Today's session over stubble

[Toombsy]

Been keeping my eyes on three fields this week, all corn stubble, and I must admit I didn't get too much sleep last night as there have been pigeons on them all week and the big kid in me got all excited, and that!

 

Skipped breakfast, sorted a nice packed lunch (pork pies and cake), filled the car at 7am, was at the first field by 7.20 and there wasn't a sign of a bird. Went to the next field and saw a few crows, so visited the last and there was the odd bird flighting across, but nothing on the field. Watched it for a good half hour, weighing up the options with the wind, sun etc. I thought that will do. Then the lamb kofte naan I had last night had other ideas, so back home I went and gave birth to a fine brown baby boy (christened Wilf, and both parents are doing fine).

 

Back to the field, slung the massive decoy rucksack over my back and the strap snapped. So everything had to come out as the penknife and string was - funnily enough - right at the bottom. So that was fixed and off I trot across a ploughed field, and another ploughed field.

 

Then I turned back for the cartridges.

 

By this time I knew I should have just gone home and sat in a dark corner. But no. This was my only day to myself this week and I was sure as hell going to enjoy it

 

So in this 60-acre stubble field is a 50-yard hedgerow - perfect - the wind was screaming through it, right over my back. The slight 'hint' of a flightline developing was 200 yards in front, and the sun was edging behind me. Spot on I thought.

 

Up went the hide at the end of the hedge, I collected loads of extra twigs etc to 'pimp-ma-camo-up', and the end results was pretty damn good I thought

 

I put a rotary up 30 yards to my right, in the open, right where any flighting birds could see it, and then set to work creating a haphazard V-shaped tunnel of flocks to draw the birds in. And a flocked crow to my right. Went back to the hide to get the defrosted pigeon for the rotary, pulled them out the carrier bags and I'm never going to freeze and defrost pigeons five times again. The stink - God it was foul.

 

I sat there for an hour watching the skies, gagging for a pork pie but the stinking hands put me right off.

 

One bird changed direction and headed my way, got about level with the furthest decoy and veered off as a sparrowhawk shot over the hedge.

 

The birds kept having a look, but there was no commitment to the pattern - not even from the young birds. Thought it might have been the rotary putting them off, so it came down, out came the flapper and I had to mess about with the best one of the stinking pigeons, get covered in rotten guts and stick him on the flapper at the front of the pattern. By this time I really wanted a pork pie, so I washed my hands in the only thing I had that would work - coffee :yp:

 

But all this effort paid off... half an hour later the birds were starting to move off the flightline and come in to the decoys. At last, it all seemed worth it.

 

In the next 30 minutes I had a lovely 60-yard crossing bird, then a double, and another, and three more singles for 10 shots. And before those I was joined in the hide by a stoat, probably to complain about the stink. Lovely chestnut colour he was.

 

By this time it was about 11 - I had five hours of my day left, plenty of cartridges and despite what had happened, still loads of enthusiasm.

 

In all the excitement of those eight birds, I hadn't really noticed the distant rumble of the combine working its way through the linseed in the next field, only 50 yards away. Or the two tractors. Or the Mitsubishi pick up. Or realised that they were going to cut through the whole 100-acre field.

 

That's when I started swearing.

 

And 30 minutes later - when I was hauling all the gear back to the car and passed a row of apple tress and got stung on the back of the neck by a wasp - that's when I swore some more.

 

If anyone wants me - I'll be in a dark corner, rocking gently, probably dribbling.

[AndyCM]

Sounds like a typical day in the field.... :yp:

glad that you enjoyed it

[MerseaDavid]

Sounds like you had fun mate