Another season gone

[Lyn Ed]

tomorrow (feb 1st) sees the end of another shooting season, cant believe how quick this one has gone, 20 more days wildfowling on the foreshore and then its back to pigeons.

[Mark Bolam]

Goes quicker every year doesn't it?

 

We seem to start later and later though. Bloody climate change!

 

Last day out today, cocks only, dogs are going mental as I type this!

[Matthew Arnold]

Had our last day today over at Crichel shoot. £100 each for a little walkround day. I swear birds know when the season finishes as the ducks and woodcock (ended yesterday) were teasing us all day. Final bag was 86 pheasant, 15 partridge, 9 pigeon, 5 jay, 2 crow, 2 jackdaw and one rook. Not bad for the end of the season run around. Now time for the woodies n corvids.

[blazer]

With the xmas snow our helpers day was shifted to 31 Jan, boundry and keepers day main drives 1 Feb. I didn't do much good on the first day, although over 100 birds shot. I had 9 high birds on the next day, still with over 400 birds shot for the normal 1600+ carts, sounded like a remake of the 'Alimo' (still not a good idea to wear a Davy Crockett hat with a squirrel tail). Took my 2 black working cockers out on Sat Mon & Tues - so much energy they wanted to go again. Now over it's woodland work and vermin:thumbup1:

[rovers90]

Whilst Tuesday was a glorious day weather wise and enjoyable shooting wise it was very sad as it was the last day ever for the syndicate I am in. After 34years the National Trust has declined to renew the lease, although it has allowed two other syndicates on the estate to remain. They stated reasons such as allowing greater public access, not good having shooting when there is public about, etc. A load of balony as one of the other syndicates is right near the hall so could not be closer to joe public and in the last two years I have been in the syndicate, I have only seen 4 walkers on our patch, who were all happy to stand still whilst a drive went ahead.

[blazer]

Whilst Tuesday was a glorious day weather wise and enjoyable shooting wise it was very sad as it was the last day ever for the syndicate I am in. After 34years the National Trust has declined to renew the lease, although it has allowed two other syndicates on the estate to remain. They stated reasons such as allowing greater public access, not good having shooting when there is public about, etc. A load of balony as one of the other syndicates is right near the hall so could not be closer to joe public and in the last two years I have been in the syndicate, I have only seen 4 walkers on our patch, who were all happy to stand still whilst a drive went ahead.

 

Sorry to hear about your shoot, odd that they have allowed the two other shoots, not many people walk about during the winter anyway - have you found another site? It's hard work setting up a shoot. We went from a small walk up, to say 20,000 birds with over 70 acres of cover crop, but it pen building that I found hardest, cutting through overgrown woods.

[Lyn Ed]

sorry to hear about your shoot, even if you find somewhere new its hard starting from scratch again, all the best.

[D.M.Taylor Firewood Supp]

Sorry to hear about your shoot finishing does seem abit odd the other to can continue i know the ones you mean.Ive got alot of shooting friends in the area.I'll keep my ears open for you.Why is it the wind gets up when its the end of the season and pheasants appear from everywhere im sure they know there safe!!!

[rovers90]

Thanks for the kind comments guys. I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a Jona - thats two syndicates now that my mate and I have joined only for them to fold within 18 months!! Getting a bit of a complex:001_huh:

 

The last one stopped because the farmer started riding his trials bike through the woods and holding little events for his mates. He could not understand why we were unhappy with that. He didn't think it was a fair comparison when I suggested opening the field gates and borrowing his bike so I could drive round his sheep fields. I said "I think you'll find the sheep will do the same as the pheasants have - run off!!":confused1: