Stealth Stalker Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Had great fun today out with the gamekeeper and another guy, on the shoot I beat on. We met at 10.30 and started to walk through the woods stopping at every nest we saw. And giving it a poke! The first wood accounted for 2 squirrels after poking about 15 nests They just were'nt at home, the game keeper reckoned the weather was to good apparently drey poking is best when its cold and wet. Anyway we moved on to the next wood and a few more were shot. It really is quite hard work getting the poles to the top of a tall Fir tree and poking like mad to destroy the nests. We were getting a bit disheartened with all the poking to find no one home. So on to the next wood where we saw a nice football sized nest high up in the tree. As I was joining the poles up the side of the tree, all hell broke out as 4 tree rats scattered out of the nest. 2 came down falling through the branches with a thump on the deck. The other 2 just dissapeared high up in the trees. We called it a day on the squirrels with 22 in the bag. And thought we'd have a go at the crows coming in to roost. This was great sport, as the light was fading seeing the black outlines coming over the treelines. And all of us shot some great high birds. We ended up with 23 crows and 1 woodie. One highlight of the day for me was, on the way to the woods for the roosting crows, we went past one of the keepers fox traps that had sprung, on closer inspection there was a beautifull badger asleep in there. We let him out and it was a joy to see him scarper away. Not a bad day pest controlling, although I'm sat here & I can't move my neck, my shoulders and arms are killing me and I'm knackered. Cheers SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 stealth stalker a great day then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 That is one great way to spend a day,do you intend to eat the squirrels?they are tasty little beggars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 That brings back some memories. I use to go drey poking as a lad and the Pest Control Officer use to pay me to carry the aluminium poles. He shot them with a 20 bore and anything that hit the ground was quickly grabbed by his Jacks (Punch and Judy). Some of the dreys seemed as big as a small car (lots of things are when you are 10 ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 strange that i always thought cows were 10 ft tall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted February 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 Henry D All the squirrels were left for the foxes although I agree with you they are tasty. Cranfield Some of those dreys felt like small cars up there, my neck,back & shoulders are still killing me today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryhawk Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 20 years back , when on placement during my keepering course we went on a well known shoot drey poking. What a day, we ended up with 78. The lecturer that was with us dressed out some of the tree rats for his tea. Sooner him than me, always thought he was a bit strange. Yanks love em. Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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