The Unintended Keeper ( Diary of a keeping blagger )

[ianm 2,594]

24 minutes ago, David.evans said:

Ian 

glad you had a great day out , and shot a few , please explain how you managed to hang up a plastic decoy pigeon ( see photo 2 )

to much wine may be

I think someone just hung it up so it doesn’t get lost or carted off with one of the dogs.

[foxdropper 17,092]

Found a bag of leg tags and a bitter in my shed  if anyone wants them .I’ll post pics tomorrow

[Stavross 13,713]

Unbelievably wet up there this morning, I got there for 7:30 and the birds were already off roost and on the hunt for a feed, they are in every drive now and are taking a lot of feed, the piggeries are looking better and I’ve managed to draw a few more in, I’ve also managed to create an other drive over the valley where we don’t put any birds, when I got there around 10am this morning there was between 50 and 60 of next doors in the wood and along the fence. With a week to go until the first day I’ve go my fingers crossed for a good start to our season, I’ll be up there again tomorrow on the look out for a fallow, strangely this morning was the first time I didn’t see any, Sod’s law did see 3 roe doe’s together but that’s not what I’m after 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Make sure you get stuck into those birds in the valley drive

Hopefully the weather will be a bit better for your 1st shoot

[Stavross 13,713]

They will be getting some lead chucked at them, I’ve managed to make 3 drives that don’t have any ( or very few ) or my birds in so hopefully that will give them a few more to have a go at

[foxdropper 17,092]

Will you take them back round next door after shooting them cos after all …………

[Stavross 13,713]

On 07/11/2022 at 07:23, foxdropper said:

Will you take them back round next door after shooting them cos after all …………

Yeah, if they are shooting on the same day as us they can add them to their bag

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Best of luck tomorrow stav. Hope they fly well (especially next doors!!) and the weather is kind.

[Stavross 13,713]

1 hour ago, BenBhoy said:

Best of luck tomorrow stav. Hope they fly well (especially next doors!!) and the weather is kind.

Cheers mate, fingers crossed for a good day, I’ll be up there at sparrow fart in the morning to work out what we are going to do, there’s been a few more bird flu cases around there but there’s nothing I can do about that so it will be what it will be

[bumpy22 414]

Hope you have a great day mate. All the effort you put in you certainly deserve it. 

Second day in mine but suspect the birds still won't be flying well yet and a lot of leaf still on here.

[ianm 2,594]

Second day at our shoot today. The birds flew well considering the weather ( bright sun and next to no wind).

We finished up on 63 head, i killed 6 mallard 5 pheasants and the only partridge of the day. One of the cock pheasants was a white one which incurs a fine but i don't care because it was a really good bird.  

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

59 minutes ago, ianm said:

Second day at our shoot today. The birds flew well considering the weather ( bright sun and next to no wind).

We finished up on 63 head, i killed 6 mallard 5 pheasants and the only partridge of the day. One of the cock pheasants was a white one which incurs a fine but i don't care because it was a really good bird.  

Partridge....was it English or French ?

 

 

 

[Stavross 13,713]

First day done

first drive was “tip drive” started of slow with half a dozen coming out before we reached the gutter (tip) lined out again for a few more birds before we turn the drive and push it down, this is where all the birds are and it wasn’t long before they were going in every direction, after that excitement was stopped for refreshments, bramble gin and Prosecco, home made sausage rolls, apple cake and lemon drizzle. Now the “oak wood” drive, with the weather the birds were in the rape, so with the guns being behind the beating line the birds that got up would go back over and by the time they reached the guns they were a hell of a hight, next was “Gordon’s pen” now we didn’t go mad here as there was a lot of birds in and around the pen, so letting a good number get into the cover away from the drive we started to push the thick cover through at the back of the pen, flushing in ones and twos some good birds came from here, most of them over my mate Mosh. Lunch time, after lunch we headed for the tree side of the piggeries, there was some good sporting birds came out of here and someone ( Hugo’s dad) shot my black hen next it was “roadside” not much in here but a couple downed, finished the day with “forestry pen” loads of birds but a few didn’t want to fly or came out low. All in all a cracking first day, 68 shot, so I’ll sleep a little better tonight

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Well done mate, looks like a decent start. I'll gutted I couldn't take you up on any of those days, it's a cracking spot to be sure. Cheers to a good season amigo

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Nice write up Stavross. Looks like you had a great day . Can I come up just for elevens’es ? 
            Shame about the dark hen bird . I had one like that , I called her Hazel. I will never forget seeing her lifeless form hanging , braced up on the game cart . I never allowed myself to single another bird out again . 
       I’ve been very busy loading. It’s going alright so far. It looks like we have bird flu here , so we will see what happens.