Just in time for Xmas.

[philpot 4,986]

Well I don't know what happened to THL for almost a week but it is good to be back, poor old Jimmy was pulling his hair out and theres not a lot of it.......................can't get on.............PHIL, I CAN'T GET ON.

Calm down now me ole dukzzz, we are all here again ready for a bit of banter and tell lies as to how much we shot...  Is it possible Ian that you can let us know when the forum is shutting down for maintainance Ianb but there again you can't if it crashes, whatever it nice to be back and I can wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year although I am not a big lover of New Years Day as I will be 73 but still 30 in my head of course.

Just been onto the sea wall for a spot of casting practice after loading my reels with fresh braid, tomorrow morning off for another cod session and tomorrow afternoon a short session on roosting pigeon if the rain holds off.  I shudder to think how fast these birds will be entering the woods, jet propelled with these high winds. Fingers crossed for pigeon to go with the turkey.

I popped into the rfd yesterday for a coffee as I was in the area but whilst there I went for a rummage around in the upstairs storage area to see if there was a spare stock / forend for one of my Miroku shotguns as the twat who owned it before sanded off all the chequering..................god only knows why. I was thinking of either doing a refinish of stippling on both pieces of wood or perhaps paying someone to do it for me but by sanding off the chequering, it has made the pistol grip a little too slim for me so even though I am skint at this time of the year, or any time when I think of it, a replacement stock would be a much better bet........ anyway, no wood stock upstairs HOWEVER I found a fully adjustable skeleton stock with a matching forend in a ruby red colour which are normally found on competion trap guns but as my Miroku is a 32'' barrel Mk38 trap gun, it would be perfect for my use and the forend is a beevertail design which suits me. The down side is is that they want £500 which is cheap and they are around £1400 new so I need to work on my buddy at the shop to see what I can do to get that bloody price down.

After going to the rfd, I did my rounds with Xmas bottles to various farmers, we have reduced the amount we hand out this year as some of the farms are not worth bothering about as they produce very little to shoot so a thinning down was called for. It is always enjoyable to sit and have a chat with the farmers and land owners in a relaxed way as most of them have eased off for the Xmas break. One job I was asked to do by one of my oldest perm farmers was to thin down the hares as they are causing some quite big issues in one of the wheat fields, not normally a problem but this year they are making a mess.  I don't like to shoot hares but every few years they become a problem for some farmers usually on sugar beet but wheat is one I have not come across before so I may pop out tonight with the spotter to try an see where they are as this is a 100 acre field and trying to get close enough is not going to be easy.

While sitting here typing this thread, I have been watching the sheer number of blackbirds in the garden who have taken a liking for my olive tree or the young olives that were in great abundance on the tree, not a bloody one left, make a mental note to pick the fruit before they find it next year, second mental note to buy some olives from Waitrose tomorrow night. In the garden not only the blackbirds are present but a group od long tailed tits, love these little birds which are surprisingly tame, I can usually get within 4 feet of them while they hammer the fat balls hanging from the cherry blossom tree and bugger me a pair of stock doves have just joined in.  I need to hang another empty pellet tin from the tree as a pellet whacking the tin really pisses off the starlings and pigeon so the little birds can get a good feed.

Well I think I have waffled on for long enough so all that is left for me to do is welcome everybody back to THL and to wish you all all the best for the festive break. 

Best regards

Phil

[j j m 6,539]

nice to get back on here

[bigmac 97kt 13,787]

Old fart,,,,,

All the best to the both of you Phil 

Have a good one my old friends 

Atvb Jimmy  

 

[philpot 4,986]

Same to you and Nicola me ole dukzzz.

Phil

[Mmamonster 33]

Only just managed to get back on myself,  what has happened to the buying and selling ?

Atb

Mart

[philpot 4,986]

5 hours ago, Mmamonster said:

Only just managed to get back on myself,  what has happened to the buying and selling ?

Atb

Mart

I just looked and sales was missing but I clicked onto 'classified' at the top of the screen which seems to have done something as it is now back on as normal.

Phil

[Mmamonster 33]

3 hours ago, philpot said:

I just looked and sales was missing but I clicked onto 'classified' at the top of the screen which seems to have done something as it is now back on as normal.

Phil

Thanks Phil I will have another try.

Atb 

Mart