hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Went out sat morning 1st light after the crows before the pigeons. When I got to the field the gamekeeper had told me to go to I noticed the farmer looked set to do the ditches not far from were I was wanting to set up. I had a drive round as it was just coming light to see if I could find another spot. Found a field with about 10 on so set up with half a dozen decoys and my caller. Managed to get 4 and called 2 from a good way off. Went to get a butty and a drive past my wood to see if there was much flying over I noticed the odd 1 or 2 in that direction so decided to go get in my hide and see what happens. Got in the hide with the dog and with in 2 minutes the 1st was in the bag,then half an hour later there was 10 more I got a feeling that today was going to be a good day but only if I had that feeling when I made the choice to only bring 75 cartridges and a pocket full in my jacket with me! (School boy error) The birds came steady most flying over with the odd 1 or 2 coming in. Come dinner time with 10 cartridges in my pocket and 2 in the gun I made the phone call to the keeper to ask could I have 50 cartridges and after I told him how many id shot his reply wasn't very nice but agreed to give me them so rang my brother who was also out in a wood to bring them to me and have a hour in my wood, which in that hour he had 24. When things has quietened up I had a bit of a count and took this photo I was on 81 and I started to think could I be on for my 1st ever red letter day after 20years of shooting!! I was shooting probably the best I have ever shot everything felt right but I knew if I was to get to the 100 mark then I had about an hour to do so because the wood I was in the pigeons don't really roost in it. I got a couple more and missed a couple (think the nerves had started to kick in and was thinking to much about the 100 mark) I was on 89 then had a good half hour 8 more for 9shots but by this point its was going dark fast! unfortunately no more came over or to roost and at this point it was pitch black I ended a amazing day on 97 pigeons. I was gutted not to get my red letter day but still its a day to remember for many reasons, Me shooting well, the number of pigeons and some of the retrieves the dog did all added to a great day. Edited February 24, 2014 by hedge hunter 1984 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Good shooting. That was a red letter day. You do not have to get to 100 for it to be one of those. Some PW members consider getting 20 to be exceptional. A small point perhaps, but why was it that the 'keepers reply 'wasn't very nice?' Edited February 24, 2014 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Good shooting. That was a red letter day. You do not have to get to 100 for it to be one of those. Some PW members consider getting 20 to be exceptional. A small point perhaps, but why was it that the 'keepers reply 'wasn't very nice?' I have always thought and have been told from other people a red letter day is a 100 birds but I do agree with you that like others I am happy to get 20. As for the keepers reply it wasn't in a nasty way it was a more of a "your taking the p###" because he wasn't having as much luck as me in the wood he was in. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Good write up and very honest, as I'm sure some members would have said they reached 100. I have never had 100, one day I reached 90 and had to leave, I was gutted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 superb bag that fella, especially shot at roost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 That's a good bag by any standards. It sounds like you had a red letter day to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I would concider that a red letter day flighting them that's a top bag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning123 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Well done - an excellent result! What gun and chokings were you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tignme Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Ollie your inbox appears to be full. have pm for you. Baz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Cheers lads it's a day i will never forget. I honestly thought a red letter day was 100 pigeons. Well done - an excellent result! What gun and chokings were you using?[/quote Cheers. The gun is a bettinsoli diamond and I'm not to sure choke wise there the chokes that came in the gun the top barrel has 2 marks on it and the bottom has 4 marks on it I'm not one for keep changing chokes but I do switch barrels on the safety to the top barrel for high birds Cheers Edited February 24, 2014 by hedge hunter 1984 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning123 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Cheers lads it's a day i will never forget. I honestly thought a red letter day was 100 pigeons. Well done - an excellent result! What gun and chokings were you using?[/quote Cheers. The gun is a bettinsoli diamond and I'm not to sure choke wise there the chokes that came in the gun the top barrel has 2 marks on it and the bottom has 4 marks on it I'm not one for keep changing chokes but I do switch barrels on the safety to the top barrel for high birds Cheers Bottom barrel choke is 1/4, top is 3/4. Edited February 24, 2014 by browning123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 And just in case you are still not sure about your achievement I am willing to bet that no one on PW has shot more flighting and roosting to their own gun in a very long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 A great bag . A red letter day is one that exceeds your expectations if you ask me , if you go thinking you will get 20 and manage 50 thats got to be a red letter day , likewise if you go expecting to shoot 200 and you only get 50 then it is not. Also to shoot that many flighting / roosting is exceptional so well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 And just in case you are still not sure about your achievement I am willing to bet that no one on PW has shot more flighting and roosting to their own gun in a very long time. Really? I must admit that the highest bag I have had before that was 89 around 6years ago but back then in February everyone was getting on average 50 birds each Saturday. The 1st Saturday in feb this year a bloke in awood a mile away from where I shoot shot over 400 but they started 1st light till dark. Sometimes when the wind is blowing in the right direction I can hear them shooting away all day but I only leave the wood with 10/15 and don't see many I find that strange being so close to them the birds never seem to travel my way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 A great bag . A red letter day is one that exceeds your expectations if you ask me , if you go thinking you will get 20 and manage 50 thats got to be a red letter day , likewise if you go expecting to shoot 200 and you only get 50 then it is not. Also to shoot that many flighting / roosting is exceptional so well done. Looks like you learn something new every day. As you will of read in my post I only took 3 and a half boxes of cartridges and thought I would be lucky to shoot a box after the week before me and royboy off here only shot 15 in the same wood. It really was one of those days where everything goes well I'm not sure about if you have ever had a day when what ever you shoot at you seem to kill. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Very good going HH. We in't gort all the bads, they're in Lancs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Looks like you learn something new every day. As you will of read in my post I only took 3 and a half boxes of cartridges and thought I would be lucky to shoot a box after the week before me and royboy off here only shot 15 in the same wood. It really was one of those days where everything goes well I'm not sure about if you have ever had a day when what ever you shoot at you seem to kill. Thanks I have been fortunate to have a day or two like that over the 30 odd years I have been pigeon shooting I have had bags of up to 220 decoying but have not come close to shooting as many as you just have flighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon6ppc Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 thats a top bag for roost shooting if you ask me,top shooting pal,it is brill when a plan comes together,..simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I have been fortunate to have a day or two like that over the 30 odd years I have been pigeon shooting I have had bags of up to 220 decoying but have not come close to shooting as many as you just have flighting. That is a outstanding days decoying well done.I haven't got over 50 decoying there just doesn't seem to be the numbers like that in summer. where I shoot is mainly lettuce that I decoy over. thats a top bag for roost shooting if you ask me,top shooting pal,it is brill when a plan comes together,..simon Thanks I've got to admit simon it wasn't what I had planned for but I'm not complaining haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caeser Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Mega day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Ollie your inbox appears to be full. have pm for you. Baz No bother mate I'll delete a couple of messages now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I would pay a right couple of quid to get a bag like that, I would also nesd some more practice if I was to shoot that amount of birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Good write up and very honest, as I'm sure some members would have said they reached 100. I have never had 100, one day I reached 90 and had to leave, I was gutted.ThanksI know the amount I shot was a good day and when we go out it's not all about the size of the bag but on Saturday I was totally gutted not to make 100 pigeons so I know how you felt. But now looking back at the day it really was my best day iv had for more reasons than just the size of the bag. Makes all them days where iv been out for 5 hours or more and come out of the wood not even fired the gun Edited February 24, 2014 by hedge hunter 1984 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter 1984 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I would pay a right couple of quid to get a bag like that, I would also nesd some more practice if I was to shoot that amount of birds That's what makes pigeon shooting to me the best sport you just never know. If you wanted to shoot 20 pheasants you could pay the money and go shoot them. On Saturday I did not expect to shoot 20 let alone the amount I did but in the past I've had the keeper ring me and say there's 1000s about but leave the wood with 5 so goes to show how unpredictable pigeon shooting. All I can say is stick at it and your time will come strangford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 That's what makes pigeon shooting to me the best sport you just never know. If you wanted to shoot 20 pheasants you could pay the money and go shoot them. On Saturday I did not expect to shoot 20 let alone the amount I did but in the past I've had the keeper ring me and say there's 1000s about but leave the wood with 5 so goes to show how unpredictable pigeon shooting. All I can say is stick at it and your time will come strangford I agree. I've gone out expecting to shoot over 100 and done exactly that. The best day I had numbers wise, I only expected to kill maybe 30 or 40. We ended up shooting 340. This is a fantastic sport and you never quite know how things will turn out. You've learned a lesson, too. Always take far more cartridges than you expect to use. I normally take 500 just to make fairly sure I have enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.