bakerboy Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 The day started with rain sheeting down and the wind blowing a gale. I am away from home until Friday, babysitting the grand kids from Friday night through to Sunday and supposedly celebrating my birthday, so no shooting until Monday at the earliest. The rain stopped at about 11.00 I phoned Philr and off I went to the farm for a shoot, keeping my fingers crossed. When I arrived the pigeon and crows (the crows did not return) were all over the Alf Alfa,but we all know what the pigeond are like. I set up the hide in what I felt was the best place, but not the easiest position to shoot, the birds would be coming in from behind over my left shoulder, so it was look for the shadow and prepare to shoot. The birds started to come in straight away, not big numbers but ease you in gently numbers. 1 hour in 8 shot and picked and a further 4/5 shot but had come down in the field behind (not my land). Philr arrives and chooses his spot, and it is back to shooting. I had a 2 for 1 and a 3 for 2, but I missed some real sitters,plus of course the cup of tea and sandwich visitors. I was pleased with some of my shooting, but other parts left a bit to be desired, I definately should have had more. I ended the day with 46 picked and 15/16 not picked, I was aware that looking for the birds in the crop, I would do more damage than the birds. On leaving the farm the farmers wife told me that hers dogs had picked up 4 birds in the adjoining field when she walked them during the afternoon, so i managed my first 50 for I do not know how long, all this in 6 1/2 hour's from start to finish. Cartridge ratio was just over 2 for 1 Phil had a good few hours, know doubt he will tell you about that himself. Well no shooting now for a few days, I may have to look for someone to cover the farm for me as the birds are there. My apologies to Beechris who is wanting to come out with me and I do owe Chris a shoot, I told him only yesterday that the birds are not about and then this happens, I feel rotten but there is no way at the moment. with the distance involved to get Chris out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG wales Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Good for you Terry, that's a great bag and write up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Well done, is that your belated birthday present?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Well done, is that your belated birthday present?? Early present, the birthday is the 24th, not too late to go out and buy me a present Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coyotemaster Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Nice job Terry,2/1 is not too shabby any day!! I have done worse sometimes. Actually a lot worse.LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les gedge Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 well done bud what crop is that cant make it out.les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 well done bud what crop is that cant make it out.les In the write up he mentions Alf falfa ? Not sure if thats the crop or a greek relative/shooting partner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 In the write up he mentions Alf falfa ? Not sure if thats the crop or a greek relative/shooting partner must admit never seen that grown on any farm in a 30 mile radius of my neck of the woods but obviously attracts the pigeons good bag also bb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocker3 Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 very nice terry and thats a great shooting ratio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) By the time I'd got actually got Terry's message, I was working in the garage with no mobile signal, and the hour journey over to the permission he'd managed to set himself up in prime position and had shot plenty It was blowing a gale when I got there and I positioned my hide between two plastic wrapped straw bales to try and reduce some of the effect of the wind and keep the hide upright. All I could hear was Terry blasting away, he reckons his cartridge count was 2 to 1, from what I heard I reckon it was probably nearer 10 to 1 In the end I shot 16 or so I thought which I'd picked up. There's a farm just across the road from my position which I buy my eggs from and I popped over to collect a dozen after I'd packed up and found another pigeon dead on his drive so the total was 17 for 49 cartridges in 4 hours. I've got a reason for the poor shot ratio as I'd just fitted a new shorter butt pad on my Beretta stock in the morning, that was what I was doing in the garage and getting used to the feel of it plus Terry kept ringing me asking how I was getting on usually just as birds came over me I went back yesterday to have another attempt, this time I went on the same hedgerow as Terry the previous day as the wind had changed direction. I took a tarpaulin with me and used that as a back and roof to the hide, a good job I did as it rained very hard pretty much all day, but it did keep a lot off me. My garage is now full of decoying gear drying out ready for next week. In the end I shot 25 for 44 cartridges in 4 hours, one is missing from the photo as I wasn't going to clamber over the fence into the adjoining farmer's wheat field to find it. What did surprise me was as soon as the rain eased slightly pigeons came from nowhere to launch themselves into the pattern, unfortunately it did catch me napping The correct spelling of the crop name is Alfalfa or Lucerne Edited April 19, 2012 by PhilR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 As we said yesterday Phil, that's two decent days out you had. Great write up and pictures :good: Keep them coming! I like the "new short butt pad" story :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 well done bud what crop is that cant make it out.les Lucerne Alf Alfa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Nice job Terry,2/1 is not too shabby any day!! I have done worse sometimes. Actually a lot worse.LOL A little over 2 for 1 but know worse than 3 to 1 As we said yesterday Phil, that's two decent days out you had. Great write up and pictures :good: Keep them coming! I like the "new short butt pad" story :lol: :lol: New one that, I used "sun in my eyes" at the end of the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Thats a nice bag tops the freezer up Certainly more than we are getting down here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler12 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 As we said yesterday Phil, that's two decent days out you had. Great write up and pictures :good: Keep them coming! I like the "new short butt pad" story :lol: :lol: short butt's pad ? aka Terry's House Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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