Ira Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Well past the end of the season now and back out on the pigeons, but what a cracking first year of feeding up a rough farm shoot. We have a small wood in the middle of the farm and a set of old settling ponds which I have ben slowly attending to. Last year I tried feeding up the wood using some plastic tubs with spring feeders, unfortunately it was only a very short time until the squirrels had demolished these leaving me furious. So before the season I rang our local scrap dealer who was only too pleased to get rid of some old gas canisters, 13 -15 kg size. Take the top off fill with water, cut the bottom off crimp the edges and weld three legs on and weld the bottom back on with a hinge and bullet proof pheasant feeder, just add a spring to a hole cut in what was the top! Having a friendly farm manager who provided me with a good quality and quantity of barley and wheat a feeding I did go. So over the estate I put out 5 feeders, all well within the boundary as I would never want to incur any ill feeling towards our good neighbours. Before the start of the season it looked promising and there were quite a few birds hanging round. The ponds, I kept feeding the margins and the few shallow spots, a couple of evenings spent watching proved without a doubt that a few duck were going in. As you can imagine come the start of the season I was eager to get out and see what the ongoing labours would amount to. The first couple of outings saw us coming back in with 11 and ten birds and around 6 or 7 duck, these numbers not huge but were 95% bigger than the previous year. By the end of the season I reckon (I should have kept a proper tally, note to self) we put 70 -80 pheasant in the freezer and about half that in duck. Thats half a days shoot to some folk and I would not knock them for it, it just aint my thing. I take my hat off to all of you that run big shoots and look after a lot of stock and manage big flight ponds its hard work. I enjoy what I have and share it with a few friends, I never want to blast the beejeezus out of the land but just enjoy a good walk with the dog and a mate, and enjoy eating the product of the labour. I have a lot to learn, one thing I am learning is how to shoot squirrels, its patience, like many other aspects of shooting. One of my biggest pleasures is seeing how my young black lab is coming on, I have not had a dog since I was a kid, then not a gun dog and I am still only on my first term of holding SGC and FAC, so Im a 45 year old green horn!! She will get away a bit at times but has learnt some crafty moves for getting pheasant to fly for me. On the ducks she is fantastic, I have learnt that she knows exactly what is going on and she needs very little direction now. I can honestly say that she has never left one out on the pond this season, every duck has been picked up which makes me happy! A cracking season and looking forward to many more!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul taylor Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Seriously chuffed for you. Sounds like you've done a great job and reaped the rewards. No better type of shooting if you ask me and seeing it all come together and getting to shoot and work your dog must be very rewarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Congratulations on your efforts, sounds idilic! Whereabouts in Kent are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 A rewarding experience for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pg123 Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 A nice write up and well done on creating a nice little rough shoot. That said if your shooting 70 - 80 pheasant without releasing any then you know you are taking your neighbours birds which isn't really fair. Maybe the next step is to build a small pen and release just a few of your own birds to balance things out a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebosun Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 It is unfortunate that the neighbouring shoots birds wander but thats the nature of the beast,my birds rarly return but we still get roughly 50% tally at the end of the season. Maybe there isn't enough room or cover for his own pen. Sounds a great little place he has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshAndy Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 A nice write up and well done on creating a nice little rough shoot. That said if your shooting 70 - 80 pheasant without releasing any then you know you are taking your neighbours birds which isn't really fair. Maybe the next step is to build a small pen and release just a few of your own birds to balance things out a little. Exactly my thoughts...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Exactly my thoughts...... Once released, the pheasants are wild and belong to whosever ground they happen to be on. That's just the way it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshAndy Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Funny, I do know the law. I work hard for my money, I spend my earnings on a small DIY shoot. If someone was to put feeders down on the neighbouring farm I'd be pretty angry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Funny, I do know the law. I work hard for my money, I spend my earnings on a small DIY shoot. If someone was to put feeders down on the neighbouring farm I'd be pretty angry! I wasn't trying to be funny. Just saying that it's a risk you take when you release birds. I personally think it is tough titty if someone 'entices' game over a boundary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.w. Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Funny, I do know the law. I work hard for my money, I spend my earnings on a small DIY shoot. If someone was to put feeders down on the neighbouring farm I'd be pretty angry! Quite right Andy, but motty is correct in what he says, around here you'd have to be a fool to put feeders next to neighbouring shoot, there is an understanding you just don't do it. As you know Andy I have a shoot bang in the middle of an estate, I've made an aggrement with the keeper that suits us both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I understand not everyone would or ever will fully endorse what I have done, however I have never put any feeders anywhere near our boundaries, only way inland on the estate. We have always had a few pheasants and the year was fairly good for natural breeding, I am not in a position yet to be putting any down, financially or in terms of labour. I was happy to put some feeders smack in the middle of the estate, fortunately thats where a 10acre wood is, so its a great site. I did read through the old ABC of shooting and whilst maybe not the bible, it states that a few feeders away from neighbours boundaries is fair game. I must admit I do not want to annoy anyone and I was very surprised at the amount of sport we had, I might just cut one or two feeders out although that will likely squeeze the birds that come in, in to tighter areas and reduce the amount of walk up to be had! I hope that clarifies what I have done, rightly or wrongly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.w. Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I understand not everyone would or ever will fully endorse what I have done, however I have never put any feeders anywhere near our boundaries, only way inland on the estate. We have always had a few pheasants and the year was fairly good for natural breeding, I am not in a position yet to be putting any down, financially or in terms of labour. I was happy to put some feeders smack in the middle of the estate, fortunately thats where a 10acre wood is, so its a great site. I did read through the old ABC of shooting and whilst maybe not the bible, it states that a few feeders away from neighbours boundaries is fair game. I must admit I do not want to annoy anyone and I was very surprised at the amount of sport we had, I might just cut one or two feeders out although that will likely squeeze the birds that come in, in to tighter areas and reduce the amount of walk up to be had! I hope that clarifies what I have done, rightly or wrongly!! We are not having a go at you, what i see is the commercial shoot would pay little notice of you as those wondering birds are no good to them straying, but the small shoots that only put a small amount of bird would in all probability have a problem with it. You have been working hard to get you sport enjoy and well done. 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.