How was everyone's first flight?

[fuzzypigeon]

We only did a little inland today, there was 5 of us out. Between the 5 of us we ended up with 10 Canada's and 1 hen mallard. I know it's not proper fowling but it was all most of us could do today due to commitments.

 

I hope everyone enjoyed their day out, whether you were successful or not and everyone came back off the marsh safely!!

Edited September 1, 2016 by fuzzypigeon

[WinchesterDave]

A Teal for me

[Smiler23]

A big blank for me, all went the opposite way......but..... Was great to hear then see them.... Always tomorrow

[greenergp]

We had about a mile walk to where we shoot, we had 4 Canadas fly over us low during the walk, out guns were on our backs and we had rucksacks etc on and could'nt get the guns out and loaded in time so we had to wave them goodbye

 

And on the way back we had a lone Greylag fly over us, i tried to get a shot at it but the way it was flying it had the sun behind it, i got the gun up but got blinded by the sun and could'nt even see the damn thing so that got away unscathed as well.

 

There were a few ducks about but with the bright conditions they were high and shifting it.

[Big Mat]

Blank for me, nice morning out though. Was thinking about evening flight, but just been outside and its far too warm, off out dog training when its nearly dark instead!

[Scottish wildfowler]

Inland for me too due to work commitments .17 greylags.decoys worked well.all in process of getting made into burgers

[flippermaj]

One foreshore woodpigeon!

 

Followed by a few hours on a nice wee flight line for a further 12 inland

 

Cheers

[bjlfishing]

I sat by the river feeding week old mallard ducklings seems a lot of late broods about this year so I'm leaving inland until October

[Scottish wildfowler]

Topped a fine day off on the foreshore for evening flight of 5 canadas.my brother shot his first Canada also

[TONY R]

First day of the 2016 was in a way the start and equally upsetting in a way it was an end of an era, We woke from our slumber at 3am The 3 sons and myself after an uncomfortable cramped nigh sleeping in the T5.
Got ready a proper cup of coffee, and we were off, the whole place to our selves which surprised me, The eldest and Little Ant decided to go out to a position further up and took the springer, We two drooped in a creek near the river.
I had my old Lab with me did not want to go too far with him being so old, but he is still active and works awesome for a dog approaching 12 years.
was mild very mild, no midges though, Very quiet started to see birds moving about ten to five, a few mallard out there flitting about a teal went through from behind just a rush of wings no chance of getting on it, Any duck seemed to be wide of us.
About 545 We heard geese Greys they were behind us had gone inland further down, Them about 5 past 6 a big skein coming straight towards us and low.
My lad asked what i thought but i thought they were just too far for the 20s we both had.
As they got level with us it turned out they were too far for any gun.
Another two lots up and rapidly approaching just over the land, i say im going for the end bird over the shore the lads on four in , up at em my birds head back stone dead the lad said he went through the wing feathers heard it but no bird,.
The old dog id down and in gets the bird comes up the rocks i walk out take it off him , more geese coming, get in more behind them.
all over the water too far 80pluss yards or more. they go by.... the sound of silence.... No not simon and Garfunkel.
Was just before 7 and we were off.
Gets back to the van bit of breakfast and noticed the old dog is very tired he was fast asleep in the dog bed. woke up for a bit of bacon but never stirred from his bed, never seen him do this, Its his way of making me decide its time to draw his wild fowling career to a close, he will get the odd trip on the local pond rivers maybe a bit of field decoying on geese, but his shore work is all over.
I knew it was coming but the realisation although it is due i know ill still miss having him with us, the kids grew up with him little ant was barely out of nappies when we got him. Time and tide wait for no man or dogs time to retire now enjoy his final time with us relaxing his graft is done and has he been a grafter.

Edited September 2, 2016 by TONY R

[Konnie]

Well done, the lab started the season so can chalk that up, I too have a older lab who will start the season but when the proper fowling weather arrives, she will be rested ,and used for pigeons & picking up. They serve us well and deserve a lot of respect.

 

Have a great season.

[marsh man]

Well done on getting a goose on the first flight of a new season Tony R , really sorry to hear about your Labradors wildfowling days are coming to a close and at 12 years old he have had a good run , but I am sure he will have a few more retrieves to do before his time is up.

 

My old Lab got through his last season last year and the last duck he retrieved on what was the last night of the inland season was a Shoveller , this was put in the freezer and when I moved on from a dummy with wings on for my young dog I took the duck out of the freezer and used that , so that duck ended up being my old dogs last one and my new dogs first one , since then he has picked up a lot of pigeons and is now just about ready to take over from the old stager .

[Guttersnipe]

Enjoyed your report Tony - sad about your dog but all good things come to an end and you'll always have the happy memories

 

Yesterday lived up to all the anticipation, up at 03;00, flask made, in the car park for 03:30 then fifteen minutes chat with a few of the lads before we all walked on at 03:45. I knew where i was going and enjoyed the long walk out with only a base layer on under a beautiful clear starry sky. Clearly loads of geese in the estuary behind me as shooting light came at about 05:00 and the teal arrived shortly afterwards. had four within the first hour then watched a beautiful sunrise over the hills as the gesse started to get louder. Could have shot more teal as they were a bit "green" fluttering over the decoys, but had sufficient and swapped from 4's to 1's in anticipation of the geese. The geese did not go to plan, everywhere but where i was but enjoyed the spectacle - saw something i never have before, a peregrine hitting a canada gander at the head of a skien and knocking it out of the air into the mud of the gutter i was on. The goose got up and after 2 minutes took off but it was great to see, the peregrines often swoop the decoys and i know falconers fly them at Greys but i was surprised to see a wild one hit a big adult canada.

Home for 09;30 as i wasn't in a rush to get back for what felt like a long day of babysitting after the early start - Had the teal for tea, marinaded in hoisin and fivespice - flash fried - fit for a king.

 

Looking forward to the rest of the season now - good luck to all

 

 

[SuperGoose75]

Enjoyed the Write up's and photos.Great stuff.

[Guest]

Never go up till 2nd or 3rd week in sept so not been yet but will be making an appearance next weekend with a buddy of mine hopefully ;-)

[Penelope]

An inland grey for me on the first. An eye wipe off a new member; a single that peeled off a big skein and came on from apart half a mile away. Gave the new member the shout to take it as it came round to look at the decoys. He missed with two shots, so I upped and killed it first barrel.

 

The season is off to a good start.

[anser2]

Sorry to hear about your old dog Tony. My lab is close aproaching the same position . After flight yesterday she spent the remainder of the day on her bed sleeping. It will help if I can get a bit of weight off her , but this is going to be her last season I think. I have a new lab , but she is no where near the level she needs to be for fowling. At 18 months she acts more like a 8 month old puppy and is more interested in playing than training. One day retrievng dummies perfectly , the next running off with them wanting to plase chase me . Never had a dog like her and sheis going to be a problem . Though she comes from working parents I doubt if she is going to be any use this season. Most of my other dogs have been useful retrievers from a year on wards and my last golden retriever retrieved her first white front and pink before she was 10 months old.

[hedge hunter]

Well my first flight of the season couldn't of started any better. This year I started all afresh so to speak. A new local marsh, a new SXP waterfowl pump and a new pup to bring out. This would be her very first flight after just turning 1year old the Sunday before.

 

The alarm was set for 4am, even though it really wasn't needed, as if any sleep would of been had in all the anticipation of being back out on the mud. Up dressed and dig out for a quick empty before leaving at 4.30am. A quick trip down the road and arrived at the foreshore,out on the marsh hide up and settled into place for the wait all by 5.15am. I was shooting over a small inlet, which tends to hold the interest of the ducks. The marsh was buzzing with the sounds of life awakening, as I was sitting there just taking it all in a pack of 5 mallard come whizzing out of the mist to my left, within range and heading straight for the inlet I was set up on. With this I swung onto a drake and pulled the trigger, the Ely lightning 3" 36g no3's finding there mark and folding the drake beautifully out onto the mud 50yrds away. I continued to swing through the pack and dropped another drake, this 1 landed way out into the ocean. The young dog sat bolt upright and marked both birds like a seasoned old pro.

 

After making sure the gun was safe I lined the pup up for her first ever wildfowl retrieve from the cold choppy ocean, without hesitation in she ran, SPLASH a text book swim out and retrieve from around 40 yards. I couldn't of had more pride of my young dog... or so I thought.

 

A fine drake was taken from the dog and with a little praise she was lined up ready for the dead mallard out on marsh, with the back command she powered out over a small creek and into the fall area. She held the ground lovely and hunted well. On 3 occasions I had to stop her and correct her to the right hand side where I seen the bird land, however she kept pulling to the left. It was soon obvious the duck was not as dead as I first thought and was a runner.

 

With this I gave the young dog the find it command and left her to her own devices, she quickly pulled to the left and disappeared into a gutter. With this she was gone, for 10 minutes she was out of my sight, all manner of things racing through my mind, but I'd learned from experience to always trust the dogs nose. It seemed like a age before I seen any sight of her again, and what a sight it was.

 

There she was all mud splattered, and proudly carrying a very much alive flapping drake mallard. The best part was that she appeared approximately 300 yards from behind me. That duck must og got in a small creek and paddled it's way up the marsh. The sheer joy and pride I felt toward my young dog at that moment words cannot describe. Finally with two ducks in the hide I mode the decision there and then that our flight for the day was already over. There's no way it could of been topped or equelled even. And all this by 6am.

 

For the remainder of the flight we just watched the marsh do its thing. I could of had a lot more duck that moment as it was a very good flight, but I've never been into the big numbers and 2 was more than sufficient for me. After all it was all about getting my young dog Teal a retrieve. Which I think we achieved. All in all it was an awesome first flight of the season and not bad for a pup of 12 months of age.

 

 

Packed up, breakfast sorted and dog fed and cleaned up by 8.30am all ready for the evening flight..... now that is another story.

 

 

Cheers HH

Edited September 4, 2016 by hedge hunter

[marsh man]

Nice report of your first morning out with your new dog and he done well to get a strong runner on his maiden flight . sounds to me the perfect start to a new season for you and your young dog .

[hedge hunter]

Nice report of your first morning out with your new dog and he done well to get a strong runner on his maiden flight . sounds to me the perfect start to a new season for you and your young dog .

Thanks marsh man, to say I was made up would be an understatement. We also had a cracking evening flight at a different marsh where she retrieved another 2 nice duck from the water for a fellow shooter

[TONY R]

Nice to see a few got out it being a thursday and all. Pinks wont be many days afore they show up, thats when it realy starts.

[Jamcala]

First grey on the 1st