Teds progress

[Lloyd90]

Cor this new forum makes it super easy to add photo's  

1 hour ago, B725 said:

Well done and yes I would waz myself if you fell over, didn't realise your only 3 foot six high and needed to stand on a mole hill to see 🤣

When you win your first trial and it won't be long I will buy you some silver polish for the cup. 

You set yourself some fairly high targets for Ted and stuck with it now everything is coming to fruition well done both of you 👍👍👍👍

 

I'll take a little fold up step in my bag next time  

[Lloyd90]

I don’t even know what “part” we are on now ... I’ll just call this - The Walking Wounded. 
 

We headed out on some rough shooting ground we have as a club yesterday, I arranged to meet 2 lads there early to have a walk around with Ted... it’s the same spot we got that cracking picture against the fence with Ted and all the birds. 
 

Rough shooting is a lot easier with another gun on either side of you. We started off with Ted flushing a pheasant that I missed spectacularly... it went away and twirled around the outside of the woods, only to be dropped by the gun on my left into a big open field. Ted was brought over and I sent him to the general area, he made short work of the search and picked the bird with ease, delivering it back to hand. 
 

We hunted on going along hedgerows and piles, Ted working well, flushing bird after bird, sitting to flush over and over, remaining steady to shot and retrieving and delivering back to hand on command. 
 

He was still running along the outside of some hedges or areas of cover where I would rather he went through it just incase... however when he thought it was worth a look he would charge through thick cover at speed, flushing the birds inside which then presented to the gun... the ones he didn’t go in we pushed at but nothing came out 🤔... too smart for his own good perhaps... 

Ted was even asked to come over and have a go on a runner that had gone off into cover and would have been lost otherwise... I sent him off and could heard him charging around inside the cover, only for him to return with a very much alive cock pheasant which put a wing over his eyes so he couldn’t see ... a blast on the whilst and he found his way back to me and delivered the bird to hand lovely  

 

 

Everything was going so well until Ted was charging through a bit of woodland and let out a huge yelp, I saw a fence post wobble and thought oh Jesus he must have hit an old fence / bit of wire. I called him over and could see that he had a nasty gash in his front leg, he seemed fine in himself and wanted to keep going mind. 
 

I wasn’t sure if it would be a glue job or a stitch job but decided to get him to the vets for a stitch as it will probably heal faster and better and I wanted to make sure it was cleaned out... the vet gave Ted a once over and he had a lot of scratches on him where he had been working hard for me. We didn’t see any other gashes etc at the time so in he went to have the front area shaved, washed out and 3 stitches.
 

I was stood there in full hunting gear with a shotgun in the boot when the vet came out to look Ted over in the car... he said “hmm you look like you can take these stitches out yourself” and was laughing, which was handy as it made the bill a lot cheaper! He said it was nice to see a proper hunting dog coming in as it’s all cockerpoo’s these days. 
 

Ted had 3 stitches and off home we went with the cone of shame... a bit later I was checking him over again and near one of the scratches I saw what looked like a bit of twig, but when I pulled it out found it to be a bit of barb wire 😬 which was lodged by his sheath!! Ouch! It was easily missed mind so I just got it out and cleaned the area with antiseptic. 
 

Ted has a course of anti-inflammatory, anti-biotics and is prescribed 10-14 days of rest before I take the stitches out and back to work, so looks like the season will be a late start for us. 
 

He spent the night sleeping on top of me on the bed 🤣 as he wanted a cuddle! 
 

He also hated the cone and would freeze up afraid to move cos it kept bumping stuff, so Amy has upgraded him to a donut, which he enjoys having as he uses it as a pillow 🤣🤣. 
 

 

[B725]

It always amazes me the pain threshold of dogs, Ted looks a little sorry for himself but sure he will soon make a full recovery.

I've been beating today but didn't take little Stan I felt lost without the little fella.

[London Best]

Dogs really do hate those cones, don’t they?

I was out yesterday and my lab bitch charged through some brash and came to a yelping halt. She had skinned a pad on something, and is limping a little and feeling sorry for herself. It looks nothing, but I know how sore a skinned pad can be for a dog. 

[Old farrier]

Hope he’s well soon and well spotted on the wire 😊👍👍

[Lloyd90]

He was more bothered by that cone than he was by the injury by far. 
 

he has worked out if he gets bored of the donut he can stick his front legs into it and pull his head out... he gets vividly told off by Amy when he has done this twice now, and rolls his eyes as she puts it back on 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Lloyd90]

Took the stitches out on Monday after 11 days, our friend who’s a Doctor was around so I got him to take the stitches out and he said it has healed nicely. 
 

I took Ted out for a quick spin down the shoot where he had a nice flush on a pheasant but it was behind Trees and didn’t present a shot. 
 

I gave him about a 30 minute hard run and left it at that as didn’t want the leg getting all wet (softening the skin) and then potentially opening back up. 
 

He really needed that run out though as he was getting very needy sat in the house. 
 

We also had a good hunt out yesterday where he was going nice but no flush... had been some birds about mind as plenty of scent and he was flying quite well. 
 

Hopefully get a flush and shot soon. I have booked some walked up partridge for next week anyway and put in for a run at a trial on the 28th... draw should be tonight.

[Lloyd90]

Draw results just in: 

 

Got a run in a trial 😮 

 

Suddenly become very nervous now 🤣

[Walker570]

Pleased to hear the lads on the mend.

[Lloyd90]

On 14/10/2020 at 22:08, Walker570 said:

Pleased to hear the lads on the mend.

Thank you  seems to be fully fit now. 
 

 

Bad news on the trial front ... we had a run one minute, and now Wales is going into lockdown the one I got a run in has been cancelled! 
 

Not sure there will be any trials this season, think they will all be cancelled.

 

Several of the Championships cancelled. I think the Springer championship will be cancelled next week. 

[Lloyd90]

Nice walk around the woods today, just one man and his dog close to home. Missed a LOT of pigeons. Think I will need to check where the POI of my SxS is after today lol.

 

I did hit a cracking crow that dropped stone dead from up high and ended up using my last 2 carts to first wing, and then hit a pigeon with the second shot dropping it from high to come crashing down into cover in front of me about 25 yards out. 

Sent Ted who picked it from cover and delivered back to hand perfect  

Edited November 6, 2020 by Lloyd90

[Lloyd90]

Small hunt recently, only out for say 2 hours. Hunted Ted through some woodland, he flushed a nice cock pheasant about 15 yards out front and sat to flush lovely. 
 

I have had my old rough and ready SxS cut down a bit to open the chokes up. It used to be (after properly measuring it) improved mod and X-full choke 😮 well after cutting about 2” off the end it is now choked 1/4 and 3/8, much better . 
 

So much better in fact that I swung up on that cock pheasant and dropped him stone dead on the first shot! 
 

Ted was not able to see the fall but after being sent went out, found the bird and retrieved it to hand perfectly  

 

We then hung around for a while and as we were heading home managed a shot on a mallard that was coming in, although I did miss its buddy. 
 

Not bad, 2 birds for 3 shots. Ted never picked a bird off the water before, he was sent but swam around it a few times messing about but eventually picked it and delivered it back to hand no problem  

 

Not bad for a little walk with the dog  

 

 

[London Best]

After cutting 2 inches off your barrels you will have no choke and no choke. 
But it works just fine. As I have said before, get rid of the choke. You have already noticed an improvement in your shooting.

[WalkedUp]

Good result, jealous of your English rough shoot. 

[Lloyd90]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

After cutting 2 inches off your barrels you will have no choke and no choke. 
But it works just fine. As I have said before, get rid of the choke. You have already noticed an improvement in your shooting.

My mate measured the choke with an internal gauge. 
 

I used one of those cheap gauges off ebay before and thought it was 1/2 and Full. Measured properly with his tools from the engineering workshop it was improved mod and X-full. 
 

We measured back different lengths and the choke further forward of where he cut was 3/8 and 1/2. We cut, made the end flush, straight and removed burrs and remeasured the choke with the internal gauge and it gave the figures for 1/4 and 3/8 choke. 
 

Either way it’s a nicer gun now for shooting close up birds flushed over the dogs and handy for a walk about. 
 

I am off out again tomorrow walked up shooting over the dog, alongside another member who is on here. 
 

Hoping to get a woodcock flushed and shot and picked by my dog tomorrow  

[Lloyd90]

I have measured the barrels with my El Cheapo choke gauge and if reckons it’s now 1/4 and 1/4 choke. 
 

Even if it’s Cyl/Cyl it’ll do the job I am sure 👍🏻

[London Best]

10 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

I have measured the barrels with my El Cheapo choke gauge and if reckons it’s now 1/4 and 1/4 choke. 
 

Even if it’s Cyl/Cyl it’ll do the job I am sure 👍🏻

All my guns have at least one barrel either true or imp cyl.  Choke increases your range (slightly) and reduces your bag (a lot).

If you are using taper choke gauges which poke in the muzzle, they are a waste of time.

Improved modified is what the Americans call 3/4, modified being their word for half.

Stick with it, you will find it much better for all normal shooting.

 

[Lloyd90]

26 minutes ago, London Best said:

All my guns have at least one barrel either true or imp cyl.  Choke increases your range (slightly) and reduces your bag (a lot).

If you are using taper choke gauges which poke in the muzzle, they are a waste of time.

Improved modified is what the Americans call 3/4, modified being their word for half.

Stick with it, you will find it much better for all normal shooting.

 

Thanks 👍🏻 
 

Might have to leave Ted at home this morning as he is lifting his foot up. He started doing it the other day, checked thoroughly and nothing in the foot, think he bumped his shoulder. 
 

He was over it and back to normal last few days but then started lifting his foot again last night. So hopping about on 3 legs. 
 

Think I will give him another weeks rest to recover. 

[Lloyd90]

@London Best I had a brilliant day today shooting over my mates cocker.

I shot my AYA 117 today as a last minute change of heart. Chokes Imp Cyl and 3/8. I took some very good walked up birds.  

[London Best]

33 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

@London Best I had a brilliant day today shooting over my mates cocker.

I shot my AYA 117 today as a last minute change of heart. Chokes Imp Cyl and 3/8. I took some very good walked up birds.  

Well done! Good for you! (I’m just jealous as I have to wait until 9th. Dec. for my next day with a shotgun).
My H&H is choked the same, .004 and .015 thou constriction. It’s left barrel is the tightest choke in any of my 8 shotguns. I use it for driven days and notice  that barrel hits a bird harder but unnecessarily so IMO.

[Lloyd90]

Two ducks taken tonight one landed in water and one in thick cover. 
 

Ted picked a massive mallard off the water and delivered back. 
 

He hunted through the cover but was unable to find the other bird that was down. I think there were some logs inside the cover that he was simply unable to get inside. 
 

I was sure it had not run on as it was hit hard. My mate gave his cocker a try and the wee small dog was able to push inside the cover just enough to grab the bird and pull it out back wards. This bird got a bit torn up on the breast, either from the cover or from the dog having to drag it out. Either way it was better than losing a bird. 

We took one bird each for the pot. Mine has been plucked and gutted and is resting in the fridge now. I am thinking of roasting it tomorrow and putting some orange marmalade on the breast for the last bit in the oven 🤔

[London Best]

Great stuff! 
I love a duck flight. Maximum enjoyment for minimum time out. I did have a great pond but it had silted up and other circumstances have changed so now I only have a flight line from the reservoir.

[Lloyd90]

19 minutes ago, London Best said:

Great stuff! 
I love a duck flight. Maximum enjoyment for minimum time out. I did have a great pond but it had silted up and other circumstances have changed so now I only have a flight line from the reservoir.

There really is something special about being sat out and watching the ducks descend from the sky. 
 

It’s not the most difficult of shooting (which is appealing as I get fed up of missing at times 🤣). but it’s great fun, and it’s definitely tricky as it’s hard to see the birds and get a safe shot in the minimal light. A different kind of challenge. 
 

It really is great fun  

[Lloyd90]

Also posted in Sporting pictures section: 
 

 

Well after a lovely day the other week shooting over a nice little cocker it was Teds turn today to rep the Springer Spaniel’s. Instead of the 12 bore today I grabbed the 20 bore silver pigeon as I came out the house, nice light weight gun, Cyl and 1/4 choke and I had some Sipe 28g 6’s for today. 
 

I met @oowee once again and got ourselves set up and off we went with my Springer Ted working up the cover and hedgerows for us this time. 
 

I can see that all the work I have put into Ted paying off, we starting off with him through a bit of woodland. I clicked him off near a bramble patch and in he went, hunted around a bit but no scent so back out he came... I was just glad he went in for a look and sniff about  

 

Through this small wood we pushed until we came out the other side, Ted started pushing down a hedgerow with Oowee and I on either side when a cock bird flushed up about 10 yards ahead of me. Not a hard flush but Ted sat, I swung through and fired and dropped the bird. I look over and Ted was still sat not having moved an inch. “Get back” I told him, and out he went, picked the bird and delivered it back, placed into my hand as he sat at my feet  I checked and the bird was still alive so was dispatched quickly by me and placed in the game bag, a nice little start. 

On we went with Ted clicked on, as we went along he was going well, hunting inside the middle of the cover when told instead of running along the outside. Away he went, within range and turning back on the whistle when commanded. Up he hunts with us either side until he hits a huge cover patch of bramble. He must have been hot on scent as he drove into the bramble. I heard a bird flapping about and blew the stop whistle. I noticed a bird struggling to punch through the thick cover but could see that Ted had listened to me and sat to the whistle as told. The bird after a few attempts erupted from the bramble and flew off down the field, I counted to 3 to give it a head start, swung through, and dropped it going away. I looked back and Ted was still sat in the middle of the bramble bush, poking his head up to mark the fall. “Get back” I told him, and out he went, straight to the fall, he picked the bird and once again delivered it back into my hand stone dead and into the bag it went. 
 

 

On we hunted with Ted still working up and down the cover patch in the middle of us. No flushes for a little while, but on he went. We got to a crossing so I unloaded the gun, made Ted sit and I jumped across, then called him over to carry on. 
 

We started in a new hedgerow and I clicked him off, he stuck his head down and was working along the tree line between us when two cock birds exploded up within seconds of one another. Ted again sat on the flush, and I dropped the first bird with a snap shot that appeared to drop stone dead. The second bird was behind a tree so I waited and waited for it to clear with the gun still mounted and dropped it on the second shot about 25 yards to my right into a field of crops. I told Ted get back thinking both birds were down and dead. Ted picked the first bird which was dead and delivered it back to hand and it went into the bag. Told him to get back again for the second bird and off he went. He was out for a little while so I walked forward to get a better look and noticed Ted was a good 50-60 yards down the field pushing through some cover. I thought he had buffered off on a new scent but as I looked I just saw a flash of white and a flutter of wings!! As I looked harder the bird was a strong runner, and Ted was hot on his feel!! He had taken a good 50+ yard line on this runner following his nose and he found the bird and managed to corner it. Somehow he managed to pinch both of its wings together and he delivered the bird back to me with both wings both in Teds mouth as if he had arrested the bird and carried it back with its hands behind his back 🤣. The bird was a strong runner and I dispatched it quickly and into the game bag it went with the others. 
 

I do believe that is my first ever proper left and right without lowering the gun 😃
 

The bag was starting to get a bit heavy now, and I was feeling bad for Oowee as the birds kept flushing on my side. The plan was for them to flush on his side so he got a bit of shooting today over my dog (and he could carry a few birds lol). 
 

On we hunted and no birds along the next hedgerow and tree line. We crossed over into some more and walked along and Ted managed to flush two hen birds. He sat to flush and a third bird came out, three hen birds, I shouted to Oowee but they had come out my side once again. I didn’t bother lifting the gun to them as wanted him to have a shot but no luck. 
 

Ted had sat steady to all three, I told him “leave that, gone away”, clicked him off and on we hunted. The rest of this hedge and two more we didn’t see any more birds, and we walked up a huge hedge and cover area with no flushes, but strange as this patch is usually a bit of a hot spot but not today. 
 

Another hedge walked with no flush, until once again Ted poked a cock bird out of cover in the middle and once again it was on my side. Swung through and I dropped it on the first shot again as he had a few flushes now without a pick. Out on command and picked and delivered back to hand once again. Bird in the game bag and away we went. 
 

 

We walked back up the top of the hill and Oowee had to get off as he was out deer stalking this afternoon so that was us done for a nice little walk about. 
 

Not such a great day shooting for Oowee (sorry  ) although I did have a nice little outing with 5 birds taken for 5 shots 😀 

 

I think I will try and find some 28g 7’s for the 20 bore in future mind as I found I get good solid kills from them, a few of the birds today were delivered back still alive and I had to dispatch them. I believe the Sipes are 28g of 6, but are UK size 5.5 really. 
 

Still no woodcock today sadly, but I will keep trying  

 

 

[Walker570]

On 15/11/2020 at 22:13, Lloyd90 said:

I have measured the barrels with my El Cheapo choke gauge and if reckons it’s now 1/4 and 1/4 choke. 
 

Even if it’s Cyl/Cyl it’ll do the job I am sure 👍🏻

Put it in the pattern is the main thing.

Love that little dog and real pleased he is coming good for you.