I'm really looking forward to my start of the game season, this year it's a bit slow for me as I lost my 4 year old Cocker last January to some disease called liptosporus — he went down within 24 hrs and there was nothing the vet could do for him, I bought a top quality bread B&W ESS dog who will be a year old next month, he's retrieving brilliantly and he loves water but at the minute steering him is not good enough yet to send him out for blind retrieves, if he see's the retrieve that's no problem but I wouldn't be happy shootin bird that he didn't see incase he couldn't get to it, he did well at the pigeons on the few days I had him out, he sat brilliantly with no running in and he he pick up a few blind shoots but I just couldn't take him out to the ducks yet especially in the dark as I wouldn't want to shoot a Mallard or Teal for it to be lost, he's only a pup who hasn't even had the chance to get a scent on game yet, the pheasants around my dad's will be out this week and I hope to get him hunting on their scent to get him going, I always had it in my head I'd have no dog to rely on until at least Christmas time this year but I'll see what happens soon when he gets a proper hunt, I've a 7 month old Cocker pup too who's made keen on hunting but he's a little unsure about water just yet but he's getting there slowly – I'm not goin to ruin either pup by rushing them I'll take it easy and see hoe they get on. My main interest in game shooting is Woodcock shootin, to me there is nothin like it, the hunt the flush and the shot very rarley will two shots ever be the same, I've had the chance of the elusive Left & Right over the years but I've haven't got it Yet but I'm confidently hopeful I will maybe even this year. I wish every one who lifts their gun at a game bird a successful season and Please read my signature below /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gifNigel/wp-content/forum-image-uploads/nigel/bud-murf.jpg if it's not a sporting shot don't take it
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bit difficult when you are spread all over woods on a phessy or partridge drive etc) it is one of the most exciting forms of shooting known to man. My best times for the chance of fast woodcock have been on Watership Down, Menai Straits and LLandegla........now you see them now you don't ...through the trees. Not yet had chance to shoot them in Ireland. All the new birds are out now and the sad thing at this time of the year is the people who use our small lanes and drive into the young birds who are still learning to fly and are still feathering up. It really pisses me off. Last year I chased a neighbouring farmer who ran his landy and sheep trailer over about 12 that did not move quickly enough. He is a known anti and the ensuing horn blasts and argument could be heard fields away. Hey Matt, I have just noticed we now have 'spell check'.............brilliant.....I will not look thick anymore/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif
