Dawn Shooting

[theflashingblade 11]

I did a dawn shoot on Saturday. I’m struggling to fit shooting in with a busy family life. The solution: hunt while they sleep! I slip out of the house leaving my wife and children sleeping. Twenty minutes later I’m at my permission. Seventy acres of hilly grasslands broken with hedges and stands of trees, bounded on one side by a stream. Beautiful.

 

The grass is laden with the first frost of the year, silver in the star light. Too soon, the day dawns red, fingers of sunlight seek out the ground. Where they touch, the frost immediately sublimes, steadily burning off into a thigh deep sea of mist. So no rabbits this morning then!

 

Down at the bottom of the field corvids and pigeons are in an out of a stand of trees. I work my way down the hedge, using all my field craft to get within 30m. I tuck into the hedge with only my head and shoulders sticking out of the sea of mist. My face and hands camouflaged, riffle poised, I hold still. Time slips by. Blackbirds squabble about my head. A tree creeper goes about its business oblivious to my presence.

 

A crow alights in the tree top. My pellet takes him through the shoulder and chest. To my delight, the silenced shot goes completely unnoticed by the birds about me. Reloading my HW90 without alarming the blackbirds however, is a nightmare. Another crow flies in and he’s mine. Another nerve racking reload as a magpie moves in and starts to call a wake for the two crows. Perhaps I silence him too soon. But the shot presents itself and is taken on reflex before I even think about it.

 

No matter. I wait. Two wood pigeons land in the tree top and I'm trying not to get too excited about it! Now, lightly pan fried, pigeon breast and home made chilli jam butties are the kids’ absolute favourite breakfast, but I digress... The shot is perfect. The second pigeon just sits there looking about to see where its mate went. The blackbirds just won’t leave me alone. I try to calm myself, reload slow and smooth. Just one cackle of warning from the blackbirds and that pigeon will be off.

 

Today it seems that the gods are with me. With an effort of will, I calm my breathing. In the lull between breaths I release the pellet. The pigeon plummets, head first to the ground. I look at my watch, alarming the blackbirds. 8am. Time I was off home. Now I'm a happy man: a brace of pigeons before breakfast and an unforgettable experience!

[Lewis Ste 245]

nice write up that bud, stick a pic of the gun and prizes up if you can i like the hw90

[pianoman 3,587]

Well done and shot Paul. I know your shoot with my times out with Andy and I was asking him about how you are getting on. He said you weren't able to get out as much as you'd like to. So this is good to read.

 

Make the most of the light you have of the morning if nothing else!

 

All the best mate and see you hopefully soon again.

 

Simon

[theflashingblade 11]

Thanks Simon. I plan to be there at 5:30 tomorrow morning. Dawn shooting is addictive! So no beer and an early night for me tonight (shock horror)! Give me a shout when you have a free weekend and I'll see if I can drag Andy out and get over to your gaff if that suits. It's been a while!

 

Thanks Lewis. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of the pigeons, but I will take a picture of my beloved HW90 and figure out how to post it. My HW is quite an unusual looking beasty. A friend who used to fit shot guns to customers noted that I have unusually long arms, that my elbows are too close to my wrists and my neck is too long. Yes its true. It appears that I'm a freak! Consequently when in a comfortable standing stance the rifle points at the floor! To correct this I have made and fitted a palm shelf laminated from a nice bit of oak that I had knocking about and invested in a set of higher profile scope mounts. The result was truely astonishing. Simon (Pianoman) constantly stresses the importance of being comfortable in your stance. Now that I am, I have to say he's right!

 

Take care

 

Paul

Edited October 26, 2012 by theflashingblade

[Phantom 631]

Very well written

 

Loved it

 

Tony

Edited October 26, 2012 by Phantom

[ghillies 209]

only thing missing was catching the light lift as you turned...ahh teaser lol

[andyfr1968 772]

I enjoyed that. Paul, nicely done

 

It's been too long since I was last over, I really need to get my miserable sorry carcass sorted out but my head's still a bit f****d up, as you know. I'll give that lad a call this week about the other permission, I think lamping's the way to go there.

[theflashingblade 11]

Nice one Andy. Looking forwards to it. Always good to shoot somewhere new and as you know, rabbits never go to waste in our house! Take it easy. Paul