Toombsy Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 After 8 evening flights and one morning flight out alongside my local mere I've bagged my first mallard of the season Really chuffed with it as the field alongside the mere is such a tough place to shoot. The land is basically the size of a football pitch, the same shape, but there's 40-60ft high trees all around it, water on two sides, a footpath on one and even taller conifers on the other. I don't have a dog to fetch in water, so I have to time my shots really carefully - it's very frustrating when I regularly see 30 or more duck flighting and at least 6 geese every time I'm there. But tonight a pair of mallard shot over the trees, I caught a glimpse of them oer my left shoulder and bang.... one shot and one duck landed neatly in the middle of the grass. Perfect Also... messed up with the geese tonight too. The first skeen (spelling?) flew straight over me and I was ready for them. Lifted the gun up and started to swing through the lead bird. Then suddenly remembered from a previous thread on here that the tail-end birds are likely to be the younger ones and better eating, so switched my swing and ended up missing both shots. And missed another greylag an hour later B) But all in all it was a great night. In the right place at the right time, and learned something too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-shot Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 well done mate B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA-airgunner Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Good on ya B) Not sure Im going to a chance at fowling this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie76 Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 i shot my first duck too the other day, its a good feeling isnt it as it lands on the ground. i was told they are a hard bird to shoot. i guess i was lucky that it came at me low, i found it just like a pigeon that had been decoyed nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Well done Toombsy, paitence is a virtue B) Re the lead bird of a skein , I believe I posted that the other day and whilst that is usually true, I've shot lead birds and as long as you cook them slowly and ensure plenty of fluid (I find red wine poured over, onion/apple/orange(peeled) in the cavity and done breast down or butter between skin and breast meat), they will taste fine. So next time you're out pick your bird and stick with it Still nothing as nice as a young juvi, but all taste good except late season canadas (To me they taste muddy). SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toombsy Posted September 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Yeah - thanks for that info mate. Obviously I took it on board... shame I never remembered your advice until 0.00005 seconds before I was going to pull the trigger Next time I'll remember when I hear them honking in the distance, behind the trees, on their way into the mere B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonk Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 (edited) Congrats mate on the first one!! Just out of interest, what cartridge and size were you using? Edited September 17, 2009 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toombsy Posted September 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Just out of interest, what cartridge and size were you using? Remington Nitro Steel Magnum No2, 3-inch ounce and quarter load They are maybe a bit over-gunned for duck but I can't take any chances with birds flapping into the water (plus there's plenty of geese about) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Nowt wrong with using Remington on duck. I've been using them for the last four years and never done me any harm. I use both the nitro and sportsman in 3 & 3.5". Normally I use 3's for duck, but am using 2's as thats all they had in Richardson's when I went in. BB's for geese, but have brought them down with 2's as well. What did you pay for yours, as they seem to vary greatly depend on where you get them. I'm paying £11 for 25 Remington Nitro 3" No 2's. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toombsy Posted September 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 That's cheap... I got mine from Derek Lee near Horncastle, Lincs. I paid £21.50 for one box. But at the rate I'm going, I doubt I will need another box until next September so it's not so bad I suppose !!! Those geese are really deceptive when they are in flight. I reckon it's going to take some gettign used to to hit 'em. I do reckon I'm trying too hard at the moment though. Had seven shots at geese so far this year and I've missed every time. Goose fever I think they call it I'm just going to have to leave the gun down, leave it until the last second and just shoot 'em instinctively instead of taking my time over the aim and lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 I bet you anything you like, that you are shooting behind and in all probability lifting you head slightly to watch them better, meaning you could be shooting up the left or right at them. As an example, last year a friend of mine was out on a marsh and had seen and shot at geese a number of times over a couple of weeks, but had failed to connect. I had a phonecall from him asking me why. I told him I thought he wasn't giving them enough lead and to add at least another three foot to what he thought on the premise that he told me that the geese carried on rather than flared up as he shot. Two nights later he was out, geese came in, he gave it what he normally would and then added to the lead 3 foot. Result not only did he bring a goose down, but as it was the one behind and left of the bird he was aiming at, he realised not only was he not giving them enough lead, but that he wasn't looking straight down the gun. Result one bird, a now fitted gun and more birds followed. Its an easy thing to do and one I've done or more than one occasion myself in the heat of the moment. A goose is deceptive because despite being bigger than duck, they have a slower wing beat by comparison and appear to fly slower, when in fact the reverse is true. I forget the exact amount of lead, but I seem to recall that ST did an article last year based on a forty yard comparison of Pigeon, pheasant, partridge, Duck, Goose, Grouse all flying at their respective speeds and believe that for a goose it was 12 foot lead @ 40 yards. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toombsy Posted September 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 I knew I was behind them somewhere, but I didn't expect I would be that far behind them. That's great advice. Many thanks for that I'm out again tonight and tomorrow morning (can't get enough of it!) and I'll definitely put that into practice, and let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Well done mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 (edited) Just remember not to shoot to often otherwise you'll scare them off. Most fed flight ponds tend to get shot once a fortnight. Obviously it depends on numbers of birds, size of pond, numbers of ponds in the area, if you're feeding it or not. Play around with the lead thing, as I said I'm not 100% certain on the ST figures given, but if they flare up then you're in front as a general rule and of course this is based on birds flying across you (I seem to remember that's how the chart showed it) Ultimately you'll know yourself if its too much, trial and error and remember to shoot the pilot (Head) not the passenger (body). Good luck, I'm sure you'll be knocking them out of the sky regularly soon. SS PS look into joining one of the many Wildfowling clubs as you're in Lincolnshire. Some good sport to be had on The Wash. Edited September 17, 2009 by Suffolk shooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.