G.I. countrysports U.K. GARY Posted April 6, 2003 Report Share Posted April 6, 2003 THIS YEARS WEATHER PATTERNS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR, AND IT IS PROVING TO BE A DIFFICULT TIME FOR US ALL. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO PULL SOME EXTRACTS FROM LAST YEARS DIARY AND GIVE EVERYONE AN INSIGHT INTO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WHEN WE CAN'T FIND THE BIRDS... To date (in Lincolnshire) this is the 21st consecutive dry day (not normal) In 2002 I recorded in my dairy on the 10th April... THE WEATHER HAS BEEN VERY SETTLED FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS, MAINLY FROM THE EAST. VERY DRY, AND THE GROUND IS ROCK HARD. WE HAVE HAD NO RAIN FOR 23 DAYS ON THE TROT. EARLY DRILLINGS HAVE BEEN POOR, HARDLY ANY LOOSE SEED ON TOP (bloody vaderstat drills) BIRDS HAVE NOT REALLY FOCUSED INTO DRILLING. HAVING TO FIND RAPE OPTIONS WITH FEW BIRDS ON THEM. HOWEVER, SOME OF THESE OPTIONS ARE SHOOTING WELL. This extract from 2002 is almost the same story as this year so far... APRIL 13TH 2002 3 guns set up at Pews set aside. 2 set up to take advantage of the sitty trees in the small spinney, and 1 set up a field behind on winter wheat to cover the back line after the birds have been shot at, birds have been seen resting on this wheat tight to the tall hedge on windy days. All guns informed to take on some higher shots as the birds will be mainly flighting not decoying. A few birds moving right from the off. Flight lasted up to 16.45 when the flight stopped so we packed in. The day turned out to be 22 C (very hot) and the birds still moved to their favorite sitty area. scores: Chris - 75 shots for 19 (very sporting shots, some real corkers) Mike - 47 shots for 10 (high birds, flying well over the belt) Roger - 90 shots for 36 (birds decoyed well to the resting pattern on the wheat) (I knew this would work, I have seen them at least 10 times here) Guns happy, very sporting shooting as high as any Devon pheasants... APRIL 17TH 2002 Recce today disastourous, no movement at all. Birds seen Ash and Beech budding all over the place. Very still and warm, birds very lazy enjoying the good weather. Will be difficult for the next few weeks. NEED SOME WIND... APRIL 25TH 2002 Tony Simper and Mike Langford set up on a grass field near Mother wood. Previous recce OK, birds flighting from the wood a very short distance to sit in the willow trees at the edge of the grass field (possibly drinking out of the big dyke near the willows) Plenty of movement near the wood , no movement anywhere else... Day panned out well. Good shooting for a difficult day. Mike - 80 shots for 26 (really old Baikal side by side, useless fit) Tony - 60 shots for 17 South west 10 mph, cooler than of late approx 15 c , sunny dry... Both enjoyed their day, nice blokes, re-booked. APRIL 26TH 2002 Definately lost the birds for a while. Beech flower has done it completely... hardly any movement for the last 2 days. May have to move some clients forward for better shooting... APRIL 29TH 2002 Cancelled due to lack of movement... APRIL 30TH 2002 1,269 killed during April. 625 down on last year. Drilling very poor, perfect drilling conditions. Most birds taken on small Rape options and a few surprising other fields. Praying for better shooting weather in May... I HOPE THIS GIVES A FEW IDEAS. WHEN THE BIRDS ARE NOT REALLY MOVING, BETTER AND LONGER RECCE WILL PAY OFF. GOOD DAYS CAN STILL BE FOUND IF YOU TRY OUT NEW IDEAS AND NEW OPTIONS... Good luck everyone... Shoot straight.... GARY... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 6, 2003 Report Share Posted April 6, 2003 Gary, I bet that Diary is an interesting read. Its strange how the two years have been the same weather-wise. I thought last Spring was a lot wetter. It also seemed as though I shot over drillings longer last year, but it could be the old memory playing tricks. I must start a shooting diary.............I say that every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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