Partridge netting

[gamerooster 1,179]

What size where the nets used back in the day for partridge netting? And what size mesh? Something i know nothing about but always reading about it in books.

[mackem 26,270]

I tried it as a kid,there were loads of partridge around, me and a mate went halfies on a drag net, I think the firm was youngs of Misterton, we bought one from their catalogue,inspired by tales of mini oil-lamps clipped onto pointers collars and victorian ne'er do wells dragging fields to feed their dozen kids, anyway romanticism aside we caught nowt and bought an old pedretti .410 to shoot the birds on the lamp,nowadays it would be easier with an air rifle and a thermal. 

[TOMO 26,071]

my old poaching mate did a bit....but as mac said there were loads back then....im sure the mesh is about the same size as a purse net....2 inch or there abouts...but i think its made as a square mesh not dimond....and the net size i can remember ...but i think around 10 yard square ...

but even my mate recons the lamped them first to see where they were sat....

but as mac said lamping them was very easy....we did a fair bit of it ....and with a 410 once shot 13 with one shot...they sit tight together when its real cold

[mackem 26,270]

1 minute ago, TOMO said:

my old poaching mate did a bit....but as mac said there were loads back then....im sure the mesh is about the same size as a purse net....2 inch or there abouts...but i think its made as a square mesh not dimond....and the net size i can remember ...but i think around 10 yard square ...

but even my mate recons the lamped them first to see where they were sat....

but as mac said lamping them was very easy....we did a fair bit of it ....and with a 410 once shot 13 with one shot...they sit tight together when its real cold

Yup, it was square mesh mate a lot of the old methods are obsolete for a reason, time moves on, and what may have worked back then gets surpassed by modern technology, 13 is a great number with one shot, I think our best was four? 

[TOMO 26,071]

4 minutes ago, mackem said:

Yup, it was square mesh mate a lot of the old methods are obsolete for a reason, time moves on, and what may have worked back then gets surpassed by modern technology, 13 is a great number with one shot, I think our best was four? 

they were sat very tight mate....i was lamping my old mate shooting....he got nelt down about 20 yard away ....one flew directly at me so i hit it with the cibie oscar lamp ..remember them quite heavy with thick glass...so technically 12 with the gun...one hit by me ...

[mackem 26,270]

2 minutes ago, TOMO said:

they were sat very tight mate....i was lamping my old mate shooting....he got nelt down about 20 yard away ....one flew directly at me so i hit it with the cibie oscar lamp ..remember them quite heavy with thick glass...so technically 12 with the gun...one hit by me ...

Wouldn't it be good to turn the clock back just for a couple of days mate, we once got 120+ salmon and sea trout in a weekend, we were only kids, no fear of bailiffs or comprehension of punishment whatsoever

[gamerooster 1,179]

.410 is no good as theoretically id want them alive. Plan is to spot them with a thermal then net them.

[mackem 26,270]

4 minutes ago, gamerooster said:

.410 is no good as theoretically id want them alive. Plan is to spot them with a thermal then net them.

Cast net? Windy night so you can get as close as possible, decent spread on the net? Far easier to buy a cast net nowadays than knit a 20 yard square mesh. 

[gamerooster 1,179]

25 minutes ago, mackem said:

Cast net? Windy night so you can get as close as possible, decent spread on the net? Far easier to buy a cast net nowadays than knit a 20 yard square mesh. 

There's a bit that sells sheet netting, can't mind the name of the spot now.

Though tbh I'm wanting to learn how to knit nets. Be a good way to fill the summer in. 

Did you lads have a cord on the top and weights on the bottom?

[fred90 3,210]

they were a square mesh. 10 yards across and 8 deep. before my time but loads of old boys at it around here. told us kids plenty about it. they used to watch them at dusk joking down they called it. get a good idea were they were then went a few hours later. some just dragged likely looking fields. dragging on spec they called it. 

[mackem 26,270]

2 minutes ago, gamerooster said:

There's a bit that sells sheet netting, can't mind the name of the spot now.

Though tbh I'm wanting to learn how to knit nets. Be a good way to fill the summer in. 

Did you lads have a cord on the top and weights on the bottom?

Yes drag cord on the top, weighted bottom, I did learn to knit square mesh. 

 

2 minutes ago, fred90 said:

they were a square mesh. 10 yards across and 8 deep. before my time but loads of old boys at it around here. told us kids plenty about it. they used to watch them at dusk joking down they called it. get a good idea were they were then went a few hours later. some just dragged likely looking fields. dragging on spec they called it. 

10 yards you would have to be pretty accurate to pinpoint their location Fred, though with a thermal it would be as easy as having a GPS location, modern technology would take the guesswork out of it

[fred90 3,210]

1 minute ago, mackem said:

Yes drag cord on the top, weighted bottom, I did learn to knit square mesh. 

 

10 yards you would have to be pretty accurate to pinpoint their location Fred, though with a thermal it would be as easy as having a GPS location, modern technology would take the guesswork out of it

I think in those times there was that many they could afford plenty of misses. they used to drag pheasant as well. apparently they roost on the ground early in the season. 

[C.green 3,229]

If youve got thermal and its cold youll catch plenty with a landing net to be truthful ive picked loads up by hand.

[mackem 26,270]

2 minutes ago, C.green said:

If youve got thermal and its cold youll catch plenty with a landing net to be truthful ive picked loads up by hand.

Cast-net with a 10 foot or 15 foot spread would most probably get the full covey

[gamerooster 1,179]

9 minutes ago, fred90 said:

I think in those times there was that many they could afford plenty of misses. they used to drag pheasant as well. apparently they roost on the ground early in the season. 

Surely there's just as many now if not more. 

Just French not English.