tjm160

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14 last Saturday over freshly drilled barley.

I had an afternoon decoying on Saturday. First time on my own and in 22-years, a former gamekeeper friend joining me (with no decoying experience). As the farmer has a corvid problem, I purchased 6 x Crow FUD's and a token two woody shells. Unfortunately, the hide stood out like bulldogs preverbials against the barren hedge (lesson for next time), so not a single corvid came within 400 yds. However, we had 50+ woodies into the pattern accounting for 14 (two for him, twelve for me). I shall consequently be adding a box of six Pigeon FUD's before the next outing (since the missus has categorically banned any complete animals from the freezer ).

Well said chaps, much respect to you all. In the impetuosity of my youth I am sad (and ashamed) to say I may well have shot them taking a harsh view that vermin is vermin and that would be two less pigeons feeding on the farmers crops. A few decades later and I go out of my way repeatedly, to avoid running Woodies over on the roads around the housing estate. Dare I say, I even let a young Woodie fly away again after it landed just 5-yards from the hide on Saturday (although that was perhaps a little too 'sporting' ).

Ignore the keyboard commando's NV Foxer. That was some shot; congratulations and thanks, some of us at least appreciated you sharing

Congratulations stef May I ask what nightsight you use? I've just put in for my FAC and have one lot of ground where they are desperate to have the foxes cleared before they put their lambs out. Having picked up some great tips from the forum on rifles/calibres etc, I could do with some guidance on sights and techniques for night shooting.

Very fair question, but what about common sense which has served us well thus far? Health and safety started as a very good thing for protecting employees genuinely at risk in the building trade and yet has snowballed to a level of the ridiculous, where an employee in any sector can hardly move a chair in their office without completing a risk assessment. Surely the purpose of the police interviews pre-FAC grant is to quiz an individual to assess their suitability and readiness to possess and use firearms? I have a good deal of firearms experience both inside and outside the military but did not feel fully comfortable that I was adequately prepared for the grant of an FAC without a measure of mentoring/familiarisation first. Friends with FAC's have therefore been vital unofficial mentors giving me the exposure, experience and confidence that I can safely and responsibly own and use firearms for field sporting use (and my application just happens to be going into the post tomorrow). Do we really see incidents of a scale that would warrant formalising / mandating / regulating (with all they entail) such common sense (I hope this does not come across as contentious, rather an honest question to hear others perspectives)?

Thanks gents, I'm already greatly appreciating and benefitting from the perspectives and advice available via the forum. I hadn't shot pigeon's over decoys for 22-years and never previously on my own (I always went with the kind chap who taught me to shoot as a teenager). Tipped off by the farmer that he had just sown a field of barley and would like to see the corvid numbers reduced, I scoured the forum for crow decoying advice, watched a few videos on Youtube, picked up half a dozen crow FUD's and a token couple of other woodie types and popped up there for a few pleasant hours on Saturday afternoon. Not a single corvid came anywhere near (the hide camo unfortunately stood out too starkly from the sparse hedge I was backed up against and the crafty crows could tell something wasn't right from 400-500 yds away and steered well clear), but I was pleased to bag 11 (confirmed) woodies. No pics I'm afraid, but will take the camera next time. The farmer's mother is rather partial to woodie so I only saved 5 of the birds to freeze for future trips and mix in with the decoys, except the missus won't allow them anywhere near the freezer What do others do, purchase dedicated freezers?

Fantastic, so good to see the next generation involved. How old was your son when he started shooting shotgun?

Thanks for the warm welcome all and Middle Wretchwick farm James (some of the farmers land was sold to build Southwold on). The famer also had another ~600 acres at Straton Audley which offered some fantastic roosting, decoying and duck.

Hi All I'm Tim from Chippenham in Wiltshire, returning to the sport after quite a break. I've enjoyed shooting from my first air rifle (BSA Mercury) at 11 to my first shotgun at 14 (AYA Yeoman) and full bore rifle in the army cadets and a decade+ in the reserve forces. Having previously only shot "rough" (around Bicester, Oxfordshire), I've joined Barbury Shooting school near Swindon where I'm greatly enjoying Sporting Clays and am fortunate to have access to ~450 acres nearby which presents Rabbits, Pigeons, Corvids and the odd Pheasant. I have a Browning B525 Sporter, Theoben Air Rifle and will be applying for a .17HMR (rabbits) and .223 (foxes) in due course. My hearing is badly damaged as a result of so much shooting over the years which sadly restricts the amount I shoot (and requires double ear defenders). However, I love the sport too much to not participate at all, particularly as no longer in the reserve forces and no longer required/able to shoot with them.