WalkedUp

Viszlas are beautiful, in my experience they can be much more sensitive than the other HPR breeds (WHV are a different beast mind). They clash with my hair colour so I could never own one 😢 I believe a Vizsla won Croft’s ~ 12 years ago and set off a tidal wave of them going to none working homes. All HPRs are ill suited to a sedentary life. Again, if you are coming from a Labrador side it will be a surprise. They are often less hard nosed about wanting to pick up, my friends who fly hawks say Vizslas are the best dog to point and flush for the bird. Retrieving doesn’t matter in these circumstances.

Guilty. Most likely bad shooting by me, but I’ll hide behind the fact that we do tend to get sent for runners when picking up. Beautiful dog, I’ve never tracked or worked mine on deer but would love too if we had lived in a more wooded area. I’ve a .308 but barely use it!

They are not the easiest to work, but a good one is the best dog you could ever dream of. We have had two fantastic shoots in the last week. Shooting rabbits and birds from point, tracking runners 100s meters, blind retrieves etc... The breed have a reputation for being hard mouthed, but as you can see from the pictures (bird heads up) mine am don’t seem to be at all that way. Presumably some are hard mouthed due to selective pressure from the German heritage (mine are from mixed nationality matings) of using the HPR breeds to kill foxes etc. I will send some old articles if I get chance, in working tests they were put in a pen with a fox or feral cat and expected to kill it without hesitation.

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It’s a complicated matter. I am in favour of pictures as they help me remember the day and illustrate/authenticate a post, but I also understand how such images can be weaponised in the campaign against field sports. A couple of years ago my shooting buddy shot a fallow doe and fawn, don’t recall the circumstances, anyway he sent me a picture of him crouched over them - I messaged him to say that it wasn’t sensible to publicise (certainly not with his face all over it) as the image would be gold dust to any antis or rag to headline: “Evil British Hunter Kills Bambi”

Another great write up, I am a long time follower (from the shadows) and always interested to learn from your exploits. Noticed the woodies hitting ivy the last week or two, hard to build a bag when every hedgerow offers them food. For most of us 63 is an impressive result at any time of the year, very good on winter rape. I admire (and envy!) the professionalism that you approach your hobby with 👍

Managed another today between pheasants total = 11

As I say, they can be beautiful but they can be beasts. They live indoors during the night and are kennelled outdoors during the day. I take them everywhere with me and they will sit like statues in the office, the park, beach or pub.. consequently they get lots of attention but I have to tell their admirers that working breeds do not make good pets.

Wiemaraners, two bitches and a dog.

Yesterday a grey squirrel had the audacity to steal from my bird feeders.... when will they learn 🙈 total = 10

Ok, no worries - my mistake. Mods please feel free to lock / delete this thread as appropriate.

Not a grey squirrel tally, sorry I haven’t explained very clearly. A game bag tally of all your shooting. This may already exist within the forum. i.e. 09/01/2021 (for WalkedUp) +2 Pheasant + 1 Teal + 1 Fox Total for 2021 (for WalkedUp) 1 Grey squirrel 5 Pheasants 7 Teal 3 Widgeon 2 Foxes 4 Rabbits Like a game book

I haven’t been good at recording my shooting tallies, it’s amazing how everything blends in together when you try and recap the year. Fresh start for 2020! Welcome to keep your own tallies on here too. 01/01/2020 +1 Grey squirrel Total for 2020 1 Grey squirrel

Good point, not something I had really considered before - they’ve picked quite a few over the years but best to be more careful in future. Yes I love the grouse moors too, have a few pictures but not many despite having spent so much time on them over the years! I suppose never enough hands and don’t like to stop and take pictures when other people are waiting for me. HPRs are the best dogs for the moor IMO, but I’m biased 😂

A few pictures of two of my dogs with a variety of game/vermin. From pointing snipe to picking up foxes, sat in a pigeon hide or out with me lamping... I expect them to be able to deliver. I know I don’t put enough time into them anymore (work, family etc) but I live for shooting over them.

Cheshire/Wales border. I shot another one today. Need to check my shoot notes and photographs for the year’s total as my contribution to the cause must be 20+; however I am not going to simply guess. I don’t specifically target greys anymore (18 years ago I used to shoot dozens, baited from a hide with PCP) but now with FAC and SGC if I happen upon a grey on my wonders, I will kill it. Five greys in a day is probably my best this year when out walked up shooting or in a pigeon hide. So, 1968 with today’s one (below).

1963 if you include these BTW

I’ve made an account just to help you boys out with reaching the MM mark. 6 last week in my garden. 1 when goose shooting (42gm of BBs @ 5 yards). I will check through my notes and photographs to see what else I can definitely confirm for the year. Memory fails me a little. Add 7 for now as they are in the last week.