Cranfield

Tim, I looked at those, but thought that they were a bit fiddly (how many lenses do you walkaround with in your pocket ?) and it still gives you the "two lens " problem. It might be interesting to find someone who has tried them. HH, I don,t think it can make that much difference, as long as you don,t wear "mirrored " glasses. I use to prefer to shoot without my glasses on in bright sunlight, but I have purchased these mainly for shooting and fishing and so I will see if there is any difference in the pigeons behaviour. Deako, I,m pleased you are getting 100% UV protection from your Ray Bans, your eyes are very important to you. Just wait until you get old.

Correct BigDave. Sounds as though you had a good day. I was shooting on wheat fields and saw a few rabbits, but as I was the only gun we concentrated on the foxes. Walking back to my car, which was parked at the edge of the field. I shot three rabbits that had run from the wheat and had not reached the edge of the field, but had laid up under the straw.

Deako, only polaroid lenses block 100% of Ultra Violet rays. Ordinary sunglasses vary in the amount they can reduce UV, but they cannot eliminate it. Do a Google on "polaroid lenses". I believe most Ray Bans are polaroid..........and very coooool 8)

Polarised lenses are high grade "sunglasses". The lens cuts out all glare and distortion around bright images.They also prevent eyestrain (tired eyes). The various colours of the lenses satisfy slightly different requirements. The yellow lenses, reduce glare, but amplify other light, these are very popular with clay shooters and skiers. Anglers prefer the grey or brown lenses, these eliminate all water surface glare and enable you to see "through" the water. The offshore sailors and fishermen usually have the blue lenses (sometimes reflective) , this enables them to see in the extreme brightness of the sea+sun+sky. Polaroids also block Ultra Violet rays, this is something that ordinary sunglasses cannot do. This prevents you causing long term damage to your eyes by exposure to the sun. Go to any chemists and pick up a pair of ordinary polaroids from a display rack and try them, you will see the difference, then imagine what a really good pair are like.

I wear prescription varifocals and for some long time have been investigating polaroid prescription glasses. Up until now I have worn clip-on polaroid lenses. The major drawbacks of these, is that they make your glasses heavier and uncomfortable. There is also the problem of sunlight getting between the two lenses and you have to wear a hat with them, to help prevent this. My optician has offered a few options at around £200+, but the polarisation of a pair I tested, was poor. The best have been the US brands Costa del Mar and Ocean Waves. These were developed for anglers and the variety of polarisations they offer is amazing. Big problem is that they will only make them to an American opticians prescription, still around £180+. I have now discovered a UK equivalent. Optilabs have a variety of frames and polarising lenses and the ones I tested were superb. They sent me a pair of frames upon which my optician marks the position of my varifocals and my eye measurements. This is then returned together with a copy of my current sight prescription and £130. 7 days later, I have my polaroid spectacles. Adjustable arms, spare curved arms, removable side screens, glasses cord and optional nose patch (discarded). They are superb, very light, I can fish in them, drive and shoot in comfort. I would recommend them to anyone in the same position as me. Just put Optilabs in your search engine and you will find their webpage. Probably the best thing I have bought this year.

Doesn,t anyone follow the combine harvester round anymore ? I have shot four foxes this week as they bolted from wheat fields which were being cut. My farmer friend on the combine, spots the movement in the wheat and guides me to where they are going to exit. We didn,t lose any. He telephones me if he sees anything in the field and when the field is small enough to be "interesting". I turn up and "bingo". :( PS. I also shot one of the biggest rats I have ever seen. When it first ran out under the straw, I thought it was a very dark rabbit, but it was definitely a common rat. :0

Anyone out on the wheat fields this year during the harvesting ? Had any luck with the rabbits and foxes ?

Well, I,m not sure how the text of one posting became the heading of another posting. :0 Its a pity you can,t edit the whole post.

Hi turk 101, welcome to the Forum. I have shot pigeons in most weather conditions. perhaps not a lot or very easily in , fog, snow or heavy rain, but if you can see them, you can shoot them. I prefer windy, overcast days, the pigeons want to feed, before the threatened rain and the wind keeps them on the move. On hot, sunny, windless days, I do anything else except pigeon shooting.

The tiger suits my mood at the moment, I will probably change it to something softer and cuddlier as I mellow out. Buy one box of No5 shot for your .410 and tell me if your shot/kill ratio on the birds improves, I feel sure it will up to 25 yards. My inner struggle re the 20 bore is, that it won,t make me shoot any better, I don,t really need another gun, it is not more "appropriate" for the birds I,m shooting, I don,t intend to sell a gun to "make room for it" and so its really a "luxury" purchase . I don,t shoot wildfowl any more, not for any sininster reason, just that I no longer have access to private land that they frequent. Originally, the Company that I owned had 300 acres of marshland and woods on a major river estuary. The ducks and geese use to come in to the ponds, fleets and the flooded parts of the marsh. I have had my springer spaniel (at the time), picking up shot birds from amongst the decoys, with ducks landing all around her. I was the only person that shot over this land. Have you ever experienced shot appearing to "bounce off" incoming mallard. I swear that I have heard it coming off their feathers when they have been coming in fast and low. I have no experience of steel shot. We are only required to use it on wildfowling wetlands and I am not too sure of the requirements in that respect. Many of the US Duck Forums seem to be quite relaxed about using steel shot nowadays. I can remember the rantings and ravings when the requirement came into force. I am not sure wether they have got use to the idea, or if the quality of the lead substitutes are far better than they were. No 6 shot seems to be the "average" used by most wood pigeon shooters and its the one I,m most confident with. I do sneak a box of No 7s in my bag sometimes, just for the front barrel. Moving can be quite stressful and so you are going to need a few quiet days in the hide taking your stress out on the birds. Any Turkey hunting this season ?

PC Futrett is 46 years old today. Happy Birthday Mate, Get posting, tell us how you are getting on and if you got anything worth having for your birthday.

When meandassey told me that, I said that he shouldn,t be so rude about your shooting, every one has an "off day". Clearly , I have to stop being so charitable and (as my Redneck buddies would say) WHUP AZZ !!

I,m not sure if "law" is the right word. Is the "Protected Bird List" a "law"? Its part of the Protection of Birds Act, so I suppose it is. I got some info from here, the DEFRA website ,BASC and a fair bit of Googling.

Don,t you think it spoils Christmas when you open the crackers too early ? :( dead-eye, better efforts than the earlier stomach churning ones. :(

Welcome Paddy, dead-eye is right, its what you are most comfortable with. Some good shots who regularly use O/Us, struggle with a S/S and vice versa. Its generally accepted that the view of a "single" barrel, as in an O/U or Auto, is the easiest to aim. A lot of clay shooters that I know, think that you really should shoot a S/S in the "field". Once upon a time, it was considered the correct gun for formal driven game shoots, but not anymore. They don,t like you using Autos on the drives though. I had a S/S Sarasqueta once, a very nice looking gun with some excellent wood. I sold it to a chap who paid me "over the odds" because of the fine wood grain. It was a very light gun, as I recall.

Seriously, I find coffee far from relaxing. I deliberately avoid drinking too much of it when I,m shooting. Craigie, by the time you have lugged all that stuf to your hide, set it up, got the whale singing (Demis Roussos ?) tape at the right volume, made sure you don,t trip over the mat, got your crystals/lay lines/tarot cards all laid out nicely, it will be a case of WHAT PIGEON !!!!, I DIDN,T SEE A PIGEON !!! lazza, I confound medical science, so confounding you lot should be a piece of cake. :angry:

Really ? Is that true lazza ? Deakos got a Dad ? Well, well, well. All those lies you have been telling about him. You should be ashamed of yourself. :( Where is he anyway ?

First prize (not awarded, thankfully) was an afternoon roost shooting with BigDave, with the winner getting the bow and arrow.

I think there are a few faulty cartridges in every box, I seem to get a few, now and again. The thing is, you could never send them back and get a refund. By the time you have found out they are faulty, you have fired them and not hit the bird. Many years ago, I tried to smoke cigarettes, lasted about 6 months and then I decided I couldn,t afford them. During that time I smoked a brand called Embassy. One packet of 20 I bought, had perfectly formed tubes of paper with a tip on the end, but no tobacco. I sent the packet back to the Manufacturer and received a 200 pack of Embassy, 4 packs of playing cards, 2 T shirts and a lighter, all with the Embassy logo on them. Apparently it was a problem at the factory they were aware of, but they thought they had stopped any faulty packs getting in to the shops. I expect Gamebore, Winchester, Eley etc would send you 1000 free cartridges if you could prove some were faulty. I don,t think just missing counts.

My first thought was that the clue could be, "didn,t intend to, but took my trusty shooter anyway". Sometimes, if I have an unplanned/off the cuff shooting expedition, my shooting is a bit sloppy. I think this is a lack of concentration/commitment. But, it doesn,t usually take 16 shots, to make me wake up. Your own suggestion that you may be a bit "rusty" could be nearer the truth.

thanks lads, lazza came nearest to winning the prize. It seems that you cannot shoot "gamebirds" or wildfowl with a FAC rifle. You can shoot "winged vermin". You cannot shoot any bird on the "Protected Birds List" without a special licence.

Happy Birthday Norman, :( I was going to ask if you are related to dead-eye, but then I realised that nobody would admit that, on a public forum. :(

No, its a standard .22 rifle. I don,t think you are allowed to shoot game and wildfowl with a rifle, but I,m not sure. I think you are allowed to shoot any bird on the DEFRA pest list, but once again, I,m not sure. Anyone with a current FAC will know the answer.

BigDave, I would like to know what birds you are legally allowed (or not allowed) to shoot with a FAC rifle. Someone is asking me the question and I am hoping to get the answer here, to avoid a lot of research.

What birds can you shoot with a FAC rifle ?