Catamong

Hi Derek, You're welcome to join our syndicate, a space is currently available, let me know if it now works for you? Cheers, Cat.😎

My total for 2023 is 91, mostly shot with 12 bore and thermal spotter later in the year, however I do now have access to a large area of mature woodland and have built a permanent hide, (completely weatherproof!!), with a peanut feeder hung on a nearby tree. I didn't get it going until June this year, but will start earlier in 2024 with the BSA Ultra SE .22 PCP, once the Game season has ended. Happy New Year to all.! TOTAL 2995 Cat😎

Very sorry to hear this news, Brian "Hebby" Hebditch was a fine shot, a decent Guy with a wry sense of humour. Rest in peace Brian. Cat.

Thanks Guys, kind words much appreciated. I always enjoy shooting the Home International events, a great atmosphere all round, and I always consider it to be a light hearted event, not to be taken too seriously.! Perhaps that's why I was lucky enough to post a decent score.? I've also made changes to my gun over the last couple of years which have helped me, by switching to a release trigger, (a difficult transition would be an understatement), and also switched to 30" barrels on my CG Invictus Ascent from 32", which has helped me on those close, whippy targets. Looking forward to doing more events in France, Holland and Belgium next year, I've had to curtail travelling this year due to health issues within the family. Cat😎

Thanks, yes, I'd already reported it on there before I posted the sighting on PW, they did reply to say that there hadn't been any other sightings in the area. Perhaps he was just passing through? Cat😎

I saw a White Stork recently, in the valley of the River Ver, near Redbourn, Herts. Only one on it's own, I recognised it soon enough as I've seen a few pairs on stubble fields alongside the motorway between Boulogne and Calais. Apparently they're rare in the UK? Cat. 😎

Dave, If you were a bit further north you'd hopefully be pleasantly surprised, I've just got back from doing the NC500 road trip from Inverness via John O'Groats and a whole host of simply lovely places along the very North and West coast of Scotland, once we turned South from Cape Wrath, and stopped in 5 or 6 different campsites, there were Cuckoos literally everywhere, I was so pleased, and very surprised, as they are now pretty scarce down South. My question is...why the hell would they fly all the way from central Africa, only to bypass the Southern part of England, it makes no sense to fly another 600 plus miles into dreadfully cold and wet weather, and I won't mention the ******* midges.!!!? Cat.😎

I decided not to do the Essex this year, which was a tough decision for me as I've not missed one since the very first event way back when. As far as I'm concerned, the "sparkle" has gone out of the event once they lost the use of the old railway track. It's obviously still very popular with U/C shooters, and I hope they all enjoyed it. Very best of luck to those PW members still to shoot. Cat.😎

I'm surprised to see the words "snobbery" and "etiquette" in replies to this post, as if this was a post about shooting game with a pump..? I'm also very surprised that some posters can't see what's wrong with loading 3 shells on a clay stand where only 2 birds are thrown, they obviously don't have much experience in clay shooting.? The fact is that pumps are not used by clay shooters in the UK, as you need a very high degree of skill to use one properly. There are, I believe, a few shooters in the US who are regular pump users, but they are experts, and mainly sponsored trick shooters. I'm not aware of anybody in the UK who uses a pump in Registered Sporting events, I've never seen it, and doubt I ever will. Most shooters that turn up at straw bale shoots with pumps have very little experience in shooting and safe gun handling and are consequently considered a danger to themselves and others, that's why most grounds have sensibly banned their use. I well remember back in the mid '80's at a 50 bird open re-entry competition at a ground local to me, a group of young lads in front of us on one stand were sharing a pump, the gun was passed from one guy to the next, who loaded it, called "pull" on a simmo going away pair, he only fired one shot and was clearly struggling to cycle the next round, to my horror he swung round with the gun at waist height, pointing it straight towards me, with his finger on the trigger and at the same time trying to crank it, whilst calling to his mates, "I can't get this to work.?" Fortunately, one of his mates pushed the muzzle up into the air before I had time to grab the gun, but it could have been a very nasty incident for all concerned. Cat.😎

My total for 2022 is 30, all shot with airgun or shotgun, and nearly every one of them would still be around today if it hadn't have been for the Thermal spotter, a great piece of essential kit for serious squirrel hunters.! The total is a bit down on last year, as I haven't done any trapping, also we gave them a real hammering last year, there are definitely fewer around this year. 3522 Cat😎

Shocked to hear this sad news, I first met Beardo many years ago through this forum, a really nice guy, I remember taking him pigeon shooting on my patch on a cold Winters day on some rape, got him set up under a small oak tree before first light with the deeks spread out nicely, I said, just wait until it gets properly light, you'll have a bit of sport.! Anyway, I got set up on another block of rape nearby, and as it got light, sure enough, the birds piled in, and we were bouncing them back and forth for the first hour, barrels getting hot, and birds coming in right, left, and centre. I then noticed the birds still pouring into Beardo's set up, but no shots forthcoming.? I checked through the binos and saw him standing up, waving at the birds dropping in as if to scare them away.? I got him on the phone and asked if there was a problem, he said, "I've run out of cartridges, I only brought 3 boxes, I thought that would be plenty" He was so apologetic, and spent the next hour or so trying to push the birds my way. Rest in peace Nick, I know the pigeons around St Albans won't miss you, but a good few pub going music lovers in St Albans will. Cat.😎

Mustard is grown in our area as a soil improver, usually direct drilled into Barley stubble around mid August. It's great for holding Pheasants and can easily grow 5 - 6 feet tall. It's usually cut in mid December, that's when the Pigeons go for it, but it's often ploughed in more or less straightaway, so you'll need to be quick off the mark.! Cat.😎

AGL is a well laid out shooting ground in a lovely wooded setting, but target quality is generally pretty poor, with plenty of slow, "floppy" targets on the end of the barrel, combined with a good few "eyesight testing" edge on targets. As for footwear, normal stout shoes would be fine, but I would worry more about what is covering your head, as you are likely to be showered by chunks of broken clay from yours and other shooting stands.! A good hat and safety glasses are a must. Cat.😎

Brand new unfired prize gun from a long standing Pigeonwatch member! Varnish finished pistol grip stock fitted with a slim rubber factory heel pad, the stock is accompanied by a matching schnabel shaped forend with a blue finished release catch. Black finished boxlock action simply engraved with the Rizzini name on each side of the action and the BR 110 model number on the underside of the action, a pair of 30" multichoke barrels sit alongside the action with 7x7mm ventilated top rib and solid side ribs. Blued top lever and rounded tigger guard with a blued fixed trigger blade, automatic safety catch incorporating the barrel selector. Supplied in the original box with a selection of flush fitting chokes with choke key. Full details: Manufacturer: Rizzini Model:BR110 Licence:Shotgun Orient.:Right Handed Barrel:30" Stock:14.5” Pistol grip, grade 2 Walnut Chokes:Multi & Multi Weight:7lb.7oz. Chamber:3” Trigger:1 Ejection:YES Steel shot proofed: YES Condition:New & un-fired, no marks or scratches, complete with original box. This model currently retails at around £1800.00, I need the cabinet space and therefore this gun is priced to sell quickly at £1250.00 Face to face sale to SGC holders only preferred, but RFD transfer can be arranged. Location : Hemel Hempstead, Herts.

Thank you Gordon, I surprised myself by my performance, and was very pleased to be right up there amongst the top French Pro shooters that took part. I haven't been to France as often as I would like recently, it's obviously best to avoid July and August, as Eurotunnel have jacked their prices up considerably, and there are massive queues, so I'm going to have to be a bit more choosy about which shoots I do attend. All the best, Cat😎

Try Trevor Stanton at Country Pursuits in Rickmansworth, Herts. He may be able to help you. Cat.😎

I also replaced the tyres on my VW Tiguan with Michelin Cross Climate 2's, I had CC's on my last Tiguan and they were very good. It's worth checking prices on these, Black Circles are normally pretty expensive, the best price I got was on the Asda tyres website. Cat.😎

On our 300 odd acre shoot we rely pretty heavily on wild birds, I kept the feeders going up until June as there were quite a few birds around, but I reckon it was a poor year for breeding, and that combined with bad luck in the form of heavy rain on every one of our shoot dates thus far has made it a pretty poor season all round. We hammered the magpies via Larsen traps from May to July, and I thought we were really getting on top of them, but there are still vast numbers around. I also concur with the points made by Old Farrier, all of these factors have made things difficult. Cat 😎

My totals for 2021 are, 12 in Fenn traps, plus 61 to either shotgun or air rifle. Hell will freeze over before we see a Red in my part of the World, but the Greys nick so much wheat from my pheasant feeders and do a lot of damage bark stripping, so I'll keep at it. Total 3809 Cat😎

I hope to be able to add a few for 2021 on New Years Eve☺️ Cat😎

Thanks, have started putting a bait point down, and it's being used, just need to get a trailcam set up. Cat.

Let's hope you're never allowed to handle a shotgun or firearm then.? Cat.

I've found that air temperature makes little difference at this time of year, they're either feeding on the rape, or they're not, it's that simple. There are no Acorns around these parts this Winter, as a consequence the birds have hit the rape early, you will only notice a difference in their feeding habits if we get prolonged snow cover, when they get very hungry and no amount of gas guns or shooting will get them to shift off the rape, they'll simply lift up and flop down at the other end of the field. Cat.😎

Guys, As a matter of interest, now that we have around 16 hours of darkness, roughly what time do you Guys reckon on seeing the most foxes? I have about 600 acres of virtually 100% arable farmland to shoot over, but have seen very few foxes between 7.30 and 10.00pm, even using an Icotec caller. It's Badger city out there most nights with 3 or 4 in virtually every field, plus plenty of Roe deer in little groups of 4 or 5, but very few foxes.? Should I be going out earlier or later.? Cat.😎

OK thanks for the info and keep on posting the videos.! My mate is looking to get into foxing, but doesn't yet have a FAC, we've both been doing a bit of research into which calibre is best and .223 seems to be favoured by most. I'll probably stick with a shotgun and heavy BB loads, but the obvious downside is that you need to bring them in pretty damn close to ensure a kill. I've bought an Icotec fox caller which is great, but a good number of foxes simply simply sit out in the field at 100 yard range and won't come any closer, despite all manner of squeaking.!! Cat.😎