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First crack at harvest.


Penelope
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Last weekend I called a very good friend of mine who farms up in Bedfordshire, he told me that they would be into the rape the following week, last week. I called him again on Wednesday to see how they were doing and I. said that they had cut the 70 acre, done most of the 38 acre and taken a lump out the field behind the farm buildings, but had not touched the meadow fields.

 

This section of the farm is approx. 250 acres which is all down to rape and about 3 miles from the main farm.

 

So, Saturday morning, up out of bed at 7am and sort the gear out. I did have 3 pigeons for the gadgets, but stupidly forgot to put them back in the freezer when I got some bait out for a carp fishing trip back in May, only to find a shed full of flies a couple of weeks later when I next went in the shed.

 

I continued gathering my kit together whilst K. made some sandwiches and put together a packed lunch for us both. Once the car was loaded we had a couple of bacon rolls and a cup of tea and then set off on the hour's journey to Bedfordshire.

 

We arrived at the main farm just before 10:30am and stopped off to see I. who was repairing the tracks on a crawler. Half an hour later after chewing the fat and showing K. what OSR seed looked like we set off.

 

A main road splits the fields on this section of the farm with the meadows on the right and the 70 acre on the left, so with little traffic on the road I slowed to see what I could see. There were a few pigeons in the air, not big numbers but enough to make the 70 acre look interesting, so pulled into a gateway to watch. The main flight line here is from a big wood on top of a hill the far side of the meadow, along some oaks in the middle of them then across the road and over the centre of the 70 acre and from there they pigeons were spreading out into little groups and dropping into the rape stubble. This field rises up slowly from the road until it reaches a crest which runs the full length, from a small spinney to my right, down to a couple of cottages on my left, and dips sharply down to a ditch on the far side of the field.

 

K. and I took a drive round to the farm buildings to look at the 38 acre and the small fields behind the farm and along the ditch that borders the 70 acre. All had a few pigeons on, but nowhere near the traffic from the road side. Another trip back to the gateway for another look whilst we had some tea from the flask. as we sat watching, with me explaining flight lines and why pigeons use them and why they use this one to K. about 150 got out of the small spinney swung round into the stiff breeze and dropped in, drawing most of the birds in the air to them. Decision made, I would set up on the edge of the boundary spinney almost on top of the ridge, hopefully high enough for the decoy pattern to be seen by most of the pigeons crossing the field or flying along the ditch. The wind coming from behind the spinney also helped in making my choice.

 

Thankfully, I was able to drive to the spot, unload and ask K. to drive the car back around the spinney and tuck it away in the corner while I got the hid up and decoys out. K. was back in no time and helped put out the 12 flocked shells, 12 Flexicoys and 10 HH. I wanted a large pattern on a big exposed field like this, and although I had no birds for them I set the whirly up to my right on the top of the ridge and the flapper on the left of the pattern. we were ready for 12, noon.

 

The first bird came in just a I was loading the gun. Bang, one down, quickly followed by three more into the decoys and I had my birds for both the magnet and flapper. Although not hectic, the traffic into and around the decoys was steady and I was shooting quite well, until a problem with the gun; the for e end started coming loose on a single shot and falling off on a double really put me off my stride, and many was the time when I would be faffing around putting the gun back together with pigeons seemly wanting to commit suicide.

 

Around 2 o'clock, a white van pulled up on the road, the driver obviously taking an interest. I recognised the van as belonging to R., another shooter who had permission on this ground. he watch for about a quarter of an hour before driving off. About three quarters of an hour after I heard shots from the far side of the 70 acre, so R. had obviously set up down in the ditch behind the farm or on the 38 acre. It subsequently turned out that he had set up in the ditch when I spoke to I. over a cup of tea later that evening.

 

In total I fired 150 cartridges, Eley First 1oz 7 1/2's for those that are interested, and despite the gun problems, packed up at 5:30pm with 53 pigeons picked, two unpicked that crashed into the standing rape over the boundary, 7 ferals and a crow.

 

rhsgte.jpg

Edited by Penelope
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Thanks. Shame I can't get the picture the right way round.

 

I would of had more if it wasn't for gun problem, but a great day none the less and the first time out since the spring. Nice to have my GF there too. She enjoys it, and has become quite adept at helping out and retrieving and dispatch the odd walker.

 

great time.............they look like nice healthy birds..... :good:

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A good report of an excellent afternoon.

 

Two points;

 

I surmise that 'K' is the girlfriend and that she was asked to pick up the birds at the end of your session.

 

You were explaining to K about flight lines. Please come and explain them to me.

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Offers to run out a pick any walkers immediately. If it weren't for the fowling, the water and the mud I wouldn't have got a lab pup. K. hunts up cover something lovely.

 

Seriously, she really has taken on an interest despite never having had anything to do with shooting or the countryside until we met. A dozen duck decoys on the anniversary of our first date, how bad is that.

 

A good report of an excellent afternoon.

Two points;

I surmise that 'K' is the girlfriend and that she was asked to pick up the birds at the end of your session.

You were explaining to K about flight lines. Please come and explain them to me.

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You're a very nice, a very nice man.

 

Can you spot the Ewok?

 

Excellent result and report -----apart from the wonky photo which was hurting my neck :)

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Edited by Penelope
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Tried that on the hosting site, but no facility to do.

 

Are you rotating the picture on the hosting site ?

If so try opening you pictures on pc rotate there first.

 

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Nice report, and seems you had some good craic. Reference the fore end, that's the reason I always have a big packet of assorted tie wraps with me, helps repair most things that break, or at least patch them till I get round to repairing them :)

Usually about £2.50 for somewhere around 50 out of any good DIY shop, or off ebay.

Edited by Redditch
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