Back up at the shoot

[BenBhoy 4,706]

2 hours ago, Stavross said:

it’s the type of place where it just doesn’t matter as long as everyone enjoys themselves

Spot on mate. 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Glad it all worked out Stav.

You've put so much into it. 

Well done

[Stavross 13,831]

3 hours ago, Sausagedog said:

Glad it all worked out Stav.

You've put so much into it. 

Well done

Cheers mate 

when I arrived first thing before the guns there was very little about on the tracks, it’s almost like someone tipped them off, that first drive soon eased my fears, like I said the standard of shooting in the most part is not great but this is not a bad thing on the first couple of days when we are teaching them to fly, if this had of been the first day when I joined the shoot we would of been looking at 150 bird day, a group of them were very good shots but left to set up there own syndicate ( that’s now no longer and I don’t want them back ) I’m more than happy with a 40 - 50 bird day once we get going properly, anything over that and they are killing for killings sake and birds go to waste and that’s not what it’s about

[ianm 2,594]

13 hours ago, Stavross said:

First day over and although a very small day, with us only doing 2 main drives and not pushing one of them all the way and making up the rest of the day with small areas and a few bits of other drives it was a good day

1st drive we pushed what I know as the tip through, setting off from from the bottom of the field it wasn’t until we reached the tip that we started to see birds, they were doing what was expected and running towards the end of the drive, a few birds were dropped before we got to the last part of the drive, where we change direction a push it down, this is where the action started, having to stop the beaters on numerous occasions as the birds flushed in three’s and four’s at a good height over the guns. At the end of the drive one of the old boys came over to me and said “ thanks for that, I’ve been coming here about 20 years and I’ve never seen birds come out of a drive like that” that meant a lot to me

back to the yard for a sloe gin, bit of homemade sausage roll and a chunk of lemon drizzle 

drive number two, oak wood, now although we got a few out of here there was not the birds I was expecting, I later found out the bloody dog walkers had been through it, we finished that drive with the small block of wood next to the farm, now there was a lot of birds came out of this but many of them low, this is not a good one to beat as it’s so thick with brambles 

drive number 3, Gordon’s pen, now we didn’t push this all the way through as there was just to many birds in it, the guns that were stud down by the badger sets had some amazing birds over them, there’s no shame in missing these, there was still birds coming out of this drive when we finished

lunch time now

after lunch drive number 4, we now got a bit of the wet stuff but that wasn’t going to stop us having a go at next doors birds along the rape field, there was a good number along the trees but the shoot captain decided to push the rape through first, only pushing half a dozen or so towards the guns, once we started pushing the woods through some very nice birds came out, the guns that were standing on the forestry track the other side of the wood didn’t get much time for a shot as the cross between the trees 

Drive number 5, the final one of the day and my god, what a belter, this was the roadside drive, from the minute the drive started there was a few shots and as I explained to the beaters we’ll have to stop this drive as we go along because once we reach the trees it will go mental and mental it did go, the amount of birds that were coming from the bracken in all directions was amazing, as we finished and I met up with the shoot captain his first words to me were “ that’s what a woodland pheasant shoot drive should be like, people would pay a lot of money on a big estate for birds like that “

so everyone got some good shooting, as I’ve said before we have a very mixed bag of shooting abilities on this shoot and the good shots never shoot the first few days so the bird to shot ratio was never going to be good, birds picked was 38 with maybe half a dozen not picked, shots were well over 300 anywhere else this would be frowned upon but for me it’s the type of place where it just doesn’t matter as long as everyone enjoys themselves

Glad it all went well. It is a hell of a lot of work on a small shoot, more than most shooters think.

Good to see you looking all suave and suffocated in your good togs. PS. get yer missus to cut them bits of blue fluff off your socks next time.

[Stavross 13,831]

2 hours ago, ianm said:

Good to see you looking all suave and suffocated in your good togs. PS. get yer missus to cut them bits of blue fluff off your socks next time.

that’s not me, but I’m taking that as a massive compliment because I’m more than old enough to of been his dad for a fair few years, it just goes to show my youthful looks are following me into middle age

[Dervburner 2,548]

4 minutes ago, Stavross said:

that’s not me, but I’m taking that as a massive compliment because I’m more than old enough to of been his dad for a fair few years, it just goes to show my youthful looks are following me into middle age

Thought you was in your twenties Stav

[Stavross 13,831]

7 minutes ago, Dervburner said:

Thought you was in your twenties Stav

Hahaha, I like you

[BenBhoy 4,706]

3 hours ago, Dervburner said:

Thought you was in your twenties Stav

Stone?

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Glad your 1st day went well Stav                I had a great weekend even though it was very blustery. Arrived at 10am Saturday morning and was straight out. Pulled into the farm and I spotted a Cwd in the 1st field couched up but my mate decided to leave it as in view of the nursery on the farm and thought it best to not upset any young eyes. Anyway , next field and another Cwd is trotting down the field towards me , I dropped on the bipod and the deer obligingly stopped at around 100yds and was quickly dispatched . We then walked for hours but saw nothing as the strong wind kept them tucked up in the thick hedges. Time for lunch and then back out again at 2pm. The original couched deer hadn't moved and this time we decided to go for it. Due to it being laid down in the middle of a stubble field I had to crawl about 200yd to get in position, very tiring . I eventually ended up around 100 yds from it and the only shot available was a head shot which I'm pleased to say worked perfectly  Continued on and spotted another couple on last knockings and was able to grass my 3rd Cwd of the day .....all 3 were does with no bucks sighted.  Back for a lovely rump steak at the pub then out lamping , where I managed 2 foxes . Then this morning out again at 1st light hoping for a buck but alas they were absent only seeing 6 does so decided to take one of these. Another great stalk having to cross a large stubble once the deer had disappeared into a hedge. Got 200 yds from the hedge and waited and sure enough they popped back out ....took the shot which was perfect obliterating the heart when I inspected the gralloch.  What a fantastic trip , just need to get my mate a few roe now

[Sausagedog 7,381]

4 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Glad your 1st day went well Stav                I had a great weekend even though it was very blustery. Arrived at 10am Saturday morning and was straight out. Pulled into the farm and I spotted a Cwd in the 1st field couched up but my mate decided to leave it as in view of the nursery on the farm and thought it best to not upset any young eyes. Anyway , next field and another Cwd is trotting down the field towards me , I dropped on the bipod and the deer obligingly stopped at around 100yds and was quickly dispatched . We then walked for hours but saw nothing as the strong wind kept them tucked up in the thick hedges. Time for lunch and then back out again at 2pm. The original couched deer hadn't moved and this time we decided to go for it. Due to it being laid down in the middle of a stubble field I had to crawl about 200yd to get in position, very tiring . I eventually ended up around 100 yds from it and the only shot available was a head shot which I'm pleased to say worked perfectly  Continued on and spotted another couple on last knockings and was able to grass my 3rd Cwd of the day .....all 3 were does with no bucks sighted.  Back for a lovely rump steak at the pub then out lamping , where I managed 2 foxes . Then this morning out again at 1st light hoping for a buck but alas they were absent only seeing 6 does so decided to take one of these. Another great stalk having to cross a large stubble once the deer had disappeared into a hedge. Got 200 yds from the hedge and waited and sure enough they popped back out ....took the shot which was perfect obliterating the heart when I inspected the gralloch.  What a fantastic trip , just need to get my mate a few roe now

What is the meat like on the cwd?

Good session by the way?

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Just now, Sausagedog said:

What is the meat like on the cwd?

Good session by the way?

In my opinion it's the best eating venison

[Dervburner 2,548]

43 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

Stone?

Yerr, don’t say anything, but I think he thought I meant age.............

[Stavross 13,831]

31 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Glad your 1st day went well Stav                I had a great weekend even though it was very blustery. Arrived at 10am Saturday morning and was straight out. Pulled into the farm and I spotted a Cwd in the 1st field couched up but my mate decided to leave it as in view of the nursery on the farm and thought it best to not upset any young eyes. Anyway , next field and another Cwd is trotting down the field towards me , I dropped on the bipod and the deer obligingly stopped at around 100yds and was quickly dispatched . We then walked for hours but saw nothing as the strong wind kept them tucked up in the thick hedges. Time for lunch and then back out again at 2pm. The original couched deer hadn't moved and this time we decided to go for it. Due to it being laid down in the middle of a stubble field I had to crawl about 200yd to get in position, very tiring . I eventually ended up around 100 yds from it and the only shot available was a head shot which I'm pleased to say worked perfectly  Continued on and spotted another couple on last knockings and was able to grass my 3rd Cwd of the day .....all 3 were does with no bucks sighted.  Back for a lovely rump steak at the pub then out lamping , where I managed 2 foxes . Then this morning out again at 1st light hoping for a buck but alas they were absent only seeing 6 does so decided to take one of these. Another great stalk having to cross a large stubble once the deer had disappeared into a hedge. Got 200 yds from the hedge and waited and sure enough they popped back out ....took the shot which was perfect obliterating the heart when I inspected the gralloch.  What a fantastic trip , just need to get my mate a few roe now

A cracking weekend away for you there mate, well done

[Stavross 13,831]

58 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

Stone?

Orible pair of bastar*ds, if I want to go somewhere to get a load of abuse I’ll sit in a room with the missus

 

16 minutes ago, Dervburner said:

Yerr, don’t say anything, but I think he thought I meant age.............

 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

It's gone quiet so I better take a quick look about.

There you go.

done the proper way with a lamp!