simonp

Thanks all. Having shot a whole season without a dog, and now having one, I just can't see how I managed Thanks for the encouragement LB, looking forward to getting it right Si.

Its been a while since I've posted on PW (mainly due to small children and someone on PW getting me more into RC Helicopters which swallow-up huge amounts of time and spare cash). Anyway, earlier this year we wanted to get back to having 2 labs after losing one of them last year. Since I was shooting and now part of a syndicate up near Corby, I wanted to get a trained lab I that could be both a family pet and working dog (hard balance I know). Anyway after a few months searching we found her We got her from Phil and Amanda at Fallowfen Gundogs just north of Huntingdon. Coco is 3yrs old, very biddable, trained, works well and an absolute dream to have. Shes great with the kids and a big bundle of cuddlyness when required. As you've probably guessed, shes also chocolate :-D Anyway, so after a summer of working on dummys with me around the fields, this Saturday was my first shoot of the season. Had two lovely high fast birds on the very first drive (first with 2nd barrel, 2nd with 1st) which were flushed from the covercrop. The first landed behind me in the woods, but I didn't send her out as I wasn't sure of the land or how far the bird had gone. The second bird landed about 20 yards to my left and about 10yrds behind. I sent her for it and just as she got there the bird flapped and caught her nose, to which she responded with "well sod you then" and trotted back to me . We went looking for the one in the wood at the end of the drive, which she found and attempted to pickup, but obviously wasn't sure about the feathers. I should point out that it was then I realised that I'd done all the training with a rabbit skinned dummy and no feathers.... DOH! I've read about new dogs (and she is new to proper birds) not liking live birds or feathers, so we can work on that over the winter as well. Anyway, she loved the day, I loved having a partner in crime for the day and even though the weather changed and I didn't get many more shots off that day, it was still a huge amount of fun Homework to do though and at least I have fresh feathers to use on the dummy now Here she is:

He can't now, he sold his soul to Citrix :blink: (like me)

I can't even fill up the bloody Touareg, the pumps stop working at £99.99p Si

Assuming you mean "stuff", not staff :unsure: then I'd recommend a BoreSnake without a shadow of doubt SuffolkShooter mentioned it at the last suffolk meet and its AWESOME Clean bores in seconds (Thanks SS) Si

Ah yes there is that, it does have a particular aroma to it..... even if they've only hung for a day or so. Si

As Martin said, it all depends how strong you like the flavour. One of the guys on the shoot always preps them the evening they were shot and freezes or uses them the next day. Normally I hang them for 2-4 days depending on time I have to prep them in the evening and the weather (if its cold, they can hang for longer). Last w/e they were shot on the saturday, plucked and drawn on the sunday morning and eaten for NYE dinner and by jove they were lovely Roasted with bacon, yum. They could have done with a few more days hanging tbh, but some poeple prefer the "as chicken" taste as opposed to a strong game flavour and since we were throwing the party, I did the best for most people. Si

The picture URLs are not full ones, but truncated, try cutting and pasting again. Si

Just got back. Thanks for a Fab morning chaps (and SS for organising). I'm still chuckling about the .410 bolt action skeet :-) Si

Welcome I was born in and now work around Cambridge but now live in the superior county Si

You should find this previous thread helpful: http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=36889

As discussed via PM I'm there also Si

About 200yds from our front door then

Dalehead or Grampian ? (or other ?) Si

I'm a senior product manager for Citrix Systems (IT Software). Basically PMs define product requirements and the product roadmap that the engineers then code. 50/50 split between working with engineering and other product teams and in the field talking to customers/partners/channel/distributors/resellers etc to work out what we need to be making now and in the future. Si