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End of Season Bonanza


6.5x55SE
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So the count down began 

Saturday 27 January was Conor's driven shoot very kindly arranged by a PW mate :good:but do to a work mess up i was asked to shoot in his place :sad1: my last driven day was 30 odd years ago admittedly at Grouse so pressure on not to let myself down but more importantly my mate.

Teams picked pegs drawn my team was to walk first so after a good walk and  hearing plenty of shot's bird's gathered i was guided to my peg by my mate's son the keepers last words " if safe and killable keep going until the sound of the Horn enjoy " without warning a bird went by shot's fired followed by laughing and wake up Boyd . Standing in a valley wood in front and behind unless a bird flew through the wood all would be safe to shoot again without warning shot's rang either side of me see a cock bird it was blot out fire bird folds game on now as the tempo increased birds came from all angles the banter between myself and the Guns also increased as we each at times dropped birds around there pegs when the horn finally sounded I personally had shot 18 Pheasant which included 3 R/L and 2 Woodcock my following two drives i shot 4 - 2 Pheasant all to quickly i stood at my final peg yet again i was blessed with plenty of shooting at very good Pheasant ending on 15 what a fantastic day and to add to my joy my mate invited me to shoot in his place Thursday at a Different shoot.

Tuesday 30 the January saw Conor join me at our local river for the final Inland morning flight . Walking to our position plenty of Greylag Widgeon Teal along with the odd Canada could be heard. Conor decided to not shoot duck until he had shot or shot at a Goose this decision proved to be costly as numerous opportunities at duck was not taken only for the Geese to go in the opposite direction . As there was plenty of duck over the River bank on flood water i walked a couple of hundred yards away instructing Conor wack the next legal bird to pass him before I'd stopped walking hearing a shot i turned to see one followed by another Widgeon fall now duck was everywhere my first shot killed a Teal the next two a Widgeon apiece whilst picking the Duck the Chunter of Geese caused me to look up just as two Greylag topped some tree's 7/8oz Steel 3's accounted for them .

Walking back to Conor i shouted to warn him a Duck was coming no need as a single shot folded a cracking Teal. Driving home Conor was joyed with his success but was even more excited about our coastal moon flight later.

With a 7.70 tide at 18.18pm plus a full my plan was to meet my nephew who was shooting his beaters day not far away about 5.30 pm my experience/hunch told me a good few Geese due to being moon light through to daylight for the last 2 day's would need grit and a brush up out on the shore. Whilst Conor and I filled ourselves with fish chips a Very Very excited nephew phoned where are you Geese are everywhere and going all over laughing i tried to calm him down as I'd be there in five but now i had Conor getting all hyped .

Tonight id brought my young dog my regular dog and my old 12yr old who i wanted to pick at least one more Pink . Having met up with the nephew i could hear plenty of Geese on a roost being moved by the tide and faintly geese far away inland this definitely was game on Moon clouds tide Geese with Geese Flighting quickly i led the two youngest into position without walking 50yrd a very noisy Skien of 7 Pink's swept low across the Marsh to turn inland four shot's i definitely saw two fall hearing plenty of excited talking and call of my dogs unbelievably all three had a Pink well i can honestly say i had a lump in my throat seeing those dog proudly carrying Pink's and the two lads so over come with excitement.

When things calmed down we all split up to enjoy a incredible flight my first four shot's hit fresh air with plenty of abuse from the young pretender's who soon stopped after they both missed a Skien which i then tripled at 8.50pm I'd got my sausage meat and two roaster's 14 Pink's so i sleeved the 20ga  just as I reached Conor he killed a cracking Pink which i let my old dog retrieve he sleeved his gun on 7 Pink's encouraging my nephew to get his sixth he finally got it at 9.05 pm what a night the journey home was full of excited talking.

Wednesday 31st January saw myself and Conor back up the River for the last flight of the Inland season to be honest it was very quite which i put down to the Moon shining as it got dark which it never did . Neither of us had a shot when i called Conor to walk back whilst walking i saw a small bunch of Greylag coming again shouting Conor get ready i saw a single with a good tail wind definitely going to give Conor a shot with crossed fingers i watched as he killed the Goose infront like a driven bird with out doubt that was a shot to end any Wildfowling season.

So Thursday 1st February the last day of the Inland Pheasant season saw me being introduced to another shooting Party and Keeper . Again my Team beat first which saw some extremely high Pheasant the likes of which I'd shot many years ago at Molland at the edge of Exmoor Devon. Now I'll admit i sort of bottled the first drive by offering to be a back gun all Pheasant was very good some even border line out of range my 3 shots saw me kill a cracking Cock bird my second drive i shot 4 Pheasant and now with a good wind blowing towards me i stood in a valley a wood in front thinking please don't blow this. The first birds started going the other side of the wood semi calmed my nerves but even more a Jay that had been up down in out suddenly went up up caught the wind out slightly to my left with out thinking crack it folded my mate's son who was left of me took a lot of convincing that I'd shot it and with a normal cartridge whilst having this banter all hell broke loss as Pheasant after Pheasant went everywhere some i missed both barrels others i killed cleanly in front my best being a R/L which both fell at my feet and i was very jammy in killing a good  high Pheasant with my last shot of the Inland season . 

Sorry if I've bored you all to sleep but for me i had a helluva end i can't thank the PW member enough for those fantastic driven day's thanks again mate rest assured there are Pink's with yourself and son's name's on :good:

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Nice read enjoyed it i like to read your input its clear you are passionate about the youngsters in your family and group, that is always good to see these people are the life blood of this sport we need to foster them all we can.

I do not know about you but this season for me as flown by way too fast, it only seems a few weeks since it was september the 1st.:/ 

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8 hours ago, lancer425 said:

Nice read enjoyed it i like to read your input its clear you are passionate about the youngsters in your family and group, that is always good to see these people are the life blood of this sport we need to foster them all we can.

I do not know about you but this season for me as flown by way too fast, it only seems a few weeks since it was september the 1st. 

Thank you very much :good: personally i believe I've been very very lucky with my Shooting admitted I've worked/work hard at it So where the young blood is concerned yes i give even more effort if possible due to the changing times eg more restrictions shooting ground being lost forever so i advise " take what ever is offered while you can and try your hardest to make the most of those opportunities " 

Unfortunately Lancer age catches up with us all and yes each season seems shorter and shorter But it's now 43 consecutive season I've shot Foreshore and Inland Pink's onto the Deer now roll September 10th 14 th when the Pink chase begins again Fingers crossed :good:

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I don't think as far as shooting goes how the end of the season can get any better than how yours have just finished , a superb ending .

As JDog have just quoted , Conor is lucky to have a mentor like you , and having followed his progress by your reports he have most probably shot more geese in the two or three seasons he has been shooting than a lot of people get in there lifetime on the fore shore , I might be wrong , but reading your threads , I don't think he have ever had a blank flight at geese  ?

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2 hours ago, Ttfjlc said:

2 reared chicken shoot reports on a wildfowling forum?! I've seen people be banned for less  nice write up mate. :good:

Ha ha unless Static 35 - 50 yrd air space with a good wind adding to there speed a Bird still needs hitting no matter what species. :yes:

Thanks to all the others replies :good:

Yes John Conor has had his best season yet his Third season he has shot Greylag Canada and Pink's only turned 17 end November also he certainly has now got the hang of Pink's under the Moon . Fingers crossed he continues for many years to come :good:

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