toka_shigazu Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Well here we are again...after an afternoon full of frustration yesterday, this afternoon could really have gone the same way. Unsure of whether to go to the same venue or to try somewhere else, that was my first decision. Having had more pigeons settle in the branches above me yesterday I decided to risk another frustrating trip today. The close pigeon encounters I will put solely down to my new piece of kit from that sportsmansguncentre.co.uk, a cheap as dirt cammo baseball cap with attached cammo veil. I have never realised how badly my 'shiney baldy heed' affected approaching pigeons, I am used to pigeons flying in but turning as they reach the treeline, or in the open watching as pigeon head my direction and at 400 yards turn away. I was hoping to see if yesterdays settling birds was a fluke or down to the cap. With the sun out it was another day in jumper and no jacket, if anything today was even stiller than yesterday. We arrived at the stables and I checked to see what was in the first paddock before we set off the short walk under the ivy covered canopy to the small area next to the ditch that the pigeon seem to like. A cock pheasant preening himself but nothing else. Biblo, confident he now knows his way around, vanished off to sniff the new stable sweepngs as we started along the fence. Sure enough as we did three pigeons took flight from two of the larger ivy covered trees. Impossible to see them once they have landed, I was unconcerned at their departure as it usually only takes twenty minutes for new arrivals. I decided not to worry too much about stealth today, but even so as we got to the top of a small mound I scanned the adjoining fields for any signs of rabbit. None showing yet but I know they are there. As we started down the slope I saw outlined against the bright sky, what looked like a pigeon in the branches of a tree some 30 yards away. It was heavily screened by some of the scrub and low growing branches from nearby trees. I managed to get to the trunk of a young tree and had a look through my scope, I could see two pigeons sat next to each other on a branch, now about 25 yards away, seemingly unconcerned by Bilbo's mooching and oblivious to my presence. [ I really think that the cap works!!] I checked for any branches between us and saw that there was space for a crucial pellet through to the neck of the closest pigeon. I lined up the shot and waited for the branch to settle, the air being a bit breezier 20 feet up in the tree. I squeezed of the shot aiming for the bottom of the birds neck to take into account the upward angled shot. I knew that I had hit it, the other bird also taking flight behind it, and its reaction was predictable as for an instant it tried to use its wings, before folding up and dropping through the branches to the ivy cushion beneath. I walked out to pick it up with Bilbo at my heels, when suddenly a second bird thumped to the ground surprising both of us. Still trying to figure it out I checked both birds and found that I had neck shot the first bird and the pellet must have passed through and into the side of the head of the second bird. As I got both birds away from Biblo, who by now was very interested, I still couldn't quite believe that shot! While we were in the rough field I decided to see if we could spot any of the young rabbits that had been playing under a blackberry bush yesterday. No luck there today and we were just turning to re enter the trees when a pigeon landed some 40 yards away in a tree along the ditch margin. I had raised my gun the moment I saw it and it was sat looking straight at us, although, again it didn't seem preturbed. A swaying branch put an end to a any chance of a head shot so I aimed for the boiler house and squeeed off the trigger. A solid 'thunk' and the pigeon folded up and plummeted to the ground. I don't think Biblo could quite believe that one either!!?? I got the pigeons together and after a quick 'sit off' we went back to the mound, from there I could see that there was one rabbit out a field up, next to the ditch. With three birds already accounted for I decided to try for the bunny. I want to get Biblo to know the prey we are after and give him a good 'rag' at a rabbit, but so far I haven't been that lucky with fur clad vermin. Biblo is just about getting used to being unceremoniously picked up and carried through the ditch, although he doesn't care for this method he is more reluctant to face the flowing water. Once across the stream we were up onto the freshly plowed field, and I used this surface to creep up on the bunny that I hoped was still in the field some 150 yards along. Within 10 yards of exiting the ditch I had two butterflies fly past, only small and red in colour but they were gone so quickly I couldn't be sure. I am sure the earliest I saw a butterfly last year was the end of March/beginning of April. As we headed along our side of the ditch we put up a number of pigeons keeping watch on what was happening. I was sure with this disturbance that bunny would be well tucked up at home now but I felt it was worth a wait to see if it or another reappeared. Another undiginifed crossing for Biblo and we were in position. The horses were in the field behind us, Bilbo's first dug holes were at our feet, covered over now and showing hundreds of tiny dents made by the passing of numerous rats feet. A waiting game now, but as we were settling down more pigeons flew into the branches of naerby trees and settled down to rest. No hope of a shot here as the scrub and branches were too thick but again they did not seem to notice us either. I was not wanting to throw away our chance at a rabbit for the sake of another pigeon this time. Biblo was a bit more settled and after seeing if he could get through the fence into the horse paddock, having a quick dig he settled down at my feet. A disturbance by a blackbird further up the ditch alerted me to something. Within seconds a rabbit ran out into a sunny patch out in the field, some fifty yards away. A youngster by the looks of things, it turned tail and ran parallel with the fence towards us. Aaagghhh!! I was leaning against a fencepost acting like a tree, hoping that this youngster would stop and allow me a shot. It paid me no notice as it ran past only two yards away, dissapearing into the fence and undergrowth about fifteen yards past us. My immediate concern was whether Bilbo would notice, and what his reaction would be. I was hoping that it may come back into the field if it hadn't been spooked. Biblo did notice but stayed lying down, he cocked one eye at me as if to say 'what are you gonna do?' and returned to soaking up the sun. After twenty more frustrating minutes it was time to go and recover the pigeons. On the way back we came across another hunter on the opposite bank of the ditch, motionless but watching, Bilbo paid him no heed either and we carried on back to our crossing point. A quick pluck and removal of the breast bone and fillets saw us heading back to the car. Bilbo by now had lost all pretence of being uninterested and was trying to catch the occasional blood drips as we walked. I stopped by the house and got permission to do some spring cleaning in the wood and along the fence line with my machette to help clear the electric fence and give me a few more clear spots to see pigeon and rabbit. Not a great trip for Biblo as it was stationary stuff and stealthy but he seemed very settled. I was impressed that even with all the distractions, when he would wander off it would only take a quick click of my fingers or squeak form my lips and he would return to my feet. http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Tokashigazu/...feat=directlink hope this is the right forum for this thread....if not mods please move... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Nice write-up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireJohn Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Nice write up! What gun were you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Airarms S200 single shot, old tasco 2-7x32 scope [old but great], accupel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclemicky Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 toka nice write up mate sounds like a perfect day out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollysp2 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Nice right up and nice dog what breed mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted March 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 He's a four month old Plummer terrier out of Wyremead, he is great, my first terrier and quite a character!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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