Penelope Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 A nice little write up IG. Looks good from the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Despite the prediction of unseasonally warm temperatures yet again, I am going to nip out for a flight in the morning. Try and make up for last weekends disaster flight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Hope you get on ok. Once you get a dog that works and retrieves (hopefully frank will be doing that in a season or two) you will double the chance of finding lost birds if your out with another gun like you was last week. Two dogs are better than one. Stuart was disappointed that the bear couldn't find your duck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 (edited) South 7 occasionally gale 8 rain or showers. We have about 3 acres of oats laid and trampled by a resident flock of 200 greylag and it was there that i took my 5 decoys, miniature lab, 10g, and a dozen 46g home-loaded lead carts which I hoped suitable for decoying. I managed to set up at dawn and got down behind a dune with the wind in my face and the deeks about 50m out on the edge of the oats, heavy showers blowing in on the wind, the dogs backside sticking out of a mound of sand that he was hoping would produce a rabbit, I could hear geese talking out at the edge of the estuary perhaps 1/2 mile away, After 10 minutes they began to move making more noise, then lifted with the talking reaching crescendo. A group of about 6 peeled off in my direction and went directly over head within range but travelling very fast with the wind behind them, I left them thinking more would follow and they turned into the wind and presented me with an easy shot which I took, folding one and completely missing another. After another 10 minutes with plenty of geese in the air but none within range another 6 headed towards me in range, being sporting I took the opportunity to miss them metres behind and they carried on unharmed, another lesson learned gale force 8 = very fast goose. However i had reached 1/2 of my bag limit and with all things quiet I went home for some porridge May I ask what the make of 10g is that you are using ? Edited November 1, 2014 by edenman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 South 7 occasionally gale 8 rain or showers. We have about 3 acres of oats laid and trampled by a resident flock of 200 greylag and it was there that i took my 5 decoys, miniature lab, 10g, and a dozen 46g home-loaded lead carts which I hoped suitable for decoying. I managed to set up at dawn and got down behind a dune with the wind in my face and the deeks about 50m out on the edge of the oats, heavy showers blowing in on the wind, the dogs backside sticking out of a mound of sand that he was hoping would produce a rabbit, I could hear geese talking out at the edge of the estuary perhaps 1/2 mile away, After 10 minutes they began to move making more noise, then lifted with the talking reaching crescendo. A group of about 6 peeled off in my direction and went directly over head within range but travelling very fast with the wind behind them, I left them thinking more would follow and they turned into the wind and presented me with an easy shot which I took, folding one and completely missing another. After another 10 minutes with plenty of geese in the air but none within range another 6 headed towards me in range, being sporting I took the opportunity to miss them metres behind and they carried on unharmed, another lesson learned gale force 8 = very fast goose. However i had reached 1/2 of my bag limit and with all things quiet I went home for some porridge May I ask what the make of 10g is that you are using ? of course mate its a Ugartechea light for a ten at 9 1/4 lb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Thanks it's very clean and in good condition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandladdie Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 (edited) (Y) Edited November 1, 2014 by Highlandladdie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Hope you get on ok. Once you get a dog that works and retrieves (hopefully frank will be doing that in a season or two) you will double the chance of finding lost birds if your out with another gun like you was last week. Two dogs are better than one. Stuart was disappointed that the bear couldn't find your duck Now if that was Dales dog you would be up for a solicitors letter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 South 7 occasionally gale 8 rain or showers. We have about 3 acres of oats laid and trampled by a resident flock of 200 greylag and it was there that i took my 5 decoys, miniature lab, 10g, and a dozen 46g home-loaded lead carts which I hoped suitable for decoying. I managed to set up at dawn and got down behind a dune with the wind in my face and the deeks about 50m out on the edge of the oats, heavy showers blowing in on the wind, the dogs backside sticking out of a mound of sand that he was hoping would produce a rabbit, I could hear geese talking out at the edge of the estuary perhaps 1/2 mile away, After 10 minutes they began to move making more noise, then lifted with the talking reaching crescendo. A group of about 6 peeled off in my direction and went directly over head within range but travelling very fast with the wind behind them, I left them thinking more would follow and they turned into the wind and presented me with an easy shot which I took, folding one and completely missing another. After another 10 minutes with plenty of geese in the air but none within range another 6 headed towards me in range, being sporting I took the opportunity to miss them metres behind and they carried on unharmed, another lesson learned gale force 8 = very fast goose. However i had reached 1/2 of my bag limit and with all things quiet I went home for some porridge. That miniature lab looks like the brother to mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 That miniature lab looks like the brother to mine ping pong.jpg Isnt yours a miniature flat coated retriever, does he mark winged birds ? mine pricks up his ears to geese before I hear them, and looks at me sideways when i miss thats most of the time then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted November 2, 2014 Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 Isnt yours a miniature flat coated retriever, does he mark winged birds ? mine pricks up his ears to geese before I hear them, and looks at me sideways when i miss thats most of the time then SHE marks and finds winged/dead birds and plucks them if you are not quick enough to take it off her, but she struggled pulling the feathers out of a Canada the other week. funnily she hears duck before I hear/see them and yes I suppose she could be a MFCR, she has been called a lot worse that that but does not take offence as long as she gets a sausage off ayano3's plate after a flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 Don't forget to mention the bomb craters Ping Pong leaves in the sea defences. She could share my breakfast if you ever show your face here again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 Don't forget to mention the bomb craters Ping Pong leaves in the sea defences. She could share my breakfast if you ever show your face here again. We won't see him untill next season, he has got his duck for this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK fowler Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 Mat how have you got on with your hand loading ? did you pattern the two 10g shells I gave you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 Mat how have you got on with your hand loading ? did you pattern the two 10g shells I gave you No i have not patterned them yet, they still sit in the dash of the defender. Been struggling to find time to go fowling! Loaded up some 3 1/2" 12 BBB loads the other day which came out quite nice but not done anything with the 10. Not even fired it yet this season, maybe next weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK fowler Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 No i have not patterned them yet, they still sit in the dash of the defender. Been struggling to find time to go fowling! Loaded up some 3 1/2" 12 BBB loads the other day which came out quite nice but not done anything with the 10. Not even fired it yet this season, maybe next weekend!all work and no play :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 all work and no play :-( Plenty of time for fowling yet, season has barely started! I'll dust off the 10 and take it for a flight this weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 We won't see him untill next season, he has got his duck for this year! Don't forget to mention the bomb craters Ping Pong leaves in the sea defences. She could share my breakfast if you ever show your face here again. Well I have planned to go out on one of the slwc northern marshes this Thursday pm and stay over night with the bride in a hotel nr Skegg but if she lets me down I will def take you up on your offer this week, in fact I have nothing on (yet) for next week so if I dont see you this week it will be next week. I can just imagine pingpong licking you face after your breakfast. I will pm you when I know. Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 (edited) I had not intended to do a flight this morning , but with the windows rattling all night and keeping me awake I decided to go. I was in no hurry to arrive as the tide was going to be a big one and not until half an hour after dawn , plus it was raining hard. There was no point in walking out across the marsh only to be forced back by the rising tide. The heavy cloud held back the dawn and it was not full light until well after the top of the tide. Needless to say with a heavy decoy bag on my back and my gun was still in its slip three mallard jumped off the bottom of the sea wall giving what would be an easy shot. I had to be careful picking my way out across the flooded marsh, but finally reached the big creek. As it was by now quite light I only put out one string of decoys and set up the hide. Hardly had I got the hide up than I looked over the decoys and there was a single mallard sitting inn them. It gave a simple shot as it jumped. But that was all for the next hour until a pair of teal caught me by surprise, flashing over head. There was only time for one shot, but my aim was good and it fell 40 yards off on the marsh. Hardly had the dog retrieved it than a bunch of ten skimmed over the decoys. My first shot missed, but the second cut out a nice little drake, the first I have shot in full plumage this year. The dog had a long swim as it drifted well out across the creek with the wind and tide pushing it out to sea. A few mallard followed, but the only bunch that offered a chance did not like my hide and backed off on the very edge of range so I left them. It seemed ages before I saw any more duck. Though there were stacks of brent many of which pitched into the decoys. But just as the lower mud started to uncover four teal buzzed the decoys and were away before I could take a shot. Shortly after a single hen wigeon came in on set wings. My first shot missed , but the second hit it hard. I thought it was going to drop , but it recovered , cleared the far side of the creek and them 250 yards out over the far marsh slanted down. It was too far to send the dog as she was unsighted. It was going to be nearly impossible to get Meg out that far and the wind would be blowing any scent away from us. Bu now it was nearly 9 0;clock and I was thinking of packing up when three wigeon appeared well out across the marsh. They caught sight of the decoys and came in on set wings. I should have had all three really, a drake fell to the first shot I missed with the second, but cleanly killed a hen at extreme range. With the wind and tide Meg had a long swim for the drake and by the time she had returned the hen was a long, long way down the creek that was about 100 yards wide. However I knew that a south wind would push it against the far bank and would be easy to pick later when the tide dropped. I waited for a further hour , but saw no more duck until packing up when a couple of small packs of wigeon and teal came down the creek. Typical had I waited a little longer I would have had several more chances. The tide had dropped enough to cross a smaller side creek so we set off to retrieve the last wigeon. I sent Meg over the channel for the last wigeon and more in hope than expectation back for the long dropper. She cast out across the marsh and flushed a duck that could just fly. She chased it a long , long way out across the marsh to a further creek it pitched into. I started to get a bit worried when for 20 minuets I lost contact with her. She was so far away that I doubt she could hear my recall whistle in the wind and rain. I could only mark her progress by the odd bunch of brent lifting off the marsh. Finally to my relief she reappeared several hundred yards off. I gave her a whistle and she started to come back only to stop and disappear into a creek bottom out of sight. To say the least I cursed her, But then she appeared on the top of the marsh with a dead wigeon in her mouth. It had fresh blood on its flanks so this was my lost bird and the wigeon she had chased must have been a pricked bird lost by someone else. Well with 6 duck in the bag it had been well worth braving the wild weather. Edited November 7, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 A excellent read again , I always look forward to reading of your outings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 As above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 Well done with the gun and the keyboard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted November 8, 2014 Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 i must say that you missed your vocation in life... your accounts are always a good read. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBoar Posted November 8, 2014 Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 (edited) First ever bird on the foreshore this morning & first ever pink. Watched Hundreds lift off the estuary to head off in the opposite direction. Was sitting having a last ciggy and the dregs of coffee, doubting my foreshore skills. Seen a lone bird coming straight at me sending coffee and fag ash flying everywhere. 1 for 1 quartering Neck/Head shot and elation, with a bit of sadness. Edited November 8, 2014 by BlackBoar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandladdie Posted November 8, 2014 Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 elation, with a bit of sadness. Always feel like that myself too. Well done on your pink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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