Wilts#Dave

+1 I wonder what you get out of keeping one as a pet, so to speak?

Please tell me you don't wear this shooting?

Why's everyone talking about having to be VAT registered, is he not just asking about claiming tax relief on a van? It is fairly simple, assuming you or the business already has a vehicle you'll have to deduct the old vehicles value from cost of the new one, then you can use that amount to offset against your taxable earnings as an expense.

No, I've never had the desire to see him live so obviously can't comment on that (although I'm not doubting how funny you found him). As with all comedy though, it's very subjective and I just have never found him very funny!

+1 Never thought of his as one of the greats.

Bought a new beretta A400 action around this time last year and can't fault it, absolutely cracking gun....accounted for over 1000 pigeon so far! I had the older AL391 prior that for over 10 years in r/h and have to say I never had a problem with loading/firing it etc but it didn't fit as well so did hit me in the face a bit after a heavy day on the hide (that could have been altered easily enough with re shimming the stock though). So nice having a true left hand gun though, I'm a beretta man so when I saw they'd finally brought out a left hander I'm that model I had to have one!! Lovely looking bit of kit

I'll happily shoot pigeons on Sunday's but Christmas day, no I really don't think it's the thing to do.....it's only one day a year so I'm sure its not much of a hardship to refrain!

You've just contradicted yourself there.......

RC Sipe, as above are cracking! Don't see the point in anything over a 28gr load in a 20bore unless it's your only gun.

Some people have an odd perspective, how can someone approaching anyone in an aggressive manner without any instigation ever be the right way of dealing with a situation, never mind them being a 'game keeper' ! They're adults the same as everyone else so I don't know why people make so many excuses for it, fairly basic stuff people skills.

All very valid points, I think every pigeon shooter has or has had to contend with a keeper or two. Some of them are great guys but the 'attitude' seems to come with the job and thays really not the way to go about things, albeit I realise they have a job to do. When spoken to politely and given a valid reason to refrain from shooting in a particular place I'm more than happy to oblige, but as said already there's a right and wrong way of speaking to people and the whole aggressive approach isn't it. Last run in we had was with a 'helper' on a bottle of whisky job pheasant shoot when we were shooting on rape after the season (which we'd deliberately left until then), who's first words were in a raised voice 'who gave you permission to drive on that stubble field behind to get to where we were shooting. He soon calmed down when he realised we were a.) friends of the landowner and b.) he recognised me as I shoot on a driven shoot where he beats. Really embarrassed himself with his attitude and had to eat humble pie.

As long as they weren't counting as part of the bag then of course I'd have shot at them, I love shooting flighting pigeons! If I paid for driven pheasant shooting and had only shot those pigeons with little else I'd have felt short changed though as I get to shoot pigeons but don't often get the chance at pheasants (but that obviously wasn't the case so doesn't apply to you)! The best flush of the day always seems to happen when I've fired off at a stupid long bird through frustration or pigeon and end up fumbling to reload!

High birds, average birds....how long were the two drives?

Good shell the sipe, not a cheap load but if that's not a problem then give them a go! I've used them and black gold this season on driven pheasant both in fibre With no complaints. 5 or 6 shot will be fine. My favourite pigeon load however is Eley HB pigeon 32g p/wad, shot 21 sky scrapers on a roosting flightline on Saturday afternoon in less than an hour, was like a busy pheasant drive I could only dream of!

Mendip shooting ground and Brook Bank in particular is literally just outside cheddar

Gamebore magnum's, 16g no.7 is my preferred load in my mossberg hushpower pump....can't believe how well they kill pigeons out to 30 yards consistently if you get on them! Never used a .410 on pheasants though and not sure I would on the few driven days a year I do either.

That's massively impressive being your first comp wouldn't you say (I'm sure you know that to be fair)!! To be one off someone like Ian Coley must have felt great. Without sounding stupid that's 98/100 clays right? Never had a proper go at DTL so no idea of the format/rules to be honest, I always just do rounds of sporting clays when I go which is invariably only when there's a lack of pigeons to shoot so not that often. It's amazing how different it is to shooting pigeons etc and requires so much concentration I have to take my hat off to you What made you get keen on that discipline in particular, purely out of interest?

How does everyone, as a rule? Are you confusing protein with other 'supplements'?

Dolphin fitness/affordable supplements is where I buy my protein/weight gainer/creatine etc.....mainly because I've found certain branded products I like the taste/effects of etc and like to stick to and they alway seem to be the best price. Dolphin fitness in particular lately seems to win hands down! Didn't get on with ZMA at all, far too many funky dreams....I sleep well anyway.

I'm not asking about the whole job, I was just wondering whether the £45 odd an hour was A standard hourly or hiked up for boiler changes (which is what always appears to be the case with plumbers). Huge companies like british gas get a hell of a lot more per job in every trade to be honest, but people don't seem to mind paying the over inflated prices sadly for what they think must be a 'better' job. I rarely see great work by any of the big companies but that doesn't seem to matter!

Is £350 a day the usual rate for a gas engineer these days? Always do wonder why a boiler change can command such high premiums, definitely the one job where plumbers rub their hands together when they come in!!

The gamebore magnum 16g in 6 or 7's (been using 7's lately with great results) are fantastic through hushpower pump, if you get on the birds really does flatten them out to 30 yards. Decoying shots at 20 yards or less really hits them hard!

Gamebore 16g magnums in 6/7 shot are my favourites in my hushpower pump, really so hit hard out to 30 yards. Wasn't overly impressed with the express 14g to be honest, thought the Eley four long 12g were better!

Blimey, anyone could go online and look up an address of any big shoot/estate and hide out on a shoot day ready to snatch a dog.....do wonder what people think sometimes, almost laughable! Very good well taken photos, I'm sure the people whom you were photographing are more than happy with the results and you putting a few snaps up online to show case some of your work.