Rob85 Posted March 4, 2020 Report Share Posted March 4, 2020 So on Monday I had my first walk around my newest bit of permission....I'm on nightshift and needed some fresh air before bedtime. So I pocketed a handful of cartridges and lifted the SxS yeoman and went for a walk about. Was my first proper outing since losing my spaniel last year and on first impressions if I had gotten this permission a few months ago and still had the spaniel I could have had a few cracking sessions, 2 parts of drainage channels(or sheughs as they are known here) bisect each other on the land forming what is in essence a natural flight pond. Also plenty of rough bushes and hedgerows to hold woodcock, rushes and the like to hold snipe.(ground I used to shoot just at the far end of this held a healthy supply of them) Well as soon as I started my walk 3 pigeons got out of the trees....and proceeded across the neighbours ground so not worth the shot. Walked on about 50yards and a pigeon burst out circled round and flared to go back into the trees about 30yards back. I gave it a barrel with the bird practically hovering and the thing damn well flew off, either my pattern had a pigeon shaped hole or the thing was drilled through and flew off to die somewhere else(looked all round the trees on my way and never found it). After my scout about I was wondering where all the pigeons were as this ground is on the flightline heading to one of the national trust gardens near me. Soon got my answer, sitting down to watch the scene, about half a mile away was a buzzard up high hovering in the breeze so everything must have cleared off to lie low. Decided to pack it in and walk over to the old dump on the ground. Lifted out some fertilizer bags and tore them open for pattern plates and all I can say is my word does this yeoman pattern tight! Just as I was packing it in a pigeon came over no doubt disturbed by the racket I was making trying to have a look at the pattern, like a high curling pheasant, I raises the gun....bang...missed, second barrel...click. I forgot I had just emptied the full choke barrel into the makeshift pattern plate. Doh!! 2 shots at pigeons and 2 misses, home time I reckon and off to bed for nightshift. As much as some people might say this was not a successful trip out, I still got a walk with fresh air, a few shots off, the spectacle of watching a buzzard soaring up high and the opportunity to see how one of my guns patterns.... very tight even for a half and full choke! Even though the pigeons won 2-0 I'm still glad I was out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhastings Posted March 4, 2020 Report Share Posted March 4, 2020 Never a wasted trip Rob. Any plans for another dog ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted March 4, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, captainhastings said: Never a wasted trip Rob. Any plans for another dog ? Definitely not a wasted trip....most of my evenings and afternoons shooting was really a walk for the dog with the gun under the arm and if a pigeon/duck/pheasant etc was bagged then that was the cherry on top. I still have a springer collie crossbreed. She was bought as a bit of a pet for the wife and kids and is about 7 now. Although loyal and affectionate she will no doubt never make the grade as any form of gundog but she's a lovely dog and if she's happy to accompany me for an afternoon shooting then I'm happy to have her trot along with me. I reckon if i got a chance to go beating again i could get her into enough shape to flush birds and nothing else. I feel when she came along my spaniel kind of lost some of her edge so I don't plan to get another working dog until this one is gone. my wife is quite set on getting a Labrador for the next dog but I've a notion if she was shown a litter of cocker or springer pups she would run for the hills with 1 under each arm! Maybe when my kids are older and I'm not working so much i would consider training 2 dogs. Edited March 4, 2020 by Rob85 Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainhastings Posted March 4, 2020 Report Share Posted March 4, 2020 Yes I have lurcher and want gun dog next. But won’t get one until I can give it 100% training commitment. So got wait for the silly sod to snuff it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted March 4, 2020 Report Share Posted March 4, 2020 Nice report mate enjoyed that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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