Creaseys Walk One/Stand One – 31st January 2011

So, last shoot of the Season and last chance to bag a few. Not as many people there as I expected and a few there just to Beat/Pickup. We split into two teams and drew pegs with me on the Keeper’s (Steve) team.  I was to shoot with Steve K, John D, Dave H, Colin F, Peter W and Curtis.

First drive was to be thistle field, with the Shoot Captain’s (Kieth H) team shooting.  Before the drive even started Pete managed two ducks for a left and right from the neighbours field.  The only bird flushed was a hen and Arthur (Beaters leader) got that as it turned away from the guns.  What a start, three birds and not one by the guns.

The day then basically mutated into a rough shoot, ending up with both teams walking through the woods/drives.

As usual, we shot the lake just before lunch.  I managed to drop a Mallard for the only shot of the drive.  Hooray, my first Duck.  Last Saturday morning at Fennes was obviously time well spent.

After lunch we tried thistle field again, pushed through Hall Wood and then lined up in the sewage works.  It was a lovely clear day and with the sun over our shoulders onto the trees, the scene was a picture.  Colin hit a Pheasant that dropped straight down one of the inspection pits and he jumped in to retrieve it.

Thank goodness the works have been closed down for several years.  As the Beaters drove from the pens I managed to bag a Hen Pheasant on what turned out to be the last drive of the day.

A swift half (or two) at the Old Dog was the perfect way to end a very enjoyable day and the driven season; my first.

Bag for the day

1 Mallard (Drake)
1 Pheasant (Hen)