Guttersnipe

must say I have a soft spot for domesticated polecats - they cause are a nuisance out in the wild, regularly see them as roadkill out east but we don't have any in the west. Mink is another story. Having had many nights out in Grimsby, its an easy place to get a sticky end!

Thanks for posting CaptainB - a great job and fabulous to not just make the product but to have also created some of the tools required. Now you need to make a buck skin one having shot and tanned the hide....

She certainly looks keen and is a very bonny dog - i hope it's the first of many geese to come

magnificent - unequivocally autumnal

Great Pics Dave, No 3 has it for me - a fantastic place at this time of year, miles of sand to yourself.... not a scouser in sight

Great job, make sure you post the wallet pics when you're done

Cheers Trickett - great gun as described, pleasure doing buisiness

Bit confused as the add says the advertiser isn't a PW member - if it's your gun Trickett I'm very interested and local, if it's as it looks then I'll have it - I'll send you a PM

deer stalking headnet with mouth opening for calls when its warm (also keeps off mozzies) then when its cold a cheap ex army peaked beanie with fleecy neckercheef/scarf/ring - best of both worlds, small peak to keep rain out of eyes and warm, won't blow off. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-Woolly-US-Army-Military-Combat-Hat-Cap-MASH-Jeep-Peaked-Knitted-Olive-Green-/141904529962

I'd agree with Penelope, the "fumbled swap" is usual with the sxs but I do on occasion take two guns, depending on location/conditions. With the steel proofed S/A it's an easy call of 31/2" No3 steel for either duck or goose as opposed to my preferred 23/4" 5's for teal and 31/2" 1's for geese. Saying that i've shot teal with 1's and Canadas with 5's this season. Get practicing that "two spare/alternate cartridges grasped in the knuckles of your left hand whilst shooting" something i've never managed to achieve even off the foreshore...

Brilliant gesture Fenny and an excellent cause - i'd definitely come if i was closer, well done

Great pictures Fal, very evocative, great looking dogs - the ducks will come.. the wigeon and pinks have been with us in force for the last two weeks, a bit of cold as you say, and they'll be heading down your way... have a great season and keep posting the pics - love taking a few photos, its my only way of convincing my wife i'm not completely mad, getting up in the dark and returning filthy but smiling!

Very enjoyable, thanks for posting Steve.

As said its location rather than detailed layout that's important - also depends if you are rigging them separately or on a "mother-line" - don't get too hung up on it, it's just to get them within shotgun range, they don't have to land in among them - although its nice when they do. One thing i always try to do is make sure they are fairly clean and don't touch/bump each other.

We shoot under the moon but as said, it tends less focused in a specific "flight" and thus spread out and "hit or miss" - like all my shooting. General consensus on our marsh is that more ducks are shot on the "back of the moon" (Waning) - I was out last night, beautiful but not terribly productive which isn't an issue when its still, clear and 18 degrees, its different when the Pinks arrive.

Welcome Charlie, i was out last night hoping to get under the geese, as it was a covering tide at midnight. They didn't play ball but had a couple of teal and a mallard and a wonderful warm moonlight flight. It was so warm I nearly lifted my gun to some of the huge mozzies flying about... Off on Hols now for two weeks, hoping the Pinks are here in force on my return!

Its definitely a feral white greylag - the orange bill is visible on the high res original and the closer follow up pics, i didn't post as they include local "landmarks" - there are 20+ that as you say escaped as a whole farmyard flock - they usually fly with the greys but the greys and canadas all roost together, so think this one must have just been left behind and joined the canadas for the morning - they were all going to the same place that morning, a newly cut crop of maize - hoping for a de ja vu moment in about 6 weeks time!. Regards (and hope you are feeling better)

We've got 24 snow geese on the Ribble at the moment - very white geese - WWT have stated they are feral escapees but keen to emphasise they are still protected. We have quite a few feral white greys on our marshes that are actively targeted by all to clean up the genepool. Spot the odd one out....

Cheers Tony, I'll have to try that trick... the Lab stays at home on that marsh, frustrating as the public walk along the sea-wall with dogs off leads, had them pee'ing up my silosocks before now - not without loud and vociferous comment though. My Dad has a couple of GSP's but they are no good on the marsh, get cold and bored, we mainly shoot walked up game over them - How do you find yours, its a lovely looking dog - much prefer liver and white to solid liver. Regards

With an imminent two weeks foreign holiday looming I thought i'd have a trip out on Sunday morning as the tides were ok if a little low. Set up a handful of teal decoys on a motherline in a little gutter off the river and waited. It was a beautiful dawn and as the tide pushed in the birds started to move - the geese have obviously had a bit of a hard time since the start of the season as they flighted very early canadas and greys sticking to the center of the river frustratingly out of range. I managed to cut a teal out of a small pack that "buzzed" the decoys and got royally stuck in the mud trying to retrieve it. This marsh doesn't allow dogs due to the amount of sheep grazing it, which is unusual, but you'll notice a 14m roach pole on one of the pics - this serves to retrieve and birds that drop in the deeper water - other than that its careful shot selection and quick reactions, immediately picking birds that mean very few are lost. I could have had a fantastic flight on egrets, they seem to be everywhere this year, as the sun started to climb a small party of canadas were drawn in by a couple of calls, close enough for a shot which connected with a young bird. There was another chance just as i was packing up - as so often happens - stood there with an armful of decoys and fumbling with muddy fingers for No1 shells to replace the no4s loaded - the skein of greys passed undisturbed. A beautiful morning, a couple of birds and the marsh to myself - perfect

We have quite a few on the Ribble but they are left by most - on our marshes only the oldies go after the Goldies... but they do rate them to eat

tres bon! as above, as above great instructions, thanks for taking the time to post

great idea

Good write up, look forward to many more this season - just shows if your "lucks" in,... more land and a great mixed triple. Three flights and i haven't had a goose yet, 1800+ on the marsh...

Thanks very much guys - i thought it may be that, but good to have it confirmed. i'll take it out Sunday morning and test it on the geese as said i just didn't want to walk all the way out and wait for those rare opportunities, only for it to "play-up" Much appreciated - GS