Rockers

i have made canada geese sillouettes using black coregated plastic (roof tiles get delivered on them) cut to shape with dowel stapled through the middle and then sprayed with a mixture of flock/stone spray paint, brown and white. at a distance they look pretty good mixed with texas rags etc they should be fine this october.

thanks for all the answers. I have read up a bit on steel and I assume I need to drop a couple of sizes compared to lead. last season i was sold some steel cartridges from a local shop but wasn't entirely impressed. basic question but in 3.5 inch loads what size would you recommend for canada geese and what size for ducks?

my mate swears by hevi shot so i thought that would be the way to go.

I agree with the comments made about watching the dawn rise while lying in a pool of mud waiting for the ducks to flight back. Its what the other bloke said you have to try to see why people love it or hate it. Following the death of my father I have made a promise to myself to get out there at least once a year for a week. it might mean getting up before light and freezing your nuts off for little chance of a shot but its not the numbers cartridges used its the experience that counts. the smell of the mud and the salt in the air makes you feel alive again. roll on my next holiday. if you are planning on going, get a guide, get a compass, do a reccae and know and understand the tides. as they say tides and time wait for no man and unlike the ducks I can't too well in waders.

cheers fellas thanks for the insight. the price of 3.5 inch hevishot has somewhat put me off the idea.

I have always used them closer to the hide and not in with the pigeons. if on a tight budget black 60 denier tights over the top of a bit of black pipe cut to shape works. got tights from wife before anyone asks!

I have used two but as with earlier replies I site them either side of the hide and close in. as they are different models they run at different speeds and although its extra weight i go on the basis that two is better than one? besides most people only use one anyway and therefore they are less likely to have seen two.

Has anyone got one of the above shotguns and if so coukd you let me know if you can use 70MM cartridges in them as well as 89MM? I am looking at them on gun trader and want something a bit larger for geese but at the same time use rough shooting as well.

i went club tropicana with the wife good night out.

definitely think you should aim for the side of the wood which downwind if possible. I think it can take a few trips to work out the best spots. I have been twice this month and each time ended up moving when I saw birds flighting in. with a decent wind they are hard to hit and a lot harder than driven pheasants (in season) and cheaper.

my first shotgun was bought in this way and although I paid very little for it I was shortly to regret the decision. I think if you can try out the gun for fit weight condition etc it makes sense to do so. I bought a breda o/u 12g, the lower barrel firing pin started to misfire after about a week, the stock was too short and the barrels badly pitted. If I ever bought secondhand again I would take a pull through and give the gun a good clean if necessary before deciding to buy. it all depends on your budget, the best two guns i have bought was my bettinsoli bought from a mate and my lanber bought an old boy through sporting gun.

give us a bell

I have made my own crow decoys from drain pipes and 60 denier black tights to cover them which have worked well. basically i cut the pipe to a rough shell shape, i then sanded down the pipe to take the shine off and then covered in tights. not fishnets for you all wondering.

you have a pm

Forgive me if this obvious but have you conulted with your HR dept as retiring early will affect your pension and therefore your income in retirement. My late father was a GP and he retired early however the time he had left, he lived to the full I only wish I could have gone wildfowling with him once again. Whatever you decide I hope you fill your spare time doing what you enjoy. It's sad when you hear of people that stop work and then decline. When I retire I plan to go shooting/ fishing or at the very least golfing as often as I can afford.

I agree in that if the only movement is from the magnet I think it all looks too artificial. Wind definitely helps.

I have tried anything from 4's loaded in error to 7.5's and without doubt get better cleaner kills with 6's at range. my mate gave me some 24g 6's and despite the lower weight they still hit hard even when roost shooting. I think on balance use what you are confident in and can afford which given the cost a slab these days makes me wish I left the semi more often

I thought I saw it mentioned in shooting times a while back but I guess it is dying out because it is harder to get permission to shoot. the NFU could help themselves more by liasing with websites like this and advertising it, better still get a national list of farmers wanting like minded individuals willing to spend hours in the cold in pursuit of the odd of pigeon or two. Where do I sign up? Ironically there is a farming forum where occasionally the odd farmer posts about being plagued by pigeons usually based in norfolk. it is a pity that there is no reciprocal invites between the sites. Maybe BASC could have some input?

Was driving back Addenbrookes hospital last week end and all the way down the M11 to duxford there were tons of pigeons everywhere on the rape fields. Who ever can get on this is up for a bloody fantastic day only wish I could go myself but had to put everything on hold for a while.

Just wished I lived nearer but a 2 1/2hr journey each way is just too much for me but best of luck and superb idea!

Tried Mistral baits?

signed.

Black leather JTS jacket size 48 inch , Black Leather JTS Long 38 inch waist trousers. Both in very good condition and barely used. Happy to accept any offers around £80 for both or will split. Pm re details. BUYER COLLECTS or I can deliver inside M25 for a fee.

I have stopped buying mags as I find they generally repeat the same article every 4 months, albeit with different pics/ author. thank god they are not as bad as carp mags which the latest bait every 3 words and are generally written by full time anglers with time on their side. As many have mentioned before forums provide more insight and unbiased advice and it is a dam lot cheaper.

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