Lord Geordie Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 (edited) I got an invite for a day on the corvids with mike! Of course I leapt at that! So this morning bright and early, headed down to mikes! About an hour driving! Pulling up at mikes, he Js already loading the car, so I gave a hand! Loaded everything in, mikes quick bog trip, then off we set to the farm in question! Pulled into the farm yard and round to the byre, and blow me, if about 70 corvids didn't lift off from in, AND outside the building! We set up with our backs to the wall, on the corner of the byre, and our first shot was fired a little before 7am. At first things went well, in the first 20 mins we were in double figures! And within the first hour had 20 downed! I missed some sitters, but still managed to nail a few Then the interest waned, and it was picking them off every 10mins or so as they came for a look at the decoys! Mike had some belting folders! And even a left and right! After about three hours the farmer came round to chat, and a fella with the farmer told mike to get his backside round to his where 100s were hitting the cut grass! So we went for breakfast and a coffee, as were having breakfast! Mikes phone rings! Farmer number three is insisting we get to his as the numbers are high! So we called in at farmer 2s fields for a look! Maybe 120 over 2 adjacent fields, mike may have a stab at those tomorrow! But we set off for the guy who called! Got there Toba field of maybe 35, and as we got out of the car they lifted and drifted off! So we set up under a chestnut tree with a hedge for our backdrop! Mike set out the decoys and within less than 3 mins I took customer number one which dropped nicely, not long after that another came too close, only to be collected by mikes Silver Pigeon! And again it was a few here and there! Highlight of this farm was a group of four came over! We called out our targets and then let fly! 4 over only one left! Mike took two with a left and right! I took one, but lost the other over the foliage! Shame as I was looking forward to a left and right of my own! My cartridge to kill ratio was bad! But I had another fab day out thanks to mike! I don't mind do much about the cartridge count, when I miss I miss good! So they just get away! Not like I wing many! My gun is a game gun, and the chokes are 3/4 and full. Next time I will take the semi down with a 1/4 or 1/2 as 32g leaves enough shot to fill a wider pattern! And may improve my counts! Or maybe I should just stop dreaming We ended the day in the high 40s I believe! I didn't look at the clicker! Bit as always it was a great day, a good chuckle and good fresh air! Never got a pic of any birds on the first farm as the grass was about 3 foot deep! So finding the birds was a nightmare! I got a pic of some of the birds from the second and will see if I can get them uploaded! Thanks again Mike! Edited June 9, 2016 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted June 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Nice to have you down Martin you do plenty for other people so a days shooting is the least people can do apart from that i like your company its always a good pee take when we are shooting together..Admit it you like coming down not just for the shooting but where we end up for a big fry breakfast always some where close to most of my shoots.. The fishing lakes cafe we used yesterday is only a couple of mile from the farms ( thank for breakfast by the way ) When i was in there last week got asked to sort the rabbits out on the caravan site will do that at back end just got to find someone with nets and ferrets now.. i think we should have had about at least another 15 or so at the first farm, but when your cartridges went off it was hard to see any other birds because of the smoke thought you had loaded some with black powder and confetti and left out the lead.. Anyway sorry to wake you up this morning at 7.30 am but if I'm up so should you be ( i had been up 2hrs by then ) i was in the field at the new farm we were asked to shoot yesterday, think we should have set up then as there was nothing about worth setting up for so just sat and watch from 6-30am till just before 8am.. Half a dozen blacks at the most a couple of wood pigeons and 5 or 6 rabbit ( they were playing about just on front of the motor ) and to top it of a big fox walked across the field about 150 yds from me and the rifles were at home will have to see the new farmer and ask if he wants the fox's shot as well....The rain started to get heavy so called it a morning and came home for coffee.. All the gear is back in the garage and car is empty ready for my golf gear tomorrow.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Tidy job gents well done. I always find that when you set up early you get good numbers coming in and then the expectation level builds. I remember one morning last year I had 23 at first light within about 5 minutes then that was it, just luck that I pitched up between the roost wood and where they wanted to be so caught them on there way out for the day. I often find that the banter is often better then the shooting when you have good company, well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Im not as fit as i used to be due to asthma and a couple of discs in my back that play up now and then and when they do I'm in pain.. Little story about Martin he lives about 40 miles away in Newcastle we have known each other quite a few years through meet ups we used to have on another site we were both member off. Got a text one day to say he was calling down for a coffee if that was OK, he turned up next morning at about 9 am first thing he said was where is the paint. I had been telling him one day while chatting on the phone that i had just got in and had been to get some white paint to do the gable end of my bungalow it is part rendered where the garage used to be before the previous owner put an extension on and moved the garage back about 20 ft. As i had been having trouble with my back and kept putting it of, he just turned up and spent the morning painting at the end he would not take a penny from me so now to show my appreciation as soon as i get a call for some shooting to be done i call him and see if he is available.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 What a top bloke, or should I say..top blokes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted June 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) Mike! Your more than welcome! I don't mind helping others out where I can! I find a lot of satisfaction in helping out when I can. I hope you dont take this as an offence! But your like a second Father! When I first started out and got to go to some of the clay shoots, marne, Thimbleby and Hull etc! You always made time, as did so many others in welcoming me into the circle! Steve, Alison, Ian and others! Then when it came to me wanting to load omy own carts, again there you were! When I have had some **** going on, you listened and sometimes took the urine but listened anyway. Always a chuckle somewhere, wether it is just in general, or taking the pee out of my shooting! but it's never a dull moment! Although I was a little worried the other day when you invited me into your bedroom, to show me your semi :lol: I really appreciate the days out shooting! I don't care if there is nothing about! just getting out of the house, is sometimes the remedy one needs. Stumbling onto this site! and meeting so many like minded people, and making so many friends and aquaintances has been fantastic! As for the clouds in the hide! I was reliably informed it was SMOKELESS powder! but am a little uncertain! It def burned properly as the barrels were gleaming! but I dont think the fibre wads helped matters I May as well have loaded cotton wool Still, the ones they HIT, they did a good job of I still say the chokes are too tight! Next time I will bring the auto and a 1/4 or 1/2 choke to try out! Thanks again! Edited June 10, 2016 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxwell Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Sounds like a good day out lads, well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Got some more lined up for this week waiting till martin comes down on Tuesday had a call from one of my favourite farms only 10 min from home.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hodge911 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 good to hear they are finally about for you mike ......................................................lucky sod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Not pigeons just the black stuff.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hodge911 Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 Not pigeons just the black stuff.. either would be nice ................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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