My first game shoot

[Sian]

As a few know I’m a prolific clay shooter but today I had my first experience behind the gun on a friend’s pheasant shoot.  I normally beat which I thoroughly enjoy.  Set in West Wales it is not a huge bag shoot and today there were 6 guns and four drives.  It was quite novel to hear our host insist that if we were to see the two white pheasants fly we were to shoot them.  If we did not we would be fined £50 and if we missed £20, they didn’t  fly today though.    My first drive I only shot one cartridge obviously didn’t hit anything but I was happy to just take it all in    I’m so used to the confines of a clay ground that the openness of the line I needed to get used to.  By the second drive  had three good birds two cocks and a hen.  The clay shooters who know me will understand my elation at taking a driven bird first shot.  My third drive I missed a few but had an extraordinary cock that came in low and quartering like a bullet and one shot killed.  Fourth drive was quite overwhelming as a mass of birds flew in all directions, I didn’t hit anything but it was exciting trying.  So got four birds out of 45 and another 6 lost.  The weather was fairly good with just a little rain on one drive and quite warm.  Good company in beautiful surroundings and a superb pheasant curry and apple pie, cheese and biscuits and a never ending supply of very good port after the shoot.

 

[Jonny English]

Pleased you have enjoyed your day out, it is key to enjoy the day and the company. I have always struggled to adapt from clays to game, I applaud anybody that can go from one to the other with ease. 

 

[shortlegs]

Sounds like you had a great day there Sian back in the mother land down in deepest darkest west wales :hunter: da iawn  :thumbsup:  

 

[Sian]

Sounds like you had a great day there Sian back in the mother land down in deepest darkest west wales :hunter: da iawn  :thumbsup:  

That warm feeling you get inside when you cross the bridge.  It was a great stay.

 

[ips]

Well done Sian.

I am interested in what you thought of the whole game scene, has it made you want to do more ? Has it taken the edge of competitive clay in any way ?

 

[Sian]

Well done Sian.

I am interested in what you thought of the whole game scene, has it made you want to do more ? Has it taken the edge of competitive clay in any way ?

I really enjoyed the day but the host is a friend and he took a peg next to me and explained my area to shoot in very well.  I usually beat and I love that and I’m usually the youngest, watching the dogs work is mesmerising.  I don’t think I would do a lot of game shooting but I would definitely do it again and I am still very much a clay shooter first.  I liked that I knew the two shooters either side of me and I trusted them but  I’m not sure how I’d feel about strangers to be honest.  He is an  extremely generous and fun person so the whole day was great.  We always stay the night before and they have a gorgeous house.  My host, gamekeeper and beaters were very surprised they said that I managed so well for my first shoot so I was pleased.

 

[bisondan]

Glad you enjoyed it Sian, can be a bit daunting whenever you haven't done it before and when a big flush comes out as it's hard to know what to take.  Sounds like your day was far enjoyable than my first day ever, which was also in Wales.

 

[Sian]

Glad you enjoyed it Sian, can be a bit daunting whenever you haven't done it before and when a big flush comes out as it's hard to know what to take.  Sounds like your day was far enjoyable than my first day ever, which was also in Wales.

Thanks Dan, the first drive I only shot one cartridge .  The last drive was seriously overwhelming so many birds in the air.

 

[westley]

I am delighted that you enjoyed your first day (of many, I hope ? ),  game shooting.  I made the transition in the opposite direction (Game to Clays), back in the 1970's. The reason being , that I found a job where I was paid to shoot clays  !     Although I always considered myself a 'safe' shot in the field, I sometimes felt that the safety at clay grounds was a little over zealous. I hasten to add that I quickly learned why,  usually involving other game shooters having a 'day out' on clays.  Now, over 40 years later,  l shoot more clays than game.  I have been fortunate to be able to change between the two forms of shooting without a problem, possibly due to a complete change of gun for each. A S x S  for  all of my game shooting and either an O/U  or a semi auto  for clays.  I have to say that I have made a lot of very good friends within the entire shooting sport over my 50 plus years and hope that I have a few more years left yet, although some of the game days get harder each year  !

 

[Sian]

I am delighted that you enjoyed your first day (of many, I hope ? ),  game shooting.  I made the transition in the opposite direction (Game to Clays), back in the 1970's. The reason being , that I found a job where I was paid to shoot clays  !     Although I always considered myself a 'safe' shot in the field, I sometimes felt that the safety at clay grounds was a little over zealous. I hasten to add that I quickly learned why,  usually involving other game shooters having a 'day out' on clays.  Now, over 40 years later,  l shoot more clays than game.  I have been fortunate to be able to change between the two forms of shooting without a problem, possibly due to a complete change of gun for each. A S x S  for  all of my game shooting and either an O/U  or a semi auto  for clays.  I have to say that I have made a lot of very good friends within the entire shooting sport over my 50 plus years and hope that I have a few more years left yet, although some of the game days get harder each year  !

Thank you, it was fun.  I took my DT10 which I felt quite comfortable shooting but I think for the last drive my Silver Pigeon would have been better.   I know SXS is traditional but I really don’t think it’s for me.  I have never felt at all comfortable shooting one.

 

[ips]

Thank you, it was fun.  I took my DT10 which I felt quite comfortable shooting but I think for the last drive my Silver Pigeon would have been better.   I know SXS is traditional but I really don’t think it’s for me.  I have never felt at all comfortable shooting one.

Philistine one must use a SxS on game its the done thing and imo should be THE LAW

 

[westley]

Thank you, it was fun.  I took my DT10 which I felt quite comfortable shooting but I think for the last drive my Silver Pigeon would have been better.   I know SXS is traditional but I really don’t think it’s for me.  I have never felt at all comfortable shooting one.

When I first shot clays I only owned 1 gun, a 26" AyA No.2 12 bore, with 1/4 and half fixed chokes. I was part of a six man team and we were shooting a fifty bird ( most comps were 50 birders in the 70's) English Skeet competition. I can recall the Ref. being very forgiving towards me, allowing another team member to tell me which target I was going to get,  as we went around. Suffice it to say, I dropped 6 targets out of the fifty and still finished ninth out of over 100 entries. That prompted me to buy some clay shooting guns, but I kept my AyA just for game shooting. Mind you, the S x S has gone into semi retirement and a 'younger' model 20 bore O/U has taken it's place. I have discovered that a 'younger model' can have it's benefits  !    

 

[westley]

I think I may have met that Phyllis Stein on a few game shoots over the years, quite attractive I seem to recall  !      

 

[westley]

That warm feeling you get inside when you cross the bridge.  It was a great stay.

THAT was the sloe gin  !