Teds progress

[Lloyd90]

On 04/01/2020 at 14:23, Old farrier said:

Maybe he’s not wimpy just cleaver enough to know there’s nothing in the bramble Bush 

Took Ted for a run down the shoot Sunday morning as we shot saturday, we tried to push some birds back to our woods. 
 

Ted flushed a couple birds in a wood and sat to the flush each time, then near our pen he found a hen that was sitting tight in some leaves, almost pushing the bird into the air off the end of his nose and then sitting solid . 
 

On the way back home I then worked him up a long hedge that is the length of our massive woods. Instead of running through the hedge like some dogs do, Ted instead just stays on the outside (I made sure we had wind coming through into him) and he just goes up the hedge line sticking his nose in every 5 or so yards. 
 

As he worked his way up the hedge like this he scents a bird so gets inside and starts pushing up, and within a second or two of being inside flushes a nice cock bird out of the hedge and back into the woods. Ted just stood and watched it off then popped back my side and we carried on  

[B725]

It's good when it all comes together 👍about the only thing I can add is don't become complacent keep doing what you have been and I look forward to more tales about Ted. 

Well done both of you for sticking with it and not giving up 😊😊😊

[Walker570]

7 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

Took Ted for a run down the shoot Sunday morning as we shot saturday, we tried to push some birds back to our woods. 
 

Ted flushed a couple birds in a wood and sat to the flush each time, then near our pen he found a hen that was sitting tight in some leaves, almost pushing the bird into the air off the end of his nose and then sitting solid . 
 

On the way back home I then worked him up a long hedge that is the length of our massive woods. Instead of running through the hedge like some dogs do, Ted instead just stays on the outside (I made sure we had wind coming through into him) and he just goes up the hedge line sticking his nose in every 5 or so yards. 
 

As he worked his way up the hedge like this he scents a bird so gets inside and starts pushing up, and within a second or two of being inside flushes a nice cock bird out of the hedge and back into the woods. Ted just stood and watched it off then popped back my side and we carried on  

You sure there isn't some pointer blood in there somewhere  That is exactly what my GSP would do but my lab would do the flushing.  Sounds like you have a clever little dog there but you only gets out what you put in.  Well done. 

[Lloyd90]

4 hours ago, Walker570 said:

You sure there isn't some pointer blood in there somewhere  That is exactly what my GSP would do but my lab would do the flushing.  Sounds like you have a clever little dog there but you only gets out what you put in.  Well done. 

 

I'm almost certain that there is some, he goes on point, which is bad for a spaniel, as he doesn't tend to do it on game but does on bare scent at times, like a false point. His pointing instead of driving into cover is his only real fault and what makes me think he wouldn't be able to finish a trial. 

 

I am hoping more and more game exposure will make him stop. Although worst case, its not really an issue for a rough shooting dog, and I can still shoot over him  

[Walker570]

Yep, might make a very good hunting dog. Sometimes handy to be warned something is there but there again I am very much a pointer lover.  Hope he does make the grade for you as you have both put a lot of time in.

[Lloyd90]

Part 30: Back in the beating line. 
 

Down to my mates shoot today beating again to give Ted some experience flushing birds in cover. 
 

We thought the cold would have pulled the birds back into the woods but they didn’t, it was very thin on the ground bird wise, as well as beater wise as several people couldn’t make it today and they were having a ladies day with some of the women shooting.  
 

I think we only had 2 dogs in the beating line so a bit of pressure was on. 
 

First drive which normally holds plenty of birds was empty, this was the cover that I lost Ted in first time I came, I wasn’t going to let him off but actually it had died right down and I could see through it well so I let him off and he hunted near me although was a little flat. 
 

Second drive was similar with him plodding along a bit, until a bird was flushed and shot at. All of a sudden it clicked and Ted started hunting much harder. We saw another bird flushed and away and he stayed with me. Couple of shots fired but nothing hit. 
 

Onto the third drive and we stopped by a huge bramble patch around a pond which we were asked to push out. Ted was hesitant at first but got a touch of scent and dove into it and pushed through the thickest of bramble to flush a cock bird. All I could hear was a load of flapping and commotion and was worried he had pegged it, I called it back and he came out of the hedge to me empty mouthed. We walked around and the other beaters told me he had flushed the bird out the other side and watched it off from the flush point without moving. 
 

After this we worked down a cover strip which Ted quartered with speed, I was really happy with him now as he was flying, but sadly no flush. 
 

Onto a block of woodland and Ted hunted this well turning when told. We got all the way down with no flushes until Ted dived into a big clump of cover under a fallen down tree and a bird flushed almost pushing past Ted to get up in the air. Ted just parked his butt on the ground and watched it away. We carried on hunting but no more flushed, however he was flowing nicely and going through some stuff. 
 

Onto the final woodland and Ted hunted alone, I walked past some cover thinking there was never a bird in there, only for Ted to stick his nose in and a hen bird to explode out and fly back behind us. Ted sat well as told and another bird was flushed by someone else. He could hear the shots going off and didn’t move, however when told to hunt on decided to go and have a look for the birds 😐😭. I didn’t get too upset about it though it’s all part of the training. I got after him and he was brought back and hunted on. He went to the end of the wood and hunted out a bit cover pile but no more flushes. 
 

 

 

It sounds like a lot however numerous times throughout the day I stopped him on the whistle, recalled him to me and he spent a lot of time on the lead when not hunting out something I wanted. 
 

He was still a bit hesitant on thicker cover and just stood looking at it and didn’t enter every patch of cover I prompted him onto, but he was a lot better and I think the more birds he finds in cover the keener he will be to get stuck in to it. 
 

He must have done something right anyways as at the end as driving out someone stopped and invited us onto another shoot which is bigger and where I haven’t been before. Luckily I am off on that day next week so along we shall go. Hoping to get Ted a few birds in cover again and build on his experience  

Edited January 18, 2020 by Lloyd90

[Walker570]

[Lloyd90]

Teds absolutely knackered after a days work, he’s walking round the house in slow motion 🤣

[B725]

Well done 👍

[redleg in kale]

3 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

Part 30: Back in the beating line. 
 

Down to my mates shoot today beating again to give Ted some experience flushing birds in cover. 
 

We thought the cold would have pulled the birds back into the woods but they didn’t, it was very thin on the ground bird wise, as well as beater wise as several people couldn’t make it today and they were having a ladies day with some of the women shooting.  
 

I think we only had 2 dogs in the beating line so a bit of pressure was on. 
 

First drive which normally holds plenty of birds was empty, this was the cover that I lost Ted in first time I came, I wasn’t going to let him off but actually it had died right down and I could see through it well so I let him off and he hunted near me although was a little flat. 
 

Second drive was similar with him plodding along a bit, until a bird was flushed and shot at. All of a sudden it clicked and Ted started hunting much harder. We saw another bird flushed and away and he stayed with me. Couple of shots fired but nothing hit. 
 

Onto the third drive and we stopped by a huge bramble patch around a pond which we were asked to push out. Ted was hesitant at first but got a touch of scent and dove into it and pushed through the thickest of bramble to flush a cock bird. All I could hear was a load of flapping and commotion and was worried he had pegged it, I called it back and he came out of the hedge to me empty mouthed. We walked around and the other beaters told me he had flushed the bird out the other side and watched it off from the flush point without moving. 
 

After this we worked down a cover strip which Ted quartered with speed, I was really happy with him now as he was flying, but sadly no flush. 
 

Onto a block of woodland and Ted hunted this well turning when told. We got all the way down with no flushes until Ted dived into a big clump of cover under a fallen down tree and a bird flushed almost pushing past Ted to get up in the air. Ted just parked his butt on the ground and watched it away. We carried on hunting but no more flushed, however he was flowing nicely and going through some stuff. 
 

Onto the final woodland and Ted hunted alone, I walked past some cover thinking there was never a bird in there, only for Ted to stick his nose in and a hen bird to explode out and fly back behind us. Ted sat well as told and another bird was flushed by someone else. He could hear the shots going off and didn’t move, however when told to hunt on decided to go and have a look for the birds 😐😭. I didn’t get too upset about it though it’s all part of the training. I got after him and he was brought back and hunted on. He went to the end of the wood and hunted out a bit cover pile but no more flushes. 
 

 

 

It sounds like a lot however numerous times throughout the day I stopped him on the whistle, recalled him to me and he spent a lot of time on the lead when not hunting out something I wanted. 
 

He was still a bit hesitant on thicker cover and just stood looking at it and didn’t enter every patch of cover I prompted him onto, but he was a lot better and I think the more birds he finds in cover the keener he will be to get stuck in to it. 
 

He must have done something right anyways as at the end as driving out someone stopped and invited us onto another shoot which is bigger and where I haven’t been before. Luckily I am off on that day next week so along we shall go. Hoping to get Ted a few birds in cover again and build on his experience  

Lloyd 90 

nice to read your recent reports, ted coming on better on the days your out with him , ted more relaxed in his work you in your handling it seems your work is paying off.the days beating with your dog is great plenty of scent and flushes, the only down fall no shot and  retrieves for trialing . can you not get any walked up shooting with like minded shooters /trialing people to shoot over your dog ,if you was willing to travel to the n/ west I could possibly arrange a day shooting over your dog in a spaniel group . I know its late in the season but if next season is better  feel free, 

[Lloyd90]

10 hours ago, redleg in kale said:

Lloyd 90 

nice to read your recent reports, ted coming on better on the days your out with him , ted more relaxed in his work you in your handling it seems your work is paying off.the days beating with your dog is great plenty of scent and flushes, the only down fall no shot and  retrieves for trialing . can you not get any walked up shooting with like minded shooters /trialing people to shoot over your dog ,if you was willing to travel to the n/ west I could possibly arrange a day shooting over your dog in a spaniel group . I know its late in the season but if next season is better  feel free, 

 

I have some walked up land mate although do go on some of those spaniel training days, is that what you run? It's hard to get a group of like minded dog training lads together for a good day, a lot of people (fair enough as well) as just into the shooting, and want to get some birds in the bag. 

At the moment I think beating is helping as one of his weak points is hunting thicker cover. Because there are normally a lot more birds about on these driven shoots I can hunt Ted into cover and he is likely to get a flush, so that positive association is there. I am hoping that from this he will build more drive to enter cover willingly. 

 

He is very good at marking and picking so far, I think what we may struggle with in a trial, is if a bird is flushed and shot at but not hit, he may think it is down out of sight and want to go off looking for it. That's what happened on the end drive of the beating yesterday. 

 

I thought shooting and letting him pick birds might make this worse? What do you reckon? 

 

 

[B725]

You have answered your own question Lloyd, as Ted is good at marking and retrieving you can back away from that part ( not all together) and polish up the other bit's. 

[redleg in kale]

10 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

He is very good at marking and picking so far, I think what we may struggle with in a trial, is if a bird is flushed and shot at but not hit, he may think it is down out of sight and want to go off looking for it. That's what happened on the end drive of the beating yesterday

Lloyd , I think that's what you need to concentrate on the flush /retrieve , your not going to get that in the  beating  line ie plenty of flushes but no retrieves can also make him a slack hunter too many birds about , his biggest reward in hunting his is retrieve to you that's what you have to aim for . a few flushes / retrieves back on lead or car he,s still a young dog 19 mths ,plenty of trialers want to know the ground /judges before they enter trial not all dogs will hit the hard stuff. no I don't do training days but I like to run my dogs with like minded handlers

[Lloyd90]

2 hours ago, redleg in kale said:

Lloyd , I think that's what you need to concentrate on the flush /retrieve , your not going to get that in the  beating  line ie plenty of flushes but no retrieves can also make him a slack hunter too many birds about , his biggest reward in hunting his is retrieve to you that's what you have to aim for . a few flushes / retrieves back on lead or car he,s still a young dog 19 mths ,plenty of trialers want to know the ground /judges before they enter trial not all dogs will hit the hard stuff. no I don't do training days but I like to run my dogs with like minded handlers

Ah I get you mate 👍🏻 I am taking him out on Tuesday on rough shooting ground, can hunt and if he flushes he can retrieve it If shot. 
 

Where about do you do your shooting? I may be interested for next season if that’s ok. 

[Lloyd90]

Currently sat in the car in -2c waiting for the windscreen to defrost, we are off rough shooting! 
 

Let’s hope there’s some birds around and I hope we can finally get a woodcock in the bag! I saw lots of dogs go out in the champs for not picking them. 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Lloyd90

[Lloyd90]

A stark difference today from last time, birds very thin on the ground, there was a bit of scent about and Ted hunted some spots well. After a long hunt we managed to flush one cock bird that went out the wrong side of the hedge. I gave it a two shot salute but nothing came of it. Ted stopped to the flush and remained steady to the shots so still a good training session. 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Lloyd90

[B725]

Nice picture and a good result from Ted. 

[Lloyd90]

Cheers mate, I am going to miss the last driven day of our little syndicate on Saturday and take Ted beating instead! 

I am not able to make Friday beating because have a recall day to Uni re an upcoming law exam. 

 

Fortunately that new big shoot has another day next Friday we have been invited on instead. 

I might know the syndicate shoot on the head next year, or try to share the peg with a mate so I have more time to take Ted rough shooting and beating. Hunting out cover is his weakness so that's what I want to work on and for that we need game to get in and flush. 

[Lloyd90]

Just a nice little walk through some woodland by my house today, was a lovely little walk and I let Ted just run about as long as I could see him roughly. He mostly stayed close but I think bit of free running is building his confidence going through cover etc. 

 

He must have been running flat out for a big 30+ mins so that's good as I want to really build his fitness for next season. 

 

Also as we were walking back to the car, I saw a flash of white and noticed a Roe doe turn away from us and run off. Ted must have spotted it, as he had parked his butt on the deck! Phew!! A nice sight to see  

 

I am tempted to try and find out who owns the Woodland, and see if they mind me firing a starter pistol (or even the shotgun) in there, as it is honestly some of the best ground I have seen. I would even pay them to put a few birds down. Might have to have an ask around this summer. 

[Lloyd90]

Part 31: 

 

Thursday 30th - a long drive down to Carmarthen to meet two trialling / gun dog lads for a bit of training on some of their land. Aim of the day was to get Ted going into cover more and try and get some tips re this. 

Starting off we took Ted down to a valley that held some birds, and luckily as we arrived there was a bird stood out in the open. We crept up to it and the lads told me to let Ted see the bird. We then spooked it and it ran into cover nearby. Ted was walked up to the cover and taken off lead then given the hunt command. 

He immediately charged into the bramble bushes and started smashing through them. 

Both lads turned to me and said "Bloody hell Lloyd, there's nothing wrong with that dog!! What are you on about?"   ... within a few moments the bird erupted up from cover and Ted remained on the flushing point without moving. Shot fired and the bird dropped further down the valley into more thick cover. Ted was told to get back and charged through the stuff to the drop point, picked the bird and brought it back to hand, still alive. Bird released on the dead command and the bird was almost unmarked from Ted. Both lads said he had a good soft mouth. 

 

I tried to hunt him on after a few minutes break, but he was reluctant to go back into this thick cover without an incentive this time. He did go in another spot we worked up to where there seemed to be some scent, but once inside cover he keeps stopping and standing still, and looking at me. The lads then said they could see what I meant and think maybe he is hesitating and waiting for me to prompt him or something. Anyways we tried to get him going and he had some short spells of hunting. We then moved down to another spot in the valley and he picked up a scent and was working cover well, and then flushed another bird out of thick bramble. The bird flew on down the valley, again was dropped and went down in more thick cover. Ted was told to get back, and off he went. He hit the fall zone, however was out of sight the cover was so thick. All we could see was bushes shaking as he gradually got further and further away. We wondered what was going on but waited patiently, only for Ted to reappear a few moments later with the bird in mouth, also still very much alive. It appears the bird dropped but ran from the moment it hit the ground, and he had taken the line and followed it a good 20-30 yards and picked it and brought it back. 

 

We took him out of the valley then as we had got to the end and had two birds, and to finish up went to hunt some reedy grassland. Ted had a good 5 minute break and then I clicked him off with the two lads either side. He hunted the ground well, flowing non-stop, none of this stopping and looking at me nonsense. He hunted a good pattern at speed, before getting a flush on a bird. He stopped on the shot, saw the bird knocked down and waited until being told to send. I could see that again the bird wasn't stone dead (Not a good day shooting for the trial lads  ) however Ted got to it fast, just as he went to pick it the bird erupted into the air, however Ted's super catching ability kicked it and he caught the bird as it took off. 

I wasn't sure what happens in these situations and as the bird had lifted again (similar to a flush) I had blown the stop whistle. So Ted had caught this bird about 2 foot off the air, then sat his **** down and not moved an air, just sat there with this bird held softly in his mouth. 

The lads however said that is exactly what he should have done, and the dog needs to grab the bird when sent for a runner/ bird that is hit. As Ted was sat there so well he was then recalled, released the bird on command (which was quickly dispatched) and given lots of praise. 

 

The lads said they were impressed with him and he went well, they said he is young still at about 20 months, and he will come good, just keep getting him finding birds in cover and he will learn his trade. They also advised taking him beating and trying to find some shoots that do bigger bag days so he can get more flushes out of cover. Hopefully this will really bring him on. Shame it is the end of the season. I should have taken him beating a lot more this season, however start of the season on his first time beating he ran in and picked a runner, and was chasing birds / not steady to flush for a while after that which took a long time to put right. 

 

I have one more outing with Ted planned for this season, beating on that bigger shoot that we were invited on. I will type that up in a moment  

[Lloyd90]

Part 32: The last day beating. 

 

Moving on from Thursday, we were off Friday 31st for a days beating on a bigger shoot than we have been on before. My mate told me they average between 60-80 bird days, with their best this season of 99. I thought I would have to keep a close eye on Ted if there were lots of birds around but hopefully it would give him the drive he needs. 

 

We met in the morning for tea and coffee at the main farm house, then after meeting everyone we were off in the trucks to the first drives. We started off in some woodland with not a lot of scent, Ted was going along although not entering thick cover. He was however going through some lighter stuff that he wouldn't have before. 

We hunted around and some birds got up off other dogs and one was dropped near us. I made sure Ted stopped to shot each time, and after hearing shots, a bird flushed, or dropped etc, I told him "gone away. Leave that" and gave him the command to hunt on. This is something I really wanted to practice with him, the flush and then ignoring it and hunting on, which is hard to practice in another context. On this first drive he was good, we ended up coming out of the wood alongside a stream and I was asked to cross over and hunt Ted up a hedge line along the stream. We went over and Ted worked the hedge but stayed within 10-15 yards of me, working ahead but turning back on the whistle. Ted ended up flushing a cock bird out of a bit of cover on this hedge and stopped well to flush. We saw the bird swing back behind up but the gun walking up behind us missed it. Lead on as this drive was over and Ted had a few minutes rest. 

 

Next drive we were on a maize crop that had been cut. I worked Ted out to either side of me and he worked the field well, he stayed within 10-15 yards of me again. I wouldn't described him as a boot polisher (he doesn't cross right over your feet on each turn) as I never trained him for that, however I was happy with him. He worked most of the crop all the way down, stopping each time as a bird was flushed, however most of the flushes happened a good 30-40 yards ahead of us no contact flushes. As we got near the end I called him back to me and popped the lead on. Several others only let their dog off at this point and they all charged forward in a straight line just trying to flush whatever so I am glad I put him back on lead. 

 

We walked around some woodland and didn't see much, before pushing down another maize field when asked. However I think someone else's dog had done a bog off and already clearer the maize strip we hunted but that was OK. We hunted it down well with Ted quartering either side, before then coming in when told and being placed on the lead. 

This was the first lot over and we were back to the trucks, where we headed up to another farm house for a rest-stop. I gave Ted some kronch bar and him and my mates down had a bowl of water in the truck before we headed in and had some hot mushroom soup and sausages. 

 

 

After this break we were off to hunt through a huge woodland, we had to push through one wood with the dogs on leads, before hunting back to drive the birds over the guns. We ended up in a lovely bit of woodland, however once we were hunting with the dogs off, Ted went through some huge Laurel's and I lost sight of him! I'm not sure if he chased or if he just lost sight of me, however I got him back after about 2 minutes, just stuck the lead on and carried on trying not to let it get to me. After a short while on the lead I let him off again and hunted some spots, stopping him on the whistle now and again to keep him listening. 

We got to the far end of this wood and Ted was going well and listening, he took a scent and I could see he was going to flush, he then drove himself into thick cover where he was down low to the ground, and he pushed a pheasant out of cover that must have been 6 inches in front of his nose. He stayed in the cover, then came out back to me when I called him back. 

We hunted on for a bit and he again was on hot scent, he went into thick cover again this time in a holly hedge and again flushed out a bird, he stopped on the flush and was steady, however after a long pause I called him back but instead he ran out of the hedge into the field and was running up and down the field not listening. I managed to get out to him and give him a scruffing and telling off for this, and popped the lead back on. I gave him a few minutes on the lead however at this point the drive was over so after a 5 mins on lead hunted him on some light cover and recalled which he did right. We then headed back to the trucks and they went in the back and we drove on to the final drive. 

 

 

The final drive of the day was an old railway bank. There's weren't many dogs up on the top so I worked Ted along the top, which was a lot of thick bramble cover. Ted hunted along, sniffing in each bit but not going in, however he got some hot scent and charged into cover, flushing out a bird that went across the line. He stopped to the flush and recalled to me when told. WE then hunted on and he had several more flushes and stops like this. I think on this final drive he must have flushed at least 6 birds, all within a couple of feet of him, where he stopped each time, and then recalled to me instead of peeing off to look for the bird. 

He didn't enter the thickest cover and one of the lads came up behind us with his more experienced Springer who flushed a bird we had missed out of real thick stuff, however he only missed one so I was quite happy with his performance. That was the end of the day so we got them back in the truck, dogs wiped off, given some food and water and we were back in the main farm house for a cooked dinner, followed by desert, then followed by cheese and port. I was bloody stuffed afterwards. 

Fair play to Ted as it was his good work the week before that got us an invite on this shoot, and I think he did a good job (apart from the two little mishaps) and made us look good. Several of the others said he was good and had stayed under control / hunted well earlier in the day  so I think we are in with a good chance of being invited back next year. Hopefully this flushing is just what he needs to get that drive and confidence to go into more cover, just a shame we didn't manage to get into that more this year. 

 

Back home and Ted slept very well Friday night. I was shooting one final mop up /semi-walked day on Saturday with my small syndicate but I left Ted at home, as I felt he had a big day plus I wouldn't be able to concentrate on him whilst shooting. Mr Mrs took him for a walk sat just over the field and said she thinks its the first time he walked behind her when she has taken him out. 

 

He's to a summer of rest and relaxation. We will do a bit of training but mostly want to let him relax a bit, and will try to do some fitness work so we are fit for work at the start of next season. 

[Walker570]

It does sound like you have a cracker there.  I know you would like him to get up to FT standards but first and foremost he must be a hunting companion as that is where the true pleasure comes from.  Love the photo, looks a very intelligent doggie to me.

[B725]

Ted's become a lovely shooting partner, I doubt there's a dog out there that never misses a bird, he's done you proud don't get too hung up on him not always hitting dense cover he's still young. He has proved to you he will enter it just comes down to a bit more experience for the little fella. You watch the other dog's when out beating most are just doing what they want with little or no control but they make out how good they are. The other week someone arrived with a lab and told me it was amazing, amazed the fat pig could walk it just sat with him didn't even get it's paws dirty. 

It's just a shame we have to wait until next season for more adventures of Ted. 😊😊👍👍

[Lloyd90]

2 hours ago, Walker570 said:

It does sound like you have a cracker there.  I know you would like him to get up to FT standards but first and foremost he must be a hunting companion as that is where the true pleasure comes from.  Love the photo, looks a very intelligent doggie to me.

Bang on mate, we spent last night with him lying down beside me on the sofa having a cuddle, then he woke me up this morning just before the alarm goes off by jumping on the bed and staring at me 😂. 

Amy my partner things it’s hilarious, I tell her to shut the kitchen door but she likes him being able to come up if he wants 🤷‍♂️. 

[Lloyd90]

2 hours ago, B725 said:

Ted's become a lovely shooting partner, I doubt there's a dog out there that never misses a bird, he's done you proud don't get too hung up on him not always hitting dense cover he's still young. He has proved to you he will enter it just comes down to a bit more experience for the little fella. You watch the other dog's when out beating most are just doing what they want with little or no control but they make out how good they are. The other week someone arrived with a lab and told me it was amazing, amazed the fat pig could walk it just sat with him didn't even get it's paws dirty. 

It's just a shame we have to wait until next season for more adventures of Ted. 😊😊👍👍

 

I will do a bit of work over the summer, might do a bit of swimming/ water work, and take him to the beach  

 

I need to do a lot of fitness myself get back in shape 😂

 

Re the other dogs, yes we saw a fair few of them, 100 yards ahead of the line working away entirely deaf to their owners. 
Although Ted still has his moments so I’m saying nothing 😂