kennett Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 As we begin the final charge to the end of the season, just wondering how everyone is getting on. I remember a few questions earlier in the year asking about poor poults and cover, be good to see how they all turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nmb Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 We have had decent days however the pheasants have spread all over the place and due to us not having enough snow they are happy picking in the stubbles. On a positive note the partridge have been excellent and we have already reached a record return of 29% on them. Hope everyone has a good end to their seasons! Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 ****! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 All our shoot days seems to of coincided with very strong winds and rain, this means it has been difficult to get the guns under the birds all the time, but when we steered them in the right direction the are high and bloody fast. We have had the same problem as most that the weather has been so mild the birds are everywhere. So far it's been ok, could of been worse could of been better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arley Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 The shoot where I am half gun have already shot 40% of ex layers released. And they have still got 4 shoots left. My other shoot have done very well on Partridge released, I think over 30% have been shot already but pheasants numbers are down. It been too mild to keep the birds in the woods but there are still plenty about. Hopefully the Beaters will have a good day as we have only got 2 shoots left. On my own small shoot I have had a couple of good duck flights, been a good season for Mallard but not many Geese about a lot are shot during the summer and the numbers are down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 Birds everywhere, suspect may end up with a big surplus of cocks unless it gets cold quick and they come to the feeders. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 (edited) A lot better than it was in post No 3! We had a day out on our rough shoot today and despite a large unforecast shower we had a good day. We only shot 14 birds but saw a lot more, which was good news, and as usual the company and craic was fabulous. Never got anywhere near the redlegs but shot a couple of bolting bunnies which is always satisfying. Spooked 5 roe also, including a couple of nice bucks. Time to get out with the rifles methinks. Quite scary to see just how high that water had been at times, much in evidence from the debris caught in the lower branches of trees, and some hedgerows and fences which were just solid objects! Edited December 29, 2015 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodbepigeonshooter Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 Running at 34% so far, not sure whether this is the new guns that joined the shoot and shot a little better than the ageing meastro 's previously. The birds have not really returned to the pens as too much food around the shoot but they have held on the land but have left a lot of wheat so far but ready if the weather turns and can feed for longer at the end of the season.The. Birds have flown well and with the wind behind them have gone stratesferic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 All our shoot days seems to of coincided with very strong winds and rain, this means it has been difficult to get the guns under the birds all the time, but when we steered them in the right direction the are high and bloody fast. We have had the same problem as most that the weather has been so mild the birds are everywhere. So far it's been ok, could of been worse could of been better. Ours down in Barnstaple has been the same. The walked up rough shooting on the other hand is the opposite. We have lots of free birds from the neighbouring shoots making the walked up probably better than the paid for driven shoot i am a member of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 A lot better than it was in post No 3! We had a day out on our rough shoot today and despite a large unforecast shower we had a good day. We only shot 14 birds but saw a lot more, which was good news, and as usual the company and craic was fabulous. Never got anywhere near the redlegs but shot a couple of bolting bunnies which is always satisfying. Spooked 5 roe also, including a couple of nice bucks. Time to get out with the rifles methinks. Quite scary to see just how high that water had been at times, much in evidence from the debris caught in the lower branches of trees, and some hedgerows and fences which were just solid objects! How do we get close to the partridge they are giving us the run around on the rough shoot. Out of season they sat outside my hide now they are never closer than 50 m and going like trains !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 How do we get close to the partridge they are giving us the run around on the rough shoot. Out of season they sat outside my hide now they are never closer than 50 m and going like trains !! They're always at least 100 yards ahead of us, and we saw maybe a dozen or so go into our pen this morning, via popholes. We surrounded it and got ready, but all we flushed was two cock pheasants, a hen and one solitary redleg which was travelling like a mini exocet in the wind by the time it passed the only gun on that quarter. He never even raised his gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 Most of our birds have bogged off! It's way too mild and too much other food about so they are just not staying near our woods. The feeders are all full and have barely been touched. First year I've known this on my shoot, so our bags are well down on normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted December 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 Sounds like a mixed season then! Agree about the weather not helping, luckily I had an old boy from the village dogging in nearly constantly, other wise I would have lost the lot, bloody michigans! Apart from 2 failed (accidently sprayed by the farm) bits of cover we have had a record season. Best day so far is 157, giving me 35% returns with one full and keeper's day left to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny tim Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 pretty rubbish every shoot day has been real heavy rain so the cover crops havnt produced running at 26% so far with two days to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Not good. Syndicate is doing as well as normal, but our rough shoot land has been under water to a greater or lesser extent since early December. We had a wander round last Saturday and discovered none of the partridge would fly (dogs pegged two!) and we found three dead and washed up sheep, two in the bullrushes and one in the beck, but we can't count them towards our returns. We shot two ducks and seven pheasants. Neighbour hasn't done much better apparently. Think this season is more or less a write off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny tim Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 had our last formal day ,just beaters day to go half the woodland is waterlogged,no ducks at all ,not suprising the amount of water they have to choose from ende up with 24 which for a 40+ day is not good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nmb Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Our shoot has been pretty badly affected by flooding in the last week.Got some snow now so hopefully that will pull the birds back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 We've traded in the beater's wagon for a hovercraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Pretty rubbish on our club shoot, Boxing Day cancelled through wet conditions and even quad bike is making a mess of the pastures when feeding. Also a possibility of outside interference going on here but difficult to prove. On the other hand seeing plenty pheasants on the small syndicate I am a member off where they seem to have held well despite a myriad of dog walkers from the nearby village. A bonus is I have been guest at four driven shoots three of which were 200 bird days so really cant complain. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Poor, put more down on an increased acreage and will shoot less than last season, be very lucky to get a 30% return. One or two more shoots left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheasant Feeder Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 The Shoot I pick up on is having one of its best years yet. Its usually an average of 100 bird days, and every day apart from one (let day) the bag has met or usually exceeded the 100 mark including 144, 148, 131, etc. We had a walk around the boundaries between Christmas and the New year and saw only a handfull of birds all day despite walking around 8 miles. Early season we were in shirt sleeves and still too warm, but we have had some of the wettest days shooting any of us can remember with high winds, these have been the days where the bags have been the highest. The one observation we have made is that the birds don't seem to have feathered up like they normally would, which we all think is due to the unseasonally mild weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Our small syndicate affected terribly by the weather. Had to cancel 4 days November/December. Consequently the feeders got hammered despite trying to keep them topped up. Our feeding regime usually keeps pace as the number of birds declines through the season. Alas, a lot have wandered & our 300 acres is a quagmire. A poor season although what birds we shot flew exceptionally well & were a great condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Well, that's it for another season on our rough shoot; it only seems five minutes since we started! We had some absolutely abysmal days due to the weather, and lost two and a half days due to the worst floods in living memory; not only was much of the land underwater for most of December, but closed bridges meant a 16 mile trip to get to the shoot location which was less than a mile away, but also no guarantee of getting home again! Anyhow, when we did get out, we had great days despite the low numbers of birds, mostly due to the fact we're all good friends, and the company of the very good looking wife of the landowner who is now a member, raised many a damp spirit. Plus we have now started collecting steaming pie and peas from new butchers in town each lunchtime, which warms the cockles, and all is well in the world.....well, with our small part of it anyhow. Total for the season was 62 pheasants (local smallish 'big' shoot got 138 on two drives one day before calling it a day due to weather ) 4 mallard, 4 rabbits, 2 redlegs and 1 woodcock. A percentage of just under 50% return on pheasants released. There are still quite a few left, we just couldn't get to grips with them today. Nephew shot appallingly, much to his resignation ( very heavy head cold ) and our amusement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Same here, had my keepers day yesterday and now ready for a good rest for a few weeks! Only the second season on our little syndicate shoot, shooting 4 days + keepers day. Not wanting to show off, as looks like the weather has ruined a lot of people of seasons but we had an exceptional year. 2 new drives, one worked perfectly and the other needs a tweak but should come good. Totals from 1000 pheasants released are 644 pheasants (506 on full driven days) 27 partridges, 3 pigeons, one rook, 2 squirrels and 1 jay. Look forward to next year and a few partridges being released Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nmb Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Wow you guys are getting much better returns than we are! We have had a slightly poorer than average year mainly due to mood weather and flooding. At the moment we have shot 268/1200 pheasants and 69/250 red legged partridge. Have one last day next weekend and a walk about on the 1st. Looking forward to a rest for a month or so and then it all kicks off again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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