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Tricky birds


GingerCat
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This morning I rose early to meet jdog,  I turned back after 10 minutes as I realised i left my bucket seat and the hide nets within it at home. Such is always the way.

Having rectified my error I joined the dog at the entrance of a field where we loaded all kit into his 4x4 and made our way to a maze strip he had seen birds at.  I was told the birds would appear in a gap 40 or so yards in front and either head to the trees behind us or try the strip. With just simple hides and 2 dead birds we set up. 700 yards in front was a small spinny birds were staging in before heading up a long strip of scrub towards us. Within minutes we had shot 6 great birds, all over 40 yards  and none could be descried as a "doddler" . Then the line stopped, just like turning off a tap. 

Having not shot for a couple of months due to work I was happy that I hit some. 

We waiting a short while longer in the early morning sunlight that hadnt quite burnt through the clouds and then made our way to another cut maize stubble. Possibly a bit soon for the birds to find as it was only cut yesterday but an enthusiastic farmer was cutting his hedges on the rape jdog wanted to get on and ruled this out for us. 

This was an L shaped wood With the game cover bordering it. Birds were coming across the fields and heading for the woods. Flighting really and not decoying. The wind being so strong it made for some interesting shots and again within a few minutes we had 5 more really very good birds  in the bag before it stopped again. 

Undeterred we went to spot 3. This had a  wood on the right at the bottom of a steep hill that rose up 60 yards or so in height. Birds were leaving this wood and flying across the field and up to another maize stubble. 2 trees were being used to perch on and these made suitable spots for our hides. With over 100 birds in the hedge alone we set off, walking the birds off as we went. 

We set up wth the sun and strong wind behind us and a clear blue sky as a backdrop, overlooking a picturesque wolds village in the distance , it really was just a great day to be out.

We put 2 more dead birds on sticks and waited for them to return. And then waited some more. Eventually they started to come back and the shooting can only  be described as wonderful. the birds were coming across high and skirting the stubble for an alternate line that was forming in a gully running across the field.

None of the birds were under 40 yards, most were over 50 and each one memorable. A particularly good shot was had by jdog that was making it's way back to the wood on its return. This pigeon was screaming across and on the very limits of what could be shot. It feel into a heap some 65 good paces out. It really was impressive. 

In fact we each had a few of these shots and every one would rival any high screaming pheasant with ease. 

After a couple of hours of these testing conditions we called it a day with 18 picked. 

All are now breasted out ready for making into sausages later this week. Most had empty crops, some rape and a few maize. 

It's never been about the bag size for me, I don't think it ever will be either. Not when you can shot birds like this that would test any good game shot and leave them happy. 

 

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Brilliant report of an excellent days pigeon shooting in wonderful conditions. I agree it's not always about the bag, it's the quality of the shooting. We enjoy some great shooting based on our reputation of shooting lots of birds we have the ability to decoy birds to land in the pattern but taking yesterday's result a good number were two into the decoys, bang ,bang. The ones you remember are the high crossers , which I had about ten yesterday.

Well done Gingercat and JDog.

 

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