numpty

Chris Jordon from Little Staughton 07774 233255, worth a call...nearest for Northampton.

I have used a 20 bore exclusively for the last 30 years and shoot everything with it and never feel under gunned, the only downside is the cost of cartridges compared to 12 bores. I shoot an annual average of 2000 pigeon plus various game shooting days and rook/jackdaw trimming and 28g 67.5mm cartridges does the lot. I have a pigeon shooting chum who again shoots a 20 bore s/s and shoots an annual average of 2500 pigeon with the same cartridges. I have seen sitsinhedges knock down some lovely pigeon using his home loads in a hushpower, nothing wrong with the range of a 20, just less pellets! If your looking to save weight then a 20 will more than do the job.

Good idea hawkfanz regarding the 20 bore, I changed many years ago to the 20 purely because weight for weight I could take more 20's than 12 bore cartridges but I then found it killed just as good as a 12 and I have never felt under gunned and use it on everything. Much of my ground is only accessible on foot so its always a trade off on what you take, the problem is carrying the shot birds back to the car. I used to think nothing of loading my kit on my back at the end of a successful day, popping 90 plus birds in a sack, kneeling down and grapple the sack on top of my kit then head of to the car.....now when I shoot a respectable number , my mind keeps saying "another 1lb to add to your back" !

OSR cut on a few farms now and pigeon on some, BUT, normal practice happens as the 'Drive to the hide' brigade make their annual appearance and set up shop the moment they see 20 pigeon and blow the field! One such field, if left alone, would accommodate 3 guns and a decent bag would be had by all, instead, two muppets appear as soon as it was cut, set up under a tree together, HOLDING a camo net in one hand and dropping it when taking a shot! You could not make it up! Icing on the cake was when they packed up, the few birds they shot where popped into Tesco carrier bags to go with them. Que the nice shinny Range Rover makes an appearance to drive them off the field. Rant over, plenty more stubble to come.

Hi Team Tractor, I undertake quite a bit of smoking and indeed, the white oak shavings work. Unfortunately I an just too far from you but appreciate you putting this on here as the shop bought chips are way to expensive. Nice offer.

Done....keep it going.

One of my farms sprayed 5 days ago and another is spraying today, pigeon on the first already.

Dropped of some home smoked trout to my farmers tonight and one said to ensure I was going to be about in a couple of weeks time as they will be swathing their OSR. Birds around here on the wheat but not in any numbers, but a chum of mine shot 66 on laid wheat Sat just gone so worth keeping the eyes open.

I am just down the road from you Jim and there are PLENTY of sparrowhawks hunting my garden (one female, two males) and on every visit to my farms I always see them hunting the hedgerows. I put a dead pigeon up on a stick in my garden, broken wings flapping, and very soon after a large female sparrowhawk hit it hard and dragged it off to eat! Saved some of my blackbirds becoming dinner.

I am lucky my Conservative MP is firmly in the out camp and wants the UK to rule the UK.

Hi Mattyg1086, I see you have three useful and informative replies on renting out a property. I work on the eviction side of the business so see far more issues than the average letting agent does but they are a very small minority. The legislation regarding the Right to Rent, Deposits and repairs can be a minefield and I would look to join one of the Landlord Associations and attend a meeting or two in your area talking to other like minded landlords/investors. I also own a small property portfolio and can endorse, that as a long term investment, property stacks up.

I like many on here share your grief, really sorry to hear this.

23 on Sat, hard work, moved twice but the result is the farmer is happy.

Pigeon nest with two squabs in residence in tree outside my window!

Absolutely brilliant.

Mums been in a care home since my dad died, sold their property to fund care and ran out of money after spending over £160k. Nine months of having a constant battle with the council to keep mum where she is have finally paid off with them paying the full bill...and they still keep asking at every opportunity if the family can pay something, anything! Good luck on your journey Arley, as has been said, stay strong and make sure your dad gets all the help there is and always remember, your dad is there inside when you talk to him and speak to him about everything just as you would always have done.

Saw it last night, and enjoyed. Good attention to detail and continuity, anyone else see the lice in the beard? Thumbs up from my better half as well.

Was given a lovely days driven shooting as a thank you, far better than cash as that goes into the pot with no chance of spending it on something wasteful like shooting!

Done, Like the idea of the counter petition Scully!

I have the video of Archie and Jackie somewhere but no video player to watch it on now! I had an original 1960's signed copy of Pigeon Shooting but as usual, a 'friend' failed to return it once read but I do have a 1970's copy......absolutely spot on in its day. My copy of Archie's hide poles are languishing in the garage due to the weight, 35 years on they are still as good as new. I corresponded with Archie when I was setting up my Gamedealer business and always found him a proper gent, in the same school as Richard Walker of angling fame. The world has moved on from Archie's day, so many changes in the countryside and land usage by other 'recreational' groups that have put pressure on our own activities, but several things still ring true from his writing. The first is his mantra of reconnaissance, reconnaissance, reconnaissance. Watching at different times of the day, watching which way the wind is blowing that effects the birds when they leave their home wood and watching the birds behavior when they approach the field. Like many other pigeon shooters, I spend more time looking than shooting! His second was his thoughts of ''Think like a pigeon'', as in, where would you prefer to feed in a strong, cold wind? What food will give the best return for energy spent and where is a quite spot away from disturbance. There are now many more pigeon shooters about than in his day, and as his book was the first real 'how to' instruction to a successful day, he helped instigate this! Now there are not many farms that I shoot over that do not have other shooters looking to shoot pigeon there, many setting up in the hope of a few birds rather than wait for them to build up, with the right wind direction to make a decent bag. For me, Archie Coats, the Major, will always be the original pigeon shooter.

Inventive as ever sitsinhedges!

I will put in a good word for my local hunt, the Pytchley, who always act in a courteous,polite and thoughtful manner and have a tremendous following by the local community. Speak to the Hunt about any issues or concerns you have as in my experience they want to help overcome any friction and be a welcome addition to the countryside. We have had contact with the yobs that wish to disturb proceedings who always seem to want to provoke attack as the Hunt are such an easy target...imagine the trouble we as pigeon shooters would have if we had to publish the dates, times and places we will be for the next few months!

I broke a hide pole last weekend just above the kicker plate and wanted to repair it, remembered I had seen a fishing umbrella ground claw with footplate on ebay some time back so ordered one to see what it was like.....result! Just pop the broken pole in, tighten up and away you go.They even do a stainless steel one! Please see link below.

That makes mine look like four star luxury! And I complain (to myself) when I don't have everything to hand and in it's place....I will remember your photo.

I have been having good success over the past month by placing my hide in the open and have shared two photos, one on wheat stubble which I shot 106 from and one last week on maize stubble for a bag of 68 pigeon and 43 crows. What works for me is a small tight hide with a roof and guy ropes and shooting sitting down.