Atrocious weather

[Fisherman Mike]

My Heart sank on Tuesday evening when I read the forecast for Wednesday particulary as i had the chance to shoot a group of stubble fields which were a step outside my back door which I have only the couple of weeks to shoot before they are all laid to pasture. ( the new tenant is a sheep farmer )

 

Having watched the flight line of birds for the last week I set up my hide between two elder bushes with my back to a dry stone wall. Placed 25 shell deeks about 35 yards out and waited.

 

The wind was howling and it Pi**ed with rain from 8 oclock onwards despite what they tell you those deerstalker suits are not 100 % waterproof !

 

The birds did not appear and who could blame them ! I turned my back to the driving rain to light up a Cigar and take a swig from my hippy and was astonished to see a steady stream of birds in 2s 3 s & 4s battling against the headwind and trying to make thier way across a barley stubble field before climbing 80 feet or so over a beech wood to land in the fresh stubble the other side, not the foulest of weather seemed to deter them. I upped the decoys and swang round 180 degrees and replaced the decoys in a rape stubble field the other side of the wall. I put out two motorised flappers at the tail of the deeks which were in a large circle just proped on the stalks of the rape stubble waving around in the wind.

 

BIrds came steadily from all directions from the wooded valleys around here inspite having to battle against the severest of winds and driving rain they were just not preturbed at all ! Between 10 and 2.30 when i ran out of cartridges I had shot 88 birds and 9 crows i hate to say it but i used nearly 200 cartridges but the lead I had to give the incoming birds was unbelievable.

 

After I packed up, wet and cold but very content i took a short trip in the truck 2 miles down the road to see where the birds were headed and found them in three freshly cut wheat fields on land which i can also shoot but not until January.

 

After pulling in to one of the fields I took the gun out of the slip and fired a volley over the field to put the birds up, simultaneously the birds took flight from each of the 3 fields and set down again on the other end. ( each of the fields is at least 30 acres ) I have never witnessed birds feeding in such numbers in this area before and particularly in this sort of weather, I know there are thousands of woodies in these valleys because i see them each winter systematically working the woodland, but they never seem to touch the winter rape !

 

These birds never cease to amaze me ! its almost as if they new this bounty would only be available for a few more days.

 

One encoraging thing was also the high percentage of young amongst them ( Not if you are a Farmer of course ! )

 

Cheers,

 

FM.

[barrie0]

i hate to say it but i used nearly 200 cartridges

 

 

At least your honest Mike , I take it your still sitting down then :unsure:

[Will Beasley]

wednesday was also a good one for us too, despite the fact that it p1ssed it down. One of the guys managed a 100+ bag in that weather as well, something that I doubt will be repeated for a long time!! Why it was so good I have no idea, perhaps barometric pressure? The birds had no real need to come to this particular rape field we were on but like the rain the hosed in all day.

 

:unsure:??