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Another day out


the hitman
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Hi Folks,

Yesterday I recced the field which I shot last week, and spotted about 30 down feeding and nothing in the air- however it was a flat windless day.

The forecast was for a decent wind today so I was out early and parked up where I could glass the field at about 08.45. I spotted about 70 down and more importantly a few on the wing joining the  feeding flock.

The wind was such that I had to walk the length of the muddy field to get the wind in my back - plus it was the obvious flightline.

Hide up and shell decoys out plus 2 on the magnet from my sortie last week by 09.20.

I had chosen a good spot as they started coming in without hesitation straight away. They were coming into view way down wind - spotting the magnet and dropping low like driven partridge across the field. The sun was out and it was very mild for the time of year- and I was shooting fairly well, however I did have on more that one occasion about 100 pigeons over my head which I chose not to shoot at.

I was shooting mostly single birds as the wind was carrying them off after the first barrel. 3 carrion crows came in too close and paid the price. After about 2 hours of really good sport it went very quiet and I sat for 30 minutes looking at an empty sky.

All packed up by 12.15 and a difficult walk back to the car ( definitely a younger persons sport )with a total of 38 pigeons and 3 crows.

I have recently copied Geoff Garrod’s idea of propping pigeons up on flexible rods which keeps them off the ground and swaying in the wind-which I think really helps add movement to the pattern.

Hitman.

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6 hours ago, dead eye alan said:

Great result again well done, still think you need to be out earlier for a bigger bag but 38 now is a very good result.  

Yes I agree- as they came in as soon as the decoys were out, so I might have had another 40mins  or so shooting.

Hopefully I will get another opportunity soon- if the rain stops .

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Happy days Hitman.  Good to read the report and see that they are keen on the rape up there. Hopefully they will follow suit  further south later in January.

 I do feel for you though having shot 38 after a long walk up a field to get to the right spot. My personal limit for a return journey to the car with all the gear is around 30 birds. More than 40 means a rest half way back or a second journey . Over 50 ( with no help) and its definitely a second trip back to the hide..the worst part of a decent bag. I find myself counting the paces to the truck which doesn't really help but takes your mind off the load on your back . As age catches up it becomes more dreadful.

  But that's winter shooting. Thanks for the write up it cheered up my breakfast cornflakes.

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Good result and write up. Thanks for posting.

It`s good to read that some are getting out and finding pigeons to shoot, especially on rape at the moment. Still on ivy berries around here. Not touched the rape .....yet.

OB

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1 hour ago, pbutd said:

Happy days Hitman.  Good to read the report and see that they are keen on the rape up there. Hopefully they will follow suit  further south later in January.

 I do feel for you though having shot 38 after a long walk up a field to get to the right spot. My personal limit for a return journey to the car with all the gear is around 30 birds. More than 40 means a rest half way back or a second journey . Over 50 ( with no help) and its definitely a second trip back to the hide..the worst part of a decent bag. I find myself counting the paces to the truck which doesn't really help but takes your mind off the load on your back . As age catches up it becomes more dreadful.

  But that's winter shooting. Thanks for the write up it cheered up my breakfast cornflakes.

Hi pbutd 

I am 55 and definitely feel my age when trudging over a muddy field.

About 4 years ago in February  I shot 73 pigeons and put them all in an army rucksack that I used at the time and through it over my back, I instantly felt a sharp pain in my lower back but trudged back to the car anyway. Next day  I was in agony, and after a month on nerve block pills - a scan showed that I had a bulging disc which was pushing on a nerve. The physio didn’t recommend surgery as the rick outweighed the benefit, so I have lost the feeling in 3 toes and walk with a very slight limp, but thankfully no pain. Fortunately the previous day Mrs H and I had been in IKEA where I had been lifting some flat pack furniture- so that’s where the damage was done 😉.

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On 23/01/2021 at 12:52, Blackpowder said:

Good going Gav be careful of that back though better making two trips with the slain rather than cripple yourself.

 

Blackpowder

 

Hi Al

Nice to hear from you.

Hopefully I will get the opportunity to need two trips from the hide to the car in the near future.

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