Devon Corvids and a brush with an Anti

[Pykie]

Had a day off work so decided to see how the barley was going. Arrive to where I was going have a go at the pigeons to find the combine in there. Deciding to leave the farmer to it and have a go on the stubbles, dad and I drove to another farm where thay have terrible trouble with the corvids deficating on the cattle feeds and in the barns and also in the wheat and barley. We shoot goood numbers here every year but still they return. We saw a handful in a barley stubble field and with time getting on, we set up opposite ends of the field with some flock coated crow decoys and a floater each. Not expecting alot, I loaded up my Beretta 391 auto and soon a lone crow came in squawking to be shot single barrel. I reloaded and saw several in the air at the shot and soon added a rook to the pattern. Dad was soon popping away too with his Maxus but I was having the lion share of the action, my auto getting hot with the constant firing and the sun beating down. There were a lot of jackdaws about, coming in like coveys of grouse that made me keep my eyes open as they came in low and fast. I got my first treble of the year, followed by two swift left and rights. A lone woodie sailed over and I took it first shot like a driven pheasant. I called in a lot with my trusty Sam Neyt crow call and soon reached fifty to my own gun before the action died down. We stayed put, taking the odd curious rook or pair of jackdaws as it was such a nice evening. With 56 mixed corvids on my talley plus the pigeon I decided to pack up when I heard a shout from behind me. Unloading, I was confronted by a man ******* and blinding at me as he stood on the hedge. Making a point of showing my gun was empty, I enquired what his problem was. He moaned that I was a murderer and that he was sick of hearing shots and thinking of the poor birds dying with every bang. (Im quite a good shot but not even I can shoot one with every shot ) I explained I was shooting the corvids on request of the farmer and told him the facts of why corvids were being controlled. He replied corvids did no harm to crops, that he loved nature and seeing the rooks in his garden. I replied that if he wanted to see more songbirds and game and enjoy nature even more then corvids needed controlling. He then asked if I shot "tame pheasants" which I replied I do enjoy shooting and eating pheasant which he sneered at. I kept my calm the whole time, answering any remark he made with a constructed answer. The more he got uptight, and the calmer I answered him, and he soon tired of trying to argue and left. I told the farmer of the man who laughed and said he was a known busybody who often moaned about the spreading of dung, noise, tractors etc and to ignore him in future. He had no right being on the farm in the first place. Me and dad packed up to find we had 89 corvids and 2 pigeons which made the farmer over the moon so good day after all.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Pykie

[the enigma]

Sounds like a good day out............. hope your run in with Victor Meldrew didn't spoil it for you.

[swiss.tony]

hahahaahahaha lest its not just me the nut cases pick on nice day neither the less well done

[clakk]

sounds like a good days shooting till mr donkey started braying,u did good i had a female??? veggy lecturing me on the old meat is murder waffle ,so i pointed out her doc martins and leather jacket was very dead animal skin and she was a hypocrite i got some french shouted at me and she left . :lol:

[mr williamson]

Iys like this guys iv seen it before my self and you did the right thing being calm and answering as you did. Well handled! I had some1 shouting at me for shooting pigeon in a wood safely that had a foot path in it. She cudnt grasp that i was abiding by the law, she claimed that it was public property and that im acting ilegaly, so i explained that this is private land that has a right of way through it and thats all. But you just cant get through to em.

[fieldwanderer]

Once had a guy run and hide behind a tree as he saw us approaching, my mate had a shot at a crow (in a safe direction obviously), this guy comes out from behind the tree hands above his head shouting and looking terrified "don't shoot! Don't shoot! Human, don't shoot!"

 

I'm sure there was some lecture or other on the way but the two of us practically rolling 'round on the floor crying with laughter seemed to shut him up pretty quick - I guess he couldn't get a word in edgewise with the howles of laughter.