Back up at the shoot

[shovel leaner 7,650]

I had my first days loading yesterday , on the neighbouring shoot . Because of Convid 19 there was no loading last season so it was good to be back with all the other loaders. And Christ we had a good laugh, I’d forgotten what it’s like to socialise. 
          We didn’t let the fact that it was raining dampen our spirits ( we’re not made of sugar after all). My good friend who used to be the keeper here moved to Northumberland and is doing well up there having already had 15 days . So it was good to see that the new keeper, who is a young chap seems to have made a good job of things and the birds looked in good shape, with good tails , and flew well .  The guns were selective and picked some spectacular birds . So all in all , in spite of the weather a good start . 
          I’ve got my first day on Saturday and to be honest with you, I am looking forward to it , but I’ve got a busy week, putting pegs out and cleaning vehicles, plus a million and one other things that I’ve put off till the last minute……”why do it today, when I can put it off till tomorrow “, is my mantra

[Dervburner 2,549]

1 hour ago, shovel leaner said:

I had my first days loading yesterday , on the neighbouring shoot . Because of Convid 19 there was no loading last season so it was good to be back with all the other loaders. And Christ we had a good laugh, I’d forgotten what it’s like to socialise. 
          We didn’t let the fact that it was raining dampen our spirits ( we’re not made of sugar after all). My good friend who used to be the keeper here moved to Northumberland and is doing well up there having already had 15 days . So it was good to see that the new keeper, who is a young chap seems to have made a good job of things and the birds looked in good shape, with good tails , and flew well .  The guns were selective and picked some spectacular birds . So all in all , in spite of the weather a good start . 
          I’ve got my first day on Saturday and to be honest with you, I am looking forward to it , but I’ve got a busy week, putting pegs out and cleaning vehicles, plus a million and one other things that I’ve put off till the last minute……”why do it today, when I can put it off till tomorrow “, is my mantra

Yerr, try to plan ahead, that means you aren’t doing anything right now

[Sausagedog 7,381]

I got a stoat this morning. Not much about. I did find two hares and a rabbit playing together. Never seen that before.

 

 

[Stavross 15,203]

Up feeding this morning due to the person who was meant to do it messaged me late yesterday to say he couldn’t go, no explanation, just, I can’t go, now I don’t like to go on a Sunday because it’s my day for food shopping and I like to take it easy, doing a bit of dinner and drinking tea, but it is what it is and to be expected, they all want to be involved until it gets in the way of something else they want to do. I arrived at approximately 8:30 and was greeted by a large number of birds on the tracks enjoying the first rays of morning sunshine, they are coming along well and are taking the wheat, which is just as well as I’ve about ran out of pellet, they do need to be off the pellet now as the first day is 5 weeks away, I just want to see them tail up fully now, I don’t mind waiting a little longer until they are right, but 5 weeks is a long time in the world of pheasants so they should come good

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Feckin typical mate , cant rely on others to do anything,  glad I'm out if it , boils my piss unreliable feckers Anyway I'm off out tonight to my mates place , fingers crossed there is a about. 

[Stavross 15,203]

It’s starting to annoy me a bit now, the idea was that once the birds came I’d set out where to feed and 2 of use would do it, hasn’t quite worked out like that, I’m doing 300 miles a week just going there to feed, it’s going to have to change next season if they still want me to do it

for a ginger or 2 tonight

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Cheers . 300 mile a week is no joke , they should pay the fuel at least.

[Stavross 15,203]

30 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Cheers . 300 mile a week is no joke , they should pay the fuel at least.

The thing is, if I’m left to it I like doing it and not wanting to blow my own trumpet but it’s 100% better than when I joined it about 12 years ago, before, when they did it as a syndicate they would put about the same number of birds down as we do now and would shoot about 40 on a good day but there were some really good shot there and they were killing almost everything that came out a drive, now it’s a proper mixed bag of shooting abilities and on a couple of the drives I can put 150 birds over the guns at a proper height, we aim for between 50 and 60 a day and much of this comes down to the guns, not the amount of birds that go over them, the last few seasons I’ve been doing it, the members have said how much better it is, it would be nice if they helped out with the fuel and I still pay to be a member even though I rarely shoot, if I got a contribution towards my fuel and didn’t pay my membership fees it would be worth about a grand to me, still not covering all my costs with what I do out of season but it would be a big help

[BenBhoy 4,706]

15 hours ago, Stavross said:

Sunday because it’s my day for food shopping

 

15 hours ago, Stavross said:

and drinking tea

Whoa slow down there amigo, you're heading for an early grave with that crazy lifestyle!! 

[Stavross 15,203]

16 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

 

Whoa slow down there amigo, you're heading for an early grave with that crazy lifestyle!! 

life in the bus lane now, it’s very different to my early 20’s, lost in a field, not quite knowing where I was

[BenBhoy 4,706]

35 minutes ago, Stavross said:

life in the bus lane now, it’s very different to my early 20’s, lost in a field, not quite knowing where I was

Jaw ache! 

[Dervburner 2,549]

13 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

Jaw ache! 

Would you like a bacon sandwich dear?  

[Dervburner 2,549]

20 hours ago, Sausagedog said:

I got a stoat this morning. Not much about. I did find two hares and a rabbit playing together. Never seen that before.

 

 

Had quite a few stoats and weasels recently, another the other day..

Edited October 4, 2021 by Dervburner

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Seeing the rats building up again around our yard, always tell when autumn on the way. 

 

[Stavross 15,203]

I can always tell when autumn is here when the pigeons start flocking up and I start seeing a lot of deer, where I’m working today is right next to the river Tees and it’s just a constant stream of woodies using the river as a flight line, the amount of duck is mental as well, might have a word with my mate because he has the land 800 yards up from here

Edited October 4, 2021 by Stavross