THE PRETEND KEEPER

As we had a break in the weather yesterday, I decided to go for a wander early evening before my shooting escapades become more of a job once my birds arrive, first part of the adventure was to look for a buck, so I set off to the furthest side on the farm a 30 minute slow walk before I got to the point where I was at the bottom and could start towards the plantation with the wind in my face, I was 10 minutes in when I seen a buck perusing the edge of the set aside, a good 600 yards from me, so the stalk began, keeping tight to the stream I got to within 150 when a doe bolted from a tram line in the wheat, spooking the buck which bounded across the stream onto next doors and out of sight, “ Bugger “ if I’d of used the thermal I’d of seen the doe, but where’s the fun in that 😁 as the light dimmed my thoughts turned to fantastic Mr ( or Mrs ) fox, heading to the plantation it just didn’t feel right and I couldn’t put my finger on one single reason why but the wind had changed and got stronger, the clouds had rolled in and were threatening a heavy downpour, I gave it an hour with the caller, firstly at the bottom of the plantation before heading for the top and closer to the dryness of the motor as there was a distinct dampness in the air, trying a few different calls I never seen a fox and finished the evening by taking 2 more hares from the front field as the land owner had requested, as I made my way through the yard at around 11:30 my mates uncle was tipping rape into the shed so I stopped to say hello, now, he’s a man of few words but looking at the state of his I’ll except “ suppose you off home to bed now, you lucky tw*t “ they don’t half put the graft in these ladsIMG_7764.webpIMG_7765.webpIMG_7767.webpIMG_7768.webp
 
Seem to find on stubbles freshly cut most things make themselves scarce for a day or three and ground pretty baron then got to be quick as plough never far away on some places but if left good access for a while.
 
Up to the shoot this evening as I had a call to say the shed where the pellets were was a bit flooded so they needed to be moved, so that was the first job, I’ve gone for a different pellet this time, one I’ve never used before, I have used top gun for a long time and found that over the last couple of years there’s been quite a bit of powder in the bags, so this year I’ve gone with A One, so we’ll see how that goes
After the pellets were moved I walked in the rain to the far side of the shoot to put some rabbits from the freezer on a ride in hope that it stops raining tomorrow so I can get up there
They still haven’t managed to get anything cut around the farm with all the rain we have had and the wheat is looking in a sorry state, I’m praying for dry weather now because I don’t know how I’ll manage the birds if they are in with crops still standing ( or laid ) on the fields around the farm 😬☹️IMG_7796.webpIMG_7800.webp
 
Up to the shoot this evening as I had a call to say the shed where the pellets were was a bit flooded so they needed to be moved, so that was the first job, I’ve gone for a different pellet this time, one I’ve never used before, I have used top gun for a long time and found that over the last couple of years there’s been quite a bit of powder in the bags, so this year I’ve gone with A One, so we’ll see how that goes
After the pellets were moved I walked in the rain to the far side of the shoot to put some rabbits from the freezer on a ride in hope that it stops raining tomorrow so I can get up there
They still haven’t managed to get anything cut around the farm with all the rain we have had and the wheat is looking in a sorry state, I’m praying for dry weather now because I don’t know how I’ll manage the birds if they are in with crops still standing ( or laid ) on the fields around the farm 😬☹️View attachment 322640View attachment 322641

We use Marsdens Stavross - very very good pellet
 
We use Marsdens Stavross - very very good pellet
We never had any problems with top gun for years, the problem was always with the supplier, one season they sent all of it medicated and another they sent 45 bags to much and didn’t charge us for them, I was ok with that 😂, but for whatever reason recently the pellets seem very crumbly, I opened a bag of the new A one, and they look good, I get them spiced and they smell very strong
 
@stavross

Any reason for the spice?

I do spray my Pen feeders with aniseed at the start of the season - the birds are meant to like it, but I never know if it's all bollox.


View attachment 322654View attachment 322655View attachment 322658View attachment 322659
For that reason, it’s meant to be an attractor, so say it’s nonsense others swear by it, but once you use it you can go back in case all you birds run away 😂 I know the deer love it and will quite often roll my feeders around 🤬 speaking of deer, I seen a fallow last night with twins, lovely to see and only the second time I’ve seen that up there in all the years I’ve been there 👍
 
The crops are going flat around here too .
Two fields of oats is 50% flat. It'll be worse after today.
One year a farmer never did get his barley in. Man was it stuffed with pheasants all winter.
Twas good for me but not for the local shoot!
No it was not next door so to speak. The birds had travelled over two farms and found the field.
The shoot doesn't do to well with foxes and the birds get fed up with the pressure, they always walk this way.
kingston 223.webp
 
I seen a fallow last night with twins, lovely to see and only the second time I’ve seen that up there in all the years I’ve been there.

I have herds of Fallow outside my house, and yet none on the farm which is only about 15 miles away - although we are now starting to get reports of them.

The Farmer is delighted...not.
 
We put puller(aniseed) in with our wheat in the feeders. Never been sure how well it works but certainly seems to . But the bloody squirrels seem to love it
 
We put puller(aniseed) in with our wheat in the feeders. Never been sure how well it works but certainly seems to . But the bloody squirrels seem to love it
I actually experimented with aniseed in wheat for one season. As a professional keeper, everything is accounted for and " by the book" for costing purposes, the boss wants to know how much he's actually spending as opposed to what he tells his memsahib 😂
I kept records of birds shot on drives, amount of feed consumption per wood/game cover then the following season did exactly the same again. Conclusions were that no advantages whatsoever using aniseed. No increase in holding power,no increase in total birds shot for the season. Only sure result was that I now used aniseed on wheat to trim the squirrels out,they love it so it goes in the cage traps. Deer too, spray it on trees where they'll offer an easy shot from a high seat, gets them to linger so guests don't miss them 🤔
Personally think it's one of those old keeper tales,best taken with a large pinch of salt.
 
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