Magpies.

[PLEDGEY 493]

I was giving a friend a hand to load up some Heras fence panels on a farm today, not his farm. We had to stay there for an hour for his TACO brake. Anyways, I start looking around and notice there are shit loads of Magpies and feral pigeons every where. About 60 meters away is a open barn with pig and calf noises coming from it. I go and have a look inside and 8 or 9 Magpies go shooting out the back end of the barn. I go and see the farmer and ask if he's noticed the amount of Magpies he's got?. Before he gets a chance to say anything his Wife goes on one about how she hates them, they keep shitting every where and peck the sheep's eyes out when they lay on their sides. Farmer then says that he puts any dead pigs around the back of the barns awaiting collection for disposal and it's there where he gets a lot of Magpies. He reckons there are about 50. He might be over estimating the amount but it's still gonna' be a lot. I says to him I shoot pest/vermin and he says come on out any time you like. I'm going to see if I can pop round tomorrow for a proper look round. Reason I'm posting this is to show that if you see a problem don't be afraid to go and talk to the person with the problem. I'm told I'm extremely confident and will talk the legs off a donkey so perhaps that's what puts people at their ease. Plus I do know what I'm talking about and that gives confidence as well. Don't be shy, get in there, what's the worse that can happen?, they can only say no :-)

[mattwhite 1,993]

Nicely done pal.

Just add to that, do a good job, tidy up the quarry and most important get insured as you never just know what might happen, or not happen but you can put yourself in the firing line of??

Good luck with it pal?

[PLEDGEY 493]

Just now, mattwhite said:

Nicely done pal.

Just add to that, do a good job, tidy up the quarry and most important get insured as you never just know what might happen, or not happen but you can put yourself in the firing line of??

Good luck with it pal?

I'm totally sorted insurance wise. Got full B.A.S.C  and separate insurance for the pest control I do as I'm a full B.P.C.A. controller.

As for what I shoot I put any 'dead stuff' in the corner of the field I got next to the house. By the next day it's usually gone. Fox, badgers of buzzards take it.

If I go out tomorrow it'll be to take some distances with the range finder. Mark good backstops, where I can and can't shoot, look for water pipes e.t.c and do a general risk assessment. I have forms photocopied that says what guns I'm using, where I'm allowed to shoot, what vehicles I might be driving, full address of the farm and the owners name. Plus it has my full name and address. We both sign it and both get a copy. I make sure my ass is well and truly covered :-)

 

[The one 8,397]

If you dont ask you dont get mate 

[Baldcoot 2,352]

Well done that man ,2 years of beating got my perm and respecting all the farmers rules and helping on work parties has kept me there .You do it by the book and its obviously paying dividends ,here its pleeese remove all the crows as there,s mainly sheep and lambs here so i do as im told and he,s happy atb

[mattwhite 1,993]

Keep us posted how you got on with this one pal. I'm looking forward to seeing the first hunt pics as they aren't expecting you there???

[PLEDGEY 493]

Went there this afternoon and the farmers wife and son, he's about 9, were there. Chatted for ages with the wife and got shown around by the boy. Magpies?????, I've never seen so many. Seriously, there were 10-12 of them coming out of the barn. Walked to the end of a barn to where there where 2 dead pigs awaiting collection for disposal. Was told the buzzard pecks open the carcasses and the magpies then get to work. Rounded the corner and I have never seen so many magpies, it was like a cloud of them. Walked back around the barn and there were some calves in the end pens, as we approached 5 or 6 magpies plus some Jackdows flow out. We then heard the farmer come back and I started talking to him. I ask what's it like for rats and was told they have loads of them as well. Said he has pigs in out side galvanised pig houses and a couple of weeks ago they shot six rats with the six cartridges in  a single barrel .410 and a torch. Well if you can shoot 6 for 6 with a .410 and by torch light should be easy pickings with an air rifle and night vision. I'm off back out there now, hope there are as many rats as magpies.

[j j m 6,481]

well done bud

[PLEDGEY 493]

Well there were loads of rats but they were coming from shipping containers on land next to the pig pens. They came through a hedge and then ran to the feeding troughs which were about 40 yards out in the pig field. Couldn't go in there as it was proper deep mud and full of pigs shit. Got 3 rats then decieded to see if there was anything else about. Found a feeder box thing in a barn and had 6 from ender there, you could just see them underneth the feeder 'bout 20yards away. Behind that was some pig birthing styes. Shot another 4 there. Farmers wife came out about 11 O'Clock to see to a sow and she'd had a load of piglets so spent 30 minutes looking at them. Intotal got 13 rats and 5 feral pigeons.

Went back there this afternoon Shot 2 more rats, 3 pigeons and 10 magpies. The magpies got wise and disappeared. Couild see them all around a feeder in a field with sheep in but couldn't get close enough to shoot any as it was 70 yards away and the wind was up. Next time I'm taking the .22 lr or maybe the HMR as well as the air rifle. Farmer was well chuffed and said come back any time I liked.

 The rats and pigeons I shot last night I was going to take away to day with what ever I shot today, said this to the farmer and he told me to leave what ever I shoot in a certain place and he'll burn it up so I don't even have to worry about shitty old rats in the back of me Transit,, that'll please the Mrs.

I really like it on this farm. Don't get any hasle, farmer doesn't care what I do or where I go and he's really pleased with what I'm doing. I took out all my paper work to show him and he's not that interested, just said I looked like I know what I'm doing.Still got him to sign a consent form though, just to be on the safe side.

It's a shame the nights get dark so early as I would spend longer out there, roll on Summer init!

 

[j j m 6,481]

cant stand rats

[oz0707 65]

Sounds good. Get some photos!