JDog Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 On a slightly different note, on a shoot in Gloucestershire one December day I drew no.7 in a line of guns numbering seven. On the first drive all of the other guns were in a stubble field to my right and I was the only gun in the next field with a wall separating me and my neighbouring gun who was 30m from that wall. The wood was driven towards me and the early shooting was had by the lower numbered guns. Towards the end of the drive a partridge got up and headed to my left at which stage the gun on my right shot at it. The same happened with the next four pheasants and although he did not connect he was shooting across me and it put me off my stride. Bear in mind that he was 40m to my right and the birds were on my left. My indignation was contained until we were walking together to the next drive when I calmly told him that his etiquette was lacking at which of course he took umbrage. I said nothing else, nor a word to anyone else. On the next drive the situation was reversed and it was possible for me to shoot crossing birds before they got to him. I shot the first partridge which was heading towards him and it fell close to him. Only then did the penny drop and he had the good grace to come up to me at the end of the drive and apologise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 It happens all the time. I shot a grey partridge behind the next gun recently. Don't think he shot anything else all day so he was proud to take the credit an pay the fine. On the same shoot the gun the other side (we move up 3 so have same guns all day) let off both barrels at a cock bird which I quite clearly shot a second or so and at least 20 yards behind him crossing towards me but he claimed it. I let him have the credit but pickers up did say it was my bird so it is noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 On a slightly different tack, I see birds steaming over guns heads when beating, and you can see the guns either side (who may not be getting as many) thinking "if you can't see them, or aren't going to shoot them, can we?" Of course most don't, but some do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Happens on most and all types of shooting but it can also be reversed. I invited my BIL out on a small 50 bird shoot, he really struggled (he's not a good shot when he's on form let alone a bad day) so on the last drive shot 2 birds that he'd missed, denied all knowledge of shooting them told him he must have relaxed a bit and started shooting better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berettacocker Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 If I'm pegged next to a friend and they shoot a seriously high bird, they normally look towards me with a satisfying grin. I then open my gun take a shell out, and put another in, give them the thumbs up, then carry on the drive. That gets them wondering ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 If I'm pegged next to a friend and they shoot a seriously high bird, they normally look towards me with a satisfying grin. I then open my gun take a shell out, and put another in, give them the thumbs up, then carry on the drive. That gets them wondering ! Your a bad man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 If I'm pegged next to a friend and they shoot a seriously high bird, they normally look towards me with a satisfying grin. I then open my gun take a shell out, and put another in, give them the thumbs up, then carry on the drive. That gets them wondering ! Good one, but only if the cartridge you extract has not been fired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) Had a bad day in this regards two weeks ago. Farmers shoot - friends. Invited guests are virtually the same year on year. Most of them I know well, a couple I only meet at this one shoot. One chap who I only meet at this once a year event- lets call him Fred - draws the next peg to mine - on my left. Always seemed a thoroughly nice chap and no problem at all to be with. Not a farmer. No idea how much shooting he does. First drive we stand in long rape facing a stiff wind and I get one high shot with no result. All the shooting is at the other end of the line. Second drive - One of the best on the shoot usually - I am called for by the host along with the farmer standing on my right. Host briefs us to set off straight away, keep quiet, walk along the back of the pegs on the first field, go through the gate and our pegs are in the rape. The extreme right hand gun is coming in with the beaters. We set off and observe the pegs in the first field although we are about 120 yards behind them. We note and comment on the spacing and the extreme right hand peg in the first field. We go through the gate in the hedge that divides the two fields - find our pegs - comment that these three are farther apart than the others and set up shop. Beaters walk in the rape we are standing in, the extreme right hand gun arrives with them and takes up his position. The birds appear. Now I always shoot in ear defenders unless fowling. I can't justify the expense of modern electronics and the ones like earphones get clobbered by the gun butt during mounting - so I use the little tube ones that are slim devices and I have used them for years. I only put them on as the drive starts because you cannot hear conversations very well. Anyway pheasant number one crumples up just to my left followed by number two soon after. Then a pair of partridges come down the hedgerow to my left. I cannot see Fred on my left due the high and thick hedge. I watch the birds over my barrels and wait - nothing happens - when they are slightly behind the line I shoot and get a left and a right. I get a thumbs up from my right hand man. Two singletons follow the same path with the same result - then a pair give me another left and right. (I don't normally shoot like this - I was on a high). Right hand man is applauding my efforts and when the beaters come into view I get a few thumbs up from them too - We all know each other. These six birds were all shot slightly behind the line. A few more singletons end the drive but they all go well to the left hand guns. The whistle goes and I take off my ear defenders and realise Fred is shouting and hollering about something on the other side of the hedge. I go over to see what he wants and it appears that his peg is right by the hedge! I didn't know it was there - we certainly hadn't seen it on the walk out. Anyway I naturally apologised instantly and sincerely. We are still on opposite sides of the hedge. We pick up and I explained the situation to the hosts son and said I would apologise again when we all got together again. This I did as soon as we all gathered at the shoot transport. It was obvious that all other guns new of the incident by now. I went straight up to Fred, offered him my hand and gave him an explanation - as written above and apologised publically and sincerely for my CU. My right hand man collaborated my account saying he had not seen the peg either and that me and Fred were much closer to each other than the guns to the right of the hedge. I thought that was that but no it wasn't. Fred then very publicly accuses me of doing it deliberately and ruining his day. We are only on the second drive and I have dropped six birds! I apologise again adding that I am much to old and experienced to do anything like that deliberately. I also say that for the rest of the day I will not shoot anything to my left unless we are silly distances apart. He went on all day. I heard other guns telling him it was an accident - Just one of those things. My right hand man pointed out to him that all the birds were shot behind the line... Still he went on and on. It was very difficult in a small gun trailer. I attempted to apologise yet again during lunch. On the final drive of the day, with him still going on to the host as we walked out to our pegs, I got very angry. I must admit I dropped a duck and a pheasant right at his feet - I shouldn't have done that but you can only take so much. Dinner at a local pub - Fred didn't appear - The host never mentioned the affair - The other guns complimented me on my days shooting. Right hand man said well if he wont shoot birds in front of the line then what else are you supposed to do? Next year should be interesting if I get an invite... Edited December 3, 2014 by Grandalf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 A beaters day many years ago and I was a standing gun on a ride in a young planation. A pair of woodcock came to my neighbour who dispatched the first and swung onto the second, a millisecond from getting his first left and right it folded up in mid air. The under keeper who was a walking gun killed it, he emerged with a big grin on his face as he knew exactly what he had done and strangely enough he was the only one who found it funny.......Jacked in keepering the season after that and he went building, nobody was sad to see him go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Had a bad day in this regards two weeks ago. Farmers shoot - friends. Invited guests are virtually the same year on year. Most of them I know well, a couple I only meet at this one shoot. One chap who I only meet at this once a year event- lets call him Fred - draws the next peg to mine - on my left. Always seemed a thoroughly nice chap and no problem at all to be with. Not a farmer. No idea how much shooting he does. First drive we stand in long rape facing a stiff wind and I get one high shot with no result. All the shooting is at the other end of the line. Second drive - One of the best on the shoot usually - I am called for by the host along with the farmer standing on my right. Host briefs us to set off straight away, keep quiet, walk along the back of the pegs on the first field, go through the gate and our pegs are in the rape. The extreme right hand gun is coming in with the beaters. We set off and observe the pegs in the first field although we are about 120 yards behind them. We note and comment on the spacing and the extreme right hand peg in the first field. We go through the gate in the hedge that divides the two fields - find our pegs - comment that these three are farther apart than the others and set up shop. Beaters walk in the rape we are standing in, the extreme right hand gun arrives with them and takes up his position. The birds appear. Now I always shoot in ear defenders unless fowling. I can't justify the expense of modern electronics and the ones like earphones get clobbered by the gun butt during mounting - so I use the little tube ones that are slim devices and I have used them for years. I only put them on as the drive starts because you cannot hear conversations very well. Anyway pheasant number one crumples up just to my left followed by number two soon after. Then a pair of partridges come down the hedgerow to my left. I cannot see Fred on my left due the high and thick hedge. I watch the birds over my barrels and wait - nothing happens - when they are slightly behind the line I shoot and get a left and a right. I get a thumbs up from my right hand man. Two singletons follow the same path with the same result - then a pair give me another left and right. (I don't normally shoot like this - I was on a high). Right hand man is applauding my efforts and when the beaters come into view I get a few thumbs up from them too - We all know each other. These six birds were all shot slightly behind the line. A few more singletons end the drive but they all go well to the left hand guns. The whistle goes and I take off my ear defenders and realise Fred is shouting and hollering about something on the other side of the hedge. I go over to see what he wants and it appears that his peg is right by the hedge! I didn't know it was there - we certainly hadn't seen it on the walk out. Anyway I naturally apologised instantly and sincerely. We are still on opposite sides of the hedge. We pick up and I explained the situation to the hosts son and said I would apologise again when we all got together again. This I did as soon as we all gathered at the shoot transport. It was obvious that all other guns new of the incident by now. I went straight up to Fred, offered him my hand and gave him an explanation - as written above and apologised publically and sincerely for my CU. My right hand man collaborated my account saying he had not seen the peg either and that me and Fred were much closer to each other than the guns to the right of the hedge. I thought that was that but no it wasn't. Fred then very publicly accuses me of doing it deliberately and ruining his day. We are only on the second drive and I have dropped six birds! I apologise again adding that I am much to old and experienced to do anything like that deliberately. I also say that for the rest of the day I will not shoot anything to my left unless we are silly distances apart. He went on all day. I heard other guns telling him it was an accident - Just one of those things. My right hand man pointed out to him that all the birds were shot behind the line... Still he went on and on. It was very difficult in a small gun trailer. I attempted to apologise yet again during lunch. On the final drive of the day, with him still going on to the host as we walked out to our pegs, I got very angry. I must admit I dropped a duck and a pheasant right at his feet - I shouldn't have done that but you can only take so much. Dinner at a local pub - Fred didn't appear - The host never mentioned the affair - The other guns complimented me on my days shooting. Right hand man said well if he wont shoot birds in front of the line then what else are you supposed to do? Next year should be interesting if I get an invite... Good post Grandalf. I was once walking gun on our syndicate and asked by the landowner to show his guest where to stand on the last drive of the day so duly pointed out where he should be, which was directly under the place where all the birds broke from the wood, and jokingly told him he'd need a loader as it was a known hot spot. Off he trotted and I awaited for the beaters to start (about 200 yards from him) and then we set off towards him, me in the field to the side but I could see him over the hedge in the distance. First bird to come out of the wood broke high and curled back to me, which I cleanly killed, followed by another to which I did the same before reloading. Another broke out at right angles to me which I killed also, popped in another cartridge and a pair broke out and curled back to me, killed a left and right. So far five birds for as many shots, but I was aware the guest had so far had no shots as no birds had gone his way. With about 100 yards to go he still hadn't had a shot but I'd killed another and missed one. By the time we were 50 yards apart I'd killed another two which had gone nowhere near him, and even as I stood there waiting for the drive to end, another broke out behind me which I also killed. The horn blew and I slipped my gun and walked up to him a bit sheepish and apologised profusely as he had had no shot at all; not one bird anywhere near him. He was all smiles, assured me it wash't an issue and said he'd enjoyed watching me shoot. A proper gent. Last weekend he was with us again, and on the next peg to me. He shot three birds for three shots while I had no birds over me. The only one which came my way wasn't shot at by me because I'd shown my gun to another gun during lunch and he'd left the safety on while playing about with it (no auto safety on my guns so never gave it a thought) and so when I swung through the only bird which came over me and pulled the trigger nothing happened. The guest shot it though after it had passed over me. Swings and roundabouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Had the opposite the other day, went out for a couple of hours pigeon shooting with a mate, sat in the hide with one or two birds coming over. We both lifted our guns to the same bird, both saw that the other was going for the same bird and stopped this happened about 3 times. on the forth time we both fired and both hit it, end result 3 lucky pigeons one that put on its own wieght in lead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morningflight Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Scottish side of the Solway many years ago on Lady Hall, shot a Pink stone dead in the air, dropped 40 yards behind and to my right, 2 lads in the next holes springer ran out and retrieved it to them, after the flight I went over for my goose only to be told what goose that's ours, I said well if your that desperate for a goose keep it and walked off. Cannot see the satisfaction of claiming something you haven't shot, its hardly going to go in the shooting diary as a great shot is it. Eddie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arjimlad Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Grandalf that was a good read. I think it was the height of bad manners to your mutual host and the rest of the team to moan on and on like that for the whole day even if the other gun felt aggrieved, especially after your apology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Good post Gandalf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 A member of our syndicate is a notoriously greedy shot and will always claim to have shot more than anyone else on a day. He is always sending the pickers up on wild goose chases to find birds that he hit hard but they flew on when he has actually missed them cleanly. About 10 years ago I was pegged next to him on a driven day when a high cock came over between us and I nailed it with my first shot . he fired a millisecond later but I knew I had killed it . It dropped through the windscreen of a pickerups L200 and I did not hesitate in confirming that he had shot it by congratulating him! The pickerup was a lady of dubious character whose knickname was "the Rottweiler" and she had an excess of £150 on her insurance which she insisted he stump up! I never said a word! We were back there at the cock day last season. It was a miserable cold day and the cocks were few and far between. I had hardly fired a shot all day and was standing in a blizzard on the last drive wishing I was in the bothy by the fire when I heard a cock getting up and saw its shape approaching through the snow.. I released my safety catch and was just about to lift the gun when a shot rang out and the bird landed at my feet. It was Mr Greedy who was pegged a good 40 yards to my right so it was a good shot because he had hit it well out in front. I went over to him when the drive ended and congratulated him on his shooting and then I couldn't resist I said "You remember that day you dropped a bird through the Rottweilers windscreen"? "Too right it cost me £150" he replied "Well it was me that shot it" I said I won't print his reply but he sees the funny side now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Yep I'm always claiming shot Boar, if the gun next to me has a shot and i miss i will claim it whats wrong with that Seriously though, its like anything, if they need it that much then let them claim it. They know they didn't shoot it unless there that useless at shooting they have know idea where there barrels are pointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12boreblue Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 The consensus is that it happens a lot, and good well mannered shooters, are there for the sport, not the trophy, right glad am I of that!! 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.