henry d Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Went to a spot on the river that I have not been on for many years but was a old favourite. I shone my torch about and gave a couple of whistles and shouts just in case anyone was about on my side or, more importantly, the opposite bank. As the light started to come in a bird came whizzing upstream and it was definitely a teal, but as it came past me it rose slightly meaning if I took a shot it would spray shot against the opposite bank, so I left it. Next 5 Mallard landed just downstream and 80yds away from me and after 30-40 minutes they were following the dwindling flow of the river and then they started to feed and crossed the water towards me and eventually they were just 25yds away and although I could have taken a shot it would have been so unsporting. I was vindicated 5 minutes later as a pair of Mallard came past, by the time I positively ID`d them I could only shoot the rear bird which fell to the shot. All hell broke loose then with duck, curlew and waders flying all directions and shots well upstream rang out. Another 10-15 minutes pass and I was about to put out 2 decoys when I heard the distinctive honk of a Canada goose, turning I saw a skein nice and low coming directly at me about 8-10yds up they pull right of me due to a hawthorn and the wind and swing past at 20yds and I fold the first one then pull through it and drop another at 40yds. The first was stone dead and an easy retrieve for a small spaniel, the other was massive and a strong runner but she soon had that one back to me. Just after my second shot the birds swung further away to the opposite bank and I heard shots fired a wee bit upstream from me, so I am glad I didn`t have a crack at the teal. Soon another skein of 20 Canadas came in but they were 70-80yds out and landed midstream and another small skein of 5-6 joined it, I was going to get out from my hiding position and flush them towards the other guy but 2 Mallard swing past and I was quick enough to drop the tail-ender, which pushed the geese over the other guy and he dropped at least one. 6-15am and I have had plenty of shooting and all dropped with Solway steel 34gm 1`s. I get home and lay the birds out to cool and I find 8 steel shot rolling about in my bag, now I believe this is from the second goose as it was a quartering away shot and these pellets were stopped by the feathers and down. It is a bit of a salient lesson and for sure I will not be trying it again at those ranges with steel, certainly I could have tried to reload with the 34gm 3 hevi-shot I had but I don`t think I could have as I have an Xtrema. Lesson learned. By the way did I mention, although I have shot lots of geese inland, these are the first from the foreshore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Nice write up HD. Hopefully this year I will have my first crack at some wildfowl (inland) on a new permision we just got. Cos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascal72 Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Good write up and cracking result Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channa Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Good shooting pal,ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 A cracking flight mate, well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Mmm, not all the steel 1's penetrating at 40 yds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Exactly Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Well done! Do you think that's due to a poor cartridge or just max range? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 (edited) poor cartridge , or gone through your fist one ! Edited September 2, 2013 by muncher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 I have never known pellets to drop out of a bird like that. It just shows how thick the down is and how useless some cartridges are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry P Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Tidy flight Henry, as for he shot dropping out I can only think it was a poor cartridge as at 40 yrds with the right load those pellets would have done their job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Well done! Do you think that's due to a poor cartridge or just max range? Max range and dense feathers, it pole-axed the first and the duck but broke the wing on this one, the plucking will tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Very nice mate you had better luck than me I missed greylag at 20 yard over rapeseed stubble with eley alfamax bb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 I have changed my opinion of what the problem was... Update here - http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/259055-several-wildfowling-firsts/?do=findComment&comment=2273257 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 good choice of cartridge. most likely, UK#1 is the same as US#2 in steel. i`ve found only gamebore stick to US sizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 What choke are you using Malc? I find my Extrema shoots steel best with only 1/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Yes, it was 1/4 Tam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Have you had any luck with other chokes Malc? I shoot mainly 3.5" super mags & always found 1/4 best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted September 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 Pricked a couple of mallard with I/C so went up to 1/4 and have been getting better kills, I was using 3 1/2" Rem. Hi-speed steel 2`s and only changed to the Solway`s as I got them cheap at Scone. I am considering getting some Carlson chokes and we will see how they fare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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