First Woodcock for me and the Syndicate.

[SportingShooter 0]

Well Folks,

 

We had our normal Saturday shoot today on one of my "preferred" shooting grounds, Pheasants all over the place, flying everywhere in this wind here.

 

They had been coming at a steady pace, there was only a small party of us out today, the others couldn't make it for various reasons, so there were 6 guns out front and two flanking the beating line.

 

I was flanking most of the day, though I did stand out front on the first drive and dropped two Hens crossing high out of the wood. Next drive, I was holding a few birds on a hedge in front of the dog, hoping to flush them forward. Most did, one went back and curled up over me, shot her as well.

 

I was quite happy to let the day go by now, not that bothered either way. The last but one drive is a small wood, which is always wet no-matter what.

 

The beating line was in the wood working away, I was on the outer hedge walking along the farm track, so a nice easy walk for me for a change. I just try to stay in line with the beaters and whatever breaks the wrong way, is mine for shooting at (But not necessarily killing!).

 

We were about 50 yards from the end of the wood, there is a fence across the front and above, on the top edge of the wood, parallel to where I was walking there is a long and thin enclosure.

 

As the beating line was coming to the end of the wood, I heard the ever faithful "'Cock Over!" , looking around I can't see anything, but then catch a glimpse of him going back up the wood, and away to safety not a shot fired.

 

Good to see them, as we were out on the boundary last weekend and saw none, so a drop of Woodcock during the week sometime.

 

I heard "'Cock Over!!" again, but this time saw nothing, so two seen, not bad, quite happy to know they are there. So I carried on slowly as did he beaters. They must have flushed a Woodcock and not noticed.

 

I was looking down into this enclosure and I could see a dark shape coming through the cover, as it got closer "Woodcock" I thought. What happened next, I've never seen before with a Woodcock. There is a ditch on the out edge of this enclosure and an small embankment on one side. There was a gap about 10 yards in front of me, with one single strand of Bramble covering it.

 

The Woodcock headed for the gap, and amazingly, hit the bramble and tumbled maybe a foot down the embankment before getting into flight again. He caught the wind in front of me up to the tree line, and Bang! It folded and fell back into the ditch. First one of the year and the first one shot amongst our syndicate this year.

 

A young dog with one of the beaters, which had never picked a Woodcock before had the retrieve and did very well, took a lot of signal work, but she got there in the end. Back to hand, a juvenile, not long got here by all accounts.

 

Made my day anyway, three seen, one shot. Happy with that.

 

We finished off the drive with one more Pheasant being shot. The last small drive was a patch of Gorse, wet inside, with little pools, normally a Woodcock or two in there, maybe later in the season. Two Bunnies bought the bullet out of there, one falling to my gun.

 

So not a bad day out, ended up between us with 27 Pheasants, a Woodcock, a Pigeon and Two Rabbits. Not bad, not that it matters to me!

 

Back to the pub then for a bite to eat!

 

SS

[longrange 0]

love it good story keep, telling them,

[lewismac1 1]

Great story there

 

There has been a record amount of woodcock on my shoot The past couple of weeks.

 

The place was black with them

 

I guess your getting a good season of both woodcock and phesants down in wales

 

Cheers