EoinGalway

While out walking yesterday seen some interesting runs along one of my local rivers, meet the landowner who owned about 10 acres running along the river and with his permission set my 8 mink traps. On returning this morning, found a firstly a very large feral cat and with the vicious biting attempts he was dispatched. Got this nice male mink about 200yards away from the cat. Reckon I found its holt\burrow in a stone wall on the other side of the river so going to trap that side tonight.

Fair play.. catching plenty of those ****** lately. My holding cage has 6 full time residents, can really only get the cage traps out over the weekend so keep them in a mates barn for the week. Frank, I know what you mean about the damage they do to sheep, plenty of farmers are happy to see me arriving with my traps and 22! Have over 200 greys for this years vermin count already!!

Zeroed @ 100yards but good to 200yards On the range I use Remington UMC FMJ 55gr For Hunting the Remington AccuTip 55gr (polymer-tipped bullet) Bothy have practically the same flight so no re-zeroing!!

Out with my club this morning for 2 hours. Did 3 large beats with a few dogs. Got three on the first beat (2 dogs one vixen) and one on the last (no photo).. not bad considering we were short a few dogs. Good day had by all...

Was out this evening and seen the dog. Sheepdog no less!! With a good few sheep dogs in the area we called to one of the farmers who seen it, to identify it.. But the ****** had bolted when we got back. I'll be out later looking for him! He got 3 lambs and one ewe last night

Sure is two dead, two in trouble not including that one...

Captured this on the camera this morning ... any ideas what it is? This is the sea not fresh water...

Got a call this morning from one of my local farmers, dog attack his sheep last night, 2nd time in a week no less. Went to meet him this morning so brought the camera as it was fantastic out.. (had the rifle\shotty too)

Ya the Lock Vogel is the one... having more luck with the aeroboard and €5 hand rabbit call.. Not a cloud in the Sky tonight so going to go for magpies and grey's in the morning hopefully plenty of frost and plenty of farmers filling troughs in the morning!!

One serious weapon!! The adjustable stock I find brilliant, I'm a big believer in factory treaded rifles so that was another pull towards this model. The adjustable trigger is a nice extra also.. Then there is the look especially when the muzzle break is mounted. Since I bought mine the T3 Super Varmint model has become available.. bit cheaper I hear.. I got my T3 Tact for about €1400 which is well shy of £1200!

Fantastic gun.. you wont be disappointed!!

Well done Mate, cracking bag

Plenty out and about.. weather was perfect, no wind although a bit bright with the full moon. Only out for 2 hours but bagged these two, both came to aeroboard on the windscreen, electronic calllers are not working to well at the moment.. First about 75yards the second and 90yards, both dog foxes..

Well 6 of us headed out for ducks tonight, series of ponds coving over 40 acres of bog land. We all break up in order to keep the duck moving between ponds. I seen one not even worth a shot.. but the lads on the northern side did bag 14, mixture of teal, shovler and mallard. (Photo tomorrow hopefully) Got back to my jeep and and turned on my calller to see if there was any foxes about, first flick of the lamp and bingo, sat about 170yards out (paced) took a 55gr Remington Accutip straight in the chest. (Sorry picture never uploaded last night will put it up this evening )

Fair play.. they all count!!

just spent the last hour plucking! All ready for the freezer and hopefully the chef will do us proud in 4 weeks!!

Last weekend of the Game season here in Ireland! Now normally I'm not one to bother to much with game shooting but our Club is having a Social at the end of February and we are having a Game Buffet so the pressure was on to stock the club freezer. On friday evening I headed for a nice evening flight pond, hoping to catch a few coming in from the shore. Fantastic evening, nice and cold. To get to my intend spot a short walk is required through some nice patchy cover, so loaded with Express 6's as I was hoping I might get a pheasant on the way, no luck there but did manage to get a fox, broke about 15yards ahead of me, one shot to the head .. straight down. Not to much on the pond everything went in the wrong side, did manage a male shoveler.. fantastic evening though, good to see plenty of snip flying around the bog! Saturday was Pheasant day, headed out to some spots I know had a good amount of birds. Bagged 3 fine birds although I missed a sitter as well, still kicking myself.. (Cock birds only in Ireland, no hens). Also a picture of my local geese back in big numbers this year!

For everyone using Microsoft Office simply open your pictures using Microsoft Office Picture Manager. Then Select PICTURE on the tool bar, Then COMPRESS Then select WEB PAGES. Then click save Perfect for posting!

In ireland are shooting districts are broken down by church parishes. So land is not a problem we have several large areas . Up to this year we normally buy in full adult birds (100-200), hold them in small release pens for a week or so and then release. we have a very health population already but it only takes one bad winter to thin the heard! But problem is these birds are bought in the east of the country and are gathered up form shoots, most don't make the first few weeks after being released due to the completely different environment in the west of Ireland when I'm based and thats even with plenty of feeders out and about.. After years of tagging with little or no return some of the older member have finally copped on that this is a waist of money and have finally agreed to try the rearing route. Now if we were to go with say 100-150 .. what size pen would you be talking..whats the survival ratio? (given birds will be 8-10 weeks old when we take delivery) Cost is not really an issue between membership funds and fund raising. I would rather spend it right on construction of a decent pen that can hold adequate numbers Cheers Eoin

Fantastic looking birds.. :yp: You ever get the chance to get them on film it would be something to watch!! Be one for the video forum!

Lads, A few of us are going to get 30-40 poults this year and try our hand a rearing them what I was hoping was some of ye could help me with is rough plans for a rearing pen? Rough size required for that amount of birds? Shelter\ Cover Amount of feed \ variety ? The predator protection\control is fine, from traps to electric fences . All advice welcome!! Cheers Eoin

As I only use subsonic ammo, anything from 25-100yards! Although a 22lr bullet does not fly straight.. so time on the range working out bullet flight at different distances is a must!! Still without a doubt the best caliber for small vermin!

Sorry, there now!!

14 magpies and 13 Greys (Hooded) Crows. Mostly taken from troughs. Got 6 at one trough in 2 mins.. you simply cant beat a silenced .22lr

electronic caller placed under a dead magpie gets them straight down, and a good few were taken from the jeep feeding at troughs !! birds in the sky!! I don't think so...!!