Pyrgo – 15th January 2022
Pretty Paul’s first day Beating for 3 years. Shame it was a misty day and he didn’t get to see the nice views.
Finn had couple retrieves from the field next to council wood; need to work on him getting out farther when sent from a distance!
Managed to bag a Woodcock, ‘which was nice’.
Team bag for the day
?? Pheasant
2 Pigeon
1 Woodcock
Pyrgo – 9th October 2021
Warm and clear day – not great for shooting, but probably made a nice day for the four beaters and one dog. Craig fired one shot all day and missed – PLUM !
Team bag for the day
8 Pheasant
1 Duck
1 Pigeon
Pyrgo House – 3rd March 2021
Pyrgo House was built in 1852 on the site of the former Pirgo Palace, a royal residence of King Henry VIII from 1541 and demolished by 1814.
The later House lasted less than a century, with a few pieces of stone laying strewn about in the woods.
Shame those two stone stags are not still there with the view south overlooking the Thames in the distance.
Season Bag 2013-2014
 Howletts Driven and Evening Flights (39 birds for 93 shots)33 Pheasant 5 Partridge 1 Duck (Mallard) Wildfowling (4 birds for unknown shots) 1 Mallard (Not Picked) 1 Pintail (Hen) 1 Teal 1 Rook |
Howletts (Cock Day) – 1st February 2014
Nelsons – Missed two chances at Partridge
Joey’s (walking gun) – Partridge with second barrel
Home – No shot
Pine trees from cover by Gravel Pit – Nice Cock Pheasant and had to leave a pricked bird just inside gravel for later
Woodcock pen wood – Blinked a nice Pheasant and missed a loverly Partridge. Pricked a Pheasant that went down way back by the lake, which was picked.
4 for 13
Howletts – 18th January 2014
0 for 2 shots from Nelsons whilst standing in Polo Field – Mick said they have been roosting in the trees at the Priory so need to be on form). He was right and a lovely bird curled between myself and Mick heading right for it, which we both missed.
0 for 5 from the woods as back Gun on Joey’s – Took the tail feathers out of a Partridge, but it flew on.
As there were only about 12 Guns today they decided we would all shoot each drive and they would just place us out as we went.
0Â for 2 at Pine Trees – Right at the end of the drive Nick clipped a bird and I failed to bring it down with both barrels. Should have left it as a better bird flew over as we were both reloading.
0 for nil from Gravel
0 for 2 from College – Hit a Hen that came down in cover behind me. Whilst they pushed the small bit of cover outside White Gate through, Dave and his dog helped me look for it, then Garry and his Spaniel joined in. Without success. Ended up missing a great drive and just caught the end watching a couple of nice high birds come over the trees, Dave Snowling hit one with his second barrel after letting Nick have a go.
0 for nil on Mapletree – few nice birds went back to walking along Mapletree Lane
2 for 4 – Started from track in Plastic wood and walked down to Peg. A woodcock flew over as I was talking to ?? about Pete missing an easy one last week. Doh! (hit a third Pheasant that had just been shot by Laurie, so didn’t count bird or shot)
1 for 4 on Last drive
Bag for the day (3 birds for 19 shots)
3 Pheasant
Howletts – 11th January 2014
Arrived at the shoot lodge and looked at my phone to see that Stuart had sent me a text at 6:30 that morning to say he couldn’t make it and that I could shoot that day. Rushed back to Billericay for the gun, stopping on way to let poor Harry have a quick 5 minutes hunt about, seeing as he was going to have to spend the day at home again.
As I walked down Mapletree Lane, looking forward to shooting the alternate drives to usual, I could hear gunshot from the direction of Blackmore village. Just my luck, they had decided today was the day to shoot Joey’s first and Home cover second.
Although I left my leggings and ear defenders at home in the rush,
0 for nil shots on Home from peg 7 – (one of Paranoid’s cigarette butts in one ear and an acorn in the other).
0 for nil on College Wood from hot peg 2 in the woods
2 for 3 from a flooded Gravel Pit, standing at the top of the shit pile track. They added this on as an extra (probably due to the poor college wood drive) and I managed a nice hen bird which received a few prasing comments (a far cry from last week’s poor show and public bollocking)
0 for 0 on Split (after being treated to a Fenton moment by Laurie’s dog, which tore after a few deer that came out of Split)
3 for 4 from last wood drive of day (watched Woodcock fly along just inside woods, gawd knows why I didn’t have a go)
Bag for the day (5 birds for 7 shots)
5 Pheasant
Howletts – 4th January 2014
3 for 7 from Pine Tree wood drive (but two came from behind in Home cover which they walked through)
1 for 3 on College Wood
0 for 0 on Split (don’t think anyone from our team fired a shot)
1 for 4 from Woodcock Pen wood
Bag for the day (5 birds for 14 shots)
4 Pheasant
1 Partridge
Howletts – 14th December 2013
| [vimeo clip_id=”82045649″ byline=”0″ width=”” height=”284″] | 1 for 4 on Home drive – Peg 3 (two big flushes) 1 for 2 on College Wood drive (lots of low birds) Deer running through Plastic wood 0 for 0 on Nelson’s 1 for 2 on Split (second barrel) |
Bag for the day (3 birds for 8 shots)
3 Pheasant
Howletts – 16th November 2013
Drew peg seven for for Home Drive. Managed a couple but missed more, including this lovely high bird.
2 for 7 on Home drive
2 for 5 peg 2 in wood on College Wood drive
2 for 3 on Nelson’s
1 for 1 shooting Ducks as walking gun start of beating Joey’s
2 for 3 on Split
Bag for the day (9 birds for 19 shots)
6 Pheasant
2 Partridge
1 Mallard
Howletts – 19th October 2013
First day for me. Awsome first drive
5 for 7 on Home (didn’t count bird or shot that Laurie beat me to by 10th sec.)
0 for 0 on White Gate
3 for 3 on Joey’s
2 for 3 on Split
Bag for the day (10 birds for 13 shots)
9 Pheasant
1 Partridge
Season Bag (2012-13)
 Howletts Driven and Evening Flights (48 birds for 122 shots)30 Pheasant 8 Partridge 8 Duck (Mallard) 1 Woodcock 1 Goose (Greylag) Wildfowling (0 birds for 6 shots) |
Howletts – 1st February 2013
Last day of the season and a bit of a clear up.
Hen and Cock on first drive but they both needed the second barrel.
Jump on Gaiter to push College Wood through from right back at the bridleway.
Gravel Pit, missed a late wild shot over left shoulder.
Stop for a snack
Walked split through, then took Joey’s down to the pond. Arthur’s Spaniel had a bit of a splash about in the shallows, but wouldn’t get out in the pond to pick a duck. Nell eventually brought it in after a lap of the pond.
Pete on phone
Bag for the day (4 birds for 10 shots)
4 Pheasant
Howletts – 26th January 2013
Paul’s last official shoot day, but as before half guns could shoot as walking guns. After beating the Pine Trees I took my gun out of the slip as we walked College Wood through, but hinting at how my day would progress, I didn’t see a bird. Walked over to to see how Paul had got on and his beaming smile told me it had been a great drive and hanging from his hand was the reason, a lovely Woodcock. It was his first and we spent a few minutes admiring it before he slipped it carefully into his coat pocket; there was no question of it being hung on the game cart.
Well after lunch I was regretting coughing up my thirty quid. Even after Dave put me on a peg during Red Gate to replace Peter who had left early, I still hadn’t fired a shot. By the time we had finished the usual last drive the day’s bag was so low they abandoned having walking guns, blaming it on poor beating and us all staring skywards.
Luckily they added an extra drive to up the numbers, so I got to shoot from a peg again. We lined up from near Brenda’s along the back edge of Woodcock Pen, whereupon Joe, Mick and Nick started having a pop at the pigeons moving about as the wood was walked in from three sides. A Woodcock flew along the line from the left and Paul had a pop. He missed with his first shot and as it past over me, we both fired hitting the bird. It flew down and landed in the direction of the oncoming beaters.
As they got near at little terrier called Buster was running wild flushing pheasants, one of which flew straight over me and I dropped it. The chasing Buster ran over and preceeded to chomp on it, causing Dave to steam in and scare him off. The beaters were nearly on top of us when they flushed the hit Woodcock which flew a little way dropping down again near to Mick who picked it. I took a leaf out of Paul’s book and didn’t let the bird out of my sight.
So I ended with a Woodcock (probably a shared bird with Paul) and a cock Pheasant.
Bag for the day (2 birds for 2 shots)
1 Pheasant
1 Woodcock
Howletts – Beaters’ Day 19th January 2013
Genuinely looking forward to Beaters’ Day as much as those day I shoot myself. Last year was a great atmosphere, relaxed and lots of fun. This year turned out just the same.
Took Harry along and once again restricted his off lead time to the ends and between drives. He did well, once again flushing birds in Gravel Pit. He was behind a bush at the time but stopped pretty quickly, so can’t complain. Especially as he was partially out of sight. He patterned quite well out on Polo Field during Nelson’s, but was getting a bit noisy at times during the day. Hmmm.
Snipe, snipe. Never heard anyone mention snipe on the shoot before, but it seems the cold weather has brought them in as Paul Cooper called out several times as they walked the cover through during Nelson’s. Wish I’d been closer to see them.
They boys did well, putting 120 odd in the bag and we all got to take a brace home as usual.
I never doubted them for a moment !!
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)
Howletts – 15th December 2012
Possibly our last shoot of the season concentrating mainly on the cover crops and there were not so many birds about. Drew peg three for home cover drive, but as there was only one flush over me ended it with just a single partridge and single pheasant.
In the woods for Gravel Pit, missing both chances. Peg one on split cover (no mans land), but managed to bring down a partridge; the only bird to come anywhere near me. Walking gun but didn’t fire a shot on Joeys. Rory however had a lovely long range duck with his 20 bore which must have been around sixty yards out and was dead in the air!
Finished my drives with another partridge on Nelsons from peg four and the shoot finished with 68 total bag.
Bag for the day (4 birds for 10 shots)
1 Pheasant
3 Partridge
Howletts – 17th November 2012
Harry’s first shoot day. Not too bad during morning drives. Hunted him during lunch in Gravel Pit and he sat to the flush of a Pheasant 3 feet in front of him.
Got a bit much for him in afternoon drives and he was pulling.
We had a go a finding Phil’s pricked Pheasant in a hedge on Nelsons, but we couldn’t find it. Relieved really as I had visions of him chasing it up the ditch etc.
Retrieved big Pete’s Partridge nicely to hand right at the end.
Even without doing the Duck drive it was another good day with 136 as the total for the shoot.
Howletts – 3rd November 2012
Third shoot day of the season; my turn again.
Our team were shooting second, so I started the day with the Dck Drive fom peg 5. Thirty Five odd ducks got up off the pond, flew straight over me and just kept going.
I managed a couple for my first bona-fide left and right (two dead birds in the air).
We couldn’t find the first bird after the drive, but after watching the video later I noticed Laurie’s spaniel bitch pick it whilst I’m scanning the sky for more birds.
Peg 8 on College Wood; the wind help push a couple of birds to the far end. Drpped one close by, but the other flew on a long way, dropping into the field with the new cover crop.
Paul kindly went over there with Riley and Jay and they managed to find it.
Back gun on Mapletree Lane after lunch. Felt bad as I was placed at the end of the cover crop (near Tony on Peg 1) to pick off any birds turning back. I managed 4 for 5, despite the pressure of Paul Cooper shouting “Darrern” each time one turned over me. Nick and Nell had a long walk to the far end of the field the other side of Mapletree Lane for the bird that took both barrels.
Peg 3 on Nelson’s; managed a single Partridge. Roy picked a Pheasant which may have been mine, but I think I missed it.
Peg 6 on Split Cover, which means no mans land on that drive. Only a single, unsuccesfull speculative shot at a distant Partridge.
Bag for the day (9 birds for 15 shots)
2 Duck
6 Pheasant
1 Partridge
Howletts – 20th October 2012
Bonus of shooting again this week. A few guns couldn’t make it, so some of us were rewarded for our work over the summer. Poor old Laurie had to virtually run things on his own, so thanks to him as it was another good day for the shoot. 127 birds for 333 shots. Day also made by Nick and his Landy acting as game cart. It was loaded to say the least.
On a personal note, it’s amazing what a little piece of Scotch Tape can do as I was back to form and dropping birds. I had Tony Towns to thank for one which was hit but flew on some distance, landing in a hedge top. Tony went off with his bitch (name?) and found it dead just the other side. He later explained how they only gave up on a bird after an exhaustive hunt when he grew up rough shooting. A nice attitude to try and learn from.
Bag for the day (14 birds for 25 shots)
12 Pheasant
2 Partridge
Howletts – 6th October 2012
First shoot day of the new Season and as Joseph didn’t have Beavers to help out at, he came along to Beat.
Our team was shooting second, which meant I got to shoot the duck drive. Things started well enough bringing a duck down with my first shot. Unfortunately it all went downhill very quickly and I was missing everything. I just managed to wing a Partridge at Nelson’s, which came down slowly, but all my other shots were like the one in the photo and didn’t connect with anything at all.
Breakfast could be on me time!!!
Bag for the day (2 birds for 19 shots)
Duck 1
Partridge 1
Bag for the Season (2011-12)
 Driven (41 birds for 101 shots)34 Pheasant 7 Partridge Wildfowling (1 bird for 2 shots) Miscellaneous (64 crustacea for zero shots) |
Howletts Shoot – 28th January 2012
Paul’s turn, 2 for 9.
Pics etc. to follow
Shoot stats. 41 birds and 164 shots.