Judge question???

[JHALL]

its the judges call if he wants to run the line, hes the one in charge of the cast not the handlers.

[bradadkins]

yuuup Judges call.like Mike says brings out a side better left alone. The judge should always control the cast.

[bwe007]

it is the judges call in pp or lp.

[J Lance]

I say you offer it to the handlers and if they don't all agree then move them away from the line and go from strike jump. If you are really looking for the best dog then you would go from strike jump. I have seen to many dogs that would not hunt at all or just follow dogs around until the rabbit was up. I feel like to be fair to everyone you go from strike jump. You just can't base your decision on running ability and forget the format.

J Lance

[mike crabtree]

I say you offer it to the handlers and if they don't all agree then move them away from the line and go from strike jump. If you are really looking for the best dog then you would go from strike jump. I have seen to many dogs that would not hunt at all or just follow dogs around until the rabbit was up. I feel like to be fair to everyone you go from strike jump. You just can't base your decision on running ability and forget the format.

J Lance

That would be a good answer if you thought the area had several rabbits. Plenty of times you jump a rabbit with moments left and dogs tied or someone barely winning. Heck the best jumpdog could be down by 15 with 2 minutes left. The question was who decides, and by rule, or lack there of it would be the judge. He or she should make a decision based on the cicumstances not let handlers cause bad blood between each other for no reason. Judges should not be afraid to make a decision.

[Buckeye Bob]

I have been following this thread with interest because the few times that I have judges (maybe 20) I have enjoyed it and I want to do the best job I can according to the rules.My answer to the scenario above is put the dogs on the rabbit because they are getting scarce around here and you want as much running as possible. But then I should be consistant and do that every single time, all the time. What is frusterating to me is when a judge is not consistant with judgement calls. Example in one cast I have seen a jump given without seeing the rabbit and the same judge later (because he admitted to me in the truck that he hated the dog) did not give a jump to another dog because he "did not see the rabbit". Last hunt I judged I awarded a jump without seeing the rabbit and then did not award a jump even though the rabbit ran past me. I explained the scoring each time the dogs were handled and both handlers agreed.The gentleman who showed me how to judge no longer runs LP because of the BS but he is a hardcore rabbit hunter who has been breeding rabbit dogs for 40 years and his advise to me was "Be consistant" and "judge the dog, not the owner".

[J Lance]

I agree it is the judges call. What I am trying to say is that I don't think you should automaticly put them on a rabbit. You already had score and running ability is only half of a REAL rabbit dog. Go from strike jump and they can't argue with the rule book. Don't make me start making fun of those AKC guys that cary their dogs around until they kick up a rabbit. That style of dog would not be very productive in the great swamps of Tennessee.

J Lance

[beagler282]

Use the line and get what you can of the race and score it.If i'm judging those dogs they are mine for 1 hour.Rule book in 1 hand and common sense in the other.If the handlers want to make a suggestion that's fine but it's the judges decision what happens in that 1 hour.The more rabbit you run chances are the best hound will shine.

[backyard beagler]

Whats the purpose of being there if your not trying to run rabbits.....put'em on it......judges call.

[BG BEAGLER]

As a judge I always put on a rabbit unless the line produced puts the dogs in danger...I don't ask the handlers there opinion...I've heard trialers say that a smart handler can win a trial for his dog....sounds like that is what the guy with 2 checks was attempting...when I turn a dog loose I depend on my dogs ability not my smarts...If my dogs depended on my brains we would lose everytime hahaha

[letumrun]

As a judge I always put on a rabbit unless the line produced puts the dogs in danger...I don't ask the handlers there opinion...I've heard trialers say that a smart handler can win a trial for his dog....sounds like that is what the guy with 2 checks was attempting...when I turn a dog loose I depend on my dogs ability not my smarts...If my dogs depended on my brains we would lose everytime hahaha

thats the truth lol

[sicososbe]

Crabie, I want the chance to Jump another Rabbit. . If iam behind i want to have the chance to jump.But it is really up to the judges call.Most judges do ask .I do.