Early morning.

[Scully]

A mate and me decided to have a wander out this morning as we've seen quite a few Roe about on walked up days so picked him up and landed at the farm for about 0730 , him with his Sako .308 and me with my Tikka .243. Had a brew and a bit craic with landowner and then set off. It was a fine bright morning with just a hint of an overnight frost and as we made our way down towards the river a weak sun was doing it's best to break through the mist hanging over the water and in the folds and hollows of the fields. We startled a few Mallard which in turn startled us and found a huge hook jawed Salmon head on the rivers edge beside a well worn trod which led almost in a straight line from the water to the gorse and raspberry covered banking about 100 yards parallel to the river; Badger we assumed.

Backlit in the sun about 100 yards further on was about 50 sheep interspersed with around a dozen pheasant, and as we watched sheep and pheasant parted to make way for a fox which darted from the rivers edge and disappeared in the banking across the field.

Ten minutes later we'd arrived at the wood with no sign of fox nor deer, but there's so much cover on there, there could have been a herd of Wildebeest and we wouldn't have seen them. Disappointing still, as it's often been a good place for finding Roe.

It was eerily quiet in the woods, and we made our way to the top of a grassy sandstone outcrop which hangs out over the river at about 40 feet up which we used to dare each other to dive off as kids. All manner of tales abound about this magical place. The river below runs slow and deep and the rocks above are carved with local names going back generations, including some very nice Roman script hand carved into the rock with the names of a family who once owned the farm. We sat on a felled tree and watched a couple of Red squirrels leaping about in the fir trees while we recovered from the climb and listened to the wood. Not a sound. It was obvious the two squirrels didn't get on so we moved on, mate atop the wood and me on the rivers edge.

A lone hen pheasant broke from cover followed by a noisy cock and we stopped and waited to see if either had caused anything to show itself. Not a thing. On we went, surprising a solitary Teal from the pond as we went.

The river looked very very cold, the mist in the shadows underneath the huge Victorian viaduct still ambling about over the water and I spotted many hazy Mallard drifting quietly about in a slack spot under the arches. Heard a single whistle so stopped and fed a round into the chamber, but could see nothing, but heard something ahead under the viaduct, and then saw a Roe doe jinking back and forth along the fence, looking for a way through. I expected it to simply clear the fence but it turned and ran straight past me at about 20 yards away and disappeared in a dip in the wood. Followed it to top of rise but it had disappeared so emptied gun and put the round back in the magazine. Mate joined me and we decided to go back the way we had come, and the way the doe went as the wood ends at the viaduct, so back we went.

This time we followed the top of the banking parallel to the river, and spooked many pheasant, which hopefully bodes well for tomorrow, but saw nothing all the way back to the farm.

Another brew, had **** taken out of us by landowner, threw gear in back of Landie then went round to other end of rough shoot (we could walk but I had a funeral to go to at lunchtime) and set off again. Through another wood in which we have shot many Roe, and saw two only two days ago, but now empty apart form a few pheasant. Disused railway is always good for roe but a mile of it showed nothing except pigeons so sat in silence overlooking a marshy patch surrounded by Common Alder trees which roe have favoured in the past, but obviously not today.

The railway banking is covered in many species of flora but in particular Aarons Rod, the tallest example of which I have ever seen is on this banking. I am over six feet tall, and this plant towers over me. It is past it's best now but is still very impressive. Must take a photo of it with mate stood beside it for scale, before it dies.

Anyhow, wandered back to farm and spotted another fox going hell for leather across some winter barley next to the viaduct which from this spot is a good 600 yards as the crow flies.

Cutting round the marsh we put up many Snipe and a Woodcock, and some more Teal.

Back to farm and another brew, both having had a thoroughly superb morning despite the lack of a shot. Serves me right for telling game dealer we'd get him some venison 'in the morning'.

[clakk]

what a bostin day out m8.great write up very atmospheric

[Scully]

Thankyou.

[loriusgarrulus]

Excellent write up. I could have been there through your words.

[Redgum]

well written and very atmospheric with just a hit of anticipation. Sounds like a cracking piece of ground you have.

[Scully]

Thankyou all. Yes, it is a good piece of land, around 700 acres in all, and we are very fortunate to have it. The landowner is mad keen and we get away with all manner of things in order to make it as habitable for game as we can, bearing in mind it is still a working farm. This is where we have our roughshoot, and seven of us wandered right round it today with our dogs and shotguns. The bag was 16 pheasant (though we saw many more) 1 Woodcock and a Pigeon, and we saw 5 Roe deer, two in the wood, 2 in the Alders but on an adjacent property so would have left them, and 1 on the railway. **** law.

[Sussexboy]

I love those early mornings. We were out last Monday before first light on a little 15 acre wood that is often a busy cut through for fallow, roe and boar. We were sat up in the high seat when I had the strange experience of a tawney owl come and sit on my head. It soon moved though! Then as the light came we watched a fox and several squirrels before an obliging little roe doe came and stood nicely for a shot. It was a great way to start the day before work.