Great to be out.

[aga man]

I have not been out on the pigeons for a few weeks now, a busy work load, bad back and not really having a proper outlet for my shot birds are just a few of my many excuses. The latter is probably the one that bothers me the most. I have seen pigeons on stubbles that I have access to but I have chosen not to bother. Perhaps getting older is playing a part too.

After yet another busy week  I managed to free up a few hours this afternoon and I had spotted a line heading to what I think is standing beans a way off.

I took a few boxes of shells and Bob my young lab to intercept the line at 2pm this afternoon. With only a magnet out in the stubble Bob and I got tucked into a hedge and tried to shoot some fairly rangey pigeons as they came for a look at the magnet.

It was a lovely sunny afternoon with a slight breeze and pigeons on the out going line were fairly high as I had hoped. We got going by 2.30pm and knocked off at 5pm with 24 pigeons and 2 carrion crows for 47 shots. Pretty dismal by some standards but the birds were all 30- 50 metres high and Bob and I had just the sort of afternoon we like.

Bob worked his socks off retrieving the fallen and even managed to find the only ditch in east Yorkshire with water in it!

Gamebore super steel performed really well and killed some corkers.

Thanks for reading.

 

[GingerCat]

Nice report, dogs do have a canny ability to find ditches full of filth to jump in.

're the outlet - have you tried a mincer? 1/3 pigeon to 2/3 of pork belly is a good ratio and works well in burgers and sausages. Certainly helps me use up mine and never had anyone turn down the excess. 

[Clodhopper]

Sounds like a perfect afternoon. This work thing does seem to get in the way of  the more important things for in life.

[JDog]

I can just imagine those lines. A splendid afternoons sport. The dog looks good.

[b325]

Nothing wrong with that ratio on flightline pigeons .It shows that you were tested and that is better than shooting  a 80% ratio over decoys any day. Great sport , well shot.

[dead eye alan]

That's my kind of shooting alas  do not get much now as lines have all but dried up, great report more please.

[marsh man]

The type of afternoons I love , you get some good shooting and the dog get plenty of work , I don't think , I now know that as we get older the number game get less important and sport take priority , far more satisfying to shoot 20 good ones than 40 that flop into the decoys now that the maximum numbers of young ones are not that street wise .

Hope your back is on the mend and you are finding a outlet for your birds .

[Fuddster]

good stuff-anytime in the field is good for the body and mind.

sounds like they were flying well-better to hit a belter that half a dozen easy ones.

I was going out this afternoon but weathers changed to being hot and sunny so DIY here I come.

atb 

f.