Catamong Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 A Farmer contact tipped Gary & I off about a field of beans where the numbers had been building up a bit, so we did a good recce at lunchtime on Saturday, yes, plenty of birds about, flighting well, there were in fact several fields to cover, but we decided on the best spot for the hide, bearing in mind likely wind direction, sun position, it was pretty much smack bang in the middle. There were also several (little used) footpaths criss crossing the area, so we had to site the hide carefully when we arrived early on Sunday morning. The weather was pretty good, overcast, gentle Westerly breeze forecast to blow up a bit by lunchtime, ideal conditions. We started setting the pattern out, with my faster spinning rotary to the left of the hide about 20 yards out, and Garys "Geriatric" slower spinning rotary to the right of the hide, also 20 yards out. We left the area directly in front of the hide free of deeks to create the "landing zone". Birds were flighting in all the time whilst we were setting up, (always a good sign..!!). We were in position with the guns loaded by 8.05am, here's a Pigeons eye view of the hide, as you can see, there's a bit of back cover, it could have done with being a bit lower, as I like to take shots at 360 degrees, but the tall bushes made that pretty awkward in this instance: Right from the word go they started to come in pretty steadily, it was soon clear that we had sighted the hide perfectly, with virtually every bird that appeared coming our way. It's so infuriating when you realise you've put your hide in the wrong place, far better to spend more time doing a thorough recce beforehand, it really does pay off. By 9.00am we had 26 on the clicker, I was using my new Benelli Supersport Semi Auto, which I've modified to make it handle a tad steadier by fitting a weighted magazine cap, also by stuffing a bit of lead into the stock, it handles a treat now, Gary was very impressed when he borrowed it and promptly emptied the magazine to down 3 birds with 3 shots using 1/4 choke and 32g RC Sipe 5's. I had a real problem getting the gun back off him, I had to prise it off him in the end, as I was on his right his many empties were rattling off my safety glasses..!! There were large flocks of ferals and Stock Doves around, I don't generally shoot ferals as they are not worth the price of a cartridge in my opinion, also their continuous flighting around over the deeks often brings in the woodies, it all helps add "movement" to the pattern in front of the hide. By 11.30 the clicker total stood at 69 , it then tailed right off, we had a good tidy up, there were a few towered birds in surrounding hedgerows that were retrieved, except one which was being devoured by a greedy buzzard as I approached. I didn't have the heart to pick that one up as I could see the buzzard was only halfway through his lunch. We noticed quite a few birds flighting to another recently drilled field about 1/2 mile away, so I wandered over there with a lit banger rope in my hand to hang up in a tree and keep them moving. The damn thing went off just as I got there, god, was it loud, my ears are still ringing..!! By about 1pm I said to Gary "It's now or never, if they don't start again now, they never will". Within 10 minutes they started to flood in, Gary once again snatched my beloved Benelli and started to pull off some really stonking kills, I got a lovely right and left with his 20 bore, he was offering an immediate swop of the guns, I politely declined. :blink: The birds were coming in thick and fast, here's a pic of a flock actually over the deeks: There was little time to tidy up, we committed the cardinal sin of letting the "landing zone" fill up with dead birds, they then started landing some way out, with some tricky shots needed to bring them down. We soon passed the magic 100 mark on the clicker, by the time we decided to call it a day at about 3.00pm we had 135 on the clicker, we actually picked up 130, here's a pic of Gary holding the Benelli with his lovely pup alongside. And here's a pic of the Catmeister with the total bag: All in all, a great days sport, Gary shot brilliantly to down some stunning birds, no gun fatigue whatsoever after using the Benelli, a bit like firing an airgun, it's so sweet..!! Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 I bet you needed some good ear defenders to put up with little daisy's constant whining Good bag chaps :blink: SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBLATCH Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 well done a canny bag :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 a bag and a half there boys, well done, lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 You did well Cat with that glitzy old gun with shiny metal and posh *****. Can you get black one? RC Sipe 5's are UK 4.5 shot. Did you wave and clap you hands at the under carriage down birds? Great write up, just pulling yer leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topgunners Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Top bag boys. :blink: Looks like the lesson gary had with us has paid off then. I see gary has a habit of commandeering o.p's firearms, and i just thought it was a one off. Dave K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Good shooting guys and great write up and pictures...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Well done chaps a good read cat :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Nice write up Cat... Was a cracking day... I'd like to repeat the performance with the S/A, although I feel it was probably just "new gun syndrome" and I'd best stick to that 20g :blink: I'll keep another eye on the field, over this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 nice work chaps, looks like a great day out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 great shooting guys :blink: great write up too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turk101 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Well done guys. Nice to get good bags now and again. Cat I use a benelli absolutely love it, I'm not one for tech stuff what exactly have you done to the gun and how does it make it handle better? regards turk101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie mac Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Well done guys and a good read as well :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted October 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 (edited) Well done guys. Nice to get good bags now and again.Cat I use a benelli absolutely love it, I'm not one for tech stuff what exactly have you done to the gun and how does it make it handle better? regards turk101 Hi Turk, You see the silver thingy on the end of the magazine, that replaces the standard factory issue dongle, it weighs a ton, (actually 6 ounces), so you wouldn't want to drop it on your toe..!! I got it via fellow member Leasone on this forum, he has contacts in the gun trade, and he sorted it for me. I also pulled off the easily removable recoil pad and stuffed a couple of 6oz fishing weights inside the hollow stock, I've held them in place with Blutac to stop them rattling around. I've found that the gun now handles a lot "steadier", it's not quite so "whippy" as it felt straight off the gunshop shelf, and the recoil is reduced now down to very low levels. Shooting pigeons is so different to clays, with clays you "plan" each shot, and adopt a stance to minimise gun movement and recoil, with pigeons, they twist and turn so much, it's not easy to "plan" the shot, hence you are often shoooting from unexpected angles, and it's very easy to get knocked about quite a bit, particularly if you are in for a 100+ day, where you'll probably crack off in excess of 150 shells. I had a bag of 186 over barley stubble a couple of years back with my Beretta 682 Gold E, it was a lovely gun but I ended up kicked to bits with a bruised shoulder, using the Benelli with extra weight added is so much easier on the shoulder, hence you get far less kick and fatigue. Cat. Edited October 13, 2009 by Catamong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smig4373 Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 NIce read that Cat.....Cracking bag to..Well Done fella's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Nice write up and good shooting guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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