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CSJ, mine have been on it a couple of weeks & are doing really well on it. Chose the salmon which is £22.50 a bag

Never found any need for a richer mix

Try the greyhound transporters

Other end of the country....typical

Just to add another bit of negativity, my other mate has had nothing but bother with his 56 plate. He fortunately owns his own garage so it doesn't bother him as the majority of repairs he does himself. Better knowing what COULD go wrong but hopefully the guy has trouble free motoring

Mate has had nothing but bother, repairs stand at over £1500 over the last 12 months & he's had 2 months driving out of it....its still not right, best thing he can do is roll it into a ditch as he's gonna lose thousands on it.

We dont have the cover so we're hoping it doesn't get too bad, last time out was shocking

Welcome from Tyne & Wear (also shoot in Northumberland though)

I've never ever heard of dogs being taken to a clay pigeon shoot. What would be the point??? Just sounds absolutely ridiculous...

Thanks for the advice mate

I work in engineering, unfortunately in the unskilled department but I guarantee I'll have the lads come up with a solution & will post our build details on here

We put 2 sacks in on a monday for shooting sat, it was all gone by then & its only a small flooded area. Maybe 10ft wide/20ft long & "6/8 deep. We put 30+ ducks off it when doing the pheasants, then shot a few that night. Theres plenty of wild duck but we're gonna have to look at putting some hides in & clearing branches for next season

Its too far to visit our shoot daily mate & with the pond being just off a river any excess feed gets eaten quickly thats why we're looking to make autofeeders. We've been working on one at work last night & just need to order a timer. Will quiz the electrical engineer at work about best way to do it. Will post a thread up once its working properly

They will be for feeding wild duck on ponds

Has anyone made their own? Looking at having a go making a few & just wondering what parts people used.

Was out Sat & a duck dropped in the river which was only 12ft wide but running fast. There had been snow & the wind was cold. Sent my spaniel over for it. He picked it & climbed onto the far bank instead of returning. He stood there looking at us & no amount of calling would get him back. He really didnt want to return, a lad waded across to help him back. After 10 mins I left him with another lad to find a duck but I was shouted back that he had lay down & wouldnt get up. I quickly went for the jeep then drove down to the river to get him. He wasn't right so put him in the footwell with the heaters blasting for an hour, gave him some chocolate & a sandwich which he wolfed down. He perked up a bit but I left him in the motor while we flighted the ducks, choosing to look for the birds using a torch rather than the dog. Got him home, he jumped out wagging his tail as usual. Gave him some hot food & he seemed fine. Checked on him the following morning & he was ok. He's been wormed as he'd lost a little weight but I'd also changed his feed recently. I'm looking at buying a neoprene vest for my spaniel, does anyone use them? I'm wondering if it was low sugar levels, hypothermia, diet change or a combination?

Arley we also seen more birds wandering once we'd finished in the afternoon before the flight. Did seem like the birds left it as long as possible before getting out to feed if that makes sense? Scully we had a guest out last time who insisted on shouting like a beater, problem being we're walking up birds not walk & stand like he's used to. The birds leg it & get up too far ahead

The estate are not shooting this year so the farmer has told us. I think it probably is a combination of weather/lack of cover

Not enough dogs, hoping that'll change next season. First season here so still getting a feel for the place. If we can improve the habitat we will but we're limited as we lease from a big estate

Makes sense Matone, thought it strange. Thanks

We could hear the commercial shoots nearby banging away but not as many shots as normal.

Perfect winter morning, bright but cold & frosty. After topping the feeders up on Monday I hoped there would be plenty birds around. The ground had dried out & the river had dropped. We pushed the strip wood through & only a single bird which was missed by a lad on his first time out. On to the bog which normally holds a few birds, plenty of snipe & the odd duck. A few duck lifted but were too far away, I missed a snipe & not a single bloody pheasant. We walked to the pond we had started feeding but before we got close enough about 30 teal lifted giving us a few shots but no birds down. A pair of pheasants were dropped in the cover along side the river then we moved onto the big wood which normally provides most of the birds. 3 guns stood this side & 2 guns pushing cover back towards the wood. Not a single bird, I was shocked as previous days where I was stood always provided some nice birds. Something not right. We split & walked the dykes on way back to cars for lunch but again nothing. After break we walked the dyke back towards the cover crop but nothing, again this is normally a certainty. We walked the cover crop & a teal was picked. Obviously pricked from the pond, pleased we managed to pick it. A couple of birds lifted well ahead, as we got nearer the end of the crop my spaniel & terrier decided to go deaf. Half a dozen birds got up too far away for a shot, I apologised to the lads for ruining it. We walked back to the strip wood & put 3 birds up, 1 back over that was flying like a rocket which I missed lol. A 2nd broke right which was missed then a nice one flew perfect down the wood & was dropped. We broke into 2 groups & walked the bog/river, this time a load of mallard lifted & 2 were shot. A wigeon was hit by the newbie & he was ecstatic, his first. Back to the cars for a break then decoys out in the slack water on the river. A long wait until the first few duck came over fast, hardly noticed them. A group of Teal came over & with it my first bird of the day! A few more missed & the place we were shooting wasn't ideal but the newbie managed another teal. Very dark & bloody freezing we called it a day, not the best but all but one had managed something. Hopefully our last couple of days will be a bit more productive......

Shame, I met him years ago nice bloke. RIP

Nice to hear of someone who has listened to advice & been successful. Word of mouth is generally the best way of extending your permission....especially if you put the time in & do a good job

I had it years ago with an older fella who got in the local. Got to know him quite well, his permission was 2hrs away in yorkshire & he struggled getting there regular. He struggled with his mobility due to arthritis in his knees. I then had a 4500acre estate I could pretty much do as I pleased on, had worked hard to gain/keep it helping on the estate. I took the old fella pigeon shooting a few times then spoke to one of the farmers on the estate that he'd been back asking for permission. I never said a word to him but never took him again, farmer knew the score. We have taken over a small DIY shoot in a good location. We needed a few guns but wanted only lads we knew or could be vouched for & who were safe. We struggled finding people as I refuse to advertise inviting strangers. We managed to get 2 lads into the sport & are currently helping them learn about safety etc & its their first day shooting game tomorrow so hoping they have a safe/enjoyable introduction. I understand its difficult finding land to shoot over but my pet hate is lads begging on shooting sites. Why the hell would anyone give away permission to complete strangers? I've advertised on farming sites before, rural shop windows & offered work in return for sport. Mostly without success but always worth a try....