Hooray for Hereford #2

[webber]

Hooray for Hereford #2

 

Many of you may recall the report that I posted last year following an excellent days shooting on a syndicate shoot on the outskirts of Hereford.

The syndicate host one let day per season; I was very fortunate to be invited to take the let day this season and to put a team of guns together. It was April when I sent out my invitation to people who I’ve shot with at various shoots for a number of years, the sort of chaps that I’m proud to call friends.

The shoot took no selling, they’d read the report that I wrote about my invitation day, and the acceptances soon came back with deposits. Half a year seemed to fly by, and so on Friday I went into work, sorted a few things, went home to collect my gun, rifle and other shooting stuff, and set off around 1:30. I’d prepared a list of handy postcodes and telephone numbers, necessary to use with the satnav to negotiate the lanes around the shoot area.

I arrived close to the shoot around 4pm. And drove past the Lough Pool Inn where I’d booked a dinner for the group and a few of the shoot officers. As I did so, I had a terrible thought, I remembered that I hadn’t received a confirmation of the booking, and that I’d not telephoned as a back up. I found a suitable place to pull over a few miles down the lane and made a call. “No problem, the table is already set”. Relief. I made my way to the farm which is intersected by the road. As I approached I spotted my friend Jason and his son Tom, they in the process of feeding, we said very brief hellos, I then made my way to our B & B at Fownhope. When I arrived some of the other guns were congregating outside. I was greeted by GK, with whom I was to share a room. He’d already booked in and had already sorted a suitable anchorage for the guns. We decided who was sleeping where as there was four single beds in the room which was located on the top floor of the 400 year old house. A quick brew and chat, we changed for dinner and decided to head over the road with other members of the group for a quick drink or two in the Green Man, before setting off for the Lough Pool for 7:30 as dinner was booked for 8pm.

We were welcomed by Jason , Charlie, Neil and young Tom and were soon seated in a private dining room set for our party. I’d ordered Roast Rib Eye of Beef and Apple Pie with all of the trimmings. Several of the guns including myself declared that it was the best roast beef that they’d ever had, excellent quality and plenty of it. After dinner I asked Jason to explain to the guns how a lad from St. Helens ended up running a shoot in Hereford. He actually cut the story short, but it is a very interesting story and is testament to his dedication to game rearing, game keeping and shooting.

We left the Lough Pool around 10:30 and headed for the B & B full of the finest roast beef, local brew and anticipation for the forthcoming days shooting.

Geoff and I soon hit our respective sacks and both got a good night kip. We arose at 6am. Did what we needed to and got ready for a days shooting and full English breakfast. We met up with other guns in the dining room at 7:15, but Mr. Potter presented on parade a little later, but soon ate an excellent breakfast causing no delay to our departure at 8am. We had to wait for a few minutes for Lancs Lad who had set off down the road to collect Jim and Mark who had managed to book into some form of animal sanctuary. I’m assured that rumours that they shared a stable are untrue.

Cars parked up, we were soon in wellies with guns and cartridges at the ready. We made our way across the road to the shoot room to be greeted by our hosts, a brew and bacon butty. The shoot run two sweeps one for the bag, the other for the number of shots.

Charlie conducted a short shoot briefing, and advised the guns that there were two prizes on offer for the guns. A bottle of bubbly for the first gun to shoot either pigeon, crow, magpie, jay, Woodcock or squirrel.

We walked the short distance to the first drive; all the guns faced some challenging birds, heading across the valley over the River Wye. Sadly I had some good birds over me, but failed to connect, the walk was a bit too much for me. We also walked along the valley bottom to the second drive which is a disused railway embankment; again birds tend to head for across the river at decent heights and speed. I only had two chances on this drive but connected with the second and managed to drop the bird right at the feet of Bob who is one of the pickerups, he was impressed, but his dog wasn’t.

The gunbus trailer was parked at the top of the valley, the walk to the top really took it out of me, I was ready for bed when I finally arrived, but the elevensies of Victoria sponge cake and hot spiced pear cider revitalised me. We climbed into the gunbus trailer, it’s a converted portable shower unit. I did pass the comment that it was full with a right shower, but the quip fell on deaf ears.

The tractor pulled us some distance to the third drive which was a cover crop and spinney. I recognised the drive from last year, but the guns were positioned differently and the birds presented much better. As we waited for the drive to start two members of the local hunt rode through. Pleasantries were exchanged, but it was obvious that the shoot officials were far from happy. All the guns had good shooting I managed 3 and was happy to have got my eye in again, as I only missed one on this drive. The tractor arrived with the trailer and we set off for the fourth drive which was to be ducks.

 

The land owner is very supportive of the shoot, early in the year he dug them a sensibly sized pond. 10WM and I didn’t venture too far from the trailer, but the remaining guns were well placed. The ducks flew very well and didn’t instantly go stratospheric. I witnessed some excellent and skilful shooting; Lancs Lad dropped a cracker. 10WM and I were out of it to some degree, but we both managed one a piece, mine dropping into a small pond behind 10WM, giving his dog Willow a nice retrieve. Bill put Willow to good use collecting a number of shot duck at the end of the drive.

 

We climbed aboard the gunbus and headed back to the farm and shoot room for lunch.

I had warned the guns not to expect silver service, but to expect to be well fed.

 

Venison stew, gala pie, cakes galore, port, sloe gin, all served up to very appreciative guests.

Over lunch, every gun put his name down for next year.

 

We climbed aboard the gun bus and set off for the 5^th. Drive, a spinney and embankment.

Several of the birds were distant and going back, I managed one of those and a good bird right over my head. After the whistle we walked a different way towards the gunbus, it was obvious that the hunt had been in the area. I understand that a sternly worded letter is on its way to the hunt master as the hunt have no permission for the land.

 

It was a decent ride to the final drive. Guns positioned towards the bottom of the valley with birds from a cover crop coming over trees at the top of the valley. The birds presented well, but the number anticipated was seriously depleted; none the less the shooting was excellent and a perfect finale for the day.

 

The gunbus took the beaters back to the farm. This gave the guns time to congregate and reflect on the days shooting. I collected the tips, I’m pleased to report that everyone tipped up double what I had suggested and some of the guns treated young Tom and his mate. Young Tom produced a very large apple, which are still on the trees in the extensive orchards. I cut the apple into segments and passed it around. The apple was appreciated and sweet.

 

The gunbus collected us and took a very happy bunch of satisfied shooters back to the farm. We gathered in the shoot room for a brew. I won the sweep for the bag with a guess of 68, the bag was 69. 10WM won the sweep for the number of shots; I can’t remember the number, but the ratio was fractionally over 4:1, which given that I’d advised the guns to expect 9:1 was very good going. Jim won the bubbly for shooting a Woodcock and Bill won a nice silver figurine of a pheasant for the best shot of the day which was not observed by me, but I’m told that it was an excellent left and right.

 

As I went to change from my sun glasses which were the order of the day, I discovered that I’d broken one of the arms off my driving glasses. Deep joy.

 

The days events came to an end and everyone made their respective ways back to various parts of the North West and North Wales. I was booked for an evening on the rabbits and fox. Following a trip into Ross on Wye for autogas and a chippy supper, we headed back to the farm to collect the Kubota rifles and lamping gear.

 

Sadly the evening was an anticlimax to the day. We covered a largish area but saw only two rabbits which didn’t want to be shot, and one fox which wouldn’t call and then vanished across a road rendering it’s self un-shootable. We packed everything away. I made my way back to the B&B and was in bed shortly after 9pm, and fast asleep soon after.

 

I took breakfast at 8am. I chatted with the owner, and have arranged to use the Bowens as our base for next seasons shoot. The rooms and breakfast are excellent and sensibly priced. I can highly recommend the Bowens B & B at Fownhope to anyone looking to stay in the area around Ross on Wye.

 

I was on the road for 9am and headed home via an uneventful journey.

 

Here’s to next season, I’ve got several memories to see me through.

 

webber

[filzee]

Good write up, glad you all had a great time

[davecooper1]

Sound's like everybody had a really good time and a very good write up

[Jockdude]

Looking forward to reading about your further shooting adventures in the shooting press!! Sounds like you all had a great time.