Second Beaters Day

[whippeter69 88]

Well today was my second beaters day, and boy it was good un I woke up at 8, got my gear together and off i was to the Monachty Estate. Arrived there, and there was no sign of anyone. Just the birds shot from thursdays shoot hanging on the game rail. When everyone got there, we pic team's again, by picking a card and which ever colour you were, thats what team you were on. I pick a red again, and was with the game keeper, Wayne, Jim, and i cant remember who else :blush: . We all set of to the first drive which was "North Lodge", a good drive for pheasant and duck.

 

We set off in our teams and our team was walking up and the other team standing. So we started and we walked about 100yds when a pheasant came straight at me about 30FT high, i swung the semi up, bead about 3ft in-front and BANG, a nice hen bird in the bag.

 

Then we moved on about another 100yds and then Marina who was to my right so a hen bird run behind us and squat in a bush, so we both got ready and she sent her spaniel in, and the hen ran out my side and lifted, i let it get about 20ft in the air and the i ' Let Im Av It', two in the bag.

After the drive we went to do some duck, we all surrounded the pond, and tried to lift the duck, as not all of them got off but a few did. In total 24 duck were shot and one woodcock, which was shot by my mate Kieron who is the same age as me, I also got a duck on that one, which i was happy with.

 

Then, we moved to a drive called " Charlie's". I was out in a field at first justin case anything tried flying away out f the wood from the guns.

 

Nothing appeared, so we moved along the other side of the wood, when a hen bird ran out and took to the air, but this was was to low, i did not want to shoot it just in case there was a beater or a dog behind it. So we moved along even more when i hear the words " OVER" and a hen bird flying from left to right in front of me, i gave it a bit of time to fly away then, ' Opened Fire' and this one dropped like a stone. Heres a pic of where it came from and what damage it had on it, notice the pellets hit the beak.

And here a few extra one's of the fields surrounding the drive.

 

 

Then we had a break, we all went back to the beaters room and had a drink when the Game Keeper asked me to take the buggy to fetch a few pheasant and duck, so i got it out of the garage, and off i went, and it was SO much fun driveing it through all the puddles and mud, heres a pic from the driving seat.

So i picked up the 2 cock pheasant and the 24 duck and the one woodcock and back to the game rail, I had so much fun driving it there and back

 

Then after tea we went to a drive called "Red Gate" and we were beating on this one. So me, the Game Keeper, Wayne and Mick had to swoop a forestry around and this normally held a few pheasant. So we set off, the Game Keeper above me, Mick and Wayne below me and the Game Keeper had a pointer and so did Mick. So we were walking around and then i hear " Dog On Point" so the Game Keeper said " Get Ready Josh" so i did and gave him a " Ok" and he told his dog to lift it, and it was a cock bird, and it came straight over me and BANG, it was dead, then it was followed by " Good Shot Josh" and i replied to the Game Keeper " Thank You"

 

So we moved on and i was eager to hear him say " Dog On Point" when i see his dog in front of me on point, and i thought get ready boyo. So i told him that his dog was pointing, and walked a bit down the bank and said " Ready" and his dog flushed another cock bird, and i lifted my gun and BANG, another on in the bag, and that one was also followed by " Good Shot Josh". We walked around to the flushing point and there was harley much in the wood. So we swooped around the front of the flushing point and waited for the birds to come over, when a beautiful right to left hen was crossing and i shouldered the semi, took aim and MISSED behind, so i aimed about an extra 2ft in-front and it fell like a sack of sh** that bird was also followed by a " Good Shot" from Wayne.

 

Then after the day had finished we went back to the beaters room and agreed to do a bit of flighting, so i went with Kieron and Ifan to a pond they had done recently and had a good bag. Off we went and parked the car at the end of the track, and we loaded up just in case there was a pigeon or pheasant in the woods. As we were walking down the track a pigeon got out of the tree, and i shouldered the semi and pulled of a classical " Poke" shot, it was stone dead, and the bloke next to me just looked at me with a open mouth in amazement, i felt quite good about this, and the other bloke Ifan said, " I didn't eve have a chance to close my gun " So that really made my day

 

We go to the pond and i got my self into so bramble and sat tight until the ducks came in. Few pics of the pond

 

After about 1 hour waiting we see 3 ducks coming in and i told the lads to get ready. The ducks came in really nicely and i aimed and pulled the trigger and pricked one, but the gun had jammed but Ifan killed the one i had pricked. After about half an hour, it was getting to dark and nothing showed, We could hear the other guns having a few shot on the other ponds. But we called it a ngiht and headed back to the beaters room, where the game keeper was there counting the birds.

 

I ended my bay on 6 pheasant, 1 duck and a pigeon. I really had a fantastic day, and what i mostly enjoyed was the pointing with the Game Keepers German Wired Haired Point, that was fantastic. I thanked the Game Keeper as i havent had so much fun in my life, I Love Hunting.

[whippeter69 88]

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[Blacksheep 6]

Hi , nice write up , sounds like a very busy day , good shooting too!

[gerron 13]

Hi Josh !

Really enjoyed reading your post,might i ask what age you are and how long you have been shooting ?