Amateur!

[Underdog 2,337]

Bit of a sad morning out after pheasants.

I lost two birds today ! Feel quite bad about it!

It all started by pricking a bird, a runner that made it to a hedge. I worked the hedge slowly keeping Jess close to me and sure enough he pops out and runs. A quick snap shot to the head ended that.

This is the bird.

Then it got worse.

I missed an easy rising bird in front of me! I hit a going away bird hard that glided to a pit hole, never found it!

I missed another bird! Pricked another bird, never found it!

I spent an hour looking going around and around in circles encouraging Jess to look for the birds, she is no spaniel or lab but does have a nose for pheasant and I was sure she would find something but no nothing!

I left for home quite disappointed with myself. I know this sometimes happens but I never like it.

It was nice to see some birds about on this local farm I am blessed with permission on.

Bloody amateur!

 

U.

[Stavross 13,711]

I really don’t like loosing things that I’ve shot but it does happen quite often especially with pheasants, it seems if they make the hedge back or a bit of ruff they some how disappear 

[Underdog 2,337]

11 minutes ago, Stavross said:

I really don’t like loosing things that I’ve shot but it does happen quite often especially with pheasants, it seems if they make the hedge back or a bit of ruff they some how disappear 

It's just one of those days. Do enough and it will happen sooner or later.

[Rimfireboy! 1,463]

That’s it Nathan, as you know, if they hit the ground running they’re soon gone, and if you can’t see them land, you don’t know where they’ve gone. They can be fifty yards away in no time. What make is the gun Nathan?

[Underdog 2,337]

41 minutes ago, Rimfireboy! said:

That’s it Nathan, as you know, if they hit the ground running they’re soon gone, and if you can’t see them land, you don’t know where they’ve gone. They can be fifty yards away in no time. What make is the gun Nathan?

It's an Aya cosmos single 12g.

It's full choked which is good on long birds and Charlie but makes me mess about on close pheasants trying to no destroy the meat and miss!

[fireman 10,774]

3 hours ago, Stavross said:

I really don’t like loosing things that I’ve shot but it does happen quite often especially with pheasants, it seems if they make the hedge back or a bit of ruff they some how disappear 

Iv'e pulled pheasants out of rabbit holes,tree stumps and even helped out a fella get his spaniel back 2 days after it going down a badger set after a pricked runner and any hole is worth a look into when searching for a downed bird..

[Stavross 13,711]

5 hours ago, Underdog said:

It's just one of those days. Do enough and it will happen sooner or later.

I don’t do nowhere near enough and it happens to me quite often, I was shooting over rape a week or so ago and if my mate wasn’t there with his dog I wouldn’t of found anything, even if you have marked where it fell you still end up walking over them 

[The one 8,393]

Same here i never like loosing a wounded bird or rabbit but sometimes it cant be helped , although looking at them you wonder how can i not find a cock pheasant with those colours ?.

[Alsone 789]

Wondering what cartridges you're using as I've been lucky enough never to get a runner. I probably didn't use the standard game choice as I always used Gamebore Clear Pigeon no:6 in 32 grams. Very hard hitting though as something that downs pigeons consistently will down a pheasant as wood pigeon can have very densely packed feathers, in fact although I've never experienced it, there are tales of 12g shot bouncing off them on the perch!

I can certainly recommend the Clear  or Extreme Pigeon, although others such as Hull now make equivalent loads including their high pheasant and hot pigeon loads.

Edit: I should have said though, these things can happen to anyone.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Alsone

[j j m 6,478]

these things happen

[ianm 2,594]

As you say these things happen if you do enough. A few of us flight several ponds on a farm most Sunday afternoons and i have found the Lab to be indespensible for this. I have even started to take my thermal imager with me because a couple of the chaps don't have dogs and i invariably get a call to go and help find their downed birds as well.

[Snarepeg 28]

I reload spreader wads for full choke at close range, gives a sleet pattern when you require it.

cut the barrel down years ago for same reason,

[Meece 1,957]

 

a mate shot a pheasant and it came down on a clear flat bit of the wood floor not 20 yards away from me.  I saw it hit the ground apparently stone dead.  two dogs were soon in attendance and were going round in circles. I went over with the intent of just taking it from the dogs but we never did find the bird.  w stayed there with the dogs for a good five to ten minutes trying to find it but no luck.  I bet that Charlie found it though.

On 24/11/2018 at 23:23, Alsone said:

wood pigeon can have very densely packed feathers, in fact although I've never experienced it, there are tales of 12g shot bouncing off them on the perch!

my father used to come out with guff like that.  He used to say let the ducks go by and shoot them from behind. >>> because the pellets will bounce off of the feathers!!  I took the Mickey out of him something wicked and told him to lead the head and not the body. put the lead on the head and it doesn't matter which way they are going.

[Alsone 789]

With woodpigeon I've only heard it said about birds on the roost, in which case the head is probably tucked in above. It may be guff, or maybe not. However, most things have some origin in fact, and woodpigeon are a very tough bird to start with. It's not inconceivable that on the roost, they could pack the feathers tight enough. In flight though is another matter. I've never failed to drop one in flight except when I've missed. As an aside, one other piece of Guff you often here is how they can see the shot in flight at 1,500fps! Guff it is until you actually see it. I've seen several woodpigeon swerve to avoid my shot before.

[Underdog 2,337]

10 hours ago, Alsone said:

With woodpigeon I've only heard it said about birds on the roost, in which case the head is probably tucked in above. It may be guff, or maybe not. However, most things have some origin in fact, and woodpigeon are a very tough bird to start with. It's not inconceivable that on the roost, they could pack the feathers tight enough. In flight though is another matter. I've never failed to drop one in flight except when I've missed. As an aside, one other piece of Guff you often here is how they can see the shot in flight at 1,500fps! Guff it is until you actually see it. I've seen several woodpigeon swerve to avoid my shot before.

 they swerved because they saw you mate