Worth it in the end

[NatureBoy]

Jobs sorted and out about 10oc Saturday.Went straight to the farm that has got large field of Lucerne. Had been cut Monday and already new growth coming through. Saw several pigeons on it Friday so was hopeful. There was none! Off to next farm. Nowt about.Bit of a chat with farmer.Asked me if i wanted and would clear upload of pheasant feeders. drinkers and 2 partridge pens. Fella that had the shoot has packed in and moved away leaving them.Could be handy.Check 2 more farms.Very quiet.Next farm the same. Farmer said having trouble with rogue crows getting the free range hens eggs.Get in the hedge up back of farm and call in and shoot 2 crows heading towards the runs.Wander up hedge and take out another active nest that i had missed before. Got some eggs for my troubles and headed off again in search of elusive woodies. Back to the Farm with the 2 fields of knocked backed rape i had shot over 2 weeks ago.Several pigeons flying about and in the trees.Amazing how much the rape that is doing ok has shot up in the last week. As i drive up track/margin a few birds lift from knocked back end of fields and more out of sitty tree i usually set up near.Plenty of carp under tree an in the patchy area. Doesn't look like the fields been shot during the week so this'l do me. As times getting on, rain forecast for later, it near home in i got party to go to.Set up in ditch again at end of hedge line splitting the 2 fields.Wind is getting stronger as i set up coming over left shoulder. Set-up 2 magnets. One up wind to left close in and other in field behind to the right. Breasted birds on these and flapper on edge of margin. Two small random pattern s of flocked shells out to left and right but no further than first tram line. As what crop is growing is thickening up so hoping to get birds well into the pattern to make sure they fall where i can find em without doing damage to crop.Truck stashed down margin under other sitty trees.Chin some crows from last week with kebab stick in margin as i walk back.In hide at 1.30 maxus loaded and 1/4 choke and wait. 20mins and no action. A few bird come into the trees opposite. Wait a while and fire scare shot up wind away from the trees over the field behind.Birds lift and circle the field. 3 birds home in on decoys and battle against the now strong wind just above the rape and head into the patten.Waiting until they really committed i drop the first just past the tram lines. Miss the others as they use the wind to jink away fast. Another 2 come in low again in tandem. Wait till the last and drop both with 1 shot. Well chuffed!I manage a few more birds including a couple of difficult high ones. marking these carefully as they fall on the wind.Another bird i shoot as it tries to get away over the hedge falling straight into the hide before all goes really quiet.I set up 4 floaters round the patten an angel and put other birds visible on cradles.Move the magnet in the field behind closer in to shelter of hedge as it didn't look right in such strong wind.As i am doing this i see the reason it had gone quiet.Two shooters had parked up in the gateway opposite and were standing with guns scanning the field.Not sure if they seen me or my truck i let a shot off.They get back in truck and after 10 mins disappear. In the next 2hrs i only get 3 more birds.As i have noticed over last few weeks this seems an afternoon area and there's plenty of wildlife about i hang it out.About 4.30 birds start crossing the field high on a mission in numbers. Some curl of and head into the patten. In the next hour with some very last second move mount shooting(really meaning using a bit of self control)i down another 15 birds including a double.All goes quiet again as it starts to drissle. I pack up at 6oc picking 26 woodies loosing 3 in crop and hedge for 55 carts. Was it worth it? Cos it was!Hard work and not a big bag. But after a very poor hard soggy winter sitting out every weekend protecting rape in cold fields it's great to be out watching nature at it's best this time of year! Skylarks sang most of the day. Buzzards made the most of the wind and a daft young hare was scaring itself amongst the decoys.Saw my first brood of young pheasants to. The air smelt lovely after it rained!Heard my first cuckoo this week and others seen red kite about. After the flocks split up and the gas guns stopped Late April/May has bin good for me so far.Nothing on the drilling's tho. Had odd young pigeons in every month of this year. Strangely only 2 birds with milky crops.Birds i preped today in very good nick and had very little in them. little bit of rape,hawthorn buds,clover,tree flowers and shoots. Home sorted, scrubbed up and PARTIED ON!! NB