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Newbie hello and a lesson in best laid plans


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Hi all, I've been a forum lurker for a while now but after yesterday I thought I'd join so I could share this cautionary tale with you...

 

In the sunny Midlands where I live I am fortunate enough to have several farms near my house and one in particular has bunnies, plenty of hedge, a good sized copse and most of the midlands pigeons passing through or resident - it is essentially the perfect spot for a shooter and less than ten minutes from my house. When walking the dogs I always check it out and have decided if I ever catch the farmer in the field with public access I'd engineer a conversation and try and wangle a bit of shooting, sad fool that I am I'd even practised exactly what to say with a couple of years worth of observations on his crops, yields etc so I just had to wait for that chance to introduce myself...

 

Yesterday the perfect storm descended, the field is cut, the farmer was just out by the public footpath taking care of some hedges and I decided this was it, entry to the field is over a brook which has a bridge with a stile at either end, I carry the Jack Russell and the Schnauzer is let off, crosses to the other side and I then leash him again, we've done it hundreds of times. The Schnauzer was interested in something in the stream but I was too intent on catching the farmer to notice he had found a manky sugar beet and on the other side he evaded me for twenty minute while he ate the aforementioned beet, I chased him a bit, I shouted a bit, eventually I gave up and sat on the bridge and waited for him... All this time the farmer was watching and when I eventually had the dog back on leash I took the walk of shame past him, sheepishly grinning as I passed, noticing he was crying with laughter at the panto he'd seen. I bottled asking for permission, an idiot who can't get a dog on a lead is not the kind of person I'd let have a gun on my land! Midlands best shooting opportunity spoiled by mans best friend! Next time leave the dog behind!

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Your thought process was at fault. Why would the farmer give consent to shoot over his land to someone who cannot control his dog?

That was essentially my point, I avoided any mention of permission once the hound had done his work :blush:

 

Anyway, I completely forgot during my introduction to say although I've been a club shooter for years I have just got my first shotgun, a 28" Browning 525 Sporter - lovely gun, have fired a few, it was such a toss up between that and the Silver Pigeon 1 but I am deliriously happy - My wife thinks i've gone mental as I keep sneaking off to get it out and practice my mount (maybe she feels left out!). If it wasn't a safety no no I think id like to sleep with it in the bed, just so I can doze off holding my new best friend... Oh god I'm gunsick now, I'm at work and my baby is at home... good job ive got photo's to ogle! Is my love of my new gun wrong?

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....maybe she would prefer you practicing your "mount" on her lol

 

Luckily I've got that one nailed! Main difference is my gun insists I keep my vest on.

 

Your second post was a good recovery.

Thank you, I feared I'd alienated someone on my first post... While I'm on a roll I also promise not to ask if anyone has permission near me and is looking to share

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Hi Mighty Prawn & welcome mate.

Newbie myself so cannot offer any advise on shooting, but I do reckon you might of missed the boat with the farmer fella.

If you know he's being eaten out of house & home by pigeons I can assure you he is more than aware of it.

Should of spoken to him while he was crying with laughter mate. At least you knew he was in a good mood and had 5 minutes spare.

Give it a go, dogs present as well but promise you won't take them with you and that you are better at shooting than dog training.

Life's to short to have regrets mate.

Good luck. Fat bloke

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In all honesty I think I may have been socially confused by childhood, parents met at a sweet factory and during my formative years they both went to university and then became teachers. I'd say I'm firmly in the middle but mostly as a result of motivated parents - must be something in the genes as I did a decade of minimum wage hospitality slaving before I realised what I actually wanted to do with life and its been uphill since mostly. Got to count your blessings haven't you

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