A Few hours on the Corvids

[Scully]

Last Friday I’d arranged to call on mates farm after he’d told me his winter barley was taking a bit of a hammering, and had intended getting there about 9ish after walking the dogs, but as usual things conspire and so it wasn’t until after 1100 that I eventually got there. 
Mate had set up a hide at the bottom of a shallow slope on one corner of about half an acre of ground he sets aside for cover crops as part of our rough shoot. About fifty yards to my left was our old pen and orchard, and slightly to my right was one corner of the 35 acre barley field, of which the damage was apparent. 
After adding to the hide I set up my usual four black plastics and added another four pigeon shells to the half dozen mate had put out. 
Again there was absolutely no wind, and of more concern, no birds, but I was here now, so made ready and sat down to wait. 
I had decided to use up three or four boxes of Lyalvale Pigeon Power 29grm 6’s, which I had left from a job lot our game syndicate bought a few seasons ago. They are a great cartridge, but as I now use SIPE for all my game shooting they’ve just been sat in the cupboard. Their only downside is they are plastic wadded, but my thinking was that as such they should pattern tighter, and so in theory hit hard. I had my old Perazzi with me in which I’d left the Teague half/half chokes. 
After 15 minutes and not even a solitary bird, nor sound of one, I was starting to think it was going to be a waste of a day, and then two pigeons flew past which were missed. Then a crow which was also missed. 😕

Then a lone pigeon which fluttered down in the pen about fifty yards to my left, and then apart from losing a few feathers a streaming pigeon which kept on streaming. 
Then there was a crow, and although at distance I couldn’t believe I’d missed it, but as I watched it turned out I hadn’t as it flew on for a spell before folding up and fluttering down like litter through the branches of a tree in the orchard. 
Then for whatever reason it all came together. A left and right at crows ( always landing on their backs of course ) one of which I put on a bobber until I replaced it with a low incoming pigeon, and I replaced the plastics with real birds as and when the opportunity presented itself. There followed a couple of incomers which I heard land with a thump in the field over the hedge behind me. Of course I had to collect them as they would no doubt be on their backs, as indeed they were. 🤷‍♂️
It wasn’t going to be a red letter day, but for me it was immensely satisfying. I couldn’t believe the consistent kill after kill I was getting, and at range. I paced out one crow which I shot about a foot off the ground as it was about to settle on the edge of the pattern, and it was 54 paces from my seat. 
At one point I had five birds for five shots, and another left and right may have been a left right and centre had I been using the auto. 
I called it a day around 1430ish following a lengthy quiet spell, and had accounted for 34 birds consisting of 29 crows and 5 pigeons and not a single jackdaw surprisingly, didn't even see one. I had 4 lefts and rights amongst those I accounted for, and found I’d fired 46 shots. 
It wasn’t a great bag, but I was so pleased with my shooting I didn’t really care, and for that reason it will be a day I’ll not forget. The day has constantly replayed through my head like a song on a loop ever since. 
My only regret is I don’t have a shotkam, then I could sit through it all again. 

I am back in love with my old Perazzi, which is something I wanted to be after allowing it to fall out of favour following a few poor days shooting. I have altered the comb and adjusted my mount by making it more deliberate as I think I’d allowed my technique to become sloppy, and hopefully have overcome a left master eye and an astigmatism in my right by slowing down my mount a tad. Anyhow, a fabulous day which I’ll treasure. 

[oldypigeonpopper]

Good post Scully 👍

[Scully]

Thankyou OPP. 

[rimfire4969]

Great write up.

I was also out with a friend yesterday after Corvids early morning as I had stuff to do during the day and the farmer was very keen for us to get on them and we must keep him happy. We were set up at 5 am at the edge of a barley field that had about half an acre flattened. We used a combination of about 10 defrosted birds and a few plastic thrown in. Big numbers had been seen the previous day but did not really show up, we done alright they came in ones and twos no wind at all so shooting not that difficult but it gave them plenty of time to study our set up but most that committed did not leave. I left at 8 am and we had shot about 44 by then, my friend had another 12 by the time he left at 9:30am.

Equals happy farmer.

[Scully]

Thankyou. It's just great to be out isn't it. 
Just realised what an early start you had! Well done. I haven’t done a start like that since I stopped shooting Roe! 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Scully

[Spr1985]

Great post scully,  I really do enjoy reading about others outings. it’s even better when you realise just how much of a good day they’ve had 😁

[Scully]

1 minute ago, Spr1985 said:

Great post scully,  I really do enjoy reading about others outings. it’s even better when you realise just how much of a good day they’ve had 😁

Thankyou. 🙂

[mel b3]

Cracking write up Scully,  it's always nice to get a few , and it feels great when you shoot well.👍

[oowee]

Very nice right up and a cracking day.  

[marsh man]

Again a superb write up Scully , not only did you describe the day you also described the time of year perfectly , laid crops don't last long and then we have to wait for getting onto a year before we can expect the same type of sport again , all part of the sporting calendar we eagerly look forward to .

Edited July 11, 2021 by marsh man

[Scully]

4 hours ago, mel b3 said:

Cracking write up Scully,  it's always nice to get a few , and it feels great when you shoot well.👍

Thankyou. It certainly does. 👍

4 hours ago, oowee said:

Very nice right up and a cracking day.  

Thankyou, am pleased you enjoyed it. 

3 hours ago, marsh man said:

Again a superb write up Scully , not only did you describe the day you also described the time of year perfectly , laid crops don't last long and then we have to wait for getting onto a year before we can expect the same type of sport again , all part of the sporting calendar we eagerly look forward to .

Cheers MM. 🙂

[B725]

Nice to see a few more shot, I was at a farm yesterday doing a bit of a clay shoot for a stag party and there was at least 500 flying about when I enquired about shooting them they said we have some one who's supposed to shoot them so I have my fingers crossed.