Howletts – 12th January 2013

As the mid week shoot in December was cancelled, everyone had been told to bring their gun. There was going to be a lot of walking/beating guns to try and make up for it. I shot the first drive, Pine Trees, from peg one and managed a couple of Pheasant who flew out and along the wood edge.  Walking back gun on College Wood but I failed to notice a couple of birds that flew over until it was too late; wake up boy. Up to peg four and placed as back gun near home pen whilst they walked Gravel Pit through from the white gate end. My only shot was to tidy up a bird Peter had clipped and we stopped for lunch.

Walking back gun on Joey’s and picked up a nice Mallard. Pricked a Partridge on Nelson’s which glided down. Roy’s dog went into hedge after it quite quickly, but came out with a Pheasant from previous drive. By the time he went back, the bird was lost. Walking gun/beater on Red Gate, where it was cocks only, but managed to get one. Peg two on Dell pen (?) wood. A nice Partridge came out the top of the trees, which hit the ground just on the edge of the cover strip. Shame Nick’s dog isn’t yet up to picking up as it would have been a good little retrieve. He had a nice Pheasant next to me from peg three.

I got lucky in the draw for places for the evening duck flight and would be shooting the small pond with Dave, Paul and Peter. Paul had to nip back home for Riley, who borrowed Harry’s neoprean jacket for the night. I was amazed at the numbers coming in during the early evening and the highlight was when a couple of Gerylags flew in from the north like a couple of Lancasters. After checking they weren’t shell duck I dropped the closest one, which made my day. Apparently Dave had a go at the other without luck.

On the Sunday I let Harry have a go at retrieving his first Goose, where he did bloody well I think.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvOhScSAeZQ&hd=1

Bag for the day (Driven: 8 birds for 20 shots, Evening Flight: 5 birds for 18 shots)
6 Pheasant
1 Partridge
5 Duck (Mallard – includes the one that escaped after being picked, but not the other two runners not picked)
1 Goose (Greylag)