Must be mad!

[NatureBoy]

Wicked strong bitter cold wind blowing a lot of snow off the fields my way today. Late afternoon it dropped a bit so ventured out to see if i could get up road/tracks to nearest rape fields to look for pigeons that i thought might be on the now exposed rape and poss have a go at them tomorrow. Pushing on through a few drifts to the end of a single track road towards the farm i came across anther shooter. He was parked up and preparing to go shoot  1 of 2 woods the road went through. It had just started snowing again and i said you must be mad! But as we were chatting a small group of  pigeons got up off the fields i was heading for and were coming at height  our way and towards the woods. We froze! ( in more ways than one). As they came over he was up with is gun and bang! Down came a bird not 4ft from my truck window. We laughed about it and he said did i want to join him and shoot the other wood. Even though the sow was getting heaver and almost horizontal i said yes as i have always wanted to have a go in those woods. They are not big but contain a lot of fur trees the can draw a lot of pigeon in bad weather. First i said i would see if i could get down to my rape fields and if any birds were that way push them off  and hopefully back to him and the woods. My ol truck pushed through some drifts that were wheel arch high down the track. 200+ birds lifted out of the trees and off the field. Went as far as i could/dared and could see. i used the horn to push off the remaining birds that were reluctant to leave. Took the track back at speed to make sure i could bounce through the drifts as it was getting harder to see. It was 4.30, as i parked up i could hear shots from the other wood and just see birds coming out of the storm my way. Quickly got gun loaded and cracked down the lowest bird coming over and chucked it in the truck. Headed for a more sheltered part of the wood standing with my back to the wind thinking i must also be mad! But in the next 1.30 or so we bounced birds between us. Shots were difficult with birds just appearing above the trees out of the whiteout. Birds just drifted about after shots, others in the small groups still determined to land. I guess because they couldn't see well enough or each other to jink away fast. Taking over head shots it was hard to make out the birds at all against the snow and fading light. Any shots taken swinging into the wind resulted in a face/eyes full of snow. But by moving about to get the best position the birds kept coming  and i managed to drop a few. Not so good for the other shooter, he had enough after an hour and left making it harder for me. I toughed it out till the birds stopped coming and it to hard to see as the wood was new to me. Finished with 2 late crows that i could see well! Picked 11 pigeons and the 2 crows. lost a few birds that fell into brambles and the drifts outside the wood, and another hung up in trees. Trudged back to my truck covered in snow bag full of birds with a numb face and hands but grinning after such a  unexpected successful mad session. Pushed on to the chippy before heading home. Great to drive in the snow on empty snow roads (testing my trucks handling)! Never grow up!     Probably do it all again tomorrow!

  Sorry to ramble on folks! NB

[243deer]

Good job, no point in being an armchair shooter. Off out myself as the rooks are feeding on the exposed wheat 24/7 with all this light about.

[Walker570]

Good to go....but you really should have completed a health and safety form first you know ...as Fatchap

Edited March 3, 2018 by Walker570

[Clodhopper]

Well done that man. No point sitting around when there is sport to be had.

[Flyboy1950]

Well done to you. Nice write up, thank you.

FB

[dead eye alan]

 

  Best of sport that glad you enjoyed that.

[NatureBoy]

Cheers chaps!

Saturdays session not so good. Said a balmy 2 degrees in my truck as i headed out about 9.30 for the rape fields i looked at. 200+ plus birds down feeding hard on edges of 2 fields  divided by a row of oaks where a lot of the snow had been blown off. Others joining from  and returning to the trees. The thaw had started with a strange hazy mist in the air. Put them off and had drive round where i could get as i knew 2 other shooters planed on shooting locally. Could not see or hear any about and no other birds. Farmers were still clearing the roads. Returned to the rape and the birds were back down feeding. Drove down through the drifts and set up under the oaks with the wind off my back. Put out 12 flocked shells in random pattern. 2 breasted birds on bouncers and 2 on the magnet off to the side. Couple of full bodied crows  off to the other side as a few about. Swept snow from under the magnet and random patches in the pattern. In the hide about 11oc. 1st bird returning high out of the mist ignoring the decoys  came crashing down to the first barrel . A squirrel in the nearby oak was next. Looking like it was trying to do pull-ups before falling to the ground.I laid it on it's back with its's guts out on the snow with the crows. No more pigeons returned. They had moved to the next farm i can't shoot. Though i couldn't see them in the haze i could hear them lift on mass up wind of me when dog walkers moved them. i added 2 crows that came in well to the squirrel/crow decoy  and another squirrel from the oaks. The thaw was now exposing a lot more rape. After another hour with no other shooters out to move birds around the block i decided to call it a day and went to get my truck. Typical!!! As i was starting to pack up a flock of 20 pigeons  came in. I crouched beside my truck scrambling to get two cartridges in the gun and just managed to down the last bird as they jinked away.  Now! Should i stay or should i go!? I decided to go. 10 minutes Later the same thing happened with anther small bunch. This time i had cartridges in but was to slow getting it and on to them and missed. Upside was i stopped by the wood i shot and found 4 birds i shot the night before in the rapidly disappearing drifts. 

 All the fuss folks made about the snow but nature just gets on with it. I heard woodpeckers drumming for a mate. woodies and stock doves calling. Rooks arguing over whats left of the nests in the rookery. Dunnocks and blackbirds casing each other about. Tits inspecting nest boxes. Lots of hares everywhere boxing. Even with all the snow and roads blocked folk were out coursing them and getting away with it in my area.   NB