kitchrat Posted yesterday at 16:28 Report Share Posted yesterday at 16:28 Rick Onissance and I have watched this field for a while and always seen pigeons there, so I sorted out to go there today. Yesterday was a beating day, I usually take Rick and check on a few things on the way out but yesterday was so bad (wind and rain) that I left him at home. Mistake No 1!. So it was a nasty surprise to find today at 7.45am that the normal, best end of the field with the fine bunker in the field (best except for the 500-yards carry!) was under water, with most for the rest waterlogged. A few groups of birds were going right on by, towards the smaller, 2nd field, better drained but frequented by (trespassing) dog-walkers. There is usually a decent number of birds come from that direction so I headed over. Mistake No 2. Only 400 yards carry, downhill and still frozen, so not too bad. Found a nice ditch, only 3 inches of water, wind on back, sun on back and I can monitor the big field behind. Very few birds turned up so I keep looking behind (cue pigeon!) and suddenly up the far end there are loads of blue lights and police/fire/ambulance. A dog walker tells me the road is a sheet of ice and closed off both ends. So here I am, inside a police cordon, with a gun and several 100 rounds of ammo. I keep my head down! Lucky I'm not up that end, I wouldn't dare to fire a shot. The police action all calms down in a couple of hours but pigeons start to drop in up the top far end of the big field, next to a very busy (now open) road. Shots don't shift them. I pack all my stuff up and head about 150 yards towards the truck, them dump most if it and take the bare minimum, (mistake No 3??) only another 250yards downhill to a 2nd bunker, on the edge of the field but providing some sort of cover. I take just the magnet, a few plastic shells, an ammo belt plus a pocket of ammo. When I get there it's a nightmare, waterlogged field. (see picture, NB most of the green "crop" is not rape but charlock , funny how the pigeons don't seem to like it.) Not much cover but by kneeling beside the bunker I can keep reasonably out of sight. Trouble is, it's sun full on face and I can't see incomers until there are there, and then they can see me. They have not read the manual about coming upwind and whizz downwind and swirl about . However, I would rather have some difficult shooting than no "easy" shooting, so persist. I try standing behind the bunker, I can see incomers but lose sight of them until they have swirled. To add to my troubles, they are well flocked up and arrive in dozens, if not more. I hate scaring loads at once, my normal plan is to let most of them pass, as they don't usually decoy anyway, then see if any greedy ones turn back and get shot when the main group is not too near. The lead birds of this lot, however, dive straight in and swirl about, which confuses me no end. I have to shoot at them and with the swirling and the sun, sometimes get a "Left and Right" and some times a double miss. (hate it!). I start to get low on ammo, so drag myself up the field to my dump and bring back a couple of boxes. I build a bit of a hide from stuff that has come down the river, move the magnet down a little bit and think "The sun will soon be going round and out of play". (Mistake No 4?) At this point, of course, the supply of birds dwindles to a trickle. The sun has not yet moved far enough. I get a couple more shots then decide to quit. I pick up another 22, with a couple lost in the river. By now, the frost is coming out of the ground so it's a nightmare, uphill slog, glue on top, ice underneath. How I didn't have a heart attack, I'll never know! Maybe my dirt-bike career saved me. Try again tomorrow Kitchrat! Cheers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehb102 Posted yesterday at 16:32 Report Share Posted yesterday at 16:32 Authenticity, straight from the field! Thank you for the honest report 🙂 Sounds like the day went as well as it could given all the factors such as blue lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted yesterday at 16:33 Report Share Posted yesterday at 16:33 What magic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted yesterday at 16:53 Report Share Posted yesterday at 16:53 I’d be kicking Rick into touch if he wouldn’t give you a hand with all your clobber. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 17:00 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:00 27 minutes ago, ehb102 said: Authenticity, straight from the field! Thank you for the honest report 🙂 Sounds like the day went as well as it could given all the factors such as blue lights. At least you get no BS from Kitchrat! 27 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: What magic? OK, luck then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted yesterday at 17:03 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:03 Rick Onissance...HHhhahhahhahaaa ....you wally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 17:19 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:19 15 minutes ago, ditchman said: Rick Onissance...HHhhahhahhahaaa ....you wally Glad somebody gets the joke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave66 Posted yesterday at 17:43 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:43 22 minutes ago, kitchrat said: Glad somebody gets the joke! I know his mate, mate Rick O'Shay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 17:47 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:47 4 minutes ago, Dave66 said: I know his mate, mate Rick O'Shay Now he's dangerous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted yesterday at 17:49 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:49 29 minutes ago, kitchrat said: Glad somebody gets the joke! Most of us got it when you first used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted yesterday at 17:50 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:50 ricks warped sense of humour often sees a struggle but you still had a result so good on you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted yesterday at 17:51 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:51 31 minutes ago, kitchrat said: Glad somebody gets the joke! Hence the ‘winking’ emoji. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted yesterday at 17:58 Report Share Posted yesterday at 17:58 Haven't you bought those golf clubs yet ? 🤷♂️ 😆😇 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted yesterday at 18:04 Report Share Posted yesterday at 18:04 As I was reading your account of the days proceedings I was already thinking about packing up when you mentioned water logged fields , then a 500 yd slog into the unknown conditions , I have already had a rest as my new stents haven't hardly been broken in yet , but carry on we must , now a load of Blue flashing lights in every direction so it is time to get below ground level and sit it out in the cold , then after a while we get the all clear but we have to knell to shoot as we are short of hide material apart from what is drifting down the freezing cold river , by now I am thinking what on earth am I doing marching about on water logged field while still having a sore mouth from yesterdays teeth extractions with only a slim chance of shooting a few Pigeons , after mistake number 4 and the thought of another up hill struggle with the frost now coming out of the ground it was time to call it a day while a few parts of my body is still working , one part that certainly need replacing is my brain , thank God I have just woke up from a nightmare , no not on Elm Street but somewhere in outback in Essex . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 18:11 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 18:11 5 minutes ago, marsh man said: As I was reading your account of the days proceedings I was already thinking about packing up when you mentioned water logged fields , then a 500 yd slog into the unknown conditions , I have already had a rest as my new stents haven't hardly been broken in yet , but carry on we must , now a load of Blue flashing lights in every direction so it is time to get below ground level and sit it out in the cold , then after a while we get the all clear but we have to knell to shoot as we are short of hide material apart from what is drifting down the freezing cold river , by now I am thinking what on earth am I doing marching about on water logged field while still having a sore mouth from yesterdays teeth extractions with only a slim chance of shooting a few Pigeons , after mistake number 4 and the thought of another up hill struggle with the frost now coming out of the ground it was time to call it a day while a few parts of my body is still working , one part that certainly need replacing is my brain , thank God I have just woke up from a nightmare , no not on Elm Street but somewhere in outback in Essex . Yes, I must be bonkers! Still, I did get 25 odd.. 13 minutes ago, JKD said: Haven't you bought those golf clubs yet ? 🤷♂️ 😆😇 ??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted yesterday at 18:15 Report Share Posted yesterday at 18:15 2 minutes ago, kitchrat said: Yes, I must be bonkers! ??????? Think about it 😉 I'm yanking one of your lower limbs 🦵👈😆😇😇😇 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted yesterday at 18:21 Report Share Posted yesterday at 18:21 3 minutes ago, kitchrat said: Yes, I must be bonkers! Still, I did get 25 odd.. ??????? Joking aside , you done well to plod on ( nothing to do with the Blue lights 😄) after a days beating I now need to take it easy the following day , the most I would had done was to walk around the perm to convince my self weather it would be worth setting up somewhere , or to leave it a day or two until the conditions improve , or I see a good situation , you are certainly one hands on and a very keen Pigeon shooter . THANKS for a very well thought out post . MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted yesterday at 18:26 Report Share Posted yesterday at 18:26 Kitchrat, now to be known as Swampy........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 19:02 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 19:02 46 minutes ago, JKD said: Think about it 😉 I'm yanking one of your lower limbs 🦵👈😆😇😇😇 As long as it's only my legs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 19:07 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 19:07 44 minutes ago, marsh man said: Joking aside , you done well to plod on ( nothing to do with the Blue lights 😄) after a days beating I now need to take it easy the following day , the most I would had done was to walk around the perm to convince my self weather it would be worth setting up somewhere , or to leave it a day or two until the conditions improve , or I see a good situation , you are certainly one hands on and a very keen Pigeon shooter . THANKS for a very well thought out post . MM I think very stubborn describes me better, I don't like to be beaten by birds with a brain the size of a pea. Anyway, what else does life hold now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted yesterday at 19:08 Report Share Posted yesterday at 19:08 4 minutes ago, kitchrat said: As long as it's only my legs!! Definitely only one leg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted yesterday at 19:27 Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 19:27 18 minutes ago, JKD said: Definitely only one leg That's OK,then, carry on! Cheers, and all the breast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted yesterday at 19:34 Report Share Posted yesterday at 19:34 All the very breast to you too 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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