anser2 Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 (edited) October 8th. Norfolk Coast. After three blanks in a row my luck changed tonight. The tide was going to be a good one and the full moon was due right on dusk. During the early season sometimes the pinks can make mistakes on this part of the marsh , but this is very much an early season thing. Once they have been shot at a few times then they return to their old habits and the only chance you will get at them under the moon is in a strong wind . I arrived about six o’clock, plenty of time for an easy walk out across the marsh to my flighting spot . As I was getting togged up the first pinks were starting to go out to roost. Four or five lots came off the farmland and followed the tide edge to their roost a few miles away. With just a light breeze off the land of course they were a mile high. This morning’s tide line told the story of a big tide with the strand line well up the marsh so I would have to be careful, but with a light offshore wind I did not expect the tide to do anything exceptional. There was a small section of saltmarsh a few feet higher than the remainder of the marsh and though the water may just reach my knees I doubted it would be any problem. The light was fading by the time Meg, my lab and I reached our flighting place after a long wade and we did not have long for the first duck to move. Half a dozen mallard passed low just out of range. More followed including a bunch I should have had one out of, but my shot was well behind the one I picked. A dozen more flocks followed them and though I was right in the flight line, all were just to one side or the other. The dog’s ears pricked up at the sound of geese inland and a nice skein 50 strong came sailing over just out of range. A singleton flashed over in the dim light. I should have had a shot really, but I was a bit slow picking it up in the gloom and by the time I had swung onto it was already fading into the darkness of the eastern sky. The tide swirled in around me and soon we were both standing in couple of inches of water. But the tide was almost spent , this was the final push, just covering the whole marsh , but that was it. Again the dog looked up, but this time out to sea. A bunch of black silhouettes appeared calling like mad and heading straight for me. They were a trifle high, but well worth a shot. Picking one bird to my right I fired, seemingly with no result, I fired again and this time it peeled off hitting the water with a huge splash 100 yards off. Meg was off like a shot, but just before she reached the goose it dived. She trod water for some time, but all to no avail. A hundred yards further over the stalks of a shallowly flooded patch of salt marsh showed starkly against the slivered water. More in hope than expectation I urged her on thinking the goose might have made the cover of the stalks. As she reached them there was a splashing of wings a hundred yards further over towards the sea and Meg was off plunging through the foot deep water towards it. For a very long minuet there was silence and I realised she was swimming back, but in the darkness it was impossible to see it she was carrying the bird or not. To my joy as she got closer I could see she had it, and it was a very lively young pink I took off her. We had hardly settled when I heard more pinks coming out over the sea. Six of them lovely and low. Against the faint afterglow of the sunset they showed well and one bird crumpled to my single shot. Again Meg was swimming, but this retrieve was easy. The eastern sky became a little lighter as the moon rose, but just as the geese started to move in earnest dark clouds rolled up hiding the orange orb. More geese were coming, lots more geese. I could hear skeins to the right of me, skeins to the left of me and finally calling right over head. I strained my eyes, but apart from some half seen shadows there was nothing to shoot at until part of a skein crossed a slightly lighter patch of cloud. I had two shots, but both missed, as did the next one. Pinks were pouring over now, but all unseen for me. The dog was beside herself, unable to understand why I was not shooting. I guess her eye sight was a bit sharper than mine. Finally a patch of cloud thinned a little and I could make out a nice low party. A single shot brought one down with a terrific thump behind me. The dog was off again and had the goose back in an instant. More came as the sky lightened and I hit one that slanted down behind. Again the dog was off. While she was gone ten or a dozen easy skeins came right overhead, but I had one goose down and did not want to risk losing others while the dog was hunting it. 20 minuets I heard her splashing in front through the now dropping tide, way out in front. She had swum a huge loop around me . A goose was honking just in front of her unseen in the darkness and soon I lost all sound of the dog’s pursuit. Ten minuets later she appeared swimming back, but this time her mouth was empty. I hate losing geese, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. All the time pinks had been coming in from the roost, but it got lighter as the cloud thinned and the moon rose the geese were now getting higher in the now perfect sky. For a long time nothing was within range until a simple chance came that I some how managed to miss. I hardly reloaded when six more came , highish , but just within range. A single shot dropped it ten yards off. Meg went off again, but unbelievably reappeared out of the darkness without it. I sent her again and walked over to help. She then ran out across the draining marsh, going way out to the far side of the bay. I cursed, I knew there was no way the pink was that far off. After five minuets she came back empty handed. I sent her again into the grass behind me but again she came back with nothing wanting to run out across the marsh again. Another bunch came and again a single shot brought one spinning down into the water. There was no mistake about this goose. I could see it clearly floating on the water 20 yards away as Meg swam out again for the retrieve. We had another search for the lost pink but again we could find nothing. I called her back, I unloaded and we sat down to watch the last geese come in. I had four in the bag, which was quite enough. The cloud finally thinned and first one star and then a glittering band of them shone through. The geese were still coming, but it was hard to tear myself away, but thoughts of a late tea were growing in my mind, it was time to go. Packing the geese away into the game bag I turned to walk back when then, there on the drying marsh behind me five feet away lay a pink foot. This must have been the one I dropped just behind me, Meg had retrieved and put it down it just behind me, probably as more geese were coming without me noticing. Half an hour later I reached the car reflecting that tonight had been one of the best moon flights I have had for a very long time. Edited October 9, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Another great read, I was sat beside you. I eagerly await the book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony G Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Absolutely magical mate Great flight and great read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Fantastic read, sound like Meg earned her keep ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Well worth the short wait for the report on your night to remember , I wonder how many of us would have loved to had been there......I know I would have done.....Well done Anser2 bootiful wright up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widgeon man Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Well done indeed! It's got me chomping at the bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flippermaj Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hi Marsh Man, nice to see a side by side in use, what cartridge do you use for the geese? Cheers Flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 (edited) Saw 0 pinks out on the tide this morning. Very envious, Anser! Edited October 9, 2014 by motty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 as per usual an enjoyable writeup many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Saw 0 pinks out on the tide this morning. Very envious, Anser! Look a big tide when i crossed the bridge going towards hardwick. No moon flight last night, don't think i'll make it tonight either now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 The tide certainly made a bit this morning , I ended getting pushed up to the bottom of the sea wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Saw the grand total of 9 Pinks in one lot just as the Sun was setting Lady Luck was on my side as they was 15 - 20 ft high flying inland and straight over me 3 shots 3 Pinks. Robert sounds a cracking flight you had Well done pleased for you mate just shows us Old Un's can still knock the odd one or two out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hi Marsh Man, nice to see a side by side in use, what cartridge do you use for the geese? Cheers Flipper Hi flipper .....I have got some R C ...36grams .......in 1s and 3s...I normally put a 1 in the left and a 3 in the right , there a bit pokey but they seem to do the job and I do try to stick to a sensible range. Saw the grand total of 9 Pinks in one lot just as the Sun was setting Lady Luck was on my side as they was 15 - 20 ft high flying inland and straight over me 3 shots 3 Pinks. Robert sounds a cracking flight you had Well done pleased for you mate just shows us Old Un's can still knock the odd one or two out Well done Boyd for getting a treble, I must admit I have never done it , but as I only use a s x s it would be quite a feat. You were saying you only saw 9 and motty didn't see any , well tonight I went about a mile from where I got my first one and I don't know weather they had just arrived but there is now 2 to 3000 at least and I did manage to get another one , should have got a pair but I gave the first one two much lead ,had no trouble with the second shot though . First time I have had two Pinks before ive shot a duck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Saw 0 pinks out on the tide this morning. Very envious, Anser! I had an hour under the moon this evening, didnt see any either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Well done again John. It's not my Gun it's my Father's Super Nova which he asked me to try with a extended Choke he has just got. The Pinks are amazing how they quickly come and go. Many times over the years I've seen 50-80 in a afternoon the following morning 10-15 Thousand. I've got a True and amazing story about a ringed Pink I shot. It will shock you but also so just how quick and far Pinks travel in a few hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Please tell Boyd, it'll be an interesting read. Well done again John. It's not my Gun it's my Father's Super Nova which he asked me to try with a extended Choke he has just got.The Pinks are amazing how they quickly come and go. Many times over the years I've seen 50-80 in a afternoon the following morning 10-15 Thousand. I've got a True and amazing story about a ringed Pink I shot. It will shock you but also so just how quick and far Pinks travel in a few hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I was out again last night after some mallard without any luck not far from Wenseday nights flight. The geese were acting very differently to the other night. There were two choppers somewhere inland and quite a bit of shooting a couple of miles to the west over a flight pond . One skien came in from the sea at sunset. Just before moon rise most of the pinks left the inland fields and headed out to the roost. A mate who was walking his dog along the back of the marsh this morning just told me that thousands of pinks came inland at dawn . So It looks as though they did not use the moon last night on my marsh. This is typical of the pinks here , you can not depend on them using the moon , some nights they will , some nights the dont. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Well done again John. It's not my Gun it's my Father's Super Nova which he asked me to try with a extended Choke he has just got. The Pinks are amazing how they quickly come and go. Many times over the years I've seen 50-80 in a afternoon the following morning 10-15 Thousand. I've got a True and amazing story about a ringed Pink I shot. It will shock you but also so just how quick and far Pinks travel in a few hours Boyd ive gotta tell yer that me " Penelope " and most of the others on this site are looking forward to reading about this ringed goose , when your finished plucking your geese, sit down and have a nice cup of tea and relive your story to us junkie wildfowlers ...... PLEASE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad63 Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Hi flipper .....I have got some R C ...36grams .......in 1s and 3s...I normally put a 1 in the left and a 3 in the right , there a bit pokey but they seem to do the job and I do try to stick to a sensible range. Well done Boyd for getting a treble, I must admit I have never done it , but as I only use a s x s it would be quite a feat. You were saying you only saw 9 and motty didn't see any , well tonight I went about a mile from where I got my first one and I don't know weather they had just arrived but there is now 2 to 3000 at least and I did manage to get another one , should have got a pair but I gave the first one two much lead ,had no trouble with the second shot though . First time I have had two Pinks before ive shot a duck. The RC 32g steel is by far the best factory loaded non-tox duck load I've ever used. Those 36g they're now producing should be a cracking goose cartridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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