Jump to content

What a way to start the New Year


ollie
 Share

Recommended Posts

Went out today with Dawn (springer), to see if we could pick-up a few woodcock. After I was out half an hour I was beginning to regret it; the wind was blowing about 30-40 mph with sleet and snow, so it wasn't long before I couldn't feel my face.

 

I must have been out about an hour before I flushed the first woodcock, it lifted out of very tall whin bushes and I downed it before it dipped down the other side. The next bird was a bit more straight forward, it flew straight off me and again this was dispatched to a single shot. I then flushed 2 more birds which I never got a shot at.

 

The next bird I shot was a very high bird which is quite strange for walked up woodcock. We were hunting whins alongside a fur plantation and Dawn put a double up, but the first one was too close so I focused on the other bird just as it was climbing to go over the furs, by the time I got on the bird it must have been 40 yards away but down it went, I went to swing onto the other bird but it was too far so no Right and Left :oops: . I then flushed another double but I didn't get a shot at either as they went out the other side. My last bird was a very fast bird with the wind on it's tail but again it was dispatched with a single shot. Dawn with the birds below:

 

PICT0412.jpg

 

As the wind was so strong I went onto a small wood to try for a few pigeons at roost. I had quite a good evening shooting 9 birds, but the main thing was I only fired at 9 so I hada 100% record over the course of the day, all of them single shots apart from 1 pigeon which needed 3 shots. I can't remember a day where I have been so accurate especially considering the conditions. Roost shooting bag:

 

PICT0413.jpg

 

To top the day off I saw my first Red Squirrel this season; unfortunately I used to see them more often than I do now. Below is a really terrible picture of the squirrel, as he wouldn't sit at peace :lol: :

 

PICT0411.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats some days shooting ollie well done,i was out at the ducks today on lough neagh never seen a duck it was blowing a rip and freezing cold,took a walk in the afternoon to try and worm up and put 1 woodcock up, got one shot off at it but on it flew unharmed.

 

Weather wasn't nice at all. I was shooting on quite high ground so you can imagine what the wind was like. Happy new year mate :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are there any grey sqirrels on the Emerald isle ?

 

Sadly, there are greys both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic.

 

Some lunatic introduced them into County Roscommon in 1911 to keep his American wife [who was homesick] happy. In 1912, she hightailed it back to the US but the greys have been ever since.

 

The Ards peninsula, where I live is still a red stronghold. We saw a grey here on 25 September 2010 but my son shot it within two minutes of it being spotted and thankfully we have seen none since so far....

 

There is a strong group here who are working on keeping greys out, an initiative which is strongly supported by the National Trust who own Mount Stewart house. There is still a driven pheasant shoot there - long may it continue!

 

Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, you see plenty of reds in the Glens of Antrim and also in parts of Fermanagh which is a little strange as it was there that greys first got into the North at Castle Archdale in 1951.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good shooting and top bag Ollie.Dawn looks as though shes sulkng in the pic.Still havent had a cock this season,but its probably with the lack of harder weather.Hopefully get one or two before the end.

Cheers mate :good: . Your right she does look like she is sulking :lol: , I can never get her to sit in the right place for a photo :rolleyes: .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.Still havent had a cock this season,but its probably with the lack of harder weather.Hopefully get one or two before the end.

you boys in the shire are a strange bunch :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

well done ollie thats some fine shooting buddy did you give the dog a telling off he /she looks really ****** off :lol: :lol: :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly, there are greys both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic.

 

Some lunatic introduced them into County Roscommon in 1911 to keep his American wife [who was homesick] happy. In 1912, she hightailed it back to the US but the greys have been ever since.

 

The Ards peninsula, where I live is still a red stronghold. We saw a grey here on 25 September 2010 but my son shot it within two minutes of it being spotted and thankfully we have seen none since so far....

 

There is a strong group here who are working on keeping greys out, an initiative which is strongly supported by the National Trust who own Mount Stewart house. There is still a driven pheasant shoot there - long may it continue!

 

Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, you see plenty of reds in the Glens of Antrim and also in parts of Fermanagh which is a little strange as it was there that greys first got into the North at Castle Archdale in 1951.

I'm not a million miles away from you woodcock11 and I have shot 5 since the start of the season. I'm afraid we are fighting losing battle. there was also reds at my folks house, but there has been a notable absence over the last few years as the greys have started appearing. I fear they are here to stay. shoot them all on sight! tree rats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you boys in the shire are a strange bunch :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

well done ollie thats some fine shooting buddy did you give the dog a telling off he /she looks really ****** off :lol: :lol: :lol:

Like I said she never sits in the right place for a photo :lol: , wouldn't swap her for the world though :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...