My first visit to watch a Field Trial. A friendly bunch and I managed to see quite a lot of the action following one of the officials around. Arthur’s bitch(?) only awarded a Merit despite appearing to not put a foot wrong.
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Howletts Shoot – 31st December 2011
Both Paul and I were shooting on this re-scheduled Partridge Day shoot. Six drives, straight through. During the day, everyone was a walking gun at some point and so we shot four out of the six drives.
Whilst the guys pushed through College Wood from behind the farmhouse we lined up in the field just down from the Home Pen pegs. Â Spotted a really nice woodcock too late as it flew down the wood edge at the start of the drive. Things picked up and ended up with four Pheasant (from peg 1), but had I moved in closer to the trees I may have had a few more as the birds were flying along the edge, rather than out of the wood.
One for one from peg 3 in College Wood as they walked it through from the east side.
Walking gun on Nelsons – not a shot.
Woodcock Pen drive(?) last and I should have had at least three partridge from a good peg; but I blew it.
Paul eneded the day with 7 for 22 and Joseph won the ‘total shots’ pot of £79, being closest to the 322 shots which resulted in 88 birds.
Bag for the day (5 birds for 14 shots)
Pheasant 5
Howletts Shoot – 26th December 2011
Paul was up again (2 for 15). Shoot totals 73 for 312.
Is that bacon and eggs I can smell?
Greylag breast in Marsala sauce
Alas it wasn’t I that bagged this beauty. I exchanged a brace of Pheasants for a couple of Greylags with Tony in The Norton; what a deal.
Greylag breast in Marsala sauce
Brown off the floured breasts and keep warm. Fry crushed garlic, sliced shallotts (and a few whole) in olive oil for a few minutes, then add lots of sliced mushrooms and continue to fry for another 5-10 mins. Pour in a couple of glasses of Marsala wine, boiled off the alcohol and then add some chicken stock. Simmer until reduced and thickened, then add breast meat, cover and stick in the oven to finish off the meat.
I put the breast meat in before reducing and it ended up overcooked, so the above instructions have been tweeked. The Marsala sauce, however, was wonderfull.
Howletts Shoot – 10th December 2011
Yet more shenanigans half way through the first drive (Home Pen) but I still managed 5 for 6 on peg 2, including a left and right. Moving up three on Mapletree Lane put me on the same renumbered spot as last time, resulting again in 3 birds with one behind.
After lunch came Nelson’s - 3 for 3 (I AM A SHOOTING GOD)
Ducks – Nil for 4 (OMNIPOTENCE doesn’t last long, does it)
Red Gate (Fryerning Wood) put the last bird in the bag. Shame the two woodcock that flew past Dave and I were out of range. The Shoot bag was 104 for 363 shots and Paul won the pot. We’re such a close shoot, even the birds love a cuddle.
Bag for the day (12 birds for 19 shots)
Pheasant 12
Howletts Shoot – 26th November 2011
Paul drew better pegs this time, putting 7 birds in the bag for 25 cartridges. The whole gang had smiles on faces, as demonstrated by Team Captain Dave.
Mind you, with flushes like the one below he couldn’t miss, could he?
Another good Shoot total, with 121 birds on the day for 354.
Howletts Shoot – 12th November 2011
As they have re-jigged the pegs on most drives, drawing number 6 meant I was back on the same (hot) spot as last time for the first drive. Slightly shaky start, but after being reminded by Skunk that I have a second barrel I started to hit them and finished with 6 birds.
Moving up 2 took me to the end peg and I must have walked half a mile moving around trying to second guess where an odd bird might fly as the guys walked the wood through to load up the cover strip. Got it right and I dropped the only loose bird, incoming right to left (loverly bird). Two big flushes at the end and I had my first left and right (with an O/U), deciding late to take the second behind so pleased with that. Makes up for missing two on the second big flush.
The change around on the drives meant both teams shot the duck pond drive, with our team on the ducks. Definitely missed 2, which Dave got immediately after I’d missed. I MAY have got the third, but Dave shot at the same time, so not sure. Few birds flew over whilst I faffed around with cartridges as we walked up the outside of the cover strip.
Peg 2 on Split Cover drive put another 3 in the bag and helped us break the hundred for the first time this Season with 116 for 323 shots.
Saw my first Woodcock of this year while beating Quarry for Laurie’s Team.
Knacked, but content.
Bag for the day (12 birds for 29 shots)
Pheasant 9
Partridge 3
Howletts Shoot – 29th October 2011
It was Paul’s turn but he drew some bad pegs and didn’t get much shooting, ending the day with 1 bird for 10 shots.
Fortunately for Steve, he was having more luck.
Total for the shoot was 91 for 334.
Crayfish Fishing – 24th October 2011
As it’s half term I’m off work this week to spend some quality time with the family. So, come Monday morning I waved them bye bye and went to meet up with Terry who had kindly agreed to show me the Crayfishing ropes.
After switching location from the River Lee up to New River we were straight into them. Two hours later we had caught 64 crayfish together and Terry had caught two female passers-by on his own.
A pint and lunch, sitting in the sun at the local pub rounded off the day nicely.
(look out, it’s behind you)
Bag for the day
Crayfish 64
Howletts Shoot – 15th October 2011
The first scheduled shoot day has finally come around. A little ice on my windscreen from the clear sky last night and a sunny day ahead widely forecast. I drew peg 8 and we were shooting first.  Although the birds were flying very low, especially the quail I watched glide by early on, I managed to put four pheasant in the bag.
Walking gun on B team’s drive and another pheasant and 2 partridge added, which Laurie’s dog picked for me.
Not a shot fired by me on our second drive, followed by a field lunch in the sun. Two (less than composed) shots on the last drive for no return.
Doom Bar and a bite at the L.B. after to finish a nice day for the Shoot with 45 birds for 168 shots. Let’s see how Paul gets on in a couple of weeks.
Bag for the day (7 birds for 22 shots)
Pheasant 5
Partridge 2
The man with by far the biggest hand in making it all happen; looking rightly proud with some of the fruits…
