Colc08

What are people thoughts and experiences on the old age debate of what pheasant? Last year (and 1st season shoot) I had Manchuran x's and was forever dogging the bloody things back. This year I want to go for Blacknecks and although I know they may lack flying ability over what it a flat-ish topography I am hoping that they will stay at home a bit better which for me as a part timer with a business to run will result in a little less intense dogging in. However my poult supplier has ask if I would be willing to take Bazanty's which I believe may be a middle ground compromise between holding okay-ish and also perhaps flying a little better than a Blackneck. Thoughts??

It'll soon be time for me have a phone around for poult prices for a small farm shoot i've taken on for next season. I am a little out of touch with prices but I'm thinking poults will be at around £3.80 a bird but how much pellet will I need for 250 birds and how much it likely to cost per bag/tonne?

Yes perhaps it was the spent grains, that makes far more sense now.

I'm sure I once read somewhere that waste brewing hops were great for feeding ducks on flight ponds etc. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this? C

I'm sure I once read somewhere that waste brewing hops were great for feeding ducks on flight ponds etc. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this? C

So after much frustration belive it or not there wasn't a one piece in the country in my size, and believe me I tried everywhere! Ended up with the Deer Hunter Mouflon two piece suit. I can honestly say it was bob on! It wasn't as cold as last years trip this time but was dropping to -6 ish and with a good base thermal layer, normal trousers and jumper I didn't feel the cold once. Since i've been back i've stalked in it and as long as you havn't got too many layers underneth it seems perfect for all jobs, whether your sat in a seat or stalking. Love the little features too like the bullet holders in the pockets and the lense cleaner on bungey in one of the breast pockets.

Find a suitable strip of cover to hunt your dog in, i tend to use a strip of knee high wild grass about three feet wide for this excerise. Hunt your dog on and she will hunt on at her usual distance (which is too far fro your liking). Try to keep her with some kind of pattern encouraging her left and right with hand signals and your desired whilstle command. When she is hunting out in front of you drop a tennis ball in the grass right at your feet and stop. Stand still and recall her and encourage her to hunt the ground close to you. She will scent the tennis ball and hunt it out in the grass, ideally then picking the ball and presenting it to you. Calmly take the ball from her and give her lots of praise. Now hunt her on and repeat this process half a dozen more time. Then try to do this as often as you can, every day will give you the fastest results and you should notice a huge difference with a few days. If you'd hadn't guessed already what you are doing is very simple, you are showing the dog that by hunting close to you she will find the prize. You should notice fairly quickly that rather than pulling forward looking for something she will hunt close to you as this is where she has been getting her reward. It is important that she does not see you dropping the ball in the grass/cover as she will start to anticipate your action and will look for you do do it rather tha hunting. Once she is back hunting close in it's all about maintaining this training but not dropping the ball in as often, only now and again. Note: Spit on the tennis balls or rub it n some rabbit fur to give it some scent. You'll get a better reaction form the dog for it. Good luck!

I was wondering if you guys had any reccommendations for 1 piece thermal suits. I'm going back to Hungary again in February where temps can drop down to -15 and last year there were occasions where I got a touch chilly. I will be mostly sitting in towers so being static for long periods of times is not great in thise temps. I'm thinking this time a 1 piece suit to get togged up in so is there anything you guys have worn with success? Also advise on keeping my feet warm would be great as my tootsies got a bit numb last time too.

So as of next season I am taking on a small farm shoot. I have been involved in shoots and helping keepers for years but a bit of of touch on the purchasing side of things now. I have a meeting with the farmer next week to discuss some ideas, work out the way forward and draw up some plans. With the farmer also out of touch with prices of birds/feed ect, and with him being involved in the funding of the shoot he has asked me to bring to the meeting an outline of costs for us to discuss. I am aware of the pro's and con's of poults vs ex-layers but I want to preasent to him the different options we have. I have my own opinion on a few of these questions but would really appreciate the opinion of others. So, my questions to you kind folk are as follows...... The rough price of pheasant poults? (250) The rough price of ex-layers? (250) The prce of pellets for poults and how much will be needed and for how long? The price of pellet for ex-layers and how much will be needed for how long? Ex-layers When is generally the latest I will be able to get ex-layers? How long before they will be ready to shoot? Is pulling wings benificial to keep them in the pen a bit longer or is it best to get them out? - Risk of wandering sooner vs risk of disese and pecking? I'm thinking as ex-layers will come early then get a couple of early season shoot days in whilst they are still around (hopefully) How do you guys shoot your ex-layers? Best tips for holding ex-layers? I know its all depending on habitat and without knowing that its difficulst to give an answer. basically I have 2 small woods, couple of cover crops, conservation strips and a small river within around 600 acres. The farm shoot has been inactive for a few years but I have an old pen to fix up and possible extend. The current pen is around 40 feet square so about 1600 square feet in size. How many birds would you put in this? I am aware I may need to extend or build a second pen. I'm guessing 150 ish max? How do you guys feed small rivers with thick low reeded banks with no real ledge? I'm thinking 4 scaffold poles with a pallet dropped over the top in a floating pontoon fashion?? I would really appreciate any advice you can give. Thanks in advance.

As the title suggests, what do you guys find the best type of feeder to prevent badgers doing too much damage? Wright feeder? Slit type feeder? Window feeder? pan feeder? I know there is the badger guard and spike option with sping feeders but it starts getting bit expensive then.

Palm Oil or refined coconut oil I think would be the best stuff to use. I remember buying a litre of refined coconut oil once and was bemused when it turned up in a 1 litre bottle and set hard.......Run it under a warm tap and it turns back to liquid. I did a little digging and found that palm oil has the same kind of properties. You can buy 1kg of refined coconut oil on Amazon for about £10.50 delivered. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Refined-Coconut-Solid-Oil/dp/B007QRIX5E I 'm not sure how much you would need to mix in to make up a decent batch for game blocks but suppose it would take a little bit of trial and error. If anyone gives it a go please report back as would be keen to see how you got on.

Thanks guy, much apprecited. JUst making sure I didn't get my pants pulled down

What is the current going rate for venison per lb if you were to take a carcass to game dealer or butcher?

I have a friend who has recently taken on a pub/resturant in a village between Thrapston and Kettering and is currently tring to source a bit of late season game and to set up a line of contact for pigeon, venison etc. Can anyone reccommend a game dealer in this area? Thanks in advance

Thanks guys, is it this one? http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/products/special-6-shirt/#colourswitch