NatureBoy

BONKERS!!!!!! On many levels! I want one! . . . . I am off down the shed! . . . . Do you fink it would work with me Harley engine? 😉 NB

Good post! Very true!

Make ya realise how surreal and still quite unbelievable it really all is! How long it's gona go on for and the lasting effects! . . . . Glad i live int sticks. Amazing star lit frosty night again and a muntjac calling out back of mine. Spose to be warmer at week end. NB

Tally Ho/Sampson Boat Co Project great! Amazing skill, craftsmanship, and knowledge for a fela in his 20's. Suffolk Farm life good shooting vids. The Game keeper 1975 worth a watch. So is The piper of Nacton! 1975. . . . . Have a look at Angry Gamekeeper Confronts Sabs/ Eastern Harriers. You might know him as he was the keeper at Stutton. 😉 Ripping Yarns always good for a surreal chuckle. And if you want a laugh/ understand the Suffolk dialect check out Suffolk Gal Sue. NB

Single but def not tidy. and a bit old for me. She loaded and ignorant, but can tell she and others are scared. She got a boat up here somewhere to. Only ever known her to stay in her properties up here about 3 times a year. She has 3. Her and her family up for the duration. Asked me if i would pay off cleaners, gardener and window cleaner, at the same time asking for any keys back. She can't understand why her beach hut isn't/can't go back on site and worried we will charge her storage. Can't complain to much her and others who have said/acted the same have helped give me a good living over the years and use of there huts/properties. Love working on the coast! . .A lot of folk not happy they are here! It is strange though! Like these folk seemed to know something we didn't and were ahead of it? Some were wanting jobs finished, house's, empty, cleaned and asking for keys back nearly a month ago. There were noticeably a lot more of them coming up here then. Don't normally get busy till Easter! . . . . Only been 125 cases in Suffolk and 420 in Essex. Most of these folk come from London and they say it has had a third of all UK case's. Odd figures!? . . . . What have figures have your counties had folks? NB

Sod the virus! One of my customers wants to know when we can get her beach hut back on site! . . .Selfish ignorance! . . . . . Maybe she's had a jab. NB

Very True! Yeah the joys of. Had the same mainly with apache's. seems worse at night. They don't seem to come out to play until after 9pm. Shallow valley at back of mine they always seem to use. Rattle windows and doors at times. Seem to feel as well as hear that sound thumping in ya chest/head. Sound different at times. I was told that because they can change angle of rota blades? Had the same when i have been in the field/hide. first one then others come find you. Police helo used to be the same. To often to be a coincidence i say?😉 To the point i thought they must recognise me/my vehicle. Perfect target for practising tho ant we. Same areas/stand out/or not when we in hide. Scare the carp out of ya at times! Can help move pigeons about tho . It like they clock ya truck then come looking sometimes? When i have asked them if that what they doing/using us for they just smile and say nowt. And surely they have to get permission off land owners/farmers? Because i have seen them touch down and lift at times. Seen them hovering in valleys minutes at a time and hide behind woods. Static hover. Poping up down again, go round and doing it again. . . . . . Not as bad a when we had loads phantoms screaming about though. Scared the carp outa me as a kid the few times they cracked the sound barrier. And i am sure i can remember them A10's canons cracking off practice rounds to? NB

Great Series!But heard he tried to nick shooting and fishing rights for himself and his mates after where he made some of those episodes. Was not welcome back on the hill stalking or pigeon shooting. Heard he nearly shot Archie Coates? NB

Very true! Surprising how many of his comments/observations back then on the way society was going (not for the good) have come true! Clever man! Don't forget, The Lost Episodes and Old Country to. Jack's Game good. Tho i have gone off him after what i have heard about him in recent years. NB

Billy don't be a hero, Paper lace?

He don't seem to fussed if he not supposed to be there! NB

I have been fortunate enough to catch a 3ib roach. Amazing memorable fish of a life time! It came from a big pit and looked like an old warrior and probably got in there when the river Waveney flooded. . . Got really excited when i caught what i first thought was a monster 4ib 4oz roach from the river Bure once. I was shaking! Another fantastic fish, but we decided it was a big roach/bream hybrid. More exciting and memorable because it was in a match on a 6m whip in a strong tide at St Bennetts Abbey. Have never really appreciated some of the big fish i have cought because i was well in to match fishing for a long time. . . . . Would love to catch a 4ib + perch. I Know where a few are and i have seen a few. So who Knows!😉 NB

Well done for common sense! 60 acres of beans drilled at back of mine and all have seen on it is about a dozen blacks. That's a hell of a lot of pigeons coming to one field. Was there many beans on top? Did you see many walkers, joggers cyclists or horsey folk? This exercising trend seems to of trailed off the last two days like the panic buying. NB

Apache helo's (Wattisham base) been Play'n hide n seek in Suffolk at night this week for the first time in a while. Stars look bright on these clear frosty nights. Air defiantly smells different to me.

What about fire heap or commercial waste bin on your farms? that where some of mine go. NB

Couple near me completely not bothered about virus or anyone else! Only how where when to get food. Say as we live in sticks virus will not affect us! He retired yet wife work in school. Yeah right! They out and about every day. Tried to tell/show them how easy it can spread and anyone can get/spread it after i saw a lad get off local bus from town, making and lighting up a fag and putting his rubbish in there wheely bin as he walked past. Went right over there head with a shrug!! NB

For those that want a chuckle in these strange times check out Matt Cross's "Hampshire Hyena Project"! A humorous way of looking at very poorly thought out wildlife/conservation idealogy. NB

I think a lot of us looking at and chatting on this thread are from the manual trades/tradesmen. Either trading as a Ltd company or sole traders. Not necessarily in it for the money but Take the risk of being our own bosses for the flexibility and freedom it gives in work and lifestyle. I am certainly not and that's how i look at it. At 55 years old and 35 years working for myself i can't imagine what being employed would be like now and wouldn't want to be . . . .. But! we are under the bigger umbarella of folk that are self employed /freelancers that include actors, scientists, journalists, presenters, researchers, consultants and advisers, people that let/buy to let, them that register second homes as a business/holiday let etc. Remember the MP's expenses scandal? There a lot of scammers out there that will be trying it on! Some of these are very big earners and these seem to be the folk they gona clobber and we may get hit with them! We are small fry compared to them and no doubt some good tradesmen will pack in. Talk to your accountants if you have one. Talk to family and friends, let them know your situation and you will be needing work. Many think we are always busy and are not looking for work! A lot are surprised how this has hit us! You never know what may turn up if you stay optimistic! . . . . They said they were gona help us to look good pacify folk! In reality them that probably need it most will get very little! If at all and that will not be until June! . . . . Maybe give them a month to get on top of this. Then if you have or can get work and do it safely, do as much you can while you can and save what you can! NB

Well none of my farmers have asked me to go and they know i am home. Have yours? None i have spoke to have asked the police or NFU how we stand either as don't want to waste there time. Have yours? Drillings done pressed and sprayed. Not looking good for rape next year after this years disaster/failure. Many are concentrating on feeding folk! Others have family's and some with kids at home. They just as worried as the rest of us maybe while still working. Ignorant walkers and out of control dogs ant helping them. Nearest i got to shooting was when a farmer asked me to re position a gas gun while out walking the other morning after a complaint from resident. I will not say where he told me to put it.😉 He think they helping deter more walkers than pests. I would like to trimming up the loads of jackdaws we have. Collard doves to (no trouble getting licence for them if you have turtle doves) being a problem. Ladder traps will soon be out on 2 farms especially if it stay dry like previous years. NB

End of the day a few weeks out from shooting for the common good at this time ant a biggie! Is it? 393 dead today! NB

So that's where they are! You could but will you Motty? Great trat your area always hold so many. What your farmers thoughs and that of the police your way? Law were stretched here before this just with call outs genuine or false alarm to gangs with long dogs on the hares and lately deer. Heard it can be same your way? farmers/shoots my way still slashing covers in few strips at a time for wild birds. Pigeons are filling up with maze on them first thing then sitting up till they feed again late afternoon or nesting. I know most of my farmers well and do jobs for some. Most are connected and have contacts at rural constabulary unit through Farm Watch etc. I am out most weeks, i and my truck are known, we are part of the eyes and ears in the countryside. If they were to call me and say they got pest control problem and would back me if any hassle i would assess situation/precautions/safety and help them any way I could. If both not think safe, Don't! Simple! . . . . . .As i am self employed (Decorator/ Property Management) i could even bill them to cover us? 😉 Shooting pigeon/crop protection or removing a jackdaws nest from chimney? Whats the difference? Are they both classed as essential? Did the same during GL Fiasco. Only people challenged me then and some aggressive about it were other shooters! Told them i had read/knew the GL, had they and was happy to shoot/complying with it with farmers/keepers backing.

Good post TC! Where are all these pigeons everyone so desperate to get out and control?😉 Before this most were saying how few there were and how hard it been, Have you spoke to your farmers and how they feel about it? I go for a 3 mile walk every morning across farms i shoot on (without touching anything) at first with folder 410 now just with bino's and camera. Even with all the drilling going on i am not really seeing numbers i would set up for in the area, A lot on buds and nesting now. What i do see increasingly is dog walkers, walkers and joggers. I go out early to avoid them as i know from talking to farmers the number increases during the day. A lot are strangers/family's, lost and wandering all over the place. Been 2 dog attacks on livestock i have heard of. As much as i would like to be out in isolation while not working, what i have experienced seen and heard is enough for me not to go at this time. With the disturbance from these folk, drilling and spraying activity, it's enough to keep any pigeons on crops on the move at this time. . . . It's worth remembering that a lot of these new people wandering about (many with kids) and probably the panic buyers are stressed (just look at there faces). They have little idea of what goes on in the countryside , let alone coming across a camoed up stranger with a gun. They don't like being challenged either! . . . . .Do the police need any extra hassle at this time? NO! Just my thoughts on it. NB

They ant keeping building them new big hospitals for nowt are they! . . . 25% of doctors off or having to self isolate. NB

Same hear! I think that's part of reason why they reluctant to shut the big building sites. Thousands working on them are zero hours/agency workers. Many are East European, legal or not living 10 plus in carp houses for little money, working and sleeping in shifts. When i have worked near these sites they constantly crazing me for a job. What they gona do with all them if they shut sites/ ant working? Has killed the building trades! NB

It's out there! A lot more people have probably got it or had it than anyone knows! They need to do more Testing! Especially NHS staff. Loads of staff off work having to isolate because they not testing them! 80% of us have had prob gona get it. And it will revisit us. Stay healthy to fight it! Lets try and look after and do what we can for our family and friends who are NHS front line (cannon fodder)! Many going above and beyond and are really starting to feel The strain! Really feel for my mate and his family! They got his dads funeral tomorrow (not cv19 related) and weren't sure from this time last week if they were gona be able to attend themselves. Close family only the policy now. He was a much loved Farmer, keeper, true countryman who pioneered an award winning farm conservation shoot! Many learnt a lot from him. I know i certainly did! As we couldn't go to funeral we were all going to line out beside the road in our shooting gear as a guard of honour for his last journey off the farm. But sadly that had to be scrapped/not allowed. My last job of work last week was redecorating his room for his widow. She told me, with whats going on, she was glad he went when he did! So just remember! Sad times for many! And worse to come! NB