A day on the drillings with the new semi

[NickB65]

Well Blue and I got the nod from my brother in-law that they were drilling yesterday and Sunday was all clear for a good day out. It would be blue's first outing in a net hide so it was going to be a good day and also the first day out with the A612 semi after the extension pad was fitted.

 

Turn up and there was someone else on the filed - after a quick chat it seemed he thought that field belonged to the next farm he had access to. It was one of those situations where I wanted to say yeh we can both shoot but I did not know the chap, my brother in-law did not and did not know of anyone who had access to the next farm so it was a polite no. Shame as seemed a nice chap.

 

the field was large with a spinny running down the right hand side and the old farm house to the left handed. Infront of the skinny was a drain ditch but halfway along was a cedar which provided some good cover to the real and was about right location wise. As I sat up I could see birds flying into the end of the spinny to roost so I knew they were around. A nice large hide was erected with enough room for a wiggly dog and me.

 

Now the wind was to my rear left so I set the decoys in an L-Shape to my left with the kill zone right in front around 30 yards. After ten minutes there was a lot in the air but nothing coming close. Another 30 minutes and the first to come in were three crows. They came straight in and then as I stood veered to the left but too late for one and it dropped with a single shot. Blue was tied to the ground spike and as I let the lead off with a word of sit he was keen but sat. As soon as I asked him to heel he was out through the middle of the netting or trying to causing a right mess. Composure, deep breath and then calm the dog, establish control and try again........ this time Blue was a little calmer and we BOTH went through the entrance to the hide and I then sent him off with the command find it...... He had never picked a crow before so at first missed it but then he got the idea and brought it straight back. Back in the hide and the odd bird came in but I just could not connect. I was either in front or miles below and every time I shot Blue would whimper away like a deva. Twenty shots later I connected with a huge rook and this time Blue went out the right way and zoomed out. The rook was not dead but heavily hit so when Blue went to pick it the Rook was not having it..... After a little tussle Blue got a good hold on its back and came back very happy.

 

More misses and I was getting miffed with this game..... then another snap shot and down came another but this time in the ditch. The ditch was free flowing with water clear and bright so I did not hesitate to send Blue in. He looked at me as if I was mad... "What me, down that steep bank.... into that water...." The look on his face was comical. I gave the command again and he seemed to shrug his shoulders and off he went...... Clean pick-up all be it a little wet and he scrambled up the steep bank and presented the bird like a pro.

 

the rest of the day was a mix of me missing and Blue whimpering and then me connecting and Blue skipping out to pick-up. I changed the decoy pattern so it was 40 yards out with the aim the bird would over fly the decoys into a kill zone in front of me...... worked for a bit and we bagged two more.... then it went dead again.

 

Finished at 4pm with three crows, three feral and ten woodies. Should have had loads more but just could not connect with the semi..... guess I need to get used to the gun with a little practise down the club.

 

Pictures up later after we clean up the gun and Blue has his dinner.

 

 

[ditchman]

nice write up...........just one thing..........this is just my opinion..........dont use your dog to pick up any wounded corvid.......sooner or later the dog will loose an eye...

[Guest stevo]

as above , DONT send him in , and if you know your going to have a day on the crows/rooks leave the old fella at home , crows have a knack of playing dead when pricked , and trust me its only a matter of time till your dog has a run in with a big Hen carrion and WILL come of worse ,

[Fuddster]

if shooting crows with the dog to pick up-i keep my 22 in the hide to finish off any wounded birds before he's sent to retrieve.

 

i've seen wounded carrion crows clamped onto his face with claws whilst pecking at him. do not under estimate the nasty creatures.

 

f.

[JDog]

Good write up. You and the dog have formed a decent bond.

 

As for picking corvids, do it yourself.

[NickB65]

Thanks for the replies chaps and I appreciate the advice. It had not occurred to me that the Corvid could do such damage but when you think about it it makes sense.

 

Pointed noted and in future I will pick-up the corvids.

[pigeon controller]

Great report and day out with your dog, I question that you put the decoys 40 yards out as in my experience they will drop in with those and not over fly, but I'm always willing to learn. Keep reporting on you're exploits and Blues progress.

[ditchman]

Thanks for the replies chaps and I appreciate the advice. It had not occurred to me that the Corvid could do such damage but when you think about it it makes sense.

 

Pointed noted and in future I will pick-up the corvids.

 

 

really glad you took the advice on-board.......many years ago i was picking up in a wood after the guns with one of my sprockers....he was out of sight and i heard a blood curdling scream from my dog....i rushed over to where he was and he was locked in position with a Jay on his face and the bird had locked on to the dogs bottom eyelid....i had to push my thumb into the beak to prise it open......no damage was done....but the dog would not pick up the rest of the day...........next week he was back to normal !!

 

 

and that was just a bloody pricked Jay...and no one had told me they had pricked one.........corvids are plain nasty when pricked !!

[NickB65]

Great report and day out with your dog, I question that you put the decoys 40 yards out as in my experience they will drop in with those and not over fly, but I'm always willing to learn. Keep reporting on you're exploits and Blues progress.

 

Well this is the big debate - when watching the programme with Archie and Jack Archie mentions that Pigeons over fly so by setting the decoys out at 35 yards they will overfly so closer...... must admit this goes against my understanding and the images I have seen but it did work - not all the time but for some. I normally set the decoys out at between 10 to 20 yards so when the pigeons dropped into these either behind or in front they were close. Like you I am always will to learn and try different things esp this time of year when the Pigeons seem to flit from one thing to another.

 

What was good was my new flapper from A1-Decoy - worked great and on the timer it was spot on - shame the remote they supplied didn't work and has to be sent back.