Almost 100% kills to cartridge ratio.

[Old Boggy]

Unlike Old`un who achieved 100%, I didn`t quite manage it, but unlike my normal very average performance I wasn`t far off.

I decided, against my better judgement, to have a go at the pigeons that had started on a field of rape near me. The only possible site to set up was 95 yards from where I parked the car. Ninety five yards may not seem much of a walk for a young and fit man, but to me armed with rotary, battery, seat, hide and poles, gun, cartridge, decoys and some grub, believe me, it was quite a stomp. On the way I almost walked on a cock pheasant which loudly chortled his way vertically giving me quite a surprise. 

I put about 100 pigeons out of some willows behind where I intended setting up and desperately hoped that at least one or two might just return. It just wasn`t an occasion to walk them off and wait and see if they returned, I was there and decided to give it a go anyway. My sessions out are usually only 2 to 3 hours so deciding on alternative places just wasn`t an option.

My first shot after a short wait was at a pigeon at height but heading behind me. This was a bit of an instinctive shot and one that I thought might not be able to be found due to the thick scrub behind. The bird was dead in the air and fell well behind. I thought that I would refrain from shooting any others heading in the same direction as I was unlikely to be able to find them. Quite a few followed the same route and were left untouched. Things went quiet so I decided to at least have a look for my shot bird with not a lot of hope of finding it. How wrong I was. Unbeknown to me, the area of scrub behind had been cleared and my bird was easily found. I could well have taken more shots at the earlier birds heading in this direction had I known. However, no further birds came over heading that way. At this stage nothing had decoyed so I decided to move the rotary from its normal position slightly upwind of my hide, to downwind as that`s where the odd bird would have a better view of it from the trees behind and hopefully come into the other tightly packed decoys. I moved the rotary and had just got back to the hide to see a pigeon come in confidently to the decoys from behind. Grabbing the gun this was given a snap but fairly easy shot and my second bird was put out as another decoy. 100% so far. I was very pleased as this was using my newly acquired 16 bore and 28g 7 shot fibre wad cartridges through the improved cylinder choke. Another very high shot overhead accounted for my third bird dead in the air. I was well pleased so far.

However, my 100% was soon shattered as the next bird in was hit but required a second barrel to bring it down. One further fairly easy decoyed bird brought my total to just five birds. So five birds for six shots and that was the end of my 2 hour session as I sat for the last 1/2 hour not seeing another pigeon.

I am sure that had there been more birds about and more shots taken, my kills to cartridges would have resumed to my normal very average performance. Nevertheless, I was pleased with the way the gun performed and look forward to my next short session afield.

On the very slow slog back which took me 20 minutes, I had the absolute pleasure of seeing a barn owl which flew and settled on a branch looking at me. I tried taking a photo of him on my phone, but sadly it didnt come out too well, but lovely to watch regardless.

Not sure whether my next session out will be on the field of rape or in my small wood which is a much easier and less tiring option. 

OB

[dead eye alan]

Well done you and good to see that you still make the effort, a good day and not too many to carry back.

[JKD]

Great to read a simple and honest account of an obviously enjoyable session (except for the walk to and from),,,, I was almost with you, sitting just off to one side doing the spotting 😁😀

[old'un]

Glad you got out and found a few to have a go at, you will have to brush up on your shooting to better my score.

Old age….its funny when your sat in the car watching pigeons drop into the field about 100+ yards from the gate, your 25-30 year old brain is telling you to get the gear out and get up the field, but your 70+ year old body is in total disagreement with it.

[Old Boggy]

49 minutes ago, old'un said:

Glad you got out and found a few to have a go at, you will have to brush up on your shooting to better my score.

Old age….its funny when your sat in the car watching pigeons drop into the field about 100+ yards from the gate, your 25-30 year old brain is telling you to get the gear out and get up the field, but your 70+ year old body is in total disagreement with it.

Couldn`t agree more with this statement.  I still make the effort to go out for a few hours each week not only for a bit of exercise but to retain my sanity, or what`s left of it 

[marsh man]

7 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

Unlike Old`un who achieved 100%, I didn`t quite manage it, but unlike my normal very average performance I wasn`t far off.

I decided, against my better judgement, to have a go at the pigeons that had started on a field of rape near me. The only possible site to set up was 95 yards from where I parked the car. Ninety five yards may not seem much of a walk for a young and fit man, but to me armed with rotary, battery, seat, hide and poles, gun, cartridge, decoys and some grub, believe me, it was quite a stomp. On the way I almost walked on a cock pheasant which loudly chortled his way vertically giving me quite a surprise. 

I put about 100 pigeons out of some willows behind where I intended setting up and desperately hoped that at least one or two might just return. It just wasn`t an occasion to walk them off and wait and see if they returned, I was there and decided to give it a go anyway. My sessions out are usually only 2 to 3 hours so deciding on alternative places just wasn`t an option.

My first shot after a short wait was at a pigeon at height but heading behind me. This was a bit of an instinctive shot and one that I thought might not be able to be found due to the thick scrub behind. The bird was dead in the air and fell well behind. I thought that I would refrain from shooting any others heading in the same direction as I was unlikely to be able to find them. Quite a few followed the same route and were left untouched. Things went quiet so I decided to at least have a look for my shot bird with not a lot of hope of finding it. How wrong I was. Unbeknown to me, the area of scrub behind had been cleared and my bird was easily found. I could well have taken more shots at the earlier birds heading in this direction had I known. However, no further birds came over heading that way. At this stage nothing had decoyed so I decided to move the rotary from its normal position slightly upwind of my hide, to downwind as that`s where the odd bird would have a better view of it from the trees behind and hopefully come into the other tightly packed decoys. I moved the rotary and had just got back to the hide to see a pigeon come in confidently to the decoys from behind. Grabbing the gun this was given a snap but fairly easy shot and my second bird was put out as another decoy. 100% so far. I was very pleased as this was using my newly acquired 16 bore and 28g 7 shot fibre wad cartridges through the improved cylinder choke. Another very high shot overhead accounted for my third bird dead in the air. I was well pleased so far.

However, my 100% was soon shattered as the next bird in was hit but required a second barrel to bring it down. One further fairly easy decoyed bird brought my total to just five birds. So five birds for six shots and that was the end of my 2 hour session as I sat for the last 1/2 hour not seeing another pigeon.

I am sure that had there been more birds about and more shots taken, my kills to cartridges would have resumed to my normal very average performance. Nevertheless, I was pleased with the way the gun performed and look forward to my next short session afield.

On the very slow slog back which took me 20 minutes, I had the absolute pleasure of seeing a barn owl which flew and settled on a branch looking at me. I tried taking a photo of him on my phone, but sadly it didnt come out too well, but lovely to watch regardless.

Not sure whether my next session out will be on the field of rape or in my small wood which is a much easier and less tiring option. 

OB

As already said Chris , a very good and honest account of your afternoon out , average wise , not at all bad and if old'un had more shots it could well had been a photo finish for the high gun for the over 70s .

Slog wise is very much nowadays taken in consideration when driving to your spot is not an option , my plan A for yesterday totally backfired when it came to shanks pony , Thursday night we had our shoot dinner , the farm foreman came and had a yarn and said can you have a look on the rape down on the xxxxxxxxx rd as when he was doing some hedge cutting he noticed several Pigeons working on it , I was one step ahead and have already looked at it a couple of times and seen next to nothing , so as it was very quiet in my part of the woods I thought this field might be worth a try , so Friday I had a ride out to this particular field and it was just as I thought , dead , not a Pigeon to be seen , anyway I thought I will cart my battery and hide poles to where I might set up which must be between 150 / 200 yards and then I can carry the rest of my gear in one go when I come out on Saturday , so yesterday the weather was ideal , a bit of a breeze and very mild , back to the field in crime once again and my luck was certainly out , again Pigeon less . sat in my motor a good hour and in that time saw sweet f all , so as I was going to go somewhere else I had to walk along the hedge again to get my poles and battery , so that plan back fired , rather that bore you with a near failed attempt to shoot some pigeons I will just say that after my first shot I was level with both old'un and O B 100% kill rate , that was the first and only time I was 100% , my next five shots produced two more Pigeons , so after walking my large battery and poles close on 300 yards return trip without using either , out for most of the afternoon and ended the day for three pigeons with a 50% killing rate , my ole teacher at school would often say there is room for improvement , 65 years on he would be saying the exactly the same 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Well done Mate.  

The Barn Owl made the day memorable.