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Last Shoot Before Christmas


pigeon controller
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Last Sunday 16.12.18, I was invited to shoot on a very large block of rape to help keep the birds moving. We met up just after first light and drove to the fields that they wanted me to cover and had a good look to find the best point of ambush. It appeared to be a single oak tree in the bottom of the valley, so loaded up with all the required gear and walked down the bank to the valley bottom and the tree. Cleared a good base to stand on and started to build the hide and noticed the birds were now passing along the top of the bank and setting to go in the field behind the parked Disco.  I then realised that the valley bottom was sopping and no self respecting pigeon would want to land in that. So two trips back up the hill and scanned the field behind me to see fifty plus birds eating the rape on a well drained bank in the sun and others joining. My host was allready shooting a good number which inturn sent birds to join mine. Set up the hide, 12 decoys out including the magnet and two lofters in the tree to my right. All set up for 10.00 and started shooting as I did my shots brought birds from infront to me and my host. Packed up at 15.00 due to the rain starting and picked up fortyone pigeons my host broke the ton. Good Day.

Today Saturday 22.12.18. I'd been delivering Festive Bottles in the week so I picked up DB at 08.00 and we set out to contnue the deliveries as we did we noticed the lack of flighting birds and as we arrived at one of our furthest farms we were chewing the fat with the farmer and he told us another shooter had set up on the rape ten days ago and had eightyfour birds in the afternoon. As he said that a group fo five or six birds went over the farm and set for the rape as if they were on rails. His comment was "thats the first of many" every afternoon they start  and build up. We agreed to give it a go and drove across the grass and parked next to the rape but had to walk acros the complete field to get the wind off our backs. Set up with the normal twelve fresh birds and waited, It was now 13.30 and as yesterday was the shortest day we knew the killing time would be short. The next thirty minutes were magic with birds presenting themselves to the pattern in an orderly manner  all from one direction. This then dried up and a game shoot behind us sent us birds either over our heads into the pattern or birds from behind banking round in front of us with some great curling shots. This then dried up and the next line to our left started and as if they were coming back to roost these birds were very high but lost height to look at the pattern presenting themselves perfectly to the shot. We packed up at 15.30 and the farmer phoned and asked how we had got one " Exactly one hundred birds" the dog found another after the picture.

As is my tradition the last shoot before Christmas I dress up and wish all members and readers a Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Productive New Year.

100-3270.jpg

41 0n the rape
100-3275.jpg

100 on the rape

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Many thanks PC for taking the trouble to post your most excellent reports over the last year.

How time flies, it doesn't seem a year ago that I was saying exactly this last year.

A very good Xmas and New Year to you and yours.

OB

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