How's It Going?

[BRY 79]

Yep shame about that LAB on the last but 1 drive lol A few different guns there and good shots too

[Ideation 8,216]

Having gathered the intelligence from the day I think it was a combined lab/vizla attack . . . . ah well.

 

128 picked up by end of today . . .

[BRY 79]

All i can say is "who ever was in charge of the beaters in that crop shouldn't have had any dogs in it " 128 is that your best day there ?

[Ideation 8,216]

Aye. . . . too right!

 

I don't know what the record is mate . . .the shoot has been going 30 years. . . .

 

But it's certainly the highest i've had and the highest number i've seen shot there since I started beating there etc. . . .

 

We couldn't do it without decent lads like yourself Bry, with decent dogs. . . . thanks once again!

[Dave C 63]

Our first Driven day tommorow, the Pheasants seem to be holding well this year but the ducks have been very flighty and we have lost about half.

 

Was up last night filling hoppers and feeding the pond, we will be having a duck Flight after for them that have any energy left.

[the monkey 339]

dismal yesterday...picked 36...lowest bag for 3 years

 

all the birds are spread about on the roads eating crushed acorns...

we desperately need some hard weather to get them back to the feeders

[Ideation 8,216]

Yer, I was watching them eating on the roads today . . .

 

Found out earlier that last wed we beat the shoot record. . . .

[the monkey 339]

so did we lol

 

worst day ever

[BRY 79]

Loads of acorns in your woods Jai i noticed them on the ground wednesday

[Dave C 63]

We had our biggest bag ever on Saturday 57, Our first and last days are more like rough shooting days taking ground game and birds.

We keep out of the woods to let the pheasants mature a bit but still took 19 and along with some excellent Snipe, Ducks, Hares and 1 Woodcock the guns were real happy.

[BRY 79]

Nice 1 Dave, can only get Better lol

[TheBrock 11]

Had our first day yesterday, loads of birds about but struggled to get them over the guns, some drives they were being bit lazy and just dipping, the biggest problem was the leaf cover on the trees got all the birds through the drive to the flushing point but there wasn't any windows to let them break through, there will be next week after I've had the chainsaw out! Got the number we were after and all the guns were happy so a good start

[Ideation 8,216]

So, we are now half way through our driven days. . . . and so far beating last years average by thirty birds a day. Had our lordships day today. . . . the weather was terrible, no wind etc, and things went awry for the first two drives (often happens when the gun team is too busy chatting and drinking, than getting in place . . . . ). . . in fact the first drive was the worst i've ever seen on our place, although the hit rate was 100% . . . .

 

Things picked up by half way through drive three, and drive four was a good one.

 

That left two drives after lunch, and I was still sweating at the bag size and amount of shooting that had been had . . . .

 

Luckily. . . . the last two drives saved my bacon. I had a feeling they would work out, but not like that. The first is my attempt to create a good high partridge drive, in what is otherwise a pheasant shoot. It's sort of worked in the past, but today it was perfect. The Partridge did their thing, and the guns shot 13:1. . . . with the estates owner shooting 30 cartridges for 1 bird Now this team shoot a lot, and this was their 4/5th consecutive days shooting. . . . they described the drive as astronomical, and said that they were the highest and best presented Partridge that they had ever seen on shot at in their lives . . . . :toast:

 

The last drive was a mixture of Pheasant and the Partridge being returned, they fired off another 100 or so cartridges and that was that.

 

A pretty grim day saved by two good and one exceptional drive

 

If we keep on as we are, we're going to beat last years return by a mile!

 

How's everyone else doing?

[Born Hunter 17,814]

Sounds like it's going well Ideation. You decided on your future with the shoot? I seem to recall initially you only intended to do a couple seasons? Sounds like they'd miss you if you went.

 

A very good season for us so far. The syndicate may be changed a bit for next season, some of the guns aren't really 'right'. Birds are holding and presenting well for what we have. Keeping a regular solid beat team is producing the usual problems but we are getting by. A bit of cold weather will be welcome. Pretty standard DIY shoot stuff here, but generally proving a better season.

[Ideation 8,216]

Aye, it's going pretty good so far BH.

 

As for my future there, I'm not sure. I love the place in many ways, but it has it's limits and I would love to try my hand elsewhere. However, without formal qualifications in Game Keeping. . . . i've got limited options. If the right job comes up i'll go, and i'll go anywhere in the country. I'd love to head north if i'm honest.

 

But I did just get an invite to Madonnas Ashcombe shoot for tomorrow, so maybe she needs a new keeper lol.

 

 

I'm glad it's going well for you mate, and you're right, the cold weather would be very welcome!