Equipment weight

[Cosd]

I need to cut down some weight from the gear I carry.

 

How much gear do you guys carry if you ain't lucky enough to be able to drive to the spot?

 

Here's my usual gear on a day's shoot:

 

Shottie (12g o/u)

Carts (usually 100)

Large carry all rucksack

Bucket seat

12 shell deeks

4 full body deeks

Eezy wobbler sticks (metal type)

Large net

4 hide poles

Another rucksack (for sarnies, coffee flask, knife, bits and bobs)

 

This lot above, barring the net, fills the large carry all and weighs plenty.

 

What I don't take every time because of the weight are a couple of home made bouncers and a magnet.......

 

I want to cut the weight but I can't see what can be left behind!!!

 

First to get the chop I think is my heavy net (20' x 8'), I rekon to buy two lightweight ones, any suggestions? Are the lightweight nets any good? I've seen some Jack pyke net which is 3m x 1.4m and weighs .30kg, thinking maybe 2 of these would still be a lot lighter than my 2000kilo net......

 

 

Am I the only one with this problem?

[Country Boy]

Shottie (12g o/u) DITCH THIS CHANGE TO A 20G

Carts (usually 100) 100 20G 23g R MUCH LIGHTER

Large carry all rucksack DITCH THIS

Bucket seat DITCH THIS -

12 shell deeks PUT THEM IN SMALL SACK

4 full body deeks DITCH THESE

Eezy wobbler sticks (metal type) DITCH THESE

Large net CHANGE TO A LIGHTWEIGHT

4 hide poles GET A LIGHTWEIGHT SET FROM NPPC

Another rucksack (for sarnies, coffee flask, knife, bits and bobs) TAKE THESE IN A SACK WHICH WILL DO FOR SHOT BIRDS.

TAKE TWO N.and S. FLOATERS

This lot above, barring the net, fills the large carry all and weighs plenty.

[2shots]

I BOUGHT A QUAD

[Taff Mason]

how about putting everthing into a MASSIVE rucksack? it wont seem to weigh as much if you're carrying it on you back. as this spreads the weight onto your back, hips and sholders evenly.

Edited May 13, 2008 by Taff Mason

[2shots]

Seriously mate I did buy a quad ,but before this it was just a case of

a couple of trips to the motor and back,when I didnt have it Id

go with a mate and share the hide etc, split the load.The only problem with the quad is the bloody farmer keeps

nicking it and using the fuel, mind it got me some more shooting as well by parking it up at the farmers mates farm

for him to use.

[dustyfox]

Seriously mate I did buy a quad ,but before this it was just a case of

a couple of trips to the motor and back,when I didnt have it Id

go with a mate and share the hide etc, split the load.The only problem with the quad is the bloody farmer keeps

nicking it and using the fuel, mind it got me some more shooting as well by parking it up at the farmers mates farm

for him to use.

 

Im sure everyone will like a quad but you got to think its costs money and the security you have to put in place to stop people nicking them will be alot. Whats wrong with just parking you car or 4x4 nearby and just carry it.

 

I think we got it lucky today with technology I was reading that book my John Batley and everything back then was heavy today we got plastic, aluminium everything today is lightweight.

 

DF

[Salop Matt]

A couple of silly ideas but . . . . . . . . .

Could you put your carts, nett, poles, deks in a wheelbarrow and push that and have your gun in a slip on a sholder and your rucksack on you back ? (this is if you can transport a wheelbarrow in your car)

 

Or

 

If your into DIY you can buy new wheely bins, could you fit your kit in one of these? And put small inflateable wheels on it and jigsaw a door thing the front to get into the bottom easyr ? ( A friend has just made a portable horse tack carryer from a new wheely bin ! ) Am sure a wheely bin would hold upright: hide poles and gun in the slip, carts in the bottom with the cammo net and deeks in bags filling the main body of the bin ! (Again this is down to being able to transport the bin)

 

If anglers can manage to get there kit hundreds of meters away from there cars and carry so much surly us shooters can to !

 

 

 

God i sound crazy / mad suggesting that ! but you never know !

[Suffolk shooter]

The thing with Fisherman is they don't carry huge lumps of Wood and metal (Gun approx 7lbs dependant on make), plus 100 28g cartridges wearing 6.16 lbs alone (100 x 30g = 6.6lbs and 100 x 32g =7.04lbs ), Hide poles and net approx 5lbs. Full bodied Deeks/pegs x 12 approx 1lb. Seat & rucksack approx 2lbs. Food and Drink approx 4lbs.

 

So far weight is 19.3lbs and thats without magnet/flapper/batteries, binos and anything else you might take along such as string, knife, priest, game carrier, gun slip, hide bag etc. So all in all somewhere in the region of 30lbs in weight and then factor in the bulkiness of it all and its a struggle to balance it all.

 

Everthing fisherman use these days is extremely lightweight, and they have the sense to use barrows and drive right upto and park behind their swims without fear of the vehicle frightening their quarry.

 

I have started to take more stuff with me too recently, so I have decided to use my carp barrow from now on to transport it all if I can't park nearby to unload it all and then move the car.

 

Lets face it the day is more enjoyable, if you haven't had to tramp over wet plough or muddy/slippery field margins, to set up realise after an hour of setting up and then finding nothing about to have to move across the other side of the farm, field etc.

 

SS

[2shots]

Ive seen a few lads using these balloon wheel golf trolleys

even over muddy fields, just looked through the ad mag £10 gets you one of these.

[malkiserow]

how about trying ........

 

12 sillosocks

2 bouncers

stealth net

2 poles (plus some cord to hook up to hedge etc)

rucksack big enough for bucket, net, carts, coffee+sarnies and poles/bouncers

 

 

Forget the full body deeks adn shells

forget the magnet

forget heavy nets

forget half of your poles

 

you will be dissadvantages sometimes by lacking the magnet but advantaged by ease of moving about to different sites easily

Edited May 2, 2008 by malkiserow

[Suffolk shooter]

I work on the old adage, "If you don't take it you can't use it". Go for the day to escape the missus and kids, provide pest control services to the landowner/farmer.

 

SS

[Cosd]

OK, to answer some questions first:

 

The large hold-all is one of those rucksacks I carry on my back. In it I put, the spinseat bucket at the bottom, inside that are the 14 deeks and a large screwdriver to dig the deek sticks in if the ground is hard. Then next to that go the 12 (metal) eezy wobblers. On top of that goes my rucksack which keeps tidy a flask (1lt) a sandwich (tupperware) box, cartrides, a multitool (small and light), spare lighter (a must to feed my dirty habit), hat, balaclava (in case gets real cold) and gloves. The large rucsack also has two long side pockets where I put the hide poles and if it comes with me the magnet arms, in the other pocket goes the shottie.

 

So that lot's on my back, one black bin liner full of army net in one hand and the magnet (if it comes) with a battery in the other hand.

 

That still don't take my bouncers (home made and too long, as they don't extend and solid metal rod so could be lighter), these can also fit in the rucksack side pockets but stick up like tank antena's.

 

I'm 42 and quite quite fit but this really is a struggle. I can't park any closer and have to walk a good few hundred metres to any of the spots I choose.

 

Idea's so far:

1 chuck sell the army net (money can go towards two lightweight 10 x 6 nets. Does anyone use the type that don't have a string net backing? Are these strong enough or do they rip first outing?

 

2 Look into the balloon golf trolley.

 

3 Look for lighter bouncers and shorter so they extend (recommendations welcome)

 

Note, I notice lots of advise but no one else complaining really, am I just being a wooss.....?

Edited April 29, 2008 by Cosd

[pin]

See if you can have a look at one of the "Ghost Stealth" nets. So light and fold up really small, not cheap but you get what you pay for.

[radio1ham]

are the decoys full body if so maybe try using half shell type that will reduce space used

maybe instead of the heavy camo net have you ever thought of using a guille suit for when you standing or sitting in the hedge rows or thicks etc

just a thought

[Cosd]

are the decoys full body if so maybe try using half shell type that will reduce space used

maybe instead of the heavy camo net have you ever thought of using a guille suit for when you standing or sitting in the hedge rows or thicks etc

just a thought

 

 

12 of the deeks are shell type and two that I use for lofting are full body.

 

I'll be honest I just don't fancy the idea of the guille suit so I'm going to go down to the local army surplus store to look at a couple of lightweight nets.

[starlight32]

are the decoys full body if so maybe try using half shell type that will reduce space used

maybe instead of the heavy camo net have you ever thought of using a guille suit for when you standing or sitting in the hedge rows or thicks etc

just a thought

 

 

12 of the deeks are shell type and two that I use for lofting are full body.

 

I'll be honest I just don't fancy the idea of the guille suit so I'm going to go down to the local army surplus store to look at a couple of lightweight nets.

 

Have the gear in the motor and decide on the day what you are going to use on a mix and match basis.

I have always found a load of plastic decoys make very little difference once dead birds are being placed in the pattern as this is what makes it the real deal.

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

Travel by m/bike, if you can't take it with you It's not worth buying.

I've got quite a bit of kit but the missus has the car most of the time so I travel very light, leave my less valued deeks at the farm well hidden away. Good cammo, keep still, ok most of the outings are one for the pot affairs but even with the use of the car I'd rather still use less than I have.

Home made bouncers can be left hidden as well.

I am lucky in the respect of there's a very good sitty tree on the land, just with a few deeks out in general for confidence I find if nothing is in the area then no matter what is used I will end up with an empty bag.

I'm thinking of getting an on/off road bike to make it a little easier.

[Cosd]

See if you can have a look at one of the "Ghost Stealth" nets. So light and fold up really small, not cheap but you get what you pay for.

 

 

I called our sponsor site and waiting for the Stealth Ghost camo net to come back in stock, will get one soon as.

Thanks for that, looks like a really good bit of kit.

[Cosd]

Travel by m/bike, if you can't take it with you It's not worth buying.

I've got quite a bit of kit but the missus has the car most of the time so I travel very light, leave my less valued deeks at the farm well hidden away. Good cammo, keep still, ok most of the outings are one for the pot affairs but even with the use of the car I'd rather still use less than I have.

Home made bouncers can be left hidden as well.

I am lucky in the respect of there's a very good sitty tree on the land, just with a few deeks out in general for confidence I find if nothing is in the area then no matter what is used I will end up with an empty bag.

I'm thinking of getting an on/off road bike to make it a little easier.

 

 

Good idea about leaving the home made bouncers hidden at the farm. They didn't cost much to make so if they did grow legs and go walkies , it wouldn't be the end of the world.

[MM]

if this is a regular shoot, why not use your noggin.

 

have a word with the farmer, and see if he has got a bit of room in the back of a barn that you can keep a sprare set of "spare" kit, ie poles, ducks, car batterys, alternators.. or whatever you SGC guys use.

im sure he wouldnt mind. if he agrees to let you on his land with a loaded gun, sure he can be trusted with some kit. (just a thought)

Edited May 13, 2008 by martinmoreton

[Cosd]

The other idea that sounds good from malkiserow, is the sillysocks.

I suppose these will be much lighter than the shells and metal wobblers,

but they are quite expensive; Nowhere local has them for me to look at, if they are that good

then I suppose it's worth forking out for......