Sprinter Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) Ok so here we go, 1st day of the season. A little stand while a bit of blanking in is done, driving rain and pretty miserable. Whilst waiting for the action to start a squirel decided to climb the tree 30 yards in front of me, well it would have been rude not to shoot it wouldn't it? :yp: Nothing else came over other than a couple of sneaky pigeon that managed to follow branches above me offering no shot. Walked the first proper drive, nothing came back but a few good birds over the standing guns. Our first stand and I find myself in the box seat. One straight at me and I stun it with the first barrel, however it recovers and i miss it with the second. Next door peg doesn't help and fails to clear it up for me. Second one to my right, clean miss with the first and poleaxe it with the second. Next door also has a couple, nice drive but gutted about the first bird. Whilst chatting at the wagon the picker up says he's picked the first bird I shot, it was stone dead 100yards back. Things are brightening up. A little walk to the next drive sprang a pack of mallard and I managed to scratch one down. Blanked up to our pegs and stood expectantly. Nice bird down the middle which i managed to miss completely and then the whistle. Put the gun in the slip and looked up to see the best bird of the day sailing over my head scot free.... until a shot rang out from one of the back back back back guns who clearly hadn't heard the whistle :yp: Big walk for us on one of the bigger drives next. I draw a walk around the outside in the cover crop, bit soggy in there! Halfway along a cock blasts out the wood just behind me and i kill it first shot. A little further along another bird breaks back from way forward and is dropped nicely with one shot. Standing guns seem to be doing quite well too judging from what I can see. Another bit of blanking in sees me making a complete horlicks of a simple driven bird not even ruffling a feather. Our last stand and i seem to be in the hot seat again after a while there is a flush of birds and i pick out one heading for my left shoulder. Stop it in the air only to see it recover and need a second shot to bring it down. A few moments later another mini flush sees a spread of birds and i lock onto one heading down my right, as i pull the trigger out of the corner of my eye i see one going left. As i pull onto this bird I hear the thump of a heavy landing of the first bird then squeeze the trigger. The bird jumps in the air but continues, sadly the chance of a l+r has gone begging. Last drive was our beat, and we put quite a number of nice birds over the guns who made quite a good account of themselves. Game over, as we are chewing the fat before walking back the same picker up as earlier presents me with the second half of my l+r from the previous drive which dropped dead 100yards behind me again. Not sure what is happening here with these late drops, i don't seem to be behind them as there are no feathers in the air after the shot so i'm guessing i'm probably a little in front and just catching them with the back of the pattern? Anyway a nice bag in the mid 50's with my contribution being a very creditable 9 always nice to be in the right place at the right time with a good picker up behind you! Edited January 24, 2012 by Sprinter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Glad you had an enjoyable day, good write up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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