rabbit_stu Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Last year for my 21st my parents paid for me to go deer stalking for the first time. Its something i will never, ever forget and for certain my most memorable moment out in the field. Its a feeling I've never expereinced before and to put it into words i found impossible when trying to tell them how good my 'present' was. I can see the roe deer as clear in my mind today as if it was yesterday. Whats yours.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Mine has to be the first deer I shot with my .243, a Roe Buck. The head has been boiled and mounted and hangs on the wall of my study. I can look up at it and still remember that shot just as if it were yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 I suppose a first stalk will always be right up there, and mine certainly is, but I'll go for something different - a single pheasant on a drive where I was end gun and out of the action. The guns lined up on low ground at bottom of a field, at quite a distance apart, with a wood/pen behind and the birds flushed from high ground at the other end of the field a fair way off. It was the end of the morning and I had had a bit of mixed - well, poor really - performance. I'd been missing way too many shots and just couldn't get it that day. Thankfully, all the drives were fairly busy so the other guns didn't really notice how bad I'd been. I'm guessing the beaters and pickers-up had me marked though. Anyway, the drive before lunch presented some fairly high birds and, thankfully, I was end gun so not going to see much action. My confidence had gone and I didn't fancy this drive at all. Right enough, all I did was stand and watch the other guns attempt to hit these birds with fairly limited success. Pretty much at the end of the drive, with nothing else in the air, a single bird flushed from the top of the field and started heading my way. Aw naw! It kept climbing, then glided, then climbed, then glided. I knew the line was watching. I lifted the gun swung through and dropped it dead - I couldn't believe it! I couldn't resist a glance down the line, and my neighbouring gun doffed his hat to my single shot. It was John Humphries - he happened to be joining the syndicate that day as he had done on previous years. It probably sounds boring, but to me it was a bit of a comical moment knowing how **** I had been all morning and I'll just never forget the feeling of dread as the bird took off then the astonishment as it dropped. All was good, and it was time for lunch and a craic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 A rabbit with a stick running at aboot 30 yards or a salmon swimming with a stone,thrown grenade style at about 20 yards and both witnessed.Both very sporting.Once had a fly at 30ish yards with a Logun S16 witnessed again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 With out a doubt the first deer I ever shot on my own with out my mentor . Shot from a high seat with a sportarised .303 SMLE with open sights . Shot at first light as it walked out of woodland onto the arable . This happend 50 years ago and I can still remember it as it was yesterday . A close second was a left and a right at geese on halvagate marshes in Norfolk . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixer1 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Either my first Buck shot or a morning we had wildfowling last year on a loch, there are heaps of others but just to many to mention.... My first fox too deserves a mention... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 My first rabbit taken with my grandfathers old Sable side by side. The best part is I can even remember the meal it went into that night! Fantastic stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 for me its go to be a left and right on english partridge which had scattered in flight and were approx 25 yards apart, on walking over to retrieve the second bird, a woodcock lifted and that was in the bag too! this was witnessed by 'bigdon' off here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 My first left and right, it was at pigeon the birds were going to roast in a wood in the Chiltern hills when i was 13. Or, i was at a driven shoot on the Cornwall / Devon boarder a few years back the drive had nearly ended most of the guns had had some birds i had nothing over me when 2 birds headed my way from the cover crop in the field above us heading for the wood behind, most of the birds that came over the guns were quite high but these 2 were very high, with everyone watching i had both birds dead in the air my best ever left and right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixer1 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Surprised no one has said "1966" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Surprised no one has said "1966" Just wait,someone will claim the 1066 shot soon.Ackley maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silpig5 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 (edited) my first left n right duck at brampton hall circa 1996 , dusk time , ducks and geese where coming in thick and fast , i got my first ever l&r so i put my gun down in the hide and watched the dogs work their hearts out picking up around and in the swim . Edited May 4, 2012 by silpig5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nesika Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Mmmmmmmmm hard one really for me as I have 2 1st was with my first air rifle at 13,a sparrow off the shed roof 2nd 3 left and right wood cocks all on the same day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 My very first left and right pigeon, witnessed by my mentor and very good friend Denny Essex after many outings and near misses. I was grinning like a Cheshire cat until my jaw ached, the fact that I went on to shoot two more left and rights on the same day didn't help After Denny telling me many times that he couldn't wait for that first time when a massive flock would dive into the decoy pattern, and how I would panic and probably miss them all; Off course I didn't let him down, how I managed to miss them all with both barrels even though there was no gap in the flock And my very first red letter day when I picked 127 woodies on Bakerboy's permision after telling me that I would probably get a dozen or so if I put the hours in Great memories I'll never forget! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 My first stalk is a close second but being allow to join the line as a youngster for the first time 9 years old on beaters day with the under keeper loading for me (making sure I was safe never told that tho). I had my brand new 30 year old SBS Belgium 410 (replaced my single bolt action still have both) watching the adults shooting on the first drive scared to mess it up the keeper said try this one I missed with the first barrel forgot I had the second was told to fire again snap shot and hit it. I still have that cock birds feathers and as I remember it he was at least the size of vulture and I had to 400 yards up doing 70 mph. I always think about when I pick up my old 410. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 my first right and left at geese. i was 16 and had been aware of a small #### of geese roosting in the voe just along the road. i waited for saturday night and got all my stuff on my back and headed off on my bike. on the way i was steering with one hand and i tried to change gear on the other side of the handle bars and lost it and face planted the road . when i got there with a fat lip and a bloody nose i picked my spot and sat in with my pet sheep dog as company and waited. just when i was about to leave after seeing nothing i heard a cackle and looked up just in time to see 5 greylags heading over 25 yards up, i just had time for a couple of snap shots quickly followed by splash splash, 2 geese down and i was over the moon. thinking i was going to have to wade in to the icy brine to collect them i was stunned to see my little sheep dog bounding in and retrieving one quickly followed by the other one, she had never retrived anything before other than sticks. i was so chuffed, i have a quite a few good memories but this one stands out by far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30-6 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Long long time ago, a sparrow with a "gat" pistol off my gutter, wobbled for a moment and down it came. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted May 5, 2012 Report Share Posted May 5, 2012 (edited) Iv had a few memorable shots. The most recent was the last day of the fowling season, had a R&L on some Canadas shortly followed by a tripple Cuffed to bits, as I'd shot naff all all season Edited May 5, 2012 by chrispti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted May 5, 2012 Report Share Posted May 5, 2012 First fox for me Then getting a crack at grouse on a private moor and managing to get a brace as well... Then my first hare on my uncles farm...all before I was 16 years old.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler12 Posted May 5, 2012 Report Share Posted May 5, 2012 my first right and left at geese. i was 16 and had been aware of a small #### of geese roosting in the voe just along the road. i waited for saturday night and got all my stuff on my back and headed off on my bike. on the way i was steering with one hand and i tried to change gear on the other side of the handle bars and lost it and face planted the road . when i got there with a fat lip and a bloody nose i picked my spot and sat in with my pet sheep dog as company and waited. just when i was about to leave after seeing nothing i heard a cackle and looked up just in time to see 5 greylags heading over 25 yards up, i just had time for a couple of snap shots quickly followed by splash splash, 2 geese down and i was over the moon. thinking i was going to have to wade in to the icy brine to collect them i was stunned to see my little sheep dog bounding in and retrieving one quickly followed by the other one, she had never retrived anything before other than sticks. i was so chuffed, i have a quite a few good memories but this one stands out by far. Sounds brilliant my best moment was watching my young dog make his first retrieve. He was only 10months at the time, too early to be out in the field but I thought why not let him tag along with the other dogs. He flushed a nice cock pheasant that curled around the ride and I dropped it at the bottom of the valley some 50yards behind me, I called one of the other dogs over thinking he wouldn't be interested but he shot off after it, and reappeared with it in mouth a minute or so later. For me, that far out weighs any shot. Nothing better than watching the dog doing what he loves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted May 5, 2012 Report Share Posted May 5, 2012 (edited) Sounds brilliant my best moment was watching my young dog make his first retrieve. He was only 10months at the time, too early to be out in the field but I thought why not let him tag along with the other dogs. He flushed a nice cock pheasant that curled around the ride and I dropped it at the bottom of the valley some 50yards behind me, I called one of the other dogs over thinking he wouldn't be interested but he shot off after it, and reappeared with it in mouth a minute or so later. For me, that far out weighs any shot. Nothing better than watching the dog doing what he loves the same little sheep dog, teal, turned out to be a great gundog, never looked at sheep . she pointed rabbits brilliantly, she was very methodical working a park i never spoke to her i just let her get on with it and when she came on point she wouldnt move till the rabbit keeled over dead. when it came to fowling she would always find the birds on land but would refuse to touch them, but if i dropped anything in the water she always retrieved it, dropping it the second her feet touched the bottom. funny little dog but i very rarely lost a bird and she was great company. Edited May 6, 2012 by aister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted May 6, 2012 Report Share Posted May 6, 2012 Probably that first rabbit with my uncles .22 when I was about 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW80 Posted May 6, 2012 Report Share Posted May 6, 2012 The most memorable sporting moment for me was with my first springer sam. I was inexperienced with spaniels and had only trained him to a reasonable standard that when i think of it now there is no way i would be confident shooting rabbits over a dog with no steadiness training. My mate, sam and me were out this saturday morning walking a few rough fields hoping for a snipe or a rabbit. We had worked about 4 good sized rashy fields when sam contact flushed a rabbit (he had never been in a pen and wasn't 100% on the stop whistle) but for some reason he stopped dead and plonked his bum down on the spot. My mate shot the rabbit about 25 yards out to my left and sam never moved, he was sent for the retreive which he did with no fuss, to this day i wish i could find another dog with his brain, he never trialed but what a dog he was, i was very lucky with him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted May 6, 2012 Report Share Posted May 6, 2012 Two are really memorable for me , my very first pheasant a hen bird shot with my grandads 20 bore when I was about 12 years old , it was my very first shot at a live target and I had a grin from ear to ear . The second was shooting 97 pigeons in 90 mins , I have had plenty of bigger bags but have never before or since had birds so determined to get shot !! I was dropping birds and others just behind were still coming straight into the pattern I shot like a world champ they were so easy , the crop was pea stubble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Marty Posted May 6, 2012 Report Share Posted May 6, 2012 The first time my young lad shot his first pigeon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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