Old Boggy

Probably best not to put your bank details on an open forum. Better sent by PM

Still got a couple gathering dust and cobwebs in my shed John. Must have had them over 60 years, but now Ditchie has inspired me to clean them up. I don`t think that the wife would be too happy for them to hang in the house though. Good luck to Enfieldspares, I’m sure that the remaining ones will soon sell. OB

After having been spoilt shooting a field of maize stubble over the last few weeks with bags of between 30 and 40 which exceeded my normal few hours shooting, the field has now been cultivated. Sometimes as we know a disced field still provides some shooting, but this time heavy cultivation meant that the pigeons had deserted it for pickings elsewhere. Another plan had to be put into action for my couple of hours out yesterday. The local pigeons were now feeding predominantly on the vast acres of wheat drilling in my area but were spread over several fields. With modern drills leaving very little on the surface, decoying wasn`t really an option as too few were feeding on any one particular field. The wind yesterday was a brisk Easterly, so my choice was on the Westerly edge of my favourite wood which is on the edge of a 130 acre field of drilling. I have two permanent hides on the Eastern edge of this wood for use in the winter when the birds are feeding on ivy berries and the prevailing South West wind is fairly strong. Knowing that very few would decoy and also knowing that they use this small wood to `rest and digest`, I decided to ensconce myself in the edge of the wood with just gun, cartridges and a seat. It was bright sunlight but I was in the shade under the canopy of a large beech tree. I knew that I might have the occasional shot as one or two might come into the wood during my time out. First one in was missed in classic style as I was a bit slow and should have taken it earlier before it was lost from sight above the tree canopy. After my first shot, it was apparent that there were quite a few pigeons feeding on the field but spread over a large area which reinforced my assumption that decoying was out of the question. I was quite happy watching and listening to the wildlife around me and was pleasantly surprised when a small charm of goldfinches decided to have a feed on the teasels just to the left of my position. The `mewing` of an overhead buzzard didn`t seem to worry them and they continued to feed. Another pleasant surprise was a hare lolloping across the field. A much rarer sight these days than a few years ago, in this area. As I`d hoped, one or two did come in towards my position and one or two fell to my shots once I`d talked myself into taking them early and were easy retrieve out to my front on the drilling. I ended my short session of two hours with just 5 in the bag, but had thoroughly enjoyed my time out. I had hoped to pick a bag of sloes as there are many blackthorn bushes alongside the wood but this year they were virtually devoid of fruit. Other areas where I pick are similar, so I presume it has not been a good year for them, in my area anyway. Have others found the same? Thanks for reading. OB

You could easily have that cast on for left hand and still be quids in.

You`re welcome. Glad that it arrived. OB

I greatly admire your persistence with this project and am sure that your got much satisfaction in doing it. Look forward to seeing the end result of the woodwork. Well done. OB

That`s a cracking gun at a very good price. Good luck with the sale Lloyd. OB

Stayed in a lovely old pub in Oakham, Rutland a few years ago called `The Old Pheasant`. Still got a large sign on the outside of a pheasant in flight. In comparison, we stayed in a pub in Ashbourne Derbyshire called `The Dog and Partridge`. At the time (probably 20 years ago) it had a lovely sign of a dog with a partridge in its mouth. Just looked at its website and not a dog or partridge in sight, just a `D&G` logo. That`s the woke society for you. OB

Well done JDog, as said, a great bag for a couple of hours and congratulations on your stamina, as you clearly have more than some of us on here. Thanks for posting. OB

That`s all I ever used when I had a 20 bore. Excellent cartridges and a very good price. A bargain for someone.

Is the right answer PM me your address and I`ll get an OBBO in the post. OB The second one was originally Fremlins, then taken over by Sheps, the oldest brewers in the country I believe.

Just wondered whether other members have any sporting pub signs in their area. The first one showing what could be described as a puntgunner but not too much realism on the illustration of the punt or gun come to that. The second one is from a local pub which sadly has been razed to the ground. A free Old Boggy bottle opener to the first person who can tell me the location of both pubs. OB

I have found exactly the same. Before the beans are harvested when popping out of the pods, the pigeons seem to go for them. Once harvested , as Krico says, with beans all over the field, they show no interest. I have shot a field of standing beans and got 50+ on quite a few occasions, but once harvested on the same field virtually nothing. Most strange, but as Tightchoke said, perhaps more interesting food becomes available elsewhere once the beans are harvested, who knows? One of the vagaries of pigeon shooting. OB

I did get another 2 hours out yesterday at the same place as fortunately the field has yet to be disced and picked up 29, some of which I`ve just delivered to a restaurant and the odd 9 breasted out for home consumption. Approximately half of the bag were youngsters and it was some of those that I kept back for the freezer. Looking back in my diary, I`ve had more in the last two weeks than in the last 2 months. As I said before, more could have been shot, but I`d had yet another cracking two hours out. Another go next week hopefully. OB

Many thanks for taking the time and photos to explain that John. I should have taken more notice when reading some of David Baker’s brilliant books as I’m sure that he explained that in one of them.

Well, they say every day is a school day. I’ve seen that before on AYAs and always thought that they were intercepting sears. Many thanks John, for clarifying that. OB

Walking the daughter`s dogs along the cliffs this afternoon, I had the pleasure of seeing what I thought must have been the Waverley paddle steamer passing the Red and Shivering Sands World War 2 Forts off the Kent coast. This was confirmed by reference to the App on my phone which indicated that it was on its way back to Gravesend. I`ve never been on the Waverley but as a kid had several trips on the Medway Queen which when operational ran between Kent and Essex in the late 50s early 60s. Herne Bay and Southend piers. Memories came flooding back to those days when I went aboard the Medway Queen after it had been partially restored and towed into Ramsgate harbour in 2015 on the 71st anniversary of D-Day (Operation Dynamo). Has anyone else been on the Waverley or even the Medway Queen? OB

Morning John, Yep, both had ours three weeks ago, plus the flu jab at the same time. Never had any side effects whatsoever with any of the Covid jabs. Had the Pfizer ones. Good luck with yours and Ann`s. OB

On another thread Getthegat asked if any good shooting could be had on cut maize with varying replies, so I give below an account of my latest trip out. Much of the farming around here is now devoted to maize for biofuel with an anaerobic digester three miles down the road. One field just 3 minutes from my house was cut late last week and so keeping an eye on it I noticed a steady build up of birds with a view to having my usual weekly couple of hours out yesterday. Fortunately there were plenty of mashed cobs lying about all over the field, so a lot of food for the pigeons to consume, hopefully over a long period. Thursday came with a nice Westerly breeze and an easy drive to my anticipated hide position alongside a hedgerow on the Northern side of the field, giving any incoming birds on a known regular flightline a left to right approach. Being a southpaw, this gives me a more natural and somewhat easier swing. There were already a few down feeding upon my approach so I was hoping for at least a few shots. I set up with around 15 or so assorted flocked full bodied and shell decoys, two floaters and a rotary. I didn`t have long to wait for the first one to arrive, an easy left to right crosser that decoyed well and paid the price. Within the first fifteen minutes I had five down so knew that I would be in for a few shots. The first few were set up on cradles and seemed to add a more natural look to the randomly set out pattern. They came in pretty consistently giving relatively easy shots and offered a few right and lefts along with the totally inexplicable easy misses. Within the first hour I had 20 on the clicker so I knew that a larger bag than usual for me was on the cards. A quick phone call to ensure that I had a ready market for anything over 20 confirmed that a local restaurant would take any amount from me. Up to 20, I normally keep for home consumption so anything over is sold or bartered to make sure any surplus to my requirements go into the food chain. Whilst quite a few were young birds decoying well and offering easy shots, I did take a few screamers going with the wind or high over head with satisfying results and also to add a fair bit of sportsmanship to the proceedings. Due to my domestics arrangements, I allow myself just three hours away from home, so after just over 2 hours in the field and with 42 on the clicker, it was time to pack up. Had I stayed longer, I`m sure that double that amount was achievable but I had thoroughly enjoyed my few hours out with far more than I have shot over the last few sessions out each time barely getting into double figures. I picked up 38 birds with 4 lost within the fenced off scrub land behind me, which were left for the foxes. Hopefully the field will offer another few hours out next week providing it`s not heavily disced by then. The attached photo of the immaculately presented bag is what`s known as a Kentish pile . Thanks for reading. OB

Also sent you a PM

Good luck with your bids.

Plenty of cartridges going cheap if they remain within the estimate range. If only Tightchoke was nearer

May I ask why you put the safety off when putting your clay guns back in the cabinet after cleaning or have I misunderstood exactly what you mean. OB

You could always try the Fritton Owl Centre which is just up the road from you John.

Me too. Shot mine for about 20 years. It was choked IC & 1/4 and was a perfect gun for the hide and walking up. That looks in brilliant condition. Good luck with the sale. OB