celtic invader

Yup, same as mine - not bad value if they last. The foam ones I have already are about 15yrs old now and apart from needing a paint job they are still in one piece. Only problem being they are more like silhouettes than those above which are proper full bodied.

Hi Guys - just read your posts and my heart goes out to you. Surely there must be enough local lads to guide any visiting shooters that wish to shoot geese in Orkney. Who is allowing outsiders to 'Guide' parties without control and how can geese be buried without the landowners knowledge. Obviously some sort of regulation or accepted shooting practice must be established by Orkney residents otherwise you will get a continuous flood of mainland numpty's coming over causing havoc. The next thing will be the parties of non UK residents that have a reputation for shooting anything that moves. They have already ruined some goose roosts in Scotland by wading out onto the roost to shoot at geese on the water and this is in an area that is fairly well monitored so imagine what could happen in Orkney. You have a wonderful opportunity to take control of a valuable resource, that if properly managed can produce revenue for the Islands inhabitants for many many years and at the same time keeping the numbers of breeding geese to an acceptable level. Anyone shooting geese in Orkney, or anywhere else for that matter should be licensed and their licence should reflect their position, either visiting or local and this distinction should also govern the number of geese they are allowed to take. Landowners could be given the responsibility to control this and earn revenue as a result. All licences could carry information about the number allowed and the landowner fills in the bag number at the end of each flight. This way anyone caught with excess geese can be prosecuted which can bring in more revenue. Sorry I'm going on a bit but if the Orkney Islanders/landowners have a problem with too many geese or too many shooters, they have an ideal opportunity to do something about it, with the help of the authorities, and make additional revenue for the Islands.

Used them for the past 18 years with generally good results. Mix them up with a few rags and full bodies to create a larger pattern. I hang mine from a small hole cut in the back area and suspended on a 'L' shaped wire slid into a thin ally pole which is staked vertically. (The bit that fixes to the sil has a bend at the tip to keep it in place) The sil decoy then bob's around the stake in a slight breeze creating movement (no good in strong winds so if windy push the stake in deeper so the sil can’t spin around otherwise they will look like miniature merry-go-rounds) The ally pole is hollow and about 6mm in diameter and 500 mm long, spray painted corn stubble colour to blend in with the field. Probably put out about 30 to 40 to fill the spread. Only real danger is what you paint them with as they are flat sided they will reflect the sun no matter what matt paint you use, especially when they are wet. Have a look at the foamies on fleabay, lighter, full bodied, ready painted and realistic. (But not as much fun as making your own)

Just bought a doz to try out on the next trip north. Normally use Foam type, a few shells, loads of silhouettes and rags to provide movement, so these should fit right in. Imported from China at a cost of about £4 each (minimum 500) plus transportation costs. Rather than use the leg that comes with them I intend to spike them in the ground through the beak (Into the head and up the neck) with 12" of 16g wire so that they move and bob a bit more naturally. The head and neck needs to be filled with expanding foam to add more rigidity and strength and they could also do with a better paint job (I'll do that next year), but as they are so light they should work OK. If anyone has a problem with them getting back to the right shape after transportation or storage, just insert a balloon in the belly hole and blow it up. This puts them back into the right shape.

Hi is the recoil pad still for sale.

That should be right now. (Not really IT minded)

Sorry something went wrong with the upload - I'll try again.

Sorry codling99, I have not kept many pictures of the mounts I have done over the years and most of them I have given away. However I have found a few that might be of interest to some. For those who are really interested the following sequence is of the build up. This is a much younger animal Just as an asside all of the above, with the exception of the Roe Buck and the Fox, died of natural causes or were killed on the roads.

I mean no offence coding99 but honestly - the pheasant look like they are walking back home after a very long night on the town, the hares have been frightened to death and the corgis have been run over by a tractor. Perhaps its the photographs or just the angles that the pictures have been taken but having over 35 years experience of practical taxidermy and mounted everything from zebra finches to north American brown bears (and most things in between), I can only provide a personal opinion - which in the eyes of the many - is just that. If you like em - buy em. As for me, I prefer my mounts to be a little more lifelike, as I said previously the white rabbit and the polecat are excellent representations of the live animal - a true mark of the professional.

If all that fails - get him a Boss single trigger, he'll love you forever. :unsure:

The white rabbit and the polecat are excellent, however the pheasant and hares are as realistic as the corgi's (sorry foxes) :unsure:

I bought the girlfriend a 20b side by side for an engagement present. We have now been married for 37 years and in that time she graduated from a 20 to a 12, shot sporting clays for Wales, has shot every rifle I have from a .22 to the .308 and now shoots a double 16 for all driven game. When asked why a 20b and not an engagement ring, I said we will see if you can shoot first. Incidentally, she has also coached all four of our children to a very respectable standard of competence at clays. Moral of the story Harnser - be careful for what you wish as it just might come true.

Sure you can, in fact I borrowed from a friend of mine who is 93 and it was he that took the pictures. Must say it does work a treat.

Being an avid builder of rifle ammunition I tend to agree that the projectile should be called a missile and not a head, however how many times do you hear the question "What Heads are you using" never "What Missiles are you using" nevertheless "She gives good Missile" does not have the same meaning.

Its generally the lighter load that causes the jamming problem. Hatsan have changed the spring type in recent models to allow a greater range of carts and this problem was generally found in 3.5" guns trying to cycle the lighter loads. Not so common in 3" models. If you think about it a - dare I say it, economically produced weapon, which is specifically made to cycle 3.5" heavy loads has to have a fairly resistant spring return mechanism, by definition. If you try to cycle 2.5" 28g loads there may not be sufficient pressure to operate the mechanism therefore jamming may occur. Its all about the physics and nothing to do with the fact that the Datsun – oops! sorry Hatsan, is made to a price and not to a performance specification. T'