Driven day

[Sprinter]

Was out the other day for my first proper driven day of the season, you know paid for, proper beaters, pickers up, gun bus, lunch provided malarky. Anyway as I quite enjoyed it I thought I would write a little bit for you all.

 

I couldn't make the guns breakfast due to other committments so had to settle for the default last peg in the draw. As we made our way to the first drive it was drizzling slighty and I was concerned that I had taken the wrong gun out with me. I took both the AYA and the Harper to the day and selected the Harper before the first drive on the basis that this was the type of day it was bought for so shot it was going to get. The AYA was therefore placed in the keepers gun room on the basis that should anything go wrong with the Harper it could be retrieved quickly and easily by the game cart or one of the pickers up.

 

Standing on the first peg the drizzle had become a decent shower, rain was dripping off the peak of my cap and rolling down the damascus barrels rib like a small river, hey-ho. Anyway a few low birds broke out early to my right between me and the next peg. After a bit of sign language negotiation we edged closer together to cut them off. This started them flying a lot better, unfortunately not over me - best laid plans etc. Then a hen made a break for it straight over me, big mistake, wait - mount - swing through - squeeze - bounce along the floor. Nice, end of drive 1 for 1 and a smile.

 

By the time the second drive started the rain had stopped but the wind seemed twice as cold, I found myself on peg 10 some distance from the action. Again a few low birds came and went. Then one flew over me from completely the wrong direction, ie from behind me towards the beating line didn't even see it until it was out of shot sneaky ******. At last one burst my way but quite a way to my left and i missed it completely with both pokes. Thinking about this i wandered off my peg a bit more to the left and was rewarded with another cock bird over but this on contrived to follow a very stout branch and all i managed to hit was some bark and a few late golden leaves. Almost immediately a hen came by on the same route but had misjudged its woody cloaking device and presented a shot and was dropped stone dead, right in the middle of a deep stream. Cue much mincing about at the end of the drive trying not to fill my boots with water and trying to attract a picker up or anyone with slightly taller wellies than my meindels.

 

Third drive was quiet for me but i was stood in 'wind alley' so was completely frozen by the time the whistle went. Fourth drive was a bit more lively however the only thing that came my way was a woodcock that tied me up in knots, two barrels discharged but im not sure either one of them was in the same postcode as the woodcock.

 

Fifth drive was a bit of cover, some artichokes, sourghum, and a bit of bramble and millet. Early on birds were heading towards me but peeling off over the guns to my right before they got to me. Towards the middle of the drive i took a nice partridge well out in front, fell some 15 yards in front of me which i was pleased with and then another right to left crosser was added after missing it with the first poke.

 

Sixth drive i was out in the boondocks flanking gun, nothing stirred until over halfway through the drive and then all hell broke loose. Cock bird straight over me missed first barrel killed second. Looked back in front and another heading my way, cue fumble with cartriges. Bird getting closer, still fumbling, dropped one cart one the floor, gave up shut gun with only one cartrige in and poleaxed it high and well over my right soulder. Admired the shot and marked the fall smiling away. "OVER OVER LEEEEEEFFFTTTTTT!!!!!!!" snapped me out of my self congratulation and i looked up to find two bearing down on me and an empty gun in my hand. Quick reload no fumbles and took a hen bird just in front swung back to the cock and dropped that in almost the same spot. A nice L+R. Looked up and Oh no whats this, another one and empty gun again. Another quick reload and a cock dropped cleanly. A fast reload saw me with eyes like saucers, hands trembling, looking at the tree line just as the whistle went. What a drive, 5 for 6 shots in about 90 seconds. I came out of the wood with armfulls of birds grinning like an idiot.

 

First drive after lunch i was still buzzing. Cock bird towards me but quartering across me so I "your birded" it to the gun to my right who shot it cleanly and thanked me. Two then straight at me but a tad on the low side so they went by unmolested. Then a nice one heading my way, unfortunately just as i mounted at it it dropped in front of me, shot by the gun to me left "erm sorry i thought you were leaving it "

 

Last drive was quiet until the end when a cock tried to run the entire left flank of guns heading down the line to me. Bang, bang bang, hmm better get ready, bang, hello we could be on here start your mount, bang, thud, ******.

 

All in all a great day.

[apache]

Great write-up

 

I particularly liked :

 

Cue much mincing about at the end of the drive trying not to fill my boots with water and trying to attract a picker up or anyone with slightly taller wellies than my meindels.