Stratts Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 (edited) We had beaters day today and although I've only been beating a few times the gamey said to bring my shottie as I may get a bit of a shoot. I ended up shooting on all the drives and seeing as it was my 1st ever go at driven shooting I think I did alright with the old pigeon basher Baikal! The shoot relies on totally wild birds and the 1st 2 drives drew a blank all round which didn't bode well. The 3rd drive before lunch brought a flurry of birds and I hit my 1st ever pheasant, followed closely by the 2nd and a third that myself and another gun seemed to hit at the same time!! After a bowl of soup and a roll we headed out and I stood between a couple of lads who were also fairly new to shooting. One took a great high hen pheasant going away from him and the other got 2 single woodcock that were really motoring!! The next drive saw us shooting a xmas tree plantation and I drew a good peg on the corner with a decent view through the trees. I took a nice high hen pheasant then a pigeon going away quick and high to my right. The icing on the cake of a great day was a woodcock that zoomed along the right side of the plantation which I took with the second barrel as I swung round to follow it!! I ended up with 3 1/2 pheasants , 1 pigeon and a woodcock which I was certainly not expecting when i woke this morning!! Well chuffed considering it was my 1st go and the total bag was 14 birds for the day!! I could have done with missing one coz I chose 13 in the sweep!! Not the best picture but gives you an idea!! Edited January 26, 2013 by Stratts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pg123 Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 Sounds like you had a good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontbeck Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 Well done, sounds like a great day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning123 Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 Very well done and a good write up, I have shot driven birds myself for years and have 3 x 12g under & overs, two Beretta and a Baikal similar to yours - I always seem the hit more when using the Baikal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 Glad you enjoyed yourself but it does seem a little strange to me that a shoot that relies on wild birds is still shooting hens at the end of the season , its been the worst breeding season for wild birds for a number of years , lots of the wild bird shoots have been shooting cocks only all season and one local to me has even cancelled all shoots this season to allow numbers to recover . Not knocking you personally but it seems the shoot is a little short sighted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_martin_ Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Just goes too show it down to the shooter and not how much ££££££ the gun cost. Well done to Stratts, bl00dy good show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) Sounds like you had a real good day, but.... In total agreement with the above post. It does seem odd for a wild bird shoot to be killing hens? Unless it was was one of these 'wild bird' shoots that relies on feeding in the neighbours reared birds. Edited January 27, 2013 by scolopax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted January 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Cheers guys and that's a fair comment about the hens! I had wondered about it myself, but put it down to the fact that there was only one lad that had shot alot so I think they took a calculated risk that we were not going to shoot many!! 8 pheasants in total and I also chatted to the landowner between drives about releasing birds. He said he was happy to only shoot a few quality wild birds instead of lots of reared. Also it's not a paid syndicate shoot, he carries the cost and invites regular friends to only 4 shoots a season, including beaters day. The last 2 shoots produced 16 head each, which included other quarry. Also there are no other shoots close by so I don't think they are 'borrowed' birds, lol!! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I am glad you enjoyed your first driven day, just shows it pays to go beating. . It is unusual, but I know a few small "wild bird" shoots that don't operate a policy not to shoot hens after Christmas. They have a reasonable population of birds around and can afford to shoot a few hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotShot! Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Looks like you had a good day ! Well done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnyblatter Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Well done mate There's some nice grub there Are u stratts from the AGF ? Been thinking of applying for SGC for the pigeons on my farm shoot but haven't really looked into it that much My friend has just got his and said it only cost £50 and would be refunded if he got refused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted January 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Yes mate one and the same. That's right about the cert and you'd have to have a real sketchy past or ongoing medical issues not to get a shotgun cert! You don't even need land to get one like you do fac and there's loads of decent lower end guns about so it shouldn't break the bank. That Baikal was bought off a lad on here for 200 quid and is mint! Only other thing you'd need is a small cabinet which is the main thing they check when they come round your house! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.philmypower. Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Well done buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnyblatter Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Cheers stratts I think I'll go for it then How do I get the relevant numbers to contact people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted January 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Your local police website should have a firearms dept on it mate where you can download forms and get contact numbers, Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Very well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnyblatter Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Cheers stratts again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysako Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 nice shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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