Ferret664

This is very intresting to read . Round our way we normally take 200-250 squirrels on the shoot and have a lot round the feeders and such (we have a lot of woodland ) . This year we have only had about 20 and have hardly seen a squirrel . I was going to post if Anyone had seen a dramatic drop in the numbers?

Finally got round to decanting and bottling all my drinks . Was also some sampling involved. The damson rum and blackberry whisky is amazing!!

Afternoon all thought I would share this recipe. Ingredients. 1 packet of Smokey bbq fajita seasoning 2 goose breast or 8 pigeon breasts (whichever you prefer or have ) Mushrooms Onion Peppers Sourcream Wrap Grated cheese First get your goose breasts or pigeon breasts (whichever you prefer both work great) brine them in salty water for 36 hours changing the water inbetween . Once brined take out and wash with clean water then pat dry with paper towels . Next if using goose breasts cut in half thickness wise and put in a container or bag and cover with fajita seasoning and shake well for a even coat . For pigeon just drop breasts in whole and shake . Leave in fridge for a couple of hours . Next cut up all your peppers , onions and mushrooms . Get your frying pan hot cook meat to whatever style you want . I like medium rare so about 2-3 minute each side . Then leave to rest in a warm oven for 10 minutes for cutting into strips Next fry up all your peppers, onions and mushrooms. Grate your cheese Get meat out and cut into strips Get wraps out and place a good dollup of sour cream in the middle then fill with meat , peppers , onions and mushrooms and top of with grated cheese . Fold wrap and serve Beautiful Works with duck also .

That's exactly why I got them . I usually use 36g 3s but seeing as these are bio wads thought I would give them a try . Anyone know why they are only available in 2 3/4 ?

Picked up 50 if these today and was just wondering how others have found them? Got the 32g 3s . Wanted to try something a bit friendly on our countryside

For my ducks shooting which is all inshore. I use my old sxs which is 3/4 and full choked and use gamebore32g 4 bismuth . Have wondered about using standard steel through it but wasn't sure ? Otherwise where I need a bit more I use a hatsen escort s/a with eley VIP steel 3inch 36g 3 or for closer stuff eley VIP steel 32g 5s and have also used 32g 3s

Pigeon select is a great cartridge and I have used many of them before and got on really well with them. I just find the clear pigeon pattern so very nicely in my side by side and I actually seem to find the 30g slightly better then the 32g ? Have taken a good few pheasant with both on the beaters day and guest days when I'm lucky enough to get invited but I must say I haven't seen anything take birds (pheasants) as cleanly as the 32g 5s and I am very selective to what I take as my old fixed choke side by sideis very heavly choked .

I know subject of cartridges are something that come up time and time again but just intrested to see what people are using for the season on the aforementioned birds ? For me I use a variety for different circumstance and places I shoot Pheasants (all sxs) Clear pigeon 30g 6s Hull high pheasant 32g 5s Hull high pheasant extreme 32g 5 All are fantastic cartridge and do their job in the situations Pigeon For decoying Clear pigeon 30g 6 (auto + sxs) For roosting Clear pigeon 32g 6 (auto + sxs) Duck For flight ponds (close mallard and teal ) Eley vip steel 32g 5s (auto) For larger waters Gamebore bismuth 32g 4s (sxs) Eley vip high performance 3inch 36g 3s (auto) Ferret

Well on Saturday I was lucky enough to be invited on a shoot not to far from me as one of my friends who is a syndicate member couldn’t make their first day and offered me the chance to fill his place with I quickly accepted . So the morning arrived and with great excitement I got ready loaded up the truck and headed off . I met up with team at around 8.15 and had a good chat to everyone who was very nice and friendly . We drew pegs and where off at around 9.15 I was to be peg number 4 for the first drive . I always love shooting somewhere new , seeing new drives and not knowing what to expect . The first drive was a funny one for me with 50mph winds and rain and the birds went over all guns except me in the middle but it was nice to watch the other guns take (and miss) some fantastic birds for their first time over and in such strong winds . Second drive I was peg seven standing out on a field with a small cover in front and spinney behind and to my right so wasn’t exactly sure where to look as they were pushing everything to the base of the cover crop . I was looking at the spinney behind me when my girlfriend who was with me today watching said to the right and a crossing hen was dropped behind me but unfortunately we searched and searched but she was nowhere to be found . The next drive was quiet for me as I stood up near the top of a hill but got to watch some great birds and shooting in the valley below me to the middle order guns . Next drive was my drive , I was informed that I was in the hotspot and it soon turned out to be the case . A small flush saw four pheasants come my way I took a shot at the first bird but realised the second bird was a better birds so having missed the first barrel my second barrel folded the better bird. Just enough time to reload and I saw a hen well up there and climbing and beginning to curl and with about 9 foot of lead she tumbled first barrel one to truly remember . Again as quick as I could reload and look up and another pheasant was hurtling my way this time a cock bird missed the first barrel but the second barrel barked from the side by side and the bird crumpled to the shot and then the last bird of the drive for me made a bee line right up me and folded neatly to my first barrel and that was the drive over for me and I was over the moon with my four birds that drive . Next drive I missed a magpie that needed more about 10 foot of lead rather the two I gave it ! Then we had lunch just a sit in a barn with your pack lunch kind of lunch the best kind I say then we were out for the last three drives of the day . The first drive after lunch followed the pattern of the first drive of the day with birds parting either side of me but after my four birds earlier on I was happy to watch and my last bird came to the second from last drive . I was position I’m a nice little cut out in a little block of woodland which would be snap shooting and it was ! I only had one bird come over me and he required a snap second barrel as I missed terribly with my first . The last drive soon came and went and it was back to count the bag and reflect on another great if not a bit breezy and wet day in the field . Total for day was 41 head a cracking little day .

Now I’m generally a resevior man when it comes to fly fishing but recently for my dads birthday I treated him to a day at dever springs to try for a dever double as they say . Well I must say it was totally different to resevior fishing and the fish were a lot harder to catch then I thought . My dad got two biggest 9lb and I had 3 up to 8lb but other guys were catching their four fish limit very quickly and upon asking them they said they were stalking fish with heavy weighted flies ? I did find a tungsten bloodworm with marabou tail and that is what did that damage for us but that was just casting and retrieving. So just really looking for advice on how to stalk trout really as my dad is keen to have another go again soon ?

That is a lovely fish there ! How much did it weigh and if I may ask where were you fishing ?

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but when did everyone see their first woodcock this season ? I saw my first one this morning while walking my dogs. Normally see them a little earlier here

This is from a different bush but looks the same to me ? Is this rosehip ? Really want to try to make some rosehip vodka so want to make sure got the right stuff

They looks exactly the same to me even have the same leafs as far as I see ?

Is that any better? Says only picture up to 3mb so hard to get a good one

Is this a rosehip ? Was thinking of making a rosehip vodka ?

Also made a batch of mirabelle plum jam

Can you add cinnamon sticks to sloe gin ? Sure I read it on here before now That people use to? Is it any good ? My sloe gin has been sitting a week would it be ok to open it up and pop one in if I wanted to 🤔

Well some are sitting in gin and rum and I can say they make a fabulous jam !

Was just giving my kilner jars a shake when I saw a single grain of wheat in my blackberry whisky! Is this ok ? Won't effect the drink in anyway ? Many thanks Ferret

They're about the size of a 50p . I have loads but won't let me send a picture above 3mb !? Erm not too bad Was thinking of making into jam ?

Sorry me again Haha can anyone identify these plums please they're very sweet and darker inside then damsons

Even sloes? Do you have to do anything to them? Also when I did my damson I just pierced them a couple of times and left the stones in ? Is that ok ?

Hmm blackberry brandy now that sounds intresting !? Also I hear a lot of me of rave about raspberry vodka is it really as good as everyone says? Never tried vodka and not massively keen on raspberries but think might have to give it a go !

Just a quick post to see what people have brewing this year? Sloes seem to be bountiful and the blackberries have been fantastic too . I have BlackBerry whisky Sloe gin Damson gin Damson rum And have also made a few jars of damson jam and blackberry jam .