M ROBSON

That's exactly how it should be Invicta, I've lost count of the amount of fellow fowlers I've shown the ropes on the river in the last 20 years. I took a lot out for the TVWA in the 90's, now it's mainly friends. Unfortunately a few of the locals still resent the idea of visiting fowlers on their patch and I still get the odd remark for showing them the way........ :-(

I ordered 4 magnets in January 2014. I paid up in full straight away and was told they would be with me 2-3 weeks later. After many phone calls and endless excuses I got my money back in May 2014, I just couldn't wait any longer as I had clients booked in. From folk I have spoken to its quite a common thing with Pinewood, its a shame because their gear is good.

Some nice looking ground there.

The Tay is certainly not the place for toy boats, there have been many caught out in the past.

It's been a bumper year so far this summer in my area, in 13 days with clients we have taken 3093 birds so far. I know a few guys in the area that have been getting very good bags also.

Our first rape stubble was on the 28th July this year, I remember about 6 or 7 years ago after a wet summer the first rape stubble was 16th August....

Highland Game in Dundee, they pay £3/kg for carcases over 16kg, then £2.50 for smaller. I take any spare Does I have through the winter. Peterborough Game come and collect all my bucks in the spring/summer, they pay £3/kg regardless of weight. They send a van up the east coast once a week to collect from various places. They've both been paying this for 2 or 3 years now.

In Fife there pretty much done with the rape now. Their on the transition period between diets, some on clover and some starting on new barley drillings. Another week or so and they'll be total switched on to drillings I expect.

I'm told that most forestry commission leases usually cost about £100 per deer, going by previous cull records. I get £3/kg for Roe up here and have had them up to 23kg (£69). The chap you had last year has probably had not far off £1500 of meat away for the 30 he shot.

Hi Greg, we hit them hard at the start and I had a few days planned over the Xmas period but the bad weather forced a couple of cancellations. Got a good few to finish off with in February . Cheers mark.

A pen should have 1 meter of outside fence for every bird put in it, eg 400 birds need 400m of outside wire, regardless of shape. If you get birds in August at 6-8 weeks old you should be feeding them on growers pellets till about 14 weeks. Then slowly mix wheat into it, adding more and more into their feed till, after a couple of weeks, their totally over to wheat. Late summer birds will benefit from the extra couple of weeks on pellets and as it helps them feather up and grow tails quicker.

I've went through loads of dog jackets for my Labs. The Yankee stuff is the best I've had, Avery in particular is very good. I use them 100 mornings per season and their very tough. When your out 6 days a week they are a must, it's amazing how many small nicks and cuts appear in them that would have otherwise been in the dog. The rip-stop armour flex covering and side floatation foam is well worth the extra cost. Had one last season from a company called "western rivers" (not rivers west!) and it was pure ****!!!

Well done Greg!

We've been shooting the same areas commercially now for 14 years, taking over 10,000 every year in the spring/summer. This summer was our best yet, with more birds than I have ever seen before. In the month of August alone we fired over 15,000 shots!! Even with this the numbers are still going up round here. Could you imagine the damage that would be done if we had a close season? We can see young birds born EVERY month of the year! I wish I had a tenner for every time this topic has been raised on here in the last 10 years!!

Thousands been on rape now since early December. They haven't been on the stubbles this year as long as they usually are in this area. Seeing some massive flocks now.