Ok, this game section seems under used at times, so...
I've shot pigeons/crows/ducks/vermin on my family's farm with a shotgun since I was 8(ish). Ever since I can remember I bought shooting magazines of all description, read shooting books, dreamed about shooting at formal days, I'm sure some of you will have been there. I'm Not really from a shooting 'family' in the sense that neither my dad, his friends or any of the local farmers round here shoot at formal days, (of informal days for that matter) clays or even own a gun in most cases!!! There are no shoots locally and to see a pheasant on our grassland farm is an occasion.
When I was 17 I became aware that a neighbour 2 miles away had a good number of geese landing on his land (we didn't) so I burst the bank to book a two day goose shooting holiday with a Loch Levin goose guide (the wee guy who used to write in sporting gun) bought a replacement for the cheap light weight Spanish SxS farm gun, (a year old 30" Browning 325, went along, asked a million questions, watched every thing he done setting out decoys, calling, building hides, shot some geese, went home and ordered 18 half shell decoys from an advert in Sporting Gun and became a goose shooter.
When I got married at 23, we bought a pup...a Chesapeake for the goose/duck shooting, this lead to my friend who worked in the gunshop inviting me to go along with him to a walk one, stand one pheasant syndicate, within a year I was a member. By this time I was a keen deer stalker too, so I shot the foxes, controlled the roe deer in the plantations and shot with the pheasant syndicate...everything was great for a few years...then it started..."how does he get to shoot the deer?"
Because he pays £200 extra and does all the fox control.
"Do you know he's shooting nearly 20 a year and he sells some of them?"
"No, didn't realise he sold any!!! James, any you sell in future, the money goes back into the syndicate."
"Does that mean I don't need to pay £200 for the stalking any more?"
"No, we are going to put the price of the stalking up!'"
"Ok, are you going to give me a fuel allowance for the 2-3 nights a week, that I drive the 10 miles over here to go out lamping?"
"No, but there will be two of you stalking as well as me (farmer/land owner) from now on and all venison sales go back to the pheasant syndicate too"
"What if I decide to put a deer in the freezer go myself? Am I supposed to pay for that too?"
"Yes"
Well, I thanked him for all the fun I'd had shooting pheasants (the shooting was crap, the company was great) with the syndicate and I didn't pick up the gun, any gun for over a year, I was so sickened by the whole experience!!! Just been going beating at pheasant shoots, beaters day sparked something in me...in March 2012 I took it on a whim to join the SCTA and give clays a bash...not knowing anyone who shot clays, I just turned up at the first sporting team qualifier of the season, asked what do I do now after entering and shot a 47/100 with not a clue of even what a hold point was...but I'd fell back in love with shooting!!! Now I'm a clay shooter.
The registered sporting clay season ends in Scotland for 6 months in September, I took a month off after the disappointment of missing a team place by 4 clays, 4 clays that I know I had in me and more!!! Trolling through Guns on Pegs I found an advert for a single gun, 100-150 birds, 29th November, £363, lunch included...booked it.
Saturday past, gets the cows milked in the middle of the night, sets off at 7am for the two hour drive to Hawick, Scottish borders, arrived bang on 9am, met the othe 8 guns, had tea, drew pegs (got 9) and a safety chat, decanted into our cars (I took two guns in my Landcruiser) and set off to the first drive!!! Stacey, 22yo female keeper put the guns on our pegs, 9 was a back gun on the first drive, right at the back of all the guns I got a good look at the 'form'...to my relief, the guns were all experienced and were being selective with the birds that with no wind were reluctant to fly well!!! Shot 6 nice birds that made it past the guns in front, two were pricked the ready untouched.
Next drive had some cracking birds flying from a game crop high above us, still had to be selective, what flew was excellent, the ones that just got up and set there wings gliding down past us were only about 20yds up, the ones that flew were 45-55yds, I shot a very nice high, curling single, a high right and left, good crosser that my nebour yo the right had missed and the same to the left. Missed a couple straight over me too, so 5 on the second drive. Stopped for elevensies, had a really good chat with the other guns.
Third drive I was right in the middle of the line, large tree directly in front of me, loads of birds, pegs either side poached two birds each which the apologised for, still no wind to get them flying, managed 5 very average birds, let loads fly past without lifting the gun, missed the first 5 over the top before it dawned on me they were flying down hill...doh!!!
Lunch, exellent lunch of soup then roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, roast parsnips and veg...loads of it...just the job!!! Long chat with all the guns again, mostly putting the world to right.
One drive after lunch, again no wind, peg6, birds all wanted to fly over pegs 1,2 and 3...misdeed a loooong crosser going back, nailed a good climbing driven, shot a bird that was marginal, pillowcased it, oops. Finished off a wounded bird the gun on peg 5 made a mess of...then the last bird out of the wood seen the guns, turned back and tried to escape back up the drive, thought "Im having you you cheeky bastard!!!" Nailed him first barrel, loooong crosser, got a cheer from the guns on peg 5,7 and 8!!! Day done, 123 bag for 9 guns, loved it, raised a few eyebrows walking into the local Chineese on the way home in full tweeds...but that's another storylll
I've shot pigeons/crows/ducks/vermin on my family's farm with a shotgun since I was 8(ish). Ever since I can remember I bought shooting magazines of all description, read shooting books, dreamed about shooting at formal days, I'm sure some of you will have been there. I'm Not really from a shooting 'family' in the sense that neither my dad, his friends or any of the local farmers round here shoot at formal days, (of informal days for that matter) clays or even own a gun in most cases!!! There are no shoots locally and to see a pheasant on our grassland farm is an occasion.
When I was 17 I became aware that a neighbour 2 miles away had a good number of geese landing on his land (we didn't) so I burst the bank to book a two day goose shooting holiday with a Loch Levin goose guide (the wee guy who used to write in sporting gun) bought a replacement for the cheap light weight Spanish SxS farm gun, (a year old 30" Browning 325, went along, asked a million questions, watched every thing he done setting out decoys, calling, building hides, shot some geese, went home and ordered 18 half shell decoys from an advert in Sporting Gun and became a goose shooter.
When I got married at 23, we bought a pup...a Chesapeake for the goose/duck shooting, this lead to my friend who worked in the gunshop inviting me to go along with him to a walk one, stand one pheasant syndicate, within a year I was a member. By this time I was a keen deer stalker too, so I shot the foxes, controlled the roe deer in the plantations and shot with the pheasant syndicate...everything was great for a few years...then it started..."how does he get to shoot the deer?"
Because he pays £200 extra and does all the fox control.
"Do you know he's shooting nearly 20 a year and he sells some of them?"
"No, didn't realise he sold any!!! James, any you sell in future, the money goes back into the syndicate."
"Does that mean I don't need to pay £200 for the stalking any more?"
"No, we are going to put the price of the stalking up!'"
"Ok, are you going to give me a fuel allowance for the 2-3 nights a week, that I drive the 10 miles over here to go out lamping?"
"No, but there will be two of you stalking as well as me (farmer/land owner) from now on and all venison sales go back to the pheasant syndicate too"
"What if I decide to put a deer in the freezer go myself? Am I supposed to pay for that too?"
"Yes"
Well, I thanked him for all the fun I'd had shooting pheasants (the shooting was crap, the company was great) with the syndicate and I didn't pick up the gun, any gun for over a year, I was so sickened by the whole experience!!! Just been going beating at pheasant shoots, beaters day sparked something in me...in March 2012 I took it on a whim to join the SCTA and give clays a bash...not knowing anyone who shot clays, I just turned up at the first sporting team qualifier of the season, asked what do I do now after entering and shot a 47/100 with not a clue of even what a hold point was...but I'd fell back in love with shooting!!! Now I'm a clay shooter.
The registered sporting clay season ends in Scotland for 6 months in September, I took a month off after the disappointment of missing a team place by 4 clays, 4 clays that I know I had in me and more!!! Trolling through Guns on Pegs I found an advert for a single gun, 100-150 birds, 29th November, £363, lunch included...booked it.
Saturday past, gets the cows milked in the middle of the night, sets off at 7am for the two hour drive to Hawick, Scottish borders, arrived bang on 9am, met the othe 8 guns, had tea, drew pegs (got 9) and a safety chat, decanted into our cars (I took two guns in my Landcruiser) and set off to the first drive!!! Stacey, 22yo female keeper put the guns on our pegs, 9 was a back gun on the first drive, right at the back of all the guns I got a good look at the 'form'...to my relief, the guns were all experienced and were being selective with the birds that with no wind were reluctant to fly well!!! Shot 6 nice birds that made it past the guns in front, two were pricked the ready untouched.
Next drive had some cracking birds flying from a game crop high above us, still had to be selective, what flew was excellent, the ones that just got up and set there wings gliding down past us were only about 20yds up, the ones that flew were 45-55yds, I shot a very nice high, curling single, a high right and left, good crosser that my nebour yo the right had missed and the same to the left. Missed a couple straight over me too, so 5 on the second drive. Stopped for elevensies, had a really good chat with the other guns.
Third drive I was right in the middle of the line, large tree directly in front of me, loads of birds, pegs either side poached two birds each which the apologised for, still no wind to get them flying, managed 5 very average birds, let loads fly past without lifting the gun, missed the first 5 over the top before it dawned on me they were flying down hill...doh!!!
Lunch, exellent lunch of soup then roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, roast parsnips and veg...loads of it...just the job!!! Long chat with all the guns again, mostly putting the world to right.
One drive after lunch, again no wind, peg6, birds all wanted to fly over pegs 1,2 and 3...misdeed a loooong crosser going back, nailed a good climbing driven, shot a bird that was marginal, pillowcased it, oops. Finished off a wounded bird the gun on peg 5 made a mess of...then the last bird out of the wood seen the guns, turned back and tried to escape back up the drive, thought "Im having you you cheeky bastard!!!" Nailed him first barrel, loooong crosser, got a cheer from the guns on peg 5,7 and 8!!! Day done, 123 bag for 9 guns, loved it, raised a few eyebrows walking into the local Chineese on the way home in full tweeds...but that's another storylll
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