Wilts#Dave Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) Hi guys. Not posted on here for a good few months now but finally back with something to write about at last! I'd written my first couple of reports back in march/april time when pickings were really slim on the drillings, and unfortunately following an eye operation in April I was unable to shoot for the following 2 months which was bloody frustrating to say the least. Anyway, a temporary pair of 'special glasses' later I gave clay shooting a go and was pleasantly surprised to be busting them pretty much as I used to so all that was needed were some pigeons to shoot at again for the acid test!! The first opportunity was gained over some flattened barley with dads 20 bore which we always use on that crop, killing them closer than we normally would so as to give us the best chance of picking the birds. 37 was the result, with another field less than a mile from home a couple of weeks later yielding 61.....confidence back, I'm now firmly back in the saddle and thinking about the next opportunity as usual and the thought of stubble and the 12 bore again (having free reign to shoot at more birds) The barley where I shot the 37 was cut last weekend, and a chance to get on the field on the monday afternoon left me feeling hopeful that we'd be knocking up a decent bag. Sadly things didn't go quite according to plan, with the baler in the next field when we arrived and subsequently tractors and trailers turning up to follow behind him picking up the bales! Despite that, they'd told us we had a good few hours before they'd be in our field so we stuck it out and ended up with 27 and some cracking long shots to get even more confidence back....the flight simply dried up due to the machinery all around but was just nice to be out on some stubble again! This brings me on to yesterday with another hurried morning at work so I could get back and head out with Dad and the gun again in the afternoon, this time on rape stubble for the first time this year. Dad had seen the two fields cut on the Tuesday and a following visit on the Wednesday saw some traffic using the field (but only in the distance on the next field over). Anyway that was enough for us to decide to load the kit up and make it our first port of call yesterday afternoon hoping no one had got in there first! WOW....finally what I was waiting for, turned into the gateway and it was immediately obvious the pigeons were there in good numbers and after watching for quarter of an hour there was a good flight emerging so a quick phone call later and Dad could give the thumbs up. Picking a spot just inside the second field over where the bulk of the birds seemed to be favouring, annoyingly the wind direction wasn't in our favour for wind our back so we ended up picking a spot with the wind coming across the right hand side of the hide. With no dead birds defrosted the trusty hypaflaps were loaded onto the magnet and 5 flock coated shells out, Dad did the usual drive round to put the birds up before parking up.....was shocked to see how many birds were on the fields undisturbed by us in the first place, and I brought down 4 pigeons in quick succession before he'd even got back! The hypaflaps swapped for birds and following another couple the decoys replaced with dead birds on cradles I was hoping to get the birds coming in better. Frustratingly though the birds just weren't keen to commit, despite several attempts at pattern alterations etc but plenty of flighting shots were there so made the best of it and pulled down some belters!! As the afternoon wore on and 3.30 passed more birds started to decoy and the bag started to grow, with the last hour (5.30-6.30) bringing 25-30 birds down in a final flurry. In my opinion, with the amount of birds in the air, the bag would have been significantly higher had the wind been different and the birds decoyed better early on but even so I was over the moon with the shooting I had with the sporting shots and was so relieved when I counted that 100th bird into the sack, finishing up with 106 thus giving us our first tonne of the year It's been a really lean year in terms of numbers round here but fingers crossed there's a few more days like this to come over the next month or two. I can't finish off without thanks to Dad once again, as in all fairness I really am so lucky to have my own 'guide/spotter', we make a great team! Thanks for reading!! Edited July 20, 2014 by Wilts#Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 welcome back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Great read with some good bags, keep it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuy Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Great report ! And well done for the red letter day, I am out tomorrow on rape stubble should be a good day if tbey turn up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thanks for the replies already, and Stuy.....fingers crossed for you tomorrow let us know how you get on, the sun comes back out!! I might even get out again tomorrow too all being well, can't beat stubble when it comes to pigeon shooting...makes a change not having to lug gear for miles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Nice write up and pictures Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 It's good that you are out and about again. You are fortunate indeed to have such an efficient spotter and guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezi bez Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Good write up m8 and glad your back flying by the seat of your pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul taylor Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Great write up that Dave. Sounds like you had a great day too. Good luck to you and your dad for the rest of the yr. atb P.T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Great report and result, you and your Father have put the miles in for the intel, this has given you the edge and the result. I'm glad that the eye concern has been sorted and you have proved that it has worked , again well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Good read, just proves you have to put the work in, good days rarely just happen. 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.