Time to hang it up.

[deny essex]

At 73 and with arthritis painfully  kicking in its time for me to call it a day, no longer can I carry the kit or even walk the margins or walk the fields.

Ive made good friends and had some great times and will miss it, but I will always do my morning round of reading about your pigeon shooting exploit's and banter so keep it coming.

P.S. mrs is happy to have room to spread her things around after I move the guns and  shooting kit on.

Good shooting and be safe

[TIGHTCHOKE]

A shame, but better to stop and reflect on the good days.   

[chrisjpainter]

27 minutes ago, deny essex said:

At 73 and with arthritis painfully  kicking in its time for me to call it a day, no longer can I carry the kit or even walk the margins or walk the fields.

Ive made good friends and had some great times and will miss it, but I will always do my morning round of reading about your pigeon shooting exploit's and banter so keep it coming.

P.S. mrs is happy to have room to spread her things around after I move the guns and  shooting kit on.

Good shooting and be safe

Alas. but it's 100% the right decision. Hobbies should give us enjoyment, not make us feel worse than if we'd not done them! 

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, sorry to hear this deny , getting old myself now but can get about still, but gave up metal detecting, keep on PW as your posts are always interesting, , 👍

Edited May 7, 2022 by oldypigeonpopper

[old man]

Nope, just reevaluate your kit and outings?

[mgsontour]

Life changing sir but *** above your doing the right thing, I'm sure one of your mates will still come and pick you up for the day out with the lads, a slice of pork pie and a tot

[mellors]

3 hours ago, deny essex said:

At 73 and with arthritis painfully  kicking in its time for me to call it a day, no longer can I carry the kit or even walk the margins or walk the fields.

Ive made good friends and had some great times and will miss it, but I will always do my morning round of reading about your pigeon shooting exploit's and banter so keep it coming.

P.S. mrs is happy to have room to spread her things around after I move the guns and  shooting kit on.

Good shooting and be safe

I bet there's someone on here close by who hasn't got anywhere to go. 

Would glady assist you getting out. 

[enfieldspares]

My FAC and SGC are due for renewal on 4 June 2022. The FAC dates from 4 June 1976 when I was age nineteen. The SGC from maybe 1978 or later. For sure this will be my last renewal of the FAC as I am sixty-five this year and hill stalking for me is about done and dusted.

Edited May 7, 2022 by enfieldspares

[7daysinaweek]

Arthritis can be a dreadful thing.

As others have posted, maybe an offer from a fellow PW member to pick you up for a short couple of hours in a dry spell and have a shot from the hide or next to a comfy vehichle.

May I wish you all the best.

7diaw

[Wilts#Dave]

That’s a real shame. My Dad is older than you and still goes but rarely solo now, and will generally wait and go with me. This wasn’t the case 20, even 10 years ago but there’s no reason you can’t still enjoy the sport from a different angle/with the company of someone else on the days shooting if you’re still keen in mind. 

[Vince Green]

I must admit the thought enters my head more often these days. 

[Old Boggy]

PM sent Denny.

OB

[ditchman]

denny the dippers no more.................😢

been there seen the film got the tee shirt....

[samboy]

Old samboy is 74 and 3 yrs ago had a triple bypass and was diagnosed with Parkinsons but lucky enough i haven't got the shakes.

But i still get out clay shooting every week and rabbit shooting twice a week. I take my Lurcher out every day and yes overall

it can be a struggle but i wont give in. As said above get someone to help you or find an easier type of shooting.

  But good luck to you whatever you decide. Plus i'm looking for a little Whippet to keep me busy.

Edited May 7, 2022 by samboy

[bigroomboy]

Good luck Danny what ever you decide. I got some decoys off you a few years back and they are getting more use than ever so you oegacy lives on through every dipper!

[matone]

Best wishes Denny ! Still using the 2 Dippas that I got from you ,had them out for a couple of hrs this aft in fact,work a treat !

[pigeon controller]

I’m 74 in a couple of weeks and hope to keep going as long as I can, a Carp Trolley helped with the weights and distances over the winter when I could not drive the land. The next day required a complete rest day to recover but I do still enjoy it to the full.

Denny look after yourself and keep on the forum as your input is very valid and appreciated, you can always comment on where we are going wrong!!

[mossy835]

im 73 and still get out a lot,nothing wrong with me fit as a fiddle, still working for openreach cabling, i cut down trees for farmers and do lots of other things, i must be one of the lucky ones,   still passing my hgv medical each year, i walked round 3 farms today, so all the best in what you do.,

[marsh man]

Quite a few members on the forum are now in the mid seventies , me included , no way I can still do what I could ten years ago or even five come to that but I won't give in and still still do what I can , in a way my dog keep me reasonably fit , every morning between 6.30 and 7  I take him out for at least an hour and always feel a bit better when I get home than before I went out , one reason I don't like making arrangements is I can go when I want and pack up if I ain't feeling that great , I know within the next few years I might well have to pack it in but I know when that time come my lifespan will be getting towards the finishing line .

I remember meeting Archie Coats at one of the game fairs and his hips were giving him some stick and he looked like he was carrying far to much weight , and yet he was still decoying Pigeons with the help from his wife , she would drive him to his hide position , put his decoy pattern out , leave him in his hide with his food and other bits and pieces and then at a arranged time go back out and clear things up and then take him back home , now that is dedication .  MM

[the hitman]

Deny Essex 

This must have been a difficult call, but ultimately the correct one if your physical health is going to suffer.

I have often mentioned on here that it’s a physically demanding hobby.

Never say never as you might get an invitation someday.

Hitman

[Westley]

I shoot with a group of friends and we are all 70 plus. Yes, we only shoot clays now but a couple of us buy one or two game days in the season. I only stopped pigeon and game shooting due to a change of ownership of the land and ALL shooting has been stopped. So now those pigeon and game shooting friends meet on average once a week and shoot clays, enjoy a bacon butty and a natter. Thankfully, one of the group is a Doctor, handy to have around at our age. 2 of the group have changed guns to auto's, due to arthritic problems but it allows them to keep going.  Remember a bad days shooting beats the hell out of a good days shopping  !   😄

[Old Boggy]

1 hour ago, marsh man said:

Quite a few members on the forum are now in the mid seventies , me included , no way I can still do what I could ten years ago or even five come to that but I won't give in and still still do what I can , in a way my dog keep me reasonably fit , every morning between 6.30 and 7  I take him out for at least an hour and always feel a bit better when I get home than before I went out , one reason I don't like making arrangements is I can go when I want and pack up if I ain't feeling that great , I know within the next few years I might well have to pack it in but I know when that time come my lifespan will be getting towards the finishing line .

I remember meeting Archie Coats at one of the game fairs and his hips were giving him some stick and he looked like he was carrying far to much weight , and yet he was still decoying Pigeons with the help from his wife , she would drive him to his hide position , put his decoy pattern out , leave him in his hide with his food and other bits and pieces and then at a arranged time go back out and clear things up and then take him back home , now that is dedication .  MM

Following on from Archie Coats shooting where his wife used drive him out etc. one time she forgot his cartridges and he had to sit out all day not having a shot. This was of course before mobile phones. I bet the air was blue that day.

I also wish Denny all the best and thank him for his contributions over the years and his inventive ‘Deny’s Dippas’.

OB

[oowee]

8 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

Following on from Archie Coats shooting where his wife used drive him out etc. one time she forgot his cartridges and he had to sit out all day not having a shot. This was of course before mobile phones. I bet the air was blue that day.

I also wish Denny all the best and thank him for his contributions over the years and his inventive ‘Deny’s Dippas’.

OB

She forgot his cartridges 🤣🤣🤣 please!!! Sounds like the bloke can't organise himself. 

[Bobba]

Good Luck Denny. Sorry to see you go.

Yes, arthritis is a bug err. Aged 78 I’ve had both hips replaced. My knees are knackered  and some degeneration of the lower spine. Fortunately I can still get out there on the easier shoots with work around solutions. For example I now take a garden kneeler for getting up and down and a pick-up stick to minimise the bending. There will come a day when I have to say no more but with a careful approach I hopefully I’ve a few more years left.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Bobba

[Old Boggy]

1 hour ago, oowee said:

She forgot his cartridges 🤣🤣🤣 please!!! Sounds like the bloke can't organise himself. 

Bearing in mind he could barely walk and used to hobble about on two sticks, I think he did remarkably well. However, whether he or his wife actually forgot the cartridges I’m not sure so maybe I wrote that incorrectly. This was told to me by Prue Coats at a game fair after Archie’s passing. She was too much of a lady to repeat his precise words.

OB