Lord Geordie Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 This morning saw me heading south to Mikes for another morning on the corvids. I set off around 6.45 as I needed to fuel up and make sure I could get there on time, through roadworks etc. I rolled up outside of Mikes just shy of 8am, and grabbed my gear out of the car to transfer to Mikes motor. A few last min things to double check, and off we set! Mike was looking forward to shooting a perm not too far from his house! So we set off over there first! When we got there, there didn't seem an awful lot about! The fields in question were fairly devoid of quarry, though a pair of crows were taunting us, playing in the yard not 25 feet from the motor Mike tried calling the farmer, but got no answer, so we set off in search of numbers! So we headed off to the farm Mike and I shot on Thursday, we looked in on it, but there didn't seem to be a great deal of movement, So we went to the field he looked over on Friday! There were a few about in the furthest field, but when we pulled up the first field pretty much emptied! So we took a drive along to the next field, when I spotted a gate and a corner of a field giving great coverage of both fields! Alas, when I got out of the car to open the gate! They all took to the air! So that was a bust! By this time we called in for a bacon buttie and a coffee at the fishing lakes, and formulated the next plan of attack! After our butties, we headed back to one of the farms we hit on Thursday, not wanting to set up in the same place, we decided to set up behind the buildings today! When mike drove around, a good number of birds took to the skies. It looked rather promising, so we set up in a different area. We found a pile of pine, destined for biomass fuel! and infront of this pile was a large roller! So we set the hide up between these, overlooking the field we shot on Thursday. A spoil heap direct in front, barns behind, earth bank left and rolling fields to the right and behind the spoil heap. We placed decoys in a sporadic pattern, Some mounted on fence posts, some on the spoil heap, some in the open and one on a trailer and one on a hay bale! We got comfortable and loaded. Let the day begin! Not log to wait before I hear mikes safety click off, then BOOM! "THUD" as the first bird crashed in to the field. and onto the clicker it went! Mike had a good view of the forward fields and off to the right. I was keeping watch for anything circling around over the roof! I was watching a jackdaw coming over from the barn almost ready to flick the safety off, when I hear mikes safety click off again. BOOM BOOM, another down! Mine had turned tail and was off. Then a few mins later one came over from my left! I swung into it and fired! Missed, A little more lead "CLICK" :ouch: the cart didn't chamber properly! Gutted. I was using home loads through the auto, Home loads I made on the LEE. Not the best in the auto though. So I tossed a home load in to the chamber, and 2 factory in the mag! A nice left to right comes over the tree and over the hide! Mike takes a stab, and first barrel, it's wings fold perfectly to it's side, and it comes down beak first like an excocett, and makes a rather loud thud as it hits the earth in front of the hide! Then not too long to wait, Mike calls out "over the tree martin" and I clap my eyes on it. I didn't want to move as I didn't want to spook it! Then a flick of the wrist and I am on to it "BOOM BOOM" in split second time! and mike telling me he thought I wasnt going to comit to the shot! I think we BOTH hit it! But it was already dead in the air! I swear it whistled on the way down out of the corner of my eye I saw a bird streaking over the tree toward the barn and swund round for a snap shot! Missed with the first shot, but a dead centre with the second, as it too folded up neatly, and nearly put a hole in the barn roof! Mike had a huge chuckle as a left to right came past me, not more than 10 yards in front. I fired all 3 carts and still missed! Mike picked up where I left off! By this time it was a good 45 yards off his right shoulder! Bang, Nailed it in one The ones I got today I nailed them. but some sitters I should NEVER have missed! One of my better shots was a nice high bird too! A few of Mikes shots were blinders, Crossing a fair distance out, and mike was folding them with the auto! At one point we had 2 grey legged partridge playing in the pattern, oblivious even when we were shooting over them. they were happy to just carry on their courtship rituals! We finished the day with just shy of 50iirc, Bearing in mind it didn't look good from the off, it turned out rather well. Coming over in 1s 2s and 3s, worked out to our advantage! when I went to pick up, the long grass hampered the collection! I was walking out to past 50 yards and finding them, but it was hard to locate them in the long grass! Add to that a few from myself crashed onto the roof, and into the farmyard, I couldn't get those for the pic! Another nice day out, weather held out for us too. Loads of banter, and urine extraction from Mike! But I enjoy the chuckle! It's all light hearted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 Great day at the office. Thanks for the write up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 nice write up there lg, sounded like a cracking day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 Great write up and a good bag too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Tidy job, well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) And don't forget you paid for the coffee and bacon butties even though i didn't want one . It was nice just sat in the yard with the sun shining down, most of the birds came in from your side i liked the way Stewy (the farmer) ducked out of sight when ever you lifted your gun you had him running scared.. I liked the shot you had at a high bird ( just trying to beat my high shot ) it was a big carrion crow but was so high it looked like a sparrow in size.. just flipped its tail at you and carried on.. They were coming in just steady away at least we got a few hours shooting thats got to be better than sitting at home and as you say a bit of banter that what the day is for shoot a few blacks with a mate and have a good pea take.... New ruling for next time switch your phone of all these females that are texting you distract you from your shooting that why you keep having spells of **** shots to busy thinking about the females ( lucky sod ) PS them long distance ones were shot with my home load 28gram N0 6 they don't mess about patterns well and kills good... Edited June 15, 2016 by hawkeye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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