Lucky enough to have been invited to a local estate for a cull day with about 15 other rifles....Got put out into a high seat in complete darkness at 05.45 and upon settling in I heard rustling behind me which turned out to be a small herd of fallow seen through the thermal. Getting a tad itchy to get going once the light allowed I inserted a loaded magazine BUT imagine my horror when I went to slide the bolt forward to find NO bolt......Now my dilemma was either to bluff it out and pretend nothing came my way or own up .I might add here that my vehicle had been parked in a locked compound with no easy access....well I had a think and decided that honestly was the best option as a weak link in the chain would be deplorable seeing as I was fortunate enough to receive this invite anyway..A quick call to Mrs 243 at 05.45 as she would be travelling past on her way to work but much later on resulted in much on call hunting for said bolt but alas not to be easily located ...plan B was for her to come out and pick me up so I could return with my cabinet keys.. After some sharp words and radio silence in the car I was able to get back into my seat just 40 mins later with my other rifle and settle in once more..After another hour or so of seeing nothing with thermal or otherwise I thought time for a tea from the flask..No sooner had I poured it a Fallow Doe and yearling came trotting by..Now my new dilemma was that we had been instructed to body shoot but the only option here was the back of the head with a decent backstop, so I took it and bingo one down..lights out job ...The phone pinged in my pocket to say the morning was being ended a bit sooner but just then another small group came trotting towards my seat upon which I was able only able take yet another head shot as the others were all overlapping ..bingo two down ...All in all a successful morning had and my thanks to those involved with the invite but mostly to my dearest beloved for her monumental effort to assist .. It's costing me supper out tonight but it was worth it ...No names or locations added but I bet someone on here may recognise this scenario and I might just add that that said bolt was found safely locked away in my cabinet ....lesson learned here ....
Cull day shenanigans.....
- Thread starter chaz243
- Start date
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
I'd guess that many experienced shooters have had that kind of experience , be it stalking or practicing on the range, before you learn that the only place to store your bolt is on your rifle.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
You are not alone I can assure you, I live in kent and drove down to Hampshire in search of a half decent Roe Buck slipped out on the moor Looking over a wood line, opened the case to get ready to crawl into position no bolt
Lucky enough the stalker taking me out being a mate lent me his rifle to shoot a lovely Roe Buck
A very hard lesson learnt and the **** take still emerges at least once a year from my mate even though that was over 20 years ago
Phil
Storing it somewhere else is fine but do people store their shotguns with the foreend or take the auto apart then store it a different location.
Do they ****!
You will see people walking around with the bolt in their fancy holder in Costa at 4am but traveling to a driven day my money the foreend is on the shotgun in the slip........
jon 12
Well-Known Member
The only thing a fancy bolt holder shows to everyone is that you have firearms, best to keep completely hidden if you are to keep it on your person.Storing it somewhere else is fine but do people store their shotguns with the foreend or take the auto apart then store it a different location.
Do they ****!
You will see people walking around with the bolt in their fancy holder in Costa at 4am but traveling to a driven day my money the foreend is on the shotgun in the slip........
Where is the shotgun forend
jon 12
Well-Known Member
IF, you are going to do it, I personally don't so not sure we're the forend is.Where is the shotgun forend
Not sure what the popcorn is for as I was actually agreeing with
Yes I am with you it was for the bolt holder gang who might turn up.
Pine Marten
Well-Known Member
Once, and only once, I went up to the Highlands to stalk at the kind invitation of a former SD member who ended up banned for reasons I never quite understood, but anyway.... I took the train up to Edinburgh, where he picked me up and we started on the second leg of the journey which was just as long. Half an hour out from out final destination, I received an email from Mrs PM on my phone. "Did you need this?". It was the fore-end of my drilling. Which obviously I'd planned to pack separately for safety reasons in transit. It was super-safe as it turned out.
"Erm... Tom... I have a bit of a problem."
That was mortifying.
"Erm... Tom... I have a bit of a problem."
That was mortifying.
Ronin
Distinguished Member
Always check your kit before going out
Every time
A member of the team I work with had a 300 mile round trip on the first night of the stay at one location a few years ago for a similar faux pas
That person I might add is a 100% solid and reliable performer, despite that glitch it had zero effect on the end game at the location concerned
Happens to us all - learn from the experience, move on and don’t repeat
Every time
A member of the team I work with had a 300 mile round trip on the first night of the stay at one location a few years ago for a similar faux pas
That person I might add is a 100% solid and reliable performer, despite that glitch it had zero effect on the end game at the location concerned
Happens to us all - learn from the experience, move on and don’t repeat
Did take two calibres with me on a trip, 243 and 308, both bolts removed and in matching holders for travel, took wrong bolt for calibre being used that evening, found out when preparing for stalking so saved the outing.
Now use different holders.
Forgetting magazines is more common I bet, done that a few times and ended up single loading.
Now use different holders.
Forgetting magazines is more common I bet, done that a few times and ended up single loading.
Great write and up ..happens to the best of us..always more amusing when it happens to someone else though 
I left my brand new shooting sticks in Suffolk recently...good excuse to go back for them though lol. I have also been out without the bolt...with the farmer showing me around. I waited half hour after he left then headed home to get the bolt...extra 2 hours of effort and make extra sure I triple check things now...but still forget stuff
I left my brand new shooting sticks in Suffolk recently...good excuse to go back for them though lol. I have also been out without the bolt...with the farmer showing me around. I waited half hour after he left then headed home to get the bolt...extra 2 hours of effort and make extra sure I triple check things now...but still forget stuff
How do you get away with travel? Or are you lucky enough to have a working bladder that avoids you needing to stop for a toilet break (and having to remove the bolt)?
tackb
Well-Known Member
How do you get away with travel? Or are you lucky enough to have a working bladder that avoids you needing to stop for a toilet break (and having to remove the bolt)?
currently i can make it through the night and bladder seems ok ?
54 last Wednesday
Similar threads
