Lack of shoot day reports ?

[Ferret664]

Just wondering why no one seems to write up reports for their days in the field anymore . Used to love reading people’s write ups and now there are hardly any who do anymore ? 

[JDog]

Because a lot of people who do go out shooting pigeons and who are PW members are lazy and selfish.

[Ferret664]

Not just pigeons I used to love reading all pheasant/partridge / duck reports . Peoples excitement over upcoming days or first ever days or beaters looking forward to their day they have worked so hard for . Some people could write such fantastic and detailed reports you could almost feel you were out in the field with them ! 

[Old farrier]

On 14/01/2019 at 20:52, JDog said:

Because a lot of people who do go out shooting pigeons and who are PW members are lazy and selfish.

And because it’s a open forum and don’t wish to attract the attention of anti brigade to a shoot that’s in a fixed place (unlike pigeon shooting) 

there are also some pw members who are jealous critical types 

could be the reason they don’t post 

All the best 

of 

[activeviii]

On 14/01/2019 at 20:52, JDog said:

Because a lot of people who do go out shooting pigeons and who are PW members are lazy and selfish.

I resen..

 

[Scully]

Ok. Last Saturday on our penultimate shoot for this season, we gathered in the wagon shed as per usual, but instead of drawing pegs what we have decided to do late season ( as numbers of guns as well as birds drop off ) is treat it more as a rough shoot. The keeper will say 'you go there' and 'you go there' and so forth, and after the drive has been beaten, we swap about, but if anyone didn't get a shot then they'll stand again. It works well as no one is greedy and more than willing to beat twice or three times in a row if someone is unlucky enough not to get a shot. 

Another gun and I walked a long gulley and hedgerows which eventually led into the shoot proper, and missed our first cock of the day as he was getting over a gate and I was holding both his and my guns, having got over first while he held them! Not a good start but that's how **** law works. A bit further down I heard shots and shouts and my name called so turned to see a cock appear over the hedge away behind me, so swung round and managed to bring it down, which was picked by my dog. One for one. 

Another three, all cocks, were shot as I joined the other beaters and we drove the gulley to its conclusion. 

The next drive saw more birds being shot going back than forwards, which tends to happen late season, and my gun was slipped as I was beating. Another couple of birds shot. 

Stood the next drive but never even managed to close my gun as no birds were forthcoming. Beat the following one where a further four birds were shot, two by the walking gun. There were quite a few birds present in this wood but not many went the way we would have liked. 

Lunch. Back to the garage where I had my first ( and last ) taste of Gravlax one of the other guns had prepared. Not impressed so stuck to my cheese and tomato sarnies. Had the usual banter and menus for the shoot dinner were handed out then back to it. Stood this one and was almost surprised by a silent woodcock making its escape, but down it came. Dog picked it up but immediately dropped it. Two for two. Next was a superb driven pheasant on my right which curled up just before it disappeared behind tree tops. Three for three, and next was a similar bird but slightly closer, again on my right, which folded up on my second shot. Four for five. I left another as it was headed for the gun on my left, but for some reason he didn't take the shot. Beat the last two drives then back to the garage to dish out the beating money, and have a head count before handing out the sweep. Closest to fifteen won it, another good half hours craic, putting the world to rights and generally extracting the urine, then home. 

When it gets to about September I can't wait for the season to come round, then when it does it's gone in the blink of an eye. Still, one more to go and what should be a fantastic beaters day. Have fun. 

[scutt]

OK not a shoot day but a rough walk about .Got to the place about ten waited in the farm yard for the others to turn up well only one did so altogether the team was 3 guns and my dogs, not unusual  for this late in the season . The weather was cold overcast with a little breeze First beat of the day   got the young dog Dotty out although she is inexperienced she doesn't need the whistle when hunting and so we will be quiet for the chance of a duck or two. walked down the burn this is in a white grass and read bed valley  placed the two guns close to the banks of the burn in case of ducks As we lined up to start two mallard got up off the burn the lad closest swung round and missed with both barrels while he was cursing I set Dotty off quartering nice and close and she flushed a cock bird out of the reads to my left pretty  close so let get out a bit mind just a bit😉 before it was downed as I have said Dotty is a youngin so walked her up closer to the bird before I sent her to retrieve it . The dog stepped up a gear but still hunted close inn to me, up goes a hen bird and its downed by the gun on my left unfortunately its a runner the lad that shot it jumps the fence and goes after it as it runs into white grass along a stone wall towards a gate .Both me and my mate are telling the chaser that the bird must be in the grass as we did not see it go thru the gate anyway he gives up and decides its lost .I get over the fence lifts it up so Dotty gets under and cast her of at the fall of the bird within a few minutes she on the scent and finds the hen in a clump of grass right on the bank of the burn close to the waters edge stone dead champion 👍 that's a good find for her and no chase. We flushed a few more birds and took one more for the bag but as the cover isn't all along the burn  I let the lads walk this bit out themselves a few duck do get up but out of range.

Next bit we do crossing back and forth across the burn in and out of cover nowt gets up then a snipe and a cock bird but nothing taken. A little further we see birds flying away in front so to try and get a flush within shot I take dotty and skirt out into the fields to cut off the escape route  Well it worked for me anyway as I got a shot at two hens but only manage to get one it drops about forty  yards  out onto a clearing and the little dog marks it so **** or bust  I send her out to collect it straight out and back no messing that makes my day. I then work her back towards my pals and she flushes two cock birds that we leave as they head  towards a wood we drive on a shoot day.

As I don't want to over do it with dotty I take her back to the farm and let the lads hunt the rest of the gully up and arrange to pick them up in the truck when they have walked thru. When I do they have two more birds and a duck for the bag so back to the farm for a bite to eat and that's put the morning inn.After we have hade something to eat I tell the lads to walk up another burn that's has little cover but sometimes hold duck while they did this I took the truck up onto the hill to exercise the other dogs and arranged with the others to meet up on the hill . They come back with more birds and a hare.

This hillside has an area of gorse bushes so I got Maisey out who likes nowt better than bash away at cover like this

I think because it was very cold on this exposed hill we didn't find any game other than a few hares that bolted long before they came into range.  

Last walk of the day with smudge along a gully of gorse and burns with reed cover unfortunately smudge worked to far in front and flushed a few birds out of range 😣 so pulled him back and walked him to heel anyway flushed many ducks even lifted half a dozen Canadas but got no more game for the bag .

So had a good day with a final bag of 9 pheasants I mallard and 1 hare.

Next sat is our last walk and stand for the season and as we have a little under 3000 acres to hunt our rough days don't impact on out driven ones .

Hope I haven't bored yous to much but only posting cos Ferret 64 asked.

Edited January 21, 2019 by scutt

[JDog]

Well done Scutt and Ferret.

[islandgun]

53 minutes ago, scutt said:

OK not a shoot day but a rough walk about .Got to the place about ten waited in the farm yard for the others to turn up well only one did so altogether the team was 3 guns and my dogs, not unusual  for this late in the season . The weather was cold overcast with a little breeze First beat of the day   got the young dog Dotty out although she is inexperienced she doesn't need the whistle when hunting and so we will be quiet for the chance of a duck or two. walked down the burn this is in a white grass and read bed valley  placed the two guns close to the banks of the burn in case of ducks As we lined up to start two mallard got up off the burn the lad closest swung round and missed with both barrels while he was cursing I set Dotty off quartering nice and close and she flushed a cock bird out of the reads to my left pretty  close so let get out a bit mind just a bit😉 before it was downed as I have said Dotty is a youngin so walked her up closer to the bird before I sent her to retrieve it . The dog stepped up a gear but still hunted close inn to me, up goes a hen bird and its downed by the gun on my left unfortunately its a runner the lad that shot it jumps the fence and goes after it as it runs into white grass along a stone wall towards a gate .Both me and my mate are telling the chaser that the bird must be in the grass as we did not see it go thru the gate anyway he gives up and decides its lost .I get over the fence lifts it up so Dotty gets under and cast her of at the fall of the bird within a few minutes she on the scent and finds the hen in a clump of grass right on the bank of the burn close to the waters edge stone dead champion 👍 that's a good find for her and no chase. We flushed a few more birds and took one more for the bag but as the cover isn't all along the burn  I let the lads walk this bit out themselves a few duck do get up but out of range.

Next bit we do crossing back and forth across the burn in and out of cover nowt gets up then a snipe and a cock bird but nothing taken. A little further we see birds flying away in front so to try and get a flush within shot I take dotty and skirt out into the fields to cut off the escape route  Well it worked for me anyway as I got a shot at two hens but only manage to get one it drops about forty  yards  out onto a clearing and the little dog marks it so **** or bust  I send her out to collect it straight out and back no messing that makes my day. I then work her back towards my pals and she flushes two cock birds that we leave as they head  towards a wood we drive on a shoot day.

As I don't want to over do it with dotty I take her back to the farm and let the lads hunt the rest of the gully up and arrange to pick them up in the truck when they have walked thru. When I do they have two more birds and a duck for the bag so back to the farm for a bite to eat and that's put the morning inn.After we have hade something to eat I tell the lads to walk up another burn that's has little cover but sometimes hold duck while they did this I took the truck up onto the hill to exercise the other dogs and arranged with the others to meet up on the hill . They come back with more birds and a hare.

This hillside has an area of gorse bushes so I got Maisey out who likes nowt better than bash away at cover like this

I think because it was very cold on this exposed hill we didn't find any game other than a few hares that bolted long before they came into range.  

Last walk of the day with smudge along a gully of gorse and burns with reed cover unfortunately smudge worked to far in front and flushed a few birds out of range 😣 so pulled him back and walked him to heel anyway flushed many ducks even lifted half a dozen Canadas but got no more game for the bag .

So had a good day with a final bag of 9 pheasants I mallard and 1 hare.

Next sat is our last walk and stand for the season and as we have a little under 3000 acres to hunt our rough days don't impact on out driven ones .

Hope I haven't bored yous to much but only posting cos Ferret 64 asked.

Good read,.. sounds like a great day and a very useful young dog..

[Ferret664]

Thank you scutt and scully for sharing both great reads 

[hawkfanz]

ok ferret so you would like to know what others are upto,so some time ago rapid.25 posted he had back surgery and would like some help gettin back into shooting ie setting up carrying gear,so i offered to help him out, but never having met the gentleman before,so im off to meet him wed morning if weather holds out for a crow decoying session on his perm,but i will supply guns so he can try out what i have and maybe they might be more managable for the future,for his recovery i will have with me an a300 outlander 12g sa,a armsan 20g sa and a lanber 20g o/u,hopefully one of these will be suitable for him to use for a day out without too much discomfort.and i will report how the day went just for you sir.hows that.

[LGB]

A handful of friends and I meet once a month during the season on a patch of relatively un-shot land, which neighbours an established wood, for a rough/walked up shoot. Last Saturday was our last shoot of the season.

The farmer keeps the hedgerows fairly thick across the farm and there are two large copses of trees/small woodland areas. The River Chelmer trickles through the farm in an S shape from South to North - more stream-like here than its name suggests. As a result, the farm is teeming with an abundance of healthy, mixed wildlife - a decent sized proportion of which are of "wild" Pheasant, canny Woodpigeon and Mallard. Hare are regularly seen, as well as the rare glimpse of Woodcock. 

We were dog-less (farmer has some anti-social Jack Russell's and a rather large German Shepherd, so the Springer was left at home!). We set out as 3 guns and a spare man beating. Having worked tirelessly all morning we got to elevenses having flushed a number of birds near the farm's boundary hedges which naturally flew the wrong side of the hedge and didn't present a shot. We also walked along the river and kicked up a pair of Mallard a little too soon for them to be in range for my old AYA SxS hide gun. They escaped unscathed.

During the morning we did flush one fair sized cock pheasant out of a dry ditch, covered with tall grass. He rose perfectly going away from my AYA, the barrels were brought up to touch the bird and as the trigger was squeezed nothing happened! The safety catch had got caught halfway (gun neglect!) and so I failed to take the bird. Although we had positioned the other two guns well,  the wily old crosser was unscathed despite 4 goes at it. To elevenses, with nothing to show for our hard work.

Buoyed by some home made scotch eggs and sloe gin, we made our way to the most established and historically fruitful "patch" of the farm. A patch of dense woodland. We had a gun on the left boundary for any escaping birds, 2 beaters through the woodland, either side of another walking gun. After a short traipse through, we were rewarded. A large cock pheasant rose in front going away and was nicely shot by the gun. At the sound of the shot, a second cock bird rose and quartered away to the guns left. This was equally well downed. The second bird was retrieved quickly by one of the lads beating, yet the first had dropped into heavy cover. Despite a thorough and lengthy search, unfortunately the bird was not picked, which left us all feeling a tad deflated after what was the guns first left and right.

We toiled away for the remainder of the day and despite flushing many Woodcock (9 flushes in total, but off limits due to a lean few years in the area), we were nearing the end of our day. We attempted to work one more established hedgerow before calling it a day mid-afternoon. We worked 2 guns on the left side, and myself on the right. About halfway up a large cock pheasant quartered right and going away. It fell to the first barrel of my AYA, no mistakes with the safety catch this time!

It was a hard day's graft for a brace of pheasant, but one which makes you appreciate any day where it all falls into place and the bag is plentiful. Our view is that it is never a day wasted in the field, and with one final walked up day in Herts this coming Saturday, it has only built up my anticipation even more.  

[JDog]

A nice report. That sounds like a good bit of healthy exercise. 

[scutt]

LGB its not always about the bag reads like a good get together.

[LGB]

15 hours ago, JDog said:

A nice report. That sounds like a good bit of healthy exercise. 

Thanks JDog.

The "step-o-meter" on my mates iPhone clocked his entire day at 14 miles. I would say our little stroll would account for around 12 of those! Slept well that's for sure.

I will enjoy the pheasant that bit more this weekend!

 

Scutt - I agree, it was. The bag is always a bonus really for the 4 of us who are all stuck behind a desk mid-week and just enjoy getting out there. If we get a bird each for the pot generally we are happy and anything on top of that is great but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable if we don't.

[Mice!]

Well i enjoyed reading all of those, small walked up shooting with great dog work by the sounds of it, sounds ideal.

[LGB]

Following up on my last shoot report (posted 22nd Jan), I was rewarded with a great afternoon's shooting on Saturday 26th Jan.

Again it was a rough/walked-up shoot on the Essex/Herts border. I was shooting a friends farm, consisting of about 150 acres of mixed woodland, cattle grazing, ponds and bogs. My friend, his 1 y.o. Springer and myself were the guest of the farmer. We were also joined by two other gents who were complete novices shooting live quarry for the first time. Given that fact, safety was paramount and we were very much trying to introduce two guys to the sport in a safe, friendly, no pressure atmosphere.

After a slow start meeting at the farm mid-morning, waiting for a late guest to arrive, we eventually set off around lunch time. The farmers brother dropped us to the far end of the farm in a vintage Landie (always an experience in itself) and the plan was to walk back to the farmhouse, stopping for a campfire lunch halfway through.

The first beat was a mixture of rough ground with a tributary of the river Stort running parallel and left of us. As we arrived and got out of the Landie, a cock pheasant broke metres in front of us. A good sign. My friend and his Springer beat the right hand hedge/cover. One of the novice guns was placed in the middle and keen to walk and observe the first beat without cocking the over and under he was borrowing from the farmer. I was walking to the right of the tributary and the farmer supervised the other novice gun to woods on the left of the water. About 100m into the beat, the farmer called up three mallard from the water. They crossed to the three of us in the field, rising at tree height from left to right. Despite missing the first hen I shot at, I took a Drake clean in front of me with my second barrel. It was nicely retrieved by my friends Springer. Whilst the dog had been sent, my friend shot the third mallard, a plump hen, with his first barrel. It landed between two established trees and was a difficult retrieve for a dog who was only on his third outing hunting - however he made it look simple after being well signalled and it was some great work. The duck's were both my friend and I's first of any species so we were both chuffed to bits!

We followed on through to the end of the beat and all that was in our way was a herd of cattle which were expertly moved on by the farmers blue heeler cattle dog. After regrouping, we then headed to our second beat. Instantly we were rewarded with yet more ducks lifting off of a pond to our left where my friend was working his Springer. Around a dozen or so leapt into the air quickly at varying angles, directions and heights. We spotted Mallard, Teal and Gadwall. My friend missed (what I think was) a Teal rising in front.  I took a Gadwall, dropping it near my friend's position. I then shot at another for a left and right but missed! Another simple retrieve for the Springer who was getting the hang of it by now. By this point I was beaming! Apart from a cock pheasant going away which was too low and far to shoot at it, that was all for that beat. We passed through a woodland pass, past a lake, and stopped for a campfire lunch of toasted mackerel sandwiches, chocolate orange shortbread and a swig of my own sloe gin. Bliss!

 Our next beat took us into some reedy boggy marsh. Snipe were fair game and often spotted, according to the farmer. Around 50 yards into the beat, the farmer (who was not looking to do much shooting himself, more mentoring one of the novices) shot a screaming second barrel woodie which appeared over a tree line almost grouse-like in speed and flight. It fell into heavy cover but was successfully picked from a stream bank on our way back through. His second barrel going off caused a hen bird to lift straight in front of me (again!) in alarming fashion. I successfully dropped the bird, which was retrieved heavy mouthed by the farmer's blue heeler! Enthusiastic all day, but it makes you appreciate the softness of a Spaniels mouth! As my first shot went off, another hen then crossed me left to right from reedy cover. She too was shot for my first left and right - yet unfortunately as the Springer neared her for a difficult retrieve, she managed a surge of adrenaline and was away. Sadly we didn't manage to catch up with her later into the beat despite getting a good mark on where she landed.

Our next beat resulted in some action for the novices and my friend, who was as much concerned with diligently working his Springer. A handful of pheasants broke out of some thick grass, a cacophony of shots rang out, yet surprisingly no further pheasants were added to the bag. Upon walking through, we kicked up a Muntjac which dove into thick cover and the farmer nearly then drove a huge cock pheasant over us. Unfortunately it just curled the wrong side of a tree line for anyone to take a shot.

We were nearing home and had two beats left. One was a rough field with a hedge up the right hand side. As I had received a considerable proportion of the afternoon's shooting I volunteered to go into the least likely position for a shot. Naturally the only pheasant that rose on the drive curled to my right and behind me. I managed to shoot it first barrel and added it to the hen in the bag. We walked the remainder of that field up to an established hedge where the farmer attempted a mini driven scenario. He successfully pushed two soaring, curling hens over the two novice guns who gave it a fair crack... but unfortunately the birds flew off for another day. Admittedly, many an experienced gun would have been satisfied shooting either bird so we ensured that we made a case of telling the slightly disheartened duo.

Our final beat was a marshy/boggy wetland where the farmer was optimistic of snipe. He wanted to work it as a mini driven scenario. Myself and the two novices would stand. My friend and his springer would join the farmer and his keen blue heeler, which worked surprisingly well all day, in pushing the wet land through. After only a short period of time, around 6 Teal shot directly towards us standing guns, and curling to our left. We gave them a salute but in truth they were very, very testing birds well over the height of an established treeline. Tricky. A widgeon took flight to the farmers right and we saw him tracking the shot only to pull out as it did not reach a suitable, safe height. The final action of the day was a hurried shout from the dog men as around 4 or 5 snipe jinked up and towards us. I missed a bird clean in front with my first barrel yet managed to connect with a second as it rose through. It dropped and spiralled down and unfortunately landed into a large area of blackthorn bushes. I marked it well (I thought!), we cleared a path through and 5 men and 2 dogs spent a good 10 minutes looking for the bird. Very sadly we were unsuccessful and with the light now fading, we had to call it a day and head back to the farm.

The final bag consisted of 2 mallard, 1 gadwall, 2 pheasant and a pigeon. Yet but for some unfortunate luck we should have had two more birds in the bag. Nonetheless, it was a brilliant few hours shooting, in good company and was a fine way to show two novice guns the nature of the sport. They were safe, eager and respectful. My friends Springer worked excellently given its inexperience and it was a great way to end the season. On a personal note, it was a day of many firsts and I had the lion's share of the shooting. I am well aware it doesn't always fall that way so I will take this one for now!

[JDog]

Very good LGB and thanks for posting.

[Nmb]

Great write up! Brilliant to hear of some fresh blood coming into the sport!