PEREGRINE

Jordan sounds a stupid question but I presume you do have permision to shoot this field?

Lucy my old Spring Spaniel bitch killed on the road when she was 13ys. Loved that dog, she didn't deserve to go like that!

Yes I would have one!!

Thanks FM looks like I'l be sticking to 6's how about decoying in the rain have you had any luck?

Thats brilliant new to the flock, very well written and easy to understand. I do have one question though, my springer bitch is now 5 months old and to be honest I havent done much with her at all due to work commitments, will I now have a much harder time training her and does your guide still apply? Do you have any further tips for someone like myself starting with a dog of 5 months or more? Your response would be very appreciated.

Thanks webber thats a good point, I dont want to cause any more wounding than is absolutely necessary, especially as I am not working a dog at the moment.

Hi guys 2 questions for everybody: 1. What would you say the best shot size for shooting woody's over decoys is? I am using 6 shot at the moment but am considering 7's the last couple of times out, the birds have been dropping right into the kill zone at about 25-30 yards, and some of them are being hit a bit hard, dont know if its because my decoying is improving or i've juts been lucky lately but I am not having to pull down those long birds that come for a look, but dont commit themselves. 2. Do pigeons still fly, feed and come to decoys in the rain? Maybe stupid questions but I have only been shooting pigeons regularly for about 6 months before that I just used to shoot them whenever I happened to come across them. Any help would be appreciated

sounds a hungry guy

Country_est you are absolutely correct I think I could work from home but my boss likes us all where he can keep an eye on us, probably knows I would be out shooting all day instead of working ha ha ha. And guess what? He would be right!!

Here I am sitting in the office at my Apple mac computer designing another bloody corporate identity, looking out the window watching a very promising flight line wishing I was under it with the 12 gauge, dreaming of the weekend when I can get out shooting, and as if that wasnt bad enough I wanted to bring my Springer pup in with me but my **** boss says NO!! So ok she might chew the cables. re-decorate the carpet, steal everyones lunch, howl the place down and generally upset customers but SO WHAT!!! Dont these people know that us shooting types must get some kind of fix during the week? Oh well ill ask him if I can bring some ferrets in with me when I get some, or maybe one of my hawks then I can go out lunchtime or maybe the shotgun so I can practice my swing for the woodys oh yes the woodys as they flock into my decoys zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........

Cheers PM going out again Sunday dont know where they will be feeding this week but hopefully the beans will be harvested. The farmer has asked me to take his grandson with me as he is very interested in shooting, so I hope I can get on terms with some birds so the lad can have a few shots!

Good luck Digga post and let us know how you got on!!

digga looks good to me mate, might have a go myself

Get the hang of this one day

37 and picked up another 3 after this pic!!!

Result browning well done, could do with that kind of luck myself. Chances are though with my kind of luck i would just have got sprayed with s****t

Went to recce a farm where I have permision to shoot on Sunday with a view to shooting it on Monday, Got to the field and watched the pigeons going in. Not thousands but a few hundred or so were going in to the stubble and thought I might be on for a hundred plus on the day so I built the hide where I wanted it, all in preperation for an early start the next morning. 7am Monday morning found me approaching the field with great expectations only to find two guys metal detecting the field. one was wearing a bright red shirt and the other a bright yellow one you could see them for miles,when I spoke to the farmer the previous evening he never mentioned that someone would be on the feild and so I suspected these did not have permision to be there. I approached and asked them if the farmer had given permision and they said yes, however they did not know his name or in fact where the farmhouse was, I asked them to leave as I was about to shoot this field and got a lot of verbal in return, the crunch came when red shirt said i was only "mouthy" because i had a gun with me (which was cased and over my shoulder) so I put my gun down and Im ashamed to say my patience snapped and I threatened to remove them physicaly. Discretion proved the better part of valour and they left the field only to start in the field directly in front of me, Now I have no say over that field and so could not move them on but with them standing out like a sore thumb all I could do was watch the pigeons giving the field a wide berth.After 1 1/2 hours these guys were still mincing around in this field and so I went home. later that afternoon I decided to go back and see if they were gone, they were but as I approached my hide I saw that they had destroyed it and stolen all my camo netting!! As this field is nowhere near a footpath or the general public in any way I can only assume these morons decided to ger there own back. I shot for 4 hours and fired 70 cartridges for 40 birds, imagine if I had the whole day there as planned. Has any one else had problems such as this, I dont want to spoil anyones fun but these guys had no permision to be where they were and they were stopping me from doing what I had a legitimate right to do, the whole thing left me feeling bitterly dissapointed that I didnt slap them when I had the chance and I lost a 30 quid net into the bargain

You obviously know the score Mike, falconry is the most exciting and exhilarating of field sports when done correctly and a travesty when done badly!!!

Please do not get a bird unless you have been on a course with a recognised professional falconer. I am sick and tired of being called out to these bloody beginners who have more money than sense and have bought a bird from unscrupulus dealers who care nothing for the birds and will sell one to the first idiot who turns up with the cash. if you get a bird without knowing anything about it odds are it will end up dead or lost. A bird of prey requires lots of time, money and patience. Housing it correctly alone can cost a small fortune without equipment food vets etc. it is not a lurcher or a ferret it requires specialist handling and training which not many people can provide unless they have been shown how. The state of some of these birds when they have been with an unsupervised beginner for a week or two is a crying bloody shame and will go a long way to getting the sport stopped!!! The least you can do is spend some money on getting a good book on the subject first never mind the bird!!

Bought one about 2 months ago with a thumbhole stock no scope but sling fitted for £35 reminded me of my first hunting trips when I had one when I was about 15. Nostalgia can be an expensive thing!!!

Anyone know of any ferrets for sale in East Sussex left it a bit late but need some to fly the hawks over. Must be well handled 2 jill required, any help would be appreciated