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Its the 6th of April, the spring drilling seaon has come on in leaps and bounds thanks to the gigantic machines now employed on this job. The Cushat Wood, its only 50 or 60 yards wide at its broadest and tapers away to nil at its apex on the western end. The north side is bounded by a publuic road and the south faces towards a minor river valley. Despite its title it can never be described as a roosting wood , some larches and sitka spruce with a line of beeches along then southern edge. The cycle comes around every four years or so that this is a spring sown field from which over the years I have had bags in the 40s and 50s of cushats or wood pigeons. Naturally the sport is going to be from the east and south sides, but the snag on the south side is the shooter is facing into the sun until late afternoon. It does not matter in this occasion as the field to the south will be peas in a few weeks time , while that to then east on the broad end of the triangular wood was sown with spring barley about a week ago. Set up one day last week for a mere nine and on Saturday past when 1 1/2 hours never saw a bird within range. Back to the 6th, with a rise of water on the local Tweed tributary the chance of a spring salmon seemed a possibility, but it was not. Packing in early afternoon I chose a route home to pass the Cushat Wood and recently sown field. Well it was blue with birds at 3pm, evenly spread but appeared to be in groups. Foot to the board, home, decoy kit and gun into the car and back to the scene. Not a pigeon to be seen. Still here was I , with the gear and raring to go. Everything was in place by 4pm hide set up, decoys set out 12 FUDS and 2 floaters, plus a flapper using a rather tatty bird from last week.. Yes, here they come. I had just collected my Army and Navy Hammer gun from a local gun smith having needed some minor work. Its a plain faithfull work horse owned since 1960 and my main and only gun for 40 years until hammerless ejectors came my way. A pigeon is down to the first shot. Always a good omen. It was necessary for me to be back at base at 6:30 which meant packing up at 5:30. Steadily the birds came, some good kills and some easy misses. Thank goodness markmanship was better than a Good Friday effort when it took 101 shots to put 16 pigeon in the bag. All to soon its 5:30 and 22 birds are in the bag. A trawl through the wood adds another 3 all stone dead which for 66 shots gives quite a presentable average. I am well pleased especially as I have a local market for these birds. April 7th. Up, up and away back to the Cushat Wood and set up by 10 am. There are few birds about today, whereas yesterday small flocks flew up from the valley and investigated the decoy set. Today the birds just are not there. Those which are dont seem to like the decoys and few come to investigate. By 4pm enough is enough only 10 pigeon for 20 shots but well pleased with the improvement in putting the pellets where the pigeons are. Blackpowder