Walked up hedgerows - Springer Spaniel

[Lloyd90]

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  

[B725]

What a lovely morning you had and full marks to Ted 👍👍👍

[Lloyd90]

Just looked in my pocket and 4/5 of the cartridges used were in fact Hull High Pheasant 25g 6’s that I had left over in the bag from an odd box I was given in the past. 

[flippermaj]

Good write up and a bonny looking dog

[ilovemyheckler]

Another great write up Lloyd. I am reallly look forward to them and enjoy them

Keep it up please

[Lloyd90]

12 minutes ago, ilovemyheckler said:

Another great write up Lloyd. I am reallly look forward to them and enjoy them

Keep it up please

 

Thanks mate  how are you and that dog of yours? Did you go for any trials this year? The only one I got a run in got cancelled  

[Morkin]

Cracking looking dog ,well done Ted. I use sipe but seem to kick a bit .Well-done tagether 

[tiny tim]

Thanks for sharing.   Enjoyed the read 

[Lloyd90]

59 minutes ago, Morkin said:

Cracking looking dog ,well done Ted. I use sipe but seem to kick a bit .Well-done tagether 

When I went to buy them I thought they were RC sipes but these ain’t, they’re some Italian ones. I think Sipes are the powder. 
 

Anyway after looking in my pocket 4 of the 5 carts were Hull High Pheasant 25g 6’s. 
 

I think I bought 2 boxes ages ago when I first bought the gun and those were the remnants. I’ll see if the Sipe 28g 6’s kill a bit better. 
 

Next slab of 20bore though I think I will try and find something like 25g - 28g 7’s. 

[FOXHUNTER1]

Great read and smart looking dog.

[scutt]

A good day, nice stamp of a dog.

[Lloyd90]

Thanks lads  He is proper stamp on a spaniel, not one of those small whippety types. A proper dog. 

[picardy]

Looks amazing can't beat a day on the hedgerows