The Unintended Keeper ( Diary of a keeping blagger )

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

9 minutes ago, Stavross said:

I took the missus to Sunderland hospital earlier and it was hammering it down with the white stuff, we’ve just had a few flurries here

About 1/2 an inch here

[Stavross 13,711]

Cold and cloudy earlier so I thought I’d give it an hour calling at my mates place, well, I was literally there 10 minutes and the sky cleared it was like daylight, I did see one fox through the thermal in the wood, but there was no way it was coming out, so I thought sod it and called it a night, on the way back to the motor I spotted a rabbit a long way off so thought I’d have a go. I heard the thud and thought I’m going to pace that out, 302 paces the night didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped but at least I was out, when I got back to the car I look down the track with the thermal and there was 4 roe doe’s grazing along the hedge, only about 70 yards from where my car was parked so I might have a look for them on Sunday, weather permitting

[Stavross 13,711]

Preparations coming along for tomorrow

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Proper weather for it mate. You a gun? 

for a cracking day amigo

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Hope all goes well Stavross. Have a memorable day , and when you find time share a write up . 
             For my part I’ve been busy loading. I managed 5 day’s loading at three different shoots. I’ve now got a wealthy shooter who wants me to accompany him grouse shooting next season . So things are looking up . I have been rubbing shoulders with Spanish royalty and multi millionaire types from the world over . They come here in their private jets and helicopters . They eat fancy food and drink fancy drinks . But they don’t have a better time than the shooters like us who go about our sport in a more modest way . In fact they are missing so much of the essence of what shooting is . So remember tomorrow when you are out that you are enjoying the very best sport there is , at its absolute best .

[Stavross 13,711]

28 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

Proper weather for it mate. You a gun? 

I’m a gun whenever I want to be I don’t think I’ll shoot it tomorrow because there’s a few guests coming, apparently there’s a competition clay shot coming who has never shot driven game, I might put him on the next stand to Mosh just to see how good he is, 

I like to keep the guests happy because that new Alpex scope won’t pay for itself

[Stavross 13,711]

8 minutes ago, shovel leaner said:

Hope all goes well Stavross. Have a memorable day , and when you find time share a write up . 
             For my part I’ve been busy loading. I managed 5 day’s loading at three different shoots. I’ve now got a wealthy shooter who wants me to accompany him grouse shooting next season . So things are looking up . I have been rubbing shoulders with Spanish royalty and multi millionaire types from the world over . They come here in their private jets and helicopters . They eat fancy food and drink fancy drinks . But they don’t have a better time than the shooters like us who go about our sport in a more modest way . In fact they are missing so much of the essence of what shooting is . So remember tomorrow when you are out that you are enjoying the very best sport there is , at its absolute best .

I used to do a bit on a moor not far from me that was owned by an American and it was mainly shot by very rich yanks and Arabs, they absolutely loved the theatre and tradition of it all, the yanks would only tip the head keeper and the loaders but the Arabs would chuck money at every one and wanted to be involved with it all, even going with the pickers up to watch the dogs work, on the few times I was out with them they were a lot of fun to be out with and I’m sure they would of loved a what we have, might of saved them a few quid as well 

[shovel leaner 7,648]

1 minute ago, Stavross said:

I used to do a bit on a moor not far from me that was owned by an American and it was mainly shot by very rich yanks and Arabs, they absolutely loved the theatre and tradition of it all, the yanks would only tip the head keeper and the loaders but the Arabs would chuck money at every one and wanted to be involved with it all, even going with the pickers up to watch the dogs work, on the few times I was out with them they were a lot of fun to be out with and I’m sure they would of loved a what we have, might of saved them a few quid as well 

The visiting guns love all the tradition . It’s all part of it , the clothes the guns . It all looks like a scene from Downton Abbey. I suppose it is a throwback to a time that is long gone where there was more of a class divide . Formal driven shooting still has the same rules and etiquette it always had . Which is a lot of the appeal. 
                  Every shoot I have ever been involved with has  the rules and discipline and sportsmanship, which are rare in todays world . Keep the traditions going , because when they have gone , they will be gone forever and our countryside will just become a playground for the urban “ regatta “ clad masses . 

[Stavross 13,711]

11 minutes ago, shovel leaner said:

The visiting guns love all the tradition . It’s all part of it , the clothes the guns . It all looks like a scene from Downton Abbey. I suppose it is a throwback to a time that is long gone where there was more of a class divide . Formal driven shooting still has the same rules and etiquette it always had . Which is a lot of the appeal. 
                  Every shoot I have ever been involved with has  the rules and discipline and sportsmanship, which are rare in todays world . Keep the traditions going , because when they have gone , they will be gone forever and our countryside will just become a playground for the urban “ regatta “ clad masses . 

I love the tradition of it myself, the moor had a dress code and so it should, even the kids in our syndicate wear a shirt and tie and are happy to do so, we have a guest that comes once or twice a season that shoots wearing a bowler hat because his dad used to wear it back in the 1920’s/30’s

[shovel leaner 7,648]

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

I love the tradition of it myself, the moor had a dress code and so it should, even the kids in our syndicate wear a shirt and tie and are happy to do so, we have a guest that comes once or twice a season that shoots wearing a bowler hat because his dad used to wear it back in the 1920’s/30’s

Love the bowler hat thing . Like the Holkham keepers.

[Stavross 13,711]

18 minutes ago, shovel leaner said:

Love the bowler hat thing . Like the Holkham keepers.

Yeah, just like that

he’s a good bloke Dave, everyone knows him on the local estates around here, he only shoots on the little syndicates now, because that’s what he likes, I’ve known him for quite a long time now and he’s always welcome to have a day with us, he’s always grateful, enjoys the day for what it is and he tips well

[Stavross 13,711]

Calm before the storm, just a little look round to see what’s about before we start

[Stavross 13,711]

Day 3 over with and although no big numbers and no stand out drives it wasn’t a bad day, we started with the usual “tip drive” and once again we had a wild dog run the fence sending a few birds the wrong way maybe I’m taking this too seriously and I shouldn’t let it bother me, maybe just accept it for what it is, after the first drive it was all back to the shed, sausages, soup, various cakes, bramble gin and Prosecco, sloe gin, rhubarb gin next we did “Gordon’s pen” once again not masses in here, but a few very good birds came from here, my mate Mosh taking the bird of the day, an absolute screaming hen that went down the line past 5 that all took a shot at it before passing Mosh who wasn’t even in the line and was a long way from the bird, cracking shot. Off to a small drive now known as the “ triangle “ half a dozen or so out of here mainly over one gun, another little one to finish the morning off “the square “ this is a brutal drive for the beaters but we still managed to put some cracking pheasants out and a few nice woodcock, lunch time and just a quick one because we spent a bit to long on elevenses. The first of the afternoon was “ piggeries, ruff side” the majority of the guns got some shooting here with a nice flush of birds as the drive came to an end, off now to “ roadside drive” now we beat this a different way today, still putting the guns in the same place but beat it from the road instead of from the track to the farm, final drive and a good one to finish the day was “ forestry pen” some really nice birds out of here and a couple more added to the bag. Although there’s not large numbers of birds in any of the drives what is there is the real thing now, I’m not seeing any birds that look ill now, so the cold weather seems to have taken care of them, speaking to a couple of others that are on syndicates, they are saying the same, not seeing lots of birds, one is having their final day on the 23rd, we’ll just carry on until we stop seeing them. 2 of the 3 guests that came to day really enjoyed themselves and tipped well the other did nothing but moan, drink all the booze and tipped me 10 quid, when I said “ No one forced you to stay” I thought he was going to ask for his tenner back

the bag was 25 pheasants and 1 woodcock,  next Saturday is the Christmas shoot and my day, me being shoot captain, so I think we’ll shoot the sh*t out of it, getting as many drives in as we can before they get a 3 week rest over the festive period 

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Sounds a good day mate, quality wins over quantity .  I can't fault ya getting revved up about unruly dogs.

I popped out last night, making most of weather & calm before lambing in new year. Lovely crisp night, big moon but enough cloud cover. 

Into second field, walking up hill & just as i get near top I stop for a check & fox mooching down hedge right towards me, no more than 40yds. I stop & it's stopped too, clearly sensing something. I put spotter down to try get rifle up, next check & it's done one, but watch it go at no great pace. Get set up on tripod & sure enough it reappears 80yds further back up hill & away from hedge. Follow through pard until it stops & 32grn put down on spot. Bit higher up than I'd wanted but anchored on spot.

 Strange thing happens after this - left it a bit then put foxpro (on loan from @si brown what a gent) out close to down Charlie & had a call. Scanning, I thought luck was in when saw heat right by dead fox, but looking through nv it was a big hare. Vixen mating playing, dead fox, and this hare is climbing on top of fox & then cleans itself!! Wtf?? Crazy the stuff you see. Hare stayed with fox for good 15 minutes, going round it or sitting on it!

Walked up to woods & called but nothing doing. Heading back way I've come to call it a night. Last field before yard and see 2 clear foxy heat pictures. Not exactly together but close enough. Getting set and can only find one in pard, simple 100yds side on. 10 minutes later see other one in thermal, scratching about our muck heap. Tried few things but it wouldn't leave top of heap (no safe shot). I hung around for half hour but it must have dropped down muck heap onto hedge side & melted into the night as only a fox can. 

The two I got were both in the same 2 fields that I missed two in last week

 

Edited December 11, 2022 by BenBhoy

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Just been to pick up the two from Saturday to get rid of. Couldn't find one for ages- been dragged 30yd out into field, someone must've been hungry!