Game Shooting - Documentory

[ChrisB]

Had my first day for 15 months on Saturday. Following a near blizzard on Friday morning Saturday morning was very slow, even after pushing out a pen wood. So slow in fact we thought we had been wholesale poached.

The afternoon drives were in the valley bottom along the River Thame. What a diffence, we now know where the birds go in bad weather, to the rough and osier. The beaters were literally taking one step and stopping as with every step something was flushed. We had pheasant, partridge, duck (teal mostly) and snipe. That one drive lasted 50 minutes.

I finished my day with 3 pheasant, 2 partridge ( one of which was english) and 2 snipe. Don't ask about how many cartridges I discharged. Including half a box of 20 bore No5 Bismuth ( £ ouch ).

Walking all day with my eldest son guns under our arms I felt better than I have for many many months. Back down for last day on 28th

Chris.

[BroadAmbition]

This Saturday may well be our last driven game shoot for the season, we have the option for one more on the 28th but will make that decision Saturday evening.  I'll try and get some photo's if I remember and have time too!  Both me and Macie dog are well up for it and counting down the hours

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

And so this seasons game shooting comes to an end for 'Our' shoot once more.  We had a fair day today, the bag was 48 of which I managed 8 x partridge and 4 x pheasant.  Macie dog today arguably achieved her best retrieve of the whole season, I was proper proud of her, she just seems to get better and better.

The rest of this year until October arrives will be clay shooting with some rough shooting during the odd summer weekends and evenings

Herewith a short film clip that was our Christmas shoot of 2014

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

A few Photo's from Yesterday

Griff

 

[troutman62]

I loved shooting when I was a young man but could never afford game shooting, I was limited to a pigeon shoot at Croxby in Lincolnshire and wildfowling on the Humber estuary.

No Purdeys Bosses or Churchills,, I owned a Savage 5 shot pump ( 30 quid second hand in 1970 ) and an old double hammer 8 bore that I wish I had kept, it would have looked good on the wall !

The  8 was a fine piece of kit, but couldnt get the fuel for it ( Eley Gastights ) when Eley Kynoch rationalised their cartridge range to around 12 and 20 gauge.

Always hated clay shooting with a borrowed Thomas Wild double full choke fowling gun that I couldnt hit anything with ! The guy who ran the clays was Ben Jacobs ( Joseph Nickersons head keeper and loader) he was a bit critical to say the least, The Whiskered old b..... !

Enjoy your shooting guys !

( Fishing is better though haha )

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Today visited Wurftauben Club at Wiesbaden. The rain was incessant, did it stop us? Not a chance, 75 cartridges, iss  S k e e t  and sporting, great day

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

Go for it:-

Griff

 

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[BroadAmbition]

'That was lucky'

Griff

 

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[BroadAmbition]

Managed a few hours off yesterday to attend an invitation clay shoot (Paying for it today and having to work again)

Griff

 

[ChrisB]

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in North Norfolk so I got out my wellies because I had not cleaned them since the last days shooting at the end of January. Living here I have a simple way of cleaning mud, I go down the beach for a walk and have a paddle. Except that yesterday  my left foot got wet, we had sprung a leak! Still they must be ten years old so probably time for a new pair.

After my son had left and feeling a bit lonely I decided I would drive to Holt and buy some new ones.

In I go "looking for a pair of size 8 Le Chameau Chasseur" says I, " No problem what calf size?" "Not sure" 

Anyway he measures me gets the boots and they fit like a glove, just like my old ones.

Now comes the difference " you get a free Le Chameau bag with those" "great" says I.  " that is £340 then Sir" 

I nearly had to sit down again £340 for a pair of wellies, I am sure they have doubled in price in 10 years, who makes up the inflation figures. One thing is for sure I am going to look after this pair better than I did the last, I shall be very careful getting through barbed wire etc.

[ranworthbreeze]

I am afraid I would have walked out of the shop.

There are some on Ebay from £80 to £159, but to be honest the times I wellies I would not pay anymore that £40 for a decent pair.

Regards

Alan

[ChrisB]

These are the leather lined, full length zip variety and to be honest I have not been able to find any this morning any cheaper except for some with a very narrow calf fitting. They are good, more like wearing a trainer than a welly, but they have gone up out of all recognition. Maybe it is because W & K were photographed wearing them at some show. We have a lot of walking on our shoot and my feet and ankles are damage through sport and gout so I have to be careful what I wear.

[BroadAmbition]

My lad wears the same brand but only when out on a shoot, we bought them for him an age ago.  He had the zips replaced - that cost more than buying a standard pair of wellies too.

I've had to settle for the cheaper brand 'Togg', they were well over the £100 mark years ago though.  I wouldn't intentionally buy owt french on principle

Griff

[ChrisB]

I passed my test in 1966. An Austin Mini deluxe, brand new was £515 so only £175 more than a pair of wellies. Crazy!!!

[MauriceMynah]

58 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

I passed my test in 1966. An Austin Mini deluxe, brand new was £515 so only £175 more than a pair of wellies. Crazy!!!

I have to ask... which has the larger boot ?

[BroadAmbition]

Yesterday was a first for me.  I was on a day out with mates that I regularly shoot with, only this was a driven clay shoot.  Never been on one of these before.  The venue was 'Lambton Estate' or Lambton Castle. We took two teams of four plus my boy Dale to keep us sorted out and in the right place at the right time.  'My' team was 'Griffs Growlers'.  A great day was had by all.  Left my place at 0530 and was home for 2200.  I shot 243 12g cartridges (21g 7 1/2 ) each team was presented with 560 clays over 7 x disciplines, - each discipline was 80 clays between the four guns  Our total was 394 which was a good score for us.  Some disciplines were really hard, the high pheasant we only managed 22 kills, but the racing rabbit we managed 75.  At one stage the barrels of my gun were so hot I would have burnt myself if I had touched them.  The whole day was just the best ever.  However the cost of theses days out is to be frank, way above my pay scale and I won't be doing these on a regular basis no matter how much I enjoyed it. Having totted it up the day out from start to finish was well over the £200 mark per gun - Ouch (Did I mention next month there is another one I am booked in for at Whitfield?)

Anyroadup, herewith a few photo's

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

Back to normal yesterday, a Sunday forenoon at my local clay shoot at 'Wroot' what was somewhat different was that I managed two hobbies at once, that is I went on the mighty Tiger, spoiling myself basically.  Today is back down to earth as carrying on with flooring my daughter loft space - Happy days,

Griff

 

[Timbo]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

'Wroot'  that is I went on the mighty Tiger, spoiling myself basically.  Today is back down to earth

Ah so you went via Idle Bank? At speed? On the Tiger? You might be back down to earth Griff...but there will be a couple of thuds later this week when the rest of your anatomy leaves orbit. Spoiling yourself...literally! Ooh its bad enough doing 40mph in a vehicle with a suspension on the way to 'The Land That Time Forgot'.

Uncle Albert used to take Idle Bank at a steady... 70mph in his Austin Allegro slowing down to a sedate 60mph over the Tunnel Pits. He was convinced that it smoothed things out if he just skimmed across the top of each bump. It didn't. 

[BroadAmbition]

Like it Timbo - Cracking post.  I take it you are referring to the old Roman road between five lane ends and Westwoodside road, the one with big water filled dykes either side?  = horrendous it is too.

However I took the road from the crossroads at Finningley/Westwoodside/Blaxton then down to Wroot via Candy Corner.  Still very undulating but the Tiger has a long suspension travel, even so ones derrière can get into orbit if taken at 'Speed'  - However I didn't bother with gears 5 or 6 so was somewhat sedate.

BTW - I did an estimate at Ash Tree Drive, Haxey last week, anywhere near your gaff?

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Well Timbo, you just couldn't make this up - After only yesterday the pair of us discussing Idle Bank - Today for the first time in ages I found mysen in the GriffTile van trundling along the Idle Bank Rd four times!  My job today was in Epworth, direct route for me is along the road from Auckley to Westwoodside but turn left (Opposite the Park Drain Hotel as was) and along Idle Bank, then turn right at the pump house by the bridge, back road into Epworth.

That's a coincidence eh?

The road is still as bad as ever, not many potholes but a right good workout for the suspension. certain sections of it are rated at 30mph for good reason too.  Thankfully not too much weight on the van today otherwise I would have worn down the mudflaps and then some.  I have been on this road on the Tiger before now - it is hair raising or fun depending on ones age / nerve / possessing the will to live

Griff

[Timbo]

Ah the Park Drain (Klondike to the locals...some Victorian gent got wind of the possibility of a coal mine being dug at Park Drain so built a large pub and hotel in anticipation. Unfortunately the mine never became reality due to the marshland so the Klondike stood on its own. Famous for the landlord refusing to serve you if you brought your lady companion into the bar instead of the lounge...oh and the 'cow pies'. Half a diced cow in a washing up bowl with pie crust!).

A copper in the village was renowned for sitting in the local pubs and reporting any local who had a pint and drove home. He would then consume several pints and drive home himself. One day he took the Idle Bank at speed in his car which left the road landing in the dyke. Although totally uninjured (many checked...practically the populace of two villages turned out to have a laugh look) he was unable to open his car doors to get out. It took several hours...ooh hours and hours before someone remembered to send for help.

Although I lived in Westwood and Epworth for years...and I can still see Uncle Albert's old garden when I walk the dogs...I now live on the other side of the river in Gainsborough, up by the swimming pool.

One last one for you Griff...the Eagle and Child. When Uncle Albert was the Scout Leader at Haxey he organised a hike to complete the Doncastrian Way. Starting at the Eagle and Child you had to hike the trail which ran a complete circuit around the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough...in 24 hours. With twenty Scouts from 11 to 16 we managed it. We were exhausted. At the halfway point one of the lads started to wobble. Uncle Albert helped him off with his rucksack and nearly broke his wrist in doing so. The kid had half a paving slab in his bag...just in case he needed to sharpen his scout knife along the way!

The last few miles were the worst coming in from Finningly. All the way Uncle Albert (Skip) urging us on with the promise of a bottle of pop and a bag of crisps at the finish back at the Eagle and Child.

Finally we made it. Twenty lads, five leaders and three Venture Scouts and five parents as support crew. All the lads and leaders in uniform. We all collapsed outside the pub in the carpark while Uncle Albert nipped in to bring out the drinks and crisps. One of the parents brought Uncle Albert a pint of shandy which he drained in one. Uncle Albert tried to stand up to start getting us all into the mini bus so the support crew could drive us home, but after 33 miles his legs had cramped and he staggered. A passing patron stopped in front of him and looked Uncle Albert up and down.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself drunk in charge of children!".

The Haxey Scouts still hold the record for the youngest walker to complete the Doncastrian Way and until only a few years ago we still held the record for the fastest completion of the walk.

Back to shooting!

[BroadAmbition]

Thanks for sharing the Scout story, very entertaining. I used to be in the 4th Doncaster group based then on the former RAF Finningley camp (Block 39, now demolished of course) but finished in 76 when joining the RN. 

Re the history of Park Drain Hotel - I heard the same account of how it came to be there years ago too.

At one stage it was doing a roaring trade until the then owner got caught fraternising with one of the waitresses that was the end of the place as his then wife took him and the business for everything she could do so.  It broke his financial backers who were his Mum and Dad, a sad tale and I knew him from school days, the recriminations within his family are still felt today

Back to Shooting - I have and still do visit Pinewood shooting club near Blyton now and again and get there via Gainsborough coming from Bawtry.  I was at a farm just outside Bawtry last night, first Wednesday of every month we meet there for a clay shoot at 1830-ish, then onto the Ship at Bawtry for dinner on completion.  Next clay shoot for me is my second driven day at the Whitfield Estate up in Northumberland on 13th this month, then back to Wroot on the 14th as per the norm.  But before all that I hope to be onboard 'B.A' this evening

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Another fine days sporting clay shooting completed on Saturday at the Whitfield estate.  Left the house at 0530, home for 2230.    284 12g cartridges expended.  Our team of four came in 30th out of 75 team entrants.  650 targets provided, we hit 504 of them.  That's it for now, back to the normal Sunday fortnightly forenoon clay shoots, a lot more sensible money at my level (BTW - Not that MrsG knows as of yet but I've added another toy to the arsenal, a Lincoln Game gun 20g, not used it as of yet but will need to do so as soon as)

Griff

 

[CambridgeCabby]

When I was a publican I was a very keen , but not very good , clay shooter .

had a beautiful Savinelli 12 bore , sadly when I sold up and moved into the centre of Cambridge there was no where for me to bolt a gun cabinet to the wall and the police licence officer wouldn't accept that my gun was secure if dismantled and the stock and cartridges kept in a Chubb safe (bolted to solid concrete floor and hidden behind hinged bookcase).

all was not lost as I gave my gun to a life long friend who owns a few hundred acres in the highlands where he is very happy with it .

[Bedslad]

Wow, what a great thread, living the dream Mr G and fair play to you, shooting, boating and biking and B A,life don't get much better.