nhamm2

I've lived out this way all my life and am disapointed and somewhat offended by some if the vitriol expressed here. Yes, the centre is a bit soul-less but it's clean and largely safe with more parks, trees, canals and lakes than most, if you bother to look. Hanslope is 10 mins away and a lovely little village with a good sense of community, local shoot and excellent facilities. Castlethoroe is similar and has a superb clay shoot every other week. Suggest you also look just over the border into northants; better prices and some lovely old houses and pubs try potterspury, ******* gobion etc. Good luck and give me a shout if you take the plunge - be delighted to show you around and share a beer. All the best.

Just a quick update. In the end I got some Banty eggs very similar in colour to a pheasant's, and some straw. Intend to mock up a wild nest and have my Jay 'robbing' it. Will of course blow the eggs first. Can't wait to see how it turns out, will post a pic as soon as.

Thanks pyr8 and BB. Helpful advice in the spirit of the forum. Will post a pic if I get it right!

Hi all. I have recently shot a jay which I am getting stuffed. I would like to mount him on a little piece of oak with an acorn in his mouth - but can't find any suitable material! Does anyone have, or know where I can find, a suitable acorn and/or perhaps an oak branch with a suitable sprig of leaf? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Brilliant pic. Well done

What a bunch of mingers! I had to spend half an hour being disgusted looking at these girls, then come back later for another half an hour because they were all so awful! I am planning another session tonight just to make sure I am not mistaken. I can't believe we have to put up with this sort of thing on PW. Heaven forbid someone next posts the Swimwear category. It makes me shudder just to think of it!

Hi all, sorry for the delay, but home life caught up with me. Part II now online. Bleeh - no elephants, photography safari only. Not sure I could do it, to be perfectly honest. Once you've been up close and personal with them, they are very, very different to other animals. A good topic for debate, for sure. Guinea Fowl - you're a lucky man to have such a 'local' experience of such an amazing place. I would go back tomorrow if I could afford it! Hope you all enjoy, more to follow when time permits.

Thanks to all your responses, looks like stoat/weasel is the prime suspect. Although I could see why a high powered bullet rifle could also be brought in for questioning. Perhaps the butler did it?

Then you might be interested in reading this entry at my blog. I dug out my old travel diary the other day, which details a trip I made to South Africa. It might be of interest to those of you considering doing such a thing, or to those who just want something to read with a cuppa. Let me know if you enjoy it, I'll add a couple more extracts if people are interested. http://theamateurnaturalistblog.blogspot.c...f-lifetime.html :blink:

Often have pigeon and chips (home cut and fried chips of course) and damned good it is too! However, I must take you up on one small point; I reckon if you cook your breasts for 2 MINUTES on each side on high heat they will be VERY overdone. I think Mr Gilchrist actually recommends 30 SECONDS on each side for skinless breasts, then put pan straight into oven at 100 degrees C for 10 minutes. These, in my experience, then come out perfect, pink in the middle and just like quality steak. Just don't be tempted to overdo them in the pan is my advice, 30 secs on each side is enough if your pan is smoking hot!

Okay guys; please don deerstalkers and grab a magnifying glass; your suggestions please on what has eaten just the back of the head of this rabbit and left the rest. Perhaps a weasel or stoat?

Great stuff, many thanks all.

Thanks all, that's some really useful advice. Spotlight - great stuff, many thanks. I will DEFINITELY take you up on your kind offer and get over to NI sometime. Sounds bloody great I have been in contact with a very nice chap (put onto me by Toursism Scotland) who is looking at providing some Roe Doe (he ho doe) stalking at around £75 per trip (sounds very reasonable to me?). He is also looking into setting up a bit of rough/mini driven/duck flight and coming back to me, so I will let you all know how I fare and what sort of deal I can arrange. Might be useful information to others and if the agent and sport is as good as they sound, they will deserve the publicity. Thanks again.

Thanks Scolopax, of course have done that but would much rather rely on personal experience and word of mouth from the good folks on here Isn't that what the forum is for?

Thanks Pavman. I'm not expecting something for nothing here, am willing to pay - just didn't want to give the impression I was some hooray Henry with cash to burn! Just looking for good sport at good value.

Guys - your help and expertise needed please. Next month (Oct 23-30) to be precise, I am heading with the family up to Kircudbright, Galloway and Dumfries, for the week. I was hoping to sneak off for a few hours to enjoy some of the amazing wildlife and fieldsports on offer, but don't really know where to start. Must say first up that money is tight so am looking for value here, if it's possible to find. I would love to try my hand at stalking, although am a novice. I would also relish the chance for a rough shoot, goose or duck flight, chance at snipe or woodcock - anything really to get me out there! In an ideal world, I would be borrowing a gun as I would prefer not to travel on the train with my shotgun and ammo, two kids and a wife being more than enough to deal with Hope you might be able to point me in the right direction so I can make the most of this opportunity. Also posted in another section, not sure which was most suitable. Thanks in advance for any advice you are able to offer.

Guys - your help and expertise needed please. Next month (Oct 23-30) to be precise, I am heading with the family up to Kircudbright, Galloway and Dumfries, for the week. I was hoping to sneak off for a few hours to enjoy some of the amazing wildlife and fieldsports on offer, but don't really know where to start. Must say first up that money is tight so am looking for value here, if it's possible to find. I would love to try my hand at stalking, although am a novice. I would also relish the chance for a rough shoot, goose or duck flight, chance at snipe or woodcock - anything really to get me out there! In an ideal world, I would be borrowing a gun as I would prefer not to travel on the train with my shotgun and ammo, two kids and a wife being more than enough to deal with Hope you might be able to point me in the right direction so I can make the most of this opportunity. Thanks in advance for any advice you are able to offer.

Just to close this one for the benefit of others in the future, seem to have resolved the issue with a few days of being ready with the hose. He soon got the message and is as good as gold. And as an aside, made a superb long-distance retrieve on a partridge last night, the first one I have ever shot. Hurrah! Thanks for your replies.

A very generous offer sir, well done. Would have taken your hand off had you been a bit further south

Thanks again for your responses all. Was up ready for him every day last week and after a couple of introductions fo the hose, and crossing all available, he seems to have got the message. All quiet over the weekend and will keep listening for the next couple of days to be on the safe side. Now to turn my attention to the wife. A blast from the hose at six in the morning is just what she needs B)

Hmmm - not sure giving in to him is the way forward? Appreciate it might turn out to be the only option though!

Thanks for your responses. Will let you know how I get on.

Blimey, excitable lot! All that shouting about would get me in a right fluster in the hide!

Guys, your help as usual is much appreciated. My Lab (around 14 months old if that makes any difference) is housed in a kennel at night and my neighbour collared me the other night to tell me he has been woken up by the dog whining at 6am every morning for some time. We sleep at the front of the house and so have not heard him. Obviously this is bloody annoying for my neighbour and I want to sort the situation asap. I've tried blocking up the pophole in the kennel keeping the dog inside, but if anything, this made him worse. He only starts to whine around 6ish and I don't even think it's because he is desperate for a pee, as often he is happy enough to go running about sniffing and playing for a while without going to the toilet immediately when we let him out. I want to try and resolve it as soon as I can as I hate the thought of the dog upsetting anyone. Can anyone please help with some suggestions? Thanks in advance as usual.

Cheers all.