It shouldn't have happened...

[pbutd]

These have been desperate times in my neck of the woods.I would not resort to chasing crows most years,but these last two months have been devoid of shootable pigeons.Today seemed to be no different in prospect despite spending Friday night on the blower to all the likely landowners/fellow shooters.My usual 'oppo is out of action(,he's 83 & has had two operations on his back this summer) but still likes to drive the patch with his dog doing reconnaissance but he said he had seen a lot of pigeons on one farm although he thought they were flitting from oak tree to oak tree & not settled on any crop as such.

I also rang & rang my other shooting 'Oppo without getting hold of him.(Unfortunately his house burnt down last May & they are only just moving back into it this week after a rebuild).I now feel quite guilty that I should have driven round & knocked on his door.Oh well he missed a good day!

After checking out two other possible farms & seeing not a pigeon,I made my way 30 odd miles to the area Charlie had spotted a lot.They were there but spread over about 1000 acres of winter wheat & flitting/dancing from one Oak to the next;Nothing down at ground level but they were skittish ,going up in flocks ,disappearing into the horizon whilst other flocks floated back into the area.After 20 mins of watching a bit of a pattern developed along a hedge about half a mile from the nearest parking spot.We had quite a bit of rain here overnight & the walk was hard work but I needed to carry plenty of deeks,a rotary & a flapper plus batteries to have any chance of bringing them in range.

Fortunately I had judged it about right,set up in the hedgeline with the wind behind & set out the plastic decoys on the winter wheat;I don't know if they saw the decoys until I had the rotary, flapper & a few dead birds out,but the shooting was fantastic.High,low jinking,long crossers & ones going so fast that they were gone before I saw them.This went on for 2 hours when I ran out of cartridges!I know Cardinal Sin but it should not have happened like it did.They were still going over at 2 pm as I did the second journey to the car with the slain.

If only I had taken more cartridges,if only I had got hold of Dave to come as well.If only Still 69 picked is the best day for a long time.

[7daysinaweek]

Thanks for the write up, it sounds like a day hard won of late, well done on yer perseverance.

 

atb

7diaw

[aga man]

Good result. Have missed watching your videos this year, hopefully things will pick up now and maybe you can film a few sessions.

Edited November 4, 2017 by aga man

[pbutd]

Thanks Aga Man.Yes I miss my Go-Pro which I left in someones car whilst fishing on the Tyne in June. Should have it back this coming week when I'm up in Scotland for a few days with the same group of people.Yesterday would have made a good video as most shots were well up with sky background. Oh well!

[motty]

Good report. Could you not get them to post your camera back?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

At least you got out and had some shooting.

[getthegat]

Definitely hard work, but at 69 a good result I reckon. Quite a load of kit to carry that far over wet terrain. My last outing was very similar, only 44 picked and I ran out of shells. Missed about 50 percent. Good write up.