HantsRob Posted September 21 Report Share Posted September 21 "Hey Rob, it's @oowee. Can you do tomorrow PM?" It's Wednesday, 16:19, and the email notification pops through that I have a PW DM. Holy smokes, talk about last minute! I TOLD you that I need 2-3 days notice Oowie, I just can't..... wait, my diary looks ok, this could work. I can do this.... and so the story begins. ------------------------------------------- It's a beautiful late summer's afternoon, and we are meeting in a sleepy hollow in Somerset just after lunch. The skies are blue but it's a little windy, and I meet Oowie at an RVP. We kit up and head to the local field where the hide is mostly set up, and another shooter meets us there. Driving onto the field there is a few hundred birds feeding, an excellent sign it could be a good day ahead. Handshakes and introductions completed, I observe two experienced pigeon shooters discuss the different ways to set the decoys, and a small difference of opinion emerges. I soak this up, having read the pinned thread in the pigeon shooting sub-forum here I am aware of different ways to set up I listen with intent, and I find myself fascinated with the spinner and flapper devices that are set up having not seem either before. Once we settle for Oowie's setup we sit in the hide and wait, and I get the first shot of this session off, and the first pigeon to cross gives an excellent first shot, and it falls into the neighbouring field. Bravo, HantsRob! I applaud my expert shooting (a smugness that will immediately cause me to miss the next 10-15 shots at least) and the decoy session commences! Two is company, three is a crowd? Maybe, Oowie decides to scope a second location with a view to drive some of the pigeons from the far side of the field towards us. We all nod and smile as Oowie grabs his seat and his net and heads down the field, and soon disappears out of view. As I sit there patiently with another shooter and his dog, we near clack clack of Owies gun, and see some birds fall out of the sky. Then clack..... then clack clack clack..... Oowie seems to be on a hotspot, and we see a few more birds fall out of the air, sometimes in pairs. Meanwhile, the hide I am in isn't quite as fortuitous. I would like to say there weren't any birds, but see my reference earlier. I have overthought all shots, and now I am not sure if I am not giving enough lead, if I am giving too much, or frankly if I am just not designed to shoot an object that isn't predicatable and slowing like a clay! Time passes and I am getting more hits, my average is a shameful 1 in 6 shots, but having a marvelous day with 2 nice folk. We rotate around hides for variety, and I would suggest that the bottom hide is the most successful. I don't know if that's location location location, or better decoying, but it certainly was bringing the birds in off the flight line. I get maybe 45 minutes in that hide before the light starts to fade, and (purely due to location and shots, and not the lack of company down there!) I have a most wonderful time in that hidey hole! The day wraps up with seeing a very happy and healthy number of pigeons, and 3 happy shooters. We moved into dusk and I was introduced to the world of scopes and types of scope, however I will leave the rifle side out of this post. ----------------------------------- So what was the second shoot like? It was great to know more of what was to be expected so I could listen and learn more of the experiences of the 2 shooters, and Oowie is a gent as always and put on a great day. I am surprised how much different a second shoot in the same field and location could feel so dissimilar, purely due to the flight lines and presentation of the birds. Hopefully they both enjoyed the day as much as I did, and again it is a memory I shall treasure. Good company, good birds, good weather. Thanks Oowie, see you soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 21 Report Share Posted September 21 Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down South Posted September 21 Report Share Posted September 21 Very good guns, I have a S57EL that is my go to 12b. I think spares for these guns are almost none existent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 21 Report Share Posted September 21 2 hours ago, Down South said: Very good guns, I have a S57EL that is my go to 12b. I think spares for these guns are almost none existent. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down South Posted September 21 Report Share Posted September 21 Ah! Wrong topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 21 Report Share Posted September 21 I did wonder................................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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