DEADLY PLUMBER

I did on that occasion as it was his first trip decoying from a hide. I put a lead on him to stop him running in. He gets very excited at 13 months he thinks he knows it all. After an hour or so he calmed down and started to listen.

My dog Blaze

Chin up. Move on. Very brave to share it with us. Thanks for putting a smile on my face. I've had a bad day with a bad back. ATB DP

I've got one. But haven't used it yet. Got it at toolstation. Along with some sharpend broom handles zip tied to it as poles. Must get out soon and try it. Typical harvest time and I'm flat out with work and family holiday.

Excellent bag again. I shot a white one a few years ago near Radlett. A proper woodie mainly white with some brown bits. I thought I had shot a Barn Owl by mistake for a few seconds. I wish I had taken a few pics of it.

Wow. Just like you've not been away. ATB DP

Very steady for a young w/cocker and is looking good. Is he your only dog Tim. Also how much time do you devote each week to training him. ?

Good website. Thanks for passing it on. Just had a large crack of thunder in St Albans. It's kicking off.

I use hyper flappers on my rotary and they work well. They can be tricky to get right in a stiff breeze.

Sorry Motty he now has quite a lot of experience pigeon shooting for a young dog but is not as steady as I would like yet. He is getting their he learned a lot on Sunday out with me. I think a few small decoying sessions will Really help to bring him on. Thanks for your help. ATB DP

Thanks for your replies. I thought it was a no no. Being a cocker he is quite low to the ground. It's just not fair on him. Being a young dog with L plates. He is not very steady yet. I'll leave him at home for the rape and maybe let him have a go on the wheat stubble However they usually plough in the stubble some times the same day. The birds often hit that even better. The dog might be ok on that I will have a look. ATB. DP

Yep good bag for 3hrs. I only managed 17 but enjoyed it. Also my young w/cocker got his first taste of decoying with a hide. I could have got a few more but spent quite a bit of time training the dog. ATB. DP

I did the same thing last year. One of the best things I've ever done. Hard work but very rewarding. I should have had a dog years ago. My boy is a w/cocker he is a house dog that goes shooting part time. So I don't expect too much of him but so far he has took to shooting very well. He is mad for it. He had his first day working from a hide with a few decoys on standing wheat today. ATB. DP

I need some advice on letting my young w/cocker work on rape stubble. Is it a real no no.?

Carry a claw hammer and a thin cold chisel. Used mine today for the hide poles, flapper and floater spikes. Extra weight to carry but great for hard ground or frozen. Leave them out only when I know I don't need them.

I too had a nice afternoon out. Set up on wheat on the edge of a small copse. The aim was to bag a few and start to train my 1yr old w/cocker spaniel in a hide with a few decoys out. Got 17 & picked up 12. Lost some in the wheat despite great work by the young dog. The ones that dropped a distance away are difficult. So tried to avoid longer range shots. The dog really took to it. He flattened the hide once by deciding to take a short cut through the side of the hide. Very funny, school boy error. Hard work with the young dog but great fun. Farmer tells me the rape should get harvested this week. ATB. DP

Yep I'm out on a wheat field next to a rape field pm tomorrow. Lots of birds on both on Thurs. Spoke to the farmer tonight and he told me the rape will get harvested next week weather permitting. So watch out in the next few weeks for the combine. Let me know how you get on. ATB. DP

Out on Sunday pm. I'm going to set up just at the edge of a wheat field. Next to a Rape field. Both were being hit by 150+ birds today. I will re-recce again on Saturday pm. I will put out some floaters and decoys and possibly my flapper. It will also take my young dog for his first go at decoying. If that fails I have a small copse about 100yds away. That always draws a few birds.

Wow what a piece of kit.

How's the dog today ? My daughter saw the pictures yesterday and keeps asking me if she is ok. We too have a Cocker. He is 12 months. With the Piriton I assume the liquid is best to use ? Also the doseage required ?

He's looking good. Very confident. My Cocker is now 12months and is also starting to swim quite well now. ATB. DP

Try chocolate that works quite well for me. Or a bit of curried chicken. Maybe try a spring trap put in a box. Happy trappy DP

Well done sounds like a nice little ambush and good field craft. You sound chuffed and rightly so. You don't have to shoot big numbers to enjoy your sport. You spotted an opportunity and made it work. Also sounds like a good learning session for your young dog too. ATB. DP

My son went on this one a few years ago and had a great day. My best mates boys might be able to do this one. They should learn a lot. Also the certificate my son got helped with his sgc application.

Well done. Great bag. Keep an eye on that field. You might get another go at them next weekend. Atb. DP