The MSFTC’s field trial committee expects that a total of 60-70 springer spaniels will be entered in next weekend’s event. Coming from kennels near – Newport, Winslow, Gorham, Rangeley, Ripley – and far – New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario – the dogs will compete in Open, Amateur and Puppy stakes scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m., both days. Although the stakes are aimed primarily at field work, a series of water competitions may be scheduled.

In addition to flushing and retrieving birds, the busy springers will fetch prestigious MSFTC and AKC awards and trophies, including qualifications for national championships. The winners, however, won’t earn their accolades easily: Three Rivers’ 6,000 acres of fields and alder swales scattered with second-growth poplar will challenge the hunting instincts and abilities of the most experienced dogs; not to mention the shooting skills of the trial’s official guns, namely: Mike Noland, Barry Noland, Robb Cotiaux, Bob Junkins.

Granted, unlike grouse and woodcock a cock pheasant doesn’t take wing as though launched from a catapult. But once under way, the ring-necked bird’s speed is deceiving. Consequently; many a hunter who fired at a pheasant in full flight was left with only a tail feather tumbling to the ground.

Judges for the springer spaniel trial are: Robert K. Bullard, Cornelius, Ore; Douglas Shaw, West Newfield; Dennis Quinn, Scarborough; and Robert L. Nutt, Marblehead, Mass.

Competing in braces, the dogs are judged on ground pattern, response to commands, retrieves (distance and difficulty involved) and, most important, stopping or sitting to honor a brace mate’s flush and retrieve. Beverly Matthews, the trial’s head marshal, will keep a tight leash on the arrangement and order of the timed competitions.

Undoubtedly, the field trials will fire a double-barreled charge of commerce into the local economy. Al Estes, owner and manager of Three Rivers, affirmed that by saying hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in the Milo area began taking reservations from field-trial participants more than a month ago. Further to that is Estes’ anecdote about a springer fancier from away who will arrive hereabouts in his private jet. In searching for lodgings in the Milo area, the obviously well-heeled Sport found slim pickings. So, instead of wasting time in hunting a dry cover, so to speak, he reserved the attic of a house handy to Milo. Dogs welcome, of course.

Because there are fewer cocker spaniel trials nationwide, MSFTC officials expect October’s cocker trial to attract more entries than September’s springer trial. Moreover, the cocker trial is a national trial, believed to be the first held in Maine. Although smaller than the springer spaniel, the cocker – so named because of its flair for hunting woodcock – has a magnum heart.

Owing to its size, friendly disposition and appearance, which women describe as “adorable,” cocker spaniels rank high as pets and show dogs. However, and make no mistake about it, cast a pet cocker into a bird cover a few times and its bobbed tail will begin to wag merrily as it responds to the ancient hunting instincts embodied in its spaniel soul and spirit.

Obviously, the versatility of spaniels is appreciated by American sportsmen. In Europe, however, the dogs are used primarily as retrievers: While shooting driven pheasants, partridges and waterfowl in Scotland, I watched springer spaniels perform their find-and-fetch magic in highlands crowned with heather and on moors cluttered with bracken. Simply put, the dogs displayed intelligence, dedication and courage in making retrieves that were truly remarkable. Particularly in the highlands where, because of strong winds and steep glens, it seemed that the birds fell forever. Here I’ll say that if the beauty of the Scottish highlands doesn’t take your breath away, there are times when the wind will. And such times, as you may well imagine or, perhaps, know, make for shooting that is humbling to say the least.

Admittedly, I became addicted to dogs a long time ago. So much so that I didn’t try to shake the habit that began with, Snooky, the springer spaniel my father brought home at about the time I was a started pup. I’ve followed a lot of dogs through a lot of covers since then and the memories of those days are as bright as the brass on new shells. But, truth be told, those recollections don’t shine like the images of long-ago mornings when, shortly after sun-up, I jogged behind a birdy spaniel in fields haunted by ghosts of ground fog.

To say that nostalgia is a factor in my anticipation of the MSFTC’s field trials at Three Rivers would be understatement. But aside from that, I can’t think of a better way to welcome the arrival of autumn, the season long-awaited by those who hunt with smoothbore guns and dogs that descended from spaniels.

Tom Hennessey’s columns and artwork can be accessed on the BDN internet page at www.bangornews.com. E-mail: thennessey@bangordailynews.net. Web site: www.tomhennessey.com.