Smashing day at Steventon Manor in Hampshire, Organized by Richard Faulds.
We all met up at Owls Lodge before a short drive to the shoot, all didn't quite go to plan as Radrac realised on the A303 that he had forgotten his wellies and as he was middle of the convoy led to half of the guns nearly following him home to retrieve them and Richard myself and Chris waiting on the off ramp. Had Mr Plod trying to move us on, but was quite understanding when we explained that people were following and needed to see which junction we got off at.
We arrived at the shoot still in plenty of time to be welcomed into the manor house kitchen for coffee. After the safety briefing and the drawing of pegs we made our way out to the gun bus for the short journey to the first drive.
First drive was a large strip of cover crop running along the top of a small rise with the guns down in the valley, backs to a small spinney.
Waiting for the action to start.
There were plenty of birds in the cover, both Pheasant and Partridge.
Here they come!
They were never going to be screamers with such flat topography and little wind but there was enough to chose from for the game virgins and pros alike. I took a nice brace from peg 2 on here and it was nice for our virgin, Alistair, to bag his first pheasant. He was suitably "blooded" to many congratulations.
On to the second drive and as I was sharing the day with Mrs Fuz it was her turn on peg 5.
Raring to go.
This drive had a cover crop behind a mature hedge with some decent trees to drive them up and over to a wood behind the guns standing in a small valley. Mrs Fuz was actually on the far left peg so had quite a lot of ground to cover on her left side and this was where the early partridges broke. The first couple of small coveys received a 2 barrel salute but then she steadied herself when the first pheasant came out,a hen bird, which she took nicely out in front. Stuffing for her I saw it dead and told her to break the gun to reload, taking my eye off the bird and onto the breech. Meantime the bird is hammering down at a rate of knots, landing between her peg and her feet and nearly braining me in the process!
Next up elevensies, where we had some excellent beef consomme, sausages with mustard and the traditional slug of sloe gin.
Third drive and I was back in the saddle. Peg 8 was again far left end and our host, Peter, had asked me to position myself where I saw fit as the drive progressed, moving left sided if they decided to break that way. Again we had a maize cover crop with the beaters pushing it right to left, pushing them into a wood behind us. I took some lovely crossers out to my left and Don Brunt showed what his little Guerini 28 bore could do on some very nice birds.
Fourth drive saw the wood behind the third drive driven back and Mrs Fuz had the honors on peg 3. She showed that she has really grasped the concept of taking her first shot out in front and dropped some nice birds with aplomb. We were treated to a cracking Muntjac buck running down the wood edge and Mr Buzzard was keeping a stern eye on proceedings.
Off to lunch, and splendid it was too. We retired to the study for an aperitif as we were a little early then moved to the beautifully set dining table. Chicken curry with poppadoms, naan bread and rice was the order of the day with a very acceptable tempranillo ( I might even be a red wine convert) followed by a cheese board and the obligatory port. I was dragged most unceremoniously off of the stilton as an extra drive after lunch was in the offing.
Whilst i was getting my gun out of the car Bill got his cigars out and as the only smoker I was obliged to partake, and very good it was too.
The team after lunch in front of the manor.
After lunch we had a fair travel to the next drive which let the stilton go down and allowed us smokers to pollute the gun bus with our heady cigar smoke.
A small strip of woodland was to be driven down to the semi-circle of guns waiting in the valley below. I found myself on peg 6 being the far left gun and the instructions were the same, move to where you feel you are best. I moved 40 odd yards left of my peg and had a walking gun on my far left who came down the valley to meet me and as the drive progressed i moved back onto my peg. I had a some cracking sport on this one with a partridge and some stonking crossers to my left.
Mrs Fuz nabbed my gun off me toward the end of the drive telling me I had shot enough and proceeded to shoot an excellent crosser to the right with my own gun!
We squeezed a last drive in which saw a piece of woodland brought down to us. Don was again on form with his 28 walking down the edge of the wood, so much so I was watching him shoot while Radrac droped a partridge nearly at my feet that I hadnt seen. I took a nice left to right cock bird to finish my day.
We were given the choice of a ride back in the gun bus or a short walk back up the hill to the manor and most of us took the walk. This gave us the opportunity to admire the well kept grounds. It was then de-boot and tea and cake back in the dining room and a chance to re-live the day in front of the log fire.
All too soon it was over and was tip time for the keeper and a brace of oven ready birds to take home. Total bag for the day was 212 Pheasant and 16 Partridge for a total of 228. Shots were clicked at just shy of 700 so just over a 3:1 ratio, a record for this season apparently. As Tanya said "what do you expect from Team Owls Lodge"
Many thanks to Richard for organising the day and the guys and girls at Steventon Manor for a great day out.
A little video for those that have actually got this far. Please excuse my incessant flicking of my safety catch, I didn't even realise I do it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-l_1Yc5eIs&feature=youtu.be
We all met up at Owls Lodge before a short drive to the shoot, all didn't quite go to plan as Radrac realised on the A303 that he had forgotten his wellies and as he was middle of the convoy led to half of the guns nearly following him home to retrieve them and Richard myself and Chris waiting on the off ramp. Had Mr Plod trying to move us on, but was quite understanding when we explained that people were following and needed to see which junction we got off at.
We arrived at the shoot still in plenty of time to be welcomed into the manor house kitchen for coffee. After the safety briefing and the drawing of pegs we made our way out to the gun bus for the short journey to the first drive.
First drive was a large strip of cover crop running along the top of a small rise with the guns down in the valley, backs to a small spinney.
Waiting for the action to start.
There were plenty of birds in the cover, both Pheasant and Partridge.
Here they come!
They were never going to be screamers with such flat topography and little wind but there was enough to chose from for the game virgins and pros alike. I took a nice brace from peg 2 on here and it was nice for our virgin, Alistair, to bag his first pheasant. He was suitably "blooded" to many congratulations.
On to the second drive and as I was sharing the day with Mrs Fuz it was her turn on peg 5.
Raring to go.
This drive had a cover crop behind a mature hedge with some decent trees to drive them up and over to a wood behind the guns standing in a small valley. Mrs Fuz was actually on the far left peg so had quite a lot of ground to cover on her left side and this was where the early partridges broke. The first couple of small coveys received a 2 barrel salute but then she steadied herself when the first pheasant came out,a hen bird, which she took nicely out in front. Stuffing for her I saw it dead and told her to break the gun to reload, taking my eye off the bird and onto the breech. Meantime the bird is hammering down at a rate of knots, landing between her peg and her feet and nearly braining me in the process!
Next up elevensies, where we had some excellent beef consomme, sausages with mustard and the traditional slug of sloe gin.
Third drive and I was back in the saddle. Peg 8 was again far left end and our host, Peter, had asked me to position myself where I saw fit as the drive progressed, moving left sided if they decided to break that way. Again we had a maize cover crop with the beaters pushing it right to left, pushing them into a wood behind us. I took some lovely crossers out to my left and Don Brunt showed what his little Guerini 28 bore could do on some very nice birds.
Fourth drive saw the wood behind the third drive driven back and Mrs Fuz had the honors on peg 3. She showed that she has really grasped the concept of taking her first shot out in front and dropped some nice birds with aplomb. We were treated to a cracking Muntjac buck running down the wood edge and Mr Buzzard was keeping a stern eye on proceedings.
Off to lunch, and splendid it was too. We retired to the study for an aperitif as we were a little early then moved to the beautifully set dining table. Chicken curry with poppadoms, naan bread and rice was the order of the day with a very acceptable tempranillo ( I might even be a red wine convert) followed by a cheese board and the obligatory port. I was dragged most unceremoniously off of the stilton as an extra drive after lunch was in the offing.
Whilst i was getting my gun out of the car Bill got his cigars out and as the only smoker I was obliged to partake, and very good it was too.
The team after lunch in front of the manor.
After lunch we had a fair travel to the next drive which let the stilton go down and allowed us smokers to pollute the gun bus with our heady cigar smoke.
A small strip of woodland was to be driven down to the semi-circle of guns waiting in the valley below. I found myself on peg 6 being the far left gun and the instructions were the same, move to where you feel you are best. I moved 40 odd yards left of my peg and had a walking gun on my far left who came down the valley to meet me and as the drive progressed i moved back onto my peg. I had a some cracking sport on this one with a partridge and some stonking crossers to my left.
Mrs Fuz nabbed my gun off me toward the end of the drive telling me I had shot enough and proceeded to shoot an excellent crosser to the right with my own gun!
We squeezed a last drive in which saw a piece of woodland brought down to us. Don was again on form with his 28 walking down the edge of the wood, so much so I was watching him shoot while Radrac droped a partridge nearly at my feet that I hadnt seen. I took a nice left to right cock bird to finish my day.
We were given the choice of a ride back in the gun bus or a short walk back up the hill to the manor and most of us took the walk. This gave us the opportunity to admire the well kept grounds. It was then de-boot and tea and cake back in the dining room and a chance to re-live the day in front of the log fire.
All too soon it was over and was tip time for the keeper and a brace of oven ready birds to take home. Total bag for the day was 212 Pheasant and 16 Partridge for a total of 228. Shots were clicked at just shy of 700 so just over a 3:1 ratio, a record for this season apparently. As Tanya said "what do you expect from Team Owls Lodge"
Many thanks to Richard for organising the day and the guys and girls at Steventon Manor for a great day out.
A little video for those that have actually got this far. Please excuse my incessant flicking of my safety catch, I didn't even realise I do it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-l_1Yc5eIs&feature=youtu.be
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Only because Don Brunt had the gall to be shooting and didnt bring his camera :lol: 
