figgy Posted November 3, 2016 Report Share Posted November 3, 2016 sorry to upset any body but my big black lab weighs in at 54 kg and he is a big boy yes he will drop a few kg as he is back into work but although large is not fat he is now coming up ten year old and suffering a bit but eats the same amount as my other lab and spaniel and gets same exercise sadly never bred off him Never too late to line him for a pup to keep his lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 (edited) It never rains , but it pours!! After last weeks success I had not done any wildfowling for the past week, but I had a mate up staying for a couple of days and after hearing about last weeks duck flight asked if there was any chance of a permit and a repeat performance. I was not so sure about a repeat , but the tides were ok and with the strong north wind I thought it was worth another go. We were a little late getting down to the marsh so I left him armed and ready for a shot while climbing down into the main channel to set out the decoys. I had not yet clipped on the first decoy when a shot rang out and looking up I saw his dog in action. Even while setting the decoys several bunches of duck swung over my head and one pair of teal pitched in beside me . The omens looked good for the coming tide flight. Hardly had I loaded my gun that I was in action. A single teal flashed high over head with the strong north wind up its tail only to crumple and drop a long way back into the marsh. My mates dog was off in an instant and was soon returning with a little hen bird. My lab Meg looked a bit cheesed off as she was still tied up in my hide. As my mates dog returned I heard him shoot again and a wigeon splashed down in the channel. His dog dropped my teal and was off at once after it ,but looked confused unable to pin point the duck , which by this time had gathered its self and scuttled across the sand bar and made the saltings on the far bank. My mated dog would not hunt far enough to pick up the scent so I sent Meg who had not seen the duck come down. I got her to cross two side creeks and then out to swim across the main channel. Meg cast across the sands and then picking up the scent she tracked the wigeon a further 50 yards into the salt marsh. I was not sure how far the duck had run by now , but reckoned without my Meg and she lifted her head in triumph with the duck in her jaws. A very testing retrieve. From then for the next three hours there was not a moment when there was not a duck in the sky somewhere and often thousands . They came from every direction and it was impossible to know which way to look. One drake mallard struggled against the wind 25 yards of me heading straight for my mate who had been having a very poor season and I let many of the duck through to him , but he did not see it as he was getting ready for 20 wigeon that were bearing down on him from the other way. Both the mallard and the wigeon got away without being shot at. I am not going to give a shot by shot account of the remainder of the flight , but it was sufficient to say we both had plenty of shooting , but most of the shots were very difficult. Duck would bear down on the decoys very fast with the cold wind behind them , to turn 40 yards out 180 degrees and then offer a brief turning going away shot before they were out of range. Nether of us coped very well with the chances we had , but the flight ended with a dozen wigeon and teal in the bag for 30 odd shots and not a bird lost despite some very difficult retrieves. Two are worth noting. A massive female peregrine appeared close by and then zoomed off across the marsh flushing a huge pack of wigeon . They made straight for our creek and surged past at the very limit of range. I thought I could just reach one duck a little closer that the rest and she fell winged far out in the now fast flooding channel. Meg was off like a shot swimming one big side creek , charging through a belt of spartina, before swimming across the fast filling channel. She nailed the wigeon as it ran full pelt across the sands for the salting and was back with it very quickly. And finally as we were about to pack up a single teal arched into the decoys , but my mate only wing tipped the bird. Though centered in the Patten with two shots on the water the drake appeared untouched and dived in the now big breakers pushed up as the tide fought against the wind. His dog was on to it quickly , swimming the side creek , but hesitating on the edge of the main channel. Twice the dog was sent out for the teal that had now disappeared 250 yards up the creek. It was time for Meg "to do her stuff "So I sent her to help out. She found the bird way up the creek , but lost contact when it dived. She worked the bank back towards us , but to no avail. I was about to recall her when she turned working back along the tide line with its broken turf from the salting above that past tides had carved out of the bank. On she went for at least 300 yards when I was convinced she was too far and the duck lost so I took my eyes off her and started to pull in the decoys. Slowly she returned and as she got closer I was overjoyed to see she had the bird . A brilliant retrieve. Its would be easy to be critical of the other dog , but meg has done similar retrieves many , many times and after 10 years has the experience to know that a winged duck usually makes for the bank when left to its own devices. My mates dog mainly works inland marshes with just splashes and small dykes to deal with and this was a landscape she was not used to, where Meg was on her home ground. One final footnote. My mate was sure he had shot and retrieved one more duck than his final tally accounted for. As we were walking off Meg was as usual being a bit disobedient and hunting ahead of us and sure enough she stuck her head into a clump of grass and pulled out the lost wigeon. It must have to have crept away from his stash of birds and hidden up in the grass. Some tripe hound are just born lucky. Edited November 8, 2016 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 Sounds like a brilliant flight and some excellent dog work , a perfect combination . You are doing well on the duck Robert , lets hope the Pinks play ball when you come down this way , certainly no shortage of them about here at the moment . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fal Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 At last my first foreshore duck of the season! Surprising it only takes a few shots to get your shooting mojo back. I've been really struggling to put the effort in this season after so many blanks and not seeing birds. Hopefully a few more to come! Off again tonight, can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler23 Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 Well done fella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 Nice one Rods. Well done. Cheers Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaike Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 (edited) 33 canadas 2 greys and 107 pink,real fowlers go hard at it, now chill time,its been a hard go at it with quite a few flights but time to get back to work,soon be santa time,goosed out and time out Edited November 12, 2016 by jaike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 142 geese- what on earth did you do with that lot! Enough to fill several freezers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 33 canadas 2 greys and 107 pink,real fowlers go hard at it, now chill time,its been a hard go at it with quite a few flights but time to get back to work,soon be santa time,goosed out and time out What kind of post is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamch Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 33 canadas 2 greys and 107 pink,real fowlers go hard at it, now chill time,its been a hard go at it with quite a few flights but time to get back to work,soon be santa time,goosed out and time out 107 pinks? This sort of bragging post does our sport nothing but harm in my view. Real fowlers you are not and appear to have little respect for the sport or your quarry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 33 canadas 2 greys and 107 pink,real fowlers go hard at it, now chill time,its been a hard go at it with quite a few flights but time to get back to work,soon be santa time,goosed out and time out I think you could be on the wrong forum my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m greeny Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 33 canadas 2 greys and 107 pink,real fowlers go hard at it, now chill time,its been a hard go at it with quite a few flights but time to get back to work,soon be santa time,goosed out and time outWhat sort of idiot boasts about numbers like that. Even if it is true which I very much doubt why brag about it. I think someone's been sniffing glue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 What sort of idiot boasts about numbers like that. Even if it is true which I very much doubt why brag about it. I think someone's been sniffing glue👍 and if you look at most of his/her posts they come across as the poster " ain't wired up right " 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaike Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 (edited) so yet again its ok to post and brag about shooting thousands of pigeons ,but frowned upon to have a good fowling season, you get out of it what you put into it Edited November 13, 2016 by jaike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 so yet again its ok to post and brag about shooting thousands of pigeons ,but frowned upon to have a good fowling season,you get out of it what you put into it Simple short Answer Pigeon are pests/Vermin and IF you have a good day after taking what you need the rest can be sold GEESE you cannot SELL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewluke Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 so yet again its ok to post and brag about shooting thousands of pigeons ,but frowned upon to have a good fowling season, you get out of it what you put into it i didn't realize that wildfowling was all about numbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 so yet again its ok to post and brag about shooting thousands of pigeons ,but frowned upon to have a good fowling season, you get out of it what you put into it, We all put a lot into it , due to work and family commitments not every one can put as much time in as they would like to, but surely its about restraint and I am sure most of us would think a half a dozen is more than enough and I know a lot a lot of people would stop shooting geese before that. So if you are happy shooting and posting them sort of numbers well so be it , leally you haven't done nothing wrong and lets hope they are all put to good use and not wasted . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaike Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 its not about numbers ,its about enjoying what you do,all these posts are either antis or dont get much shooting, for me up here north of aberdeen a walk with the dogs in the morning can produce a bag of five geese,yes five,no more as i have to carry the things home,makes me laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaike Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 thanks marshman,lets just say the local butcher has been busy making goose and black pudding sausages and goose and cranberry,very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 [quote name="jaike" all these posts are either antis or dont get much shooting, Well I'm 100% Not a Anti I also get plenty of shooting Geese Ducks and Deer. I've controlled Geese for estates that at times get Thousands upon Thousands of Geese at times for over forty years . But you posting the numbers you have does NOTHING but give Inland shooting a Bad Name also taking the Dogs for a Walk and shoot 5 as there to heavy REALLY Geese are that easy and Stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaike Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 (edited) forgot to mention 36 trips to the shore oops,not boasting just saying how it is,its a passion not a hobby Edited November 13, 2016 by jaike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 forgot to mention 36 trips to the shore oops,not boasting just saying how it is,its a passion not a hobby😂🤔😴😴 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 So then, Jaike, if you have had such a good season, why not post some reports, rather than a random post with numbers mentioned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamch Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 (edited) its not about numbers ,its about enjoying what you do,all these posts are either antis or dont get much shooting,for me up here north of aberdeen a walk with the dogs in the morning can produce a bag of five geese,yes five,no more as i have to carry the things home,makes me laugh You are clearly not a true wildfowler you are a shooter of geese who appears to have little knowledge of or respect for your quarry. Your bragging posts like this play right into the hands of antis. I can see no value in bragging about big bags other than to massage your own ego Edited November 13, 2016 by grahamch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The reedcutter Posted November 14, 2016 Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 Had 19 so far !!! Yep thats right 19 flights for one pink and a few duck along the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.