Quarrybrae syndicate shoot

[Nmb]

Hello everyone.

Since joining I have enjoyed reading members shoot day reports, so I thought I'd type up a little report on our syndicate shoot days.

 

The shoot in question is located near Banchory in Aberdeenshire. We lease 1500 acres of ground which consists of wood plantation,marsh and barley stubble parks. We have a syndicate of 26 members (hale and full guns) and we all try and do as much as possible.

This season we released 800 pheasant, 350 red leg partridge and 75 mallard poults and have so far had 2 partridge/duck days and 3 pheasant days.

Our last shoot day was on the 22/11/14 and after spending the Friday before hand dogging in I was confident we would have a good day.

 

First drive would be Kilduthie and I would be beating. This is a narrow wood sandwiched between two large willow plantations. We blank in one of the plantations before taking the wood down to the guns. Usually this is a good drive however we had endured horrendous rain overnight and unfortunately the birds had disappeared from the drive which tends to flood unfortunately. A handful of pheasants were flushed and provided shooting, two were shot so on to the next drive.

 

Second drive would be Tall trees. This is an old plantation and is favoured by the birds during cold weather, I had seen plenty here the day before so was feeling confident.

I was peg 6 which is directly in front of the wood and it wasn't long before birds were flying over all the guns. I had plenty of shooting and managed to shoot 6 pheasants out of a total of 24 from the drive. Excellent!

 

After elevenses it was on to matts strip and after not providing much sport for the guns on the first drive I was hoping they would get more shooting here.

This is another narrow wet wood with a strip of willows and gamecrop at its side. Considering how wet the wood was a good number of birds were flushed and 6 pheasants and a woodcock were added to the cart.

[Nmb]

The last drive before lunch would be the container wood.(our food store providing name)

I was peg 8 and out on the flank as a walking gun. This is one of the best drives and usually provides a good amount of birds, however there was very few present today. I had about 15 red legs zoom low behind me and despite having a go at them I failed to connect after 8 shots! My dad was next to me at number 7 and he also failed to fold one! 2 pheasants and a partridge were shot by my fellow guns.

A short walk up the track to the bothy for lunch was next and after witnessing the poor performance of the shoot captain and team captain there was a lot of jokes cracked at my dad and my expense!

 

Next drive was the ruinwood which is historically the best drive on the shoot. It is located near the big pheasant pen and tall trees and has a big partrdige pen situated in the grassy strip which runs down the side of the wood.

As I stood with the beaters at the top of the hill I watched the guns loudly getting into position. They seemed to be taking there time and as number 8 scrambled over a dike I watched in horror as 30-40 partridge raised and glided over my head and over to the big pen.

Despite this there was a decent show of birds and another 6 pheasant 1. Partridge were added.

 

Our last drive was the big pen drive. This has really started working well and I feel this is going to replace the ruinwood as the most productive drive. The big pen is a plantation which we put netting wire around and made into a huge pheasant pen. It runs alongside another plantation( opposite pen) which is much longer. We split the beaters In two between the plantations and once the pen has been done the beaters meet and take the end of the opposite pen out to the guns.

There was lots of birds and I shot 3 pheasants out of the 15 shot here.

 

Another good day had come to an end and after totalling up the bag we had shot.

55 pheasants

2 red leg partridge

1 woodcock

As and added bonus my girlfriend won the sweep which payed for a lovely Chinese takeaway which was had in the bothy afterwards.

 

Our next shoot is this Saturday so will write up a report on Sunday.

Cheers

Nick

[Konnie]

sounds like a good day, well done great write up.

[Maddaftspaniel]

Good report. I know that part of the world too. I used to work for Grampian Country Food Group in Aberdeenshire

[Nmb]

sounds like a good day, well done great write up.

Cheers, we don't get huge bags but everyone enjoys there day.

Good report. I know that part of the world too. I used to work for Grampian Country Food Group in Aberdeenshire

Ahh cool, it's pretty good shooting/fishing country round here. Just hope we get a fee more hard frosts and some snow to pull the birds back in!

Nick

[ollie]

Good write up, cheers.

[rimfire4969]

Sounds like a great shoot, by the sounds of it it's walk one stand one.

[Nmb]

Good write up, cheers.

Thanks.

Sounds like a great shoot, by the sounds of it it's walk one stand one.

Cheers, yeah we run it as a walk one stand one format. Not only does this save on beater costs but 99% of us enjoy working our dogs and seeing all aspects of a shoot day, not just pulling the trigger. Edited December 4, 2014 by Nmb

[rimfire4969]

 

Thanks.

Cheers, yeah we run it as a walk one stand one format. Not only does this save on beater costs but 99% of us enjoy working our dogs and seeing all aspects of a shoot day, not just pulling the trigger.

Exactly right. I could not have put it better myself.

[magman]

Well done on the day look forward to your next installment

[v-max]

Hi sounds good hope you don't mind me asking who dose your fox work ? Do you have dens do you need terrier work or lamping done ?

[Nmb]

Well done on the day look forward to your next installment

Thanks, I have my car packed and the drives planned and can't wait! Let's hope the birds are where we want them!

Hi sounds good hope you don't mind me asking who dose your fox work ? Do you have dens do you need terrier work or lamping done ?

The estate keeper does a lot of the lamping and I try and go out at least once a week but we struggle for terriers. Plenty of foxes around here!

Exactly right. I could not have put it better myself.

Cheers

[v-max]

Hi I know the area quite well & know you have plenty foxes etc. this the reason I asked as I am now in the area 20-30 minutes from you & looking for den work etc for terriers if you want dens doing please look me up. I am a keeper & have plenty experience of shooting & conservation etc just need work for the wee dogs.

[Nmb]

Hi I know the area quite well & know you have plenty foxes etc. this the reason I asked as I am now in the area 20-30 minutes from you & looking for den work etc for terriers if you want dens doing please look me up. I am a keeper & have plenty experience of shooting & conservation etc just need work for the wee dogs.

Cool we have often struggled to find guys with terriers so will definitely give you a shout when the time comes. We also run a wee shoot at St Cyrus near Montrose which again is moving with foxes!

[Nmb]

Well that's me home and awaiting delivery of a Indian takeaway.

The day went reasonably well but I was a little disappointed in the total bag.

There was a decent frost last night so after everyone had met at the old bothy for a 9 am sharp start we were glad to get moving and generate some heat.

First drive would be the container wood and I would be beating. As we walked the stubble parks to get to the back of the drive 35-40 partridge rose and landed right at the back of the wood! This was a bonus as they could easily have flown in the opposite direction. We flushed 4 mallard off the pond and despite a smattering of shots none were taken down. After that there was just the odd pheasant here and there. The partridges broke out low and to the side which was a shame but for the 14 shots fired by the end I was surprised to just see 1 hen pheasant in the cart!

 

Next up was matts strip for my team and I was confident we would get some decent shooting here.

I was peg number 7 and in a pretty decent position in front of the partridge pen and behind and slightly to the right of the pheasant pen. Quite a few birds were flushed however yet again a good 8-10 covey of partridge went out wide. I had a cock bird straight over my head which I folded with my second barrel and then a lovely high hen which again succumbed to the the second shot. In the end we had 16 shots for 4 pheasants and 2 partridge.

 

3rd drive was tall trees and after shooting 24 here last time the guns were feeling confident. I however had a suspicion that the birds wouldn't be here and I was proved right as very few birds were flushed. 8 shots were fired but nothing was hit.

 

The last drive before lunch would be Kilduthie, I was peg 1. The beaters went through the willows first and flushed 9 pheasants however only 1 was felled. After this the main wood was taken and another 5 or so pheasants were flushed. In total 12 shots were fired for another pair of pheasants. I didn't get a shot here.

 

After lunch it was decided we would shoot the ruinwood in the hope the flushed birds would head back to the Big pen which we would shoot last. Yet again the partridge flushed in large numbers out the side and back, however a few did come forward and I missed one sitter which took me completely by surprise. There was some cracking shots here and finally we were seeing decent number of birds over the end guns. A total of 27 shots were fired and 6 pheasants and 2 partridge were picked.

 

Last official drive was the Big pen. This is my favourite drive on the shoot and I was hopeful we could give the guns a decent drive.

There was a reasonable amount of birds but like much of the day it never really got going and there was just occasional shots being fired. 31 shots were had for 6 pheasants. After this we decided to shoot the pigeon roosting wood Glashmore. I however would hunt a ditch as I fancied I might see a partridge or two there. Nobody else fancied the long walk so I headed off on my own with dog. Truth be told I quite like to just work her on my own. As I walked the ditch I heard a barrage of fire in the distance which meant the pigeons were at home. As I guessed the amount they would shoot I noticed a cock pheasant flush, one shot and he was down. Isla my springer retrieved it and I continued. After this I must have flushed 20-25 partridge in small coveys. I had 4 shots but only managed to get one down! Partridge are really making a fool of me this season.

 

As I reached the bothy and lit the stove the pigeon conservationists returned and told me they hadn't shot a single pigeon for the 42 shots fired!

Ross decided to try and get a shot at the ducks returning to the pond and managed to get a mallard drake.

 

Overall I was disappointed with the bag. Traditionally we have 4 good shoots and then struggle for the last 4 however there was a distinct lack of birds today which I hope was just down to them being in other drives. Next shoot is a woodcock/snipe day in the moss on Wednesday so fingers crossed we get a few.

 

Total bag

20 pheasants

5 partridge

1 duck

[v-max]

Cool we have often struggled to find guys with terriers so will definitely give you a shout when the time comes. We also run a wee shoot at St Cyrus near Montrose which again is moving with foxes!

Hi I will pm you my number I know st Cyrus very well I'm from Montrose & used to fish off tangnlha for give spelling on that. It's a small world I bet know you or some of your syndicated members then. I am your man I have a good friend who is a fair lad in the terrier side of things so basically you won't see better terriers for work wise cheers.

[Nmb]

Hello everyone.

Today was our first ever attempt at a woodcock/snipe day on our 350 acre moss that sits in the middle of our pheasant shoot near Banchory.

The weather forecast was awful but being a hardy bunch five of us met at the bothy for a 10 o'clock start. With the two woodburning stoves roaring it was hard to get motivated to face the howling wind and swirling snow.

First destination was the duck pond in the hope we might bag a teal or two. Unfortunately there was nothing present so we continued walking towards the big pheasant pen before swinging off towards the tall trees and ultimately the red moss. I took a puff of feathers out of a wood pigeon that continued to fly on. I hoped that this wouldn't be my only shot of the day.

The first area we lined out in was a large section of reeds that runs along our boundary. Nothing was showing apart from a fox running across the boundary ditch just out of range.

After roughly 20 mins of walking and nothing in the bag I was starting to worry we were going to have a blank day. We reached the edge of the moss and I started explaining to the guys how I wanted to take the moss. Charlie was to take the flank and he hadn't walked 50 yards into the moss when one of his two labs flushed a woodcock, unfortunately he missed with both barrels however at least we had seen one!

Once we were lined out we started moving on and as I walked underneath an imposing scots pine I heard the rustling of a bird flying through the lower branches. I shut the gun and raised it before realising I was looking at a beautiful barn owl! I lowered and opened my gun and laughed at the my springer as she looked at me wondering why i hadn't fired.

As we walked on Stewart flushed a woodcock which he missed before Isla flushed one which I shot with the second barrel. After this there was woodcock every couple of minutes however we were shooting terribly. As we reached the end if the first section we had fired 18 shots for just the single woodcock.

The second part was as good as the first and we were getting more accurate as two woodcock then a snipe fell. One woodcock to Stewart and the others to Ross. I hadn't much luck here but I was enjoying watching these stunning birds putting our group of friends to shame! I watched as Harrie missed a snipe and then Ross another. As I watched it going skywards I noticed it turned around and was rocketing higher and higher towards me at the end of the line. It was at least 60 yards high and as I swung through and fired I couldn't believe it as it crumpled and fell! I can honestly say that if I don't hit another bird this season I won't care!

After this we decided to have lunch and try another area afterwards and if we had enough time finish off the last but of moss.

This wasn't a great call for woodcock as we only seen a handful of pheasants and 9 or so partridge all of which were missed. And as a second large snow shower started we decided to call it a day and head back to the bothy for a cuppa!

It had been a fantastic day and everyone had plenty of shooting. I was pleased at the respect given to our quarry by my fellow guns. I hate seeing guns whacking these birds down who don't even know what they are shooting at and do so only after the shout from fellow guns.

We had fired 49 shots for a bag of 3 woodcock and 2 snipe.

Our bag minus one of the snipe

 

Next shoot is on Saturday at our ground near Montrose so will type up a report.

Cheers

Nick

Edited December 10, 2014 by Nmb

[ollie]

Good write up and sounded like you had a good day.

[Nmb]

Was out feeding today and seen quite a few pheasants and partridges in the drives. Had started feeding a half clear felled boundary wood called Glashmore about a month ago. Was delighted to see 8 pheasants around the feeders there today so hopefully will get a few on Saturday.

I will try and take some pictures of the drives to post up with my report on Saturday.

Cheers

Nick

[Nmb]

Just a quick update.

Had a decent season however last few days were quiet.

Ended up with 26% return in pheasants, 22% on partridge and 46% on ducks.

AGM has come and gone as have some of the older members who unfortunately have had to leave due to ill health. Luckily we have a few guys who enjoyed the odd day with us and are happy to join.

We plan on putting down 1200 pheasant, 250 partridge and 125 duck this year so will have a new pheasant pen and duck pond to create.

I am planning on updating on lamping outings and pest control on here starting with today's crow decaying trip.

Nick

Edited March 17, 2015 by Nmb

[Nmb]

Well since the season has finished our attention has turned to reducing the corvid population and also the fox numbers.

With this in mind I decided to head out with the crow decoys today as it was my day off work.

I'm very new to this game (first ever go at crow decoying) so had no idea what to expect. I set up in the grass park near the Containerwood. I had not seen crows in this park however there was a fair number flying past.

I put out 12 flocked full body crows and a flapper with a crow I shot in Saturday. I then put up a pop up hide and assembled a swivel seat (cheers tom)!

Had a pretty good morning and managed to get 21 crows for 27 cartridges. Will try and do more research to improve my skills as quite a few crows veered away from the pattern.

Here is a video of a left and right I got, the second bird flew on a fair bit before folding stone dead.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/nickltz400/Mobile%20Uploads/th_trim.72A6D058-8EC6-485E-89DF-78245F72E8AF_zpsi84l4skw.mp4

Lamping on Thursday so updates to follow.

Nick

Edited March 17, 2015 by Nmb

[hollidca]

Excellent hit ratio

[Nmb]

Excellent hit ratio

Cheers, think it was more luck as im usually terrible at hitting crows and pigeons!

Edited March 17, 2015 by Nmb

[druimmuir]

Just spotted this topic after googling as we are looking for a new syndicate to join, loved reading the stories, the shoots not changed much since we were a part of the Quarrybrae Syndicate quite a few years ago our first spaniels were mainly trained on that ground, one sadly no longer with us the other 15 yrs old next month, we moved across to Alford area from Banchory the focus back then was also on good craic, dog work and an enjoyable day for all, must let the other half read this, we had some great seasons there and sounds like you are continuing to do so :-) look forward to reading this seasons diary

[Nmb]

Wow long overdue an update!

 

We are just under two weeks away from having our first shoot and the pre shoot preparation is in full swing!

 

This year we have released 1200 pheasants, 250 red legs and 125 ducks. Touchwood things have went well and despite the emergence of pine martens as yet another predator we have had relatively few losses.

The two areas of gamecrop are looking pretty good and hopefully will stop the birds from wandering too far away from the pens. Other changes we have made is to cut rides through a reed filled area of the shoot which seems to be a hit with the birds travelling between the BIg pen and Containerwood.

 

For our Partridge/Duck days we will try and stick to a driven day format. We only have 5 partridge drives (one of which includes the duck pond) so there will be a laid back approach and no worries about daylight slipping away.

Several of the new members have shot partridge so needless to say they are looking forward to getting out with the gun!

 

I'm out tomorow feeding and making a bridge so will take some snaps of the progress so far?

 

Nick