Day 4 of 5 for our wee shoot

[wytonpjs]

We have only the one more day to shoot - in about a fortnight.

The question I'm wresting with is this.

On one of the drives, the ground is heavy brambles - very heavy.

The birds sit very tight in here and it takes a good strong ESS to bash in and flush them. I think that the drive could benefit from me brush-cutting some 'routes' in these brambles.

Now to my question.

Is it wise to do this before the next shoot day (ie Brush-cut next week) or have I left it too late for the season and kick it over in to the Spring?

Best left until next season IMHO. I have been very impressed with the performance of the Countax high grass mulching deck on my ride-on mower in taking down brambles. I converted it 2 years ago in a 4x4 version and it’s so much better and quicker on the brambles now than brushcutters. Sounds a great shoot - I’m envious. We lost our barn about 5 years ago so I miss the opportunity for self-cooked breakfasts and proper shoot lunches

 

[Tim.243]

We have only the one more day to shoot - in about a fortnight.

The question I'm wresting with is this.

On one of the drives, the ground is heavy brambles - very heavy.

The birds sit very tight in here and it takes a good strong ESS to bash in and flush them. I think that the drive could benefit from me brush-cutting some 'routes' in these brambles.

Now to my question.

Is it wise to do this before the next shoot day (ie Brush-cut next week) or have I left it too late for the season and kick it over in to the Spring?

with your track record of mechanical fails I would avoid A&E then come the spring before the growth starts knock it back, Jack would round up where I wanted around the pens and paths.

If you make a path through then birds will only cross one bit to the next or stick their head out and go back.

They are wild birds so they will sit, tapping and no shouting is best as you are not directing traffic.

I would be put on a corner with Chip which used to blank that area off just tapping and him on a lead was enough.

 

[Stalker62]

Best left until next season IMHO. I have been very impressed with the performance of the Countax high grass mulching deck on my ride-on mower in taking down brambles. I converted it 2 years ago in a 4x4 version and it’s so much better and quicker on the brambles now than brushcutters.

I think on balance I will leave it until the Spring.

One of the Guns lives on the shoot and has all the right gear for the job, I think I will promote him to 3rd Under-Keeper in the New Year, and get him and his toys busy.


Sorry that you lost your barn - it is a great asset to the day - and great for Covid compliant ventilation during the meals.

This is only a little shoot and most of the Guns have plenty of other days on "bigger and better" shoots.

However, I very much enjoy the (ironic because I never feel it) relaxed attitude of the Guns.

 

[jall55]

Having (long ago) shot and eaten a Woodcock - I have not shot them for years - I know how they taste.

He will rue his error...

Wow i honestly think they are the nicest tasting of all

Dont shoot them either now as i love to see them gliding and jinking through the various rides

 

[Dunwaters]

And rightly so.

Why?
They’re not rare threatened or endangered.

 

[wytonpjs]

Managed 18 birds on ours yesterday - highest this season was 41, not bad given the few birds we put down. It’s the people that make the shoot what it is and I’m so glad I left my “big” shoot 3 years ago where sadly, the values were not the same. Similarly, we don’t shoot woodcock and yesterday, after the first 2 drives we had seen more woodcock than pheasants! They are all small woodcock so IMHO non-migratory - I love to see them and the “flutter” they cause when they suddenly lift or come at you nearly horizontally in the woods.

 

[Stalker62]

Wow i honestly think they are the nicest tasting of all

Dont shoot them either now as i love to see them gliding and jinking through the various rides

I seem to recall (I have tried to wipe the memory), that mine was cooked with all its guts in and served on toast.

On our 3rd Shoot day in early December, I counted five Woodcocks on the day. Nice to see and none shot.

 

[jall55]

I seem to recall (I have tried to wipe the memory), that mine was cooked with all its guts in and served on toast.

On our 3rd Shoot day in early December, I counted five Woodcocks on the day. Nice to see and none shot.

Oh hahaha

Not so sure about that !

Looks and sounds like a great shoot !

I remove the brambles with a digger - take it down to bare soil in curved rows

The birds love it - as do the song birds - it opens up the area - in a sort of safe / secure way for them to feed and nest

I would do whatever you do now - or very early spring so that no nests are disturbed or damaged

 

[Stalker62]

I remove the brambles with a digger - take it down to bare soil in curved rows

A big ask, but I don't suppose you have any photos of that?

 

[Pedro]

I don't think I could eat a woodcock without it being drawn! But I found the flesh to be really very nice. Quite subtle and not gamey. Snipe too, although you won't overeat with a snipe. I did a snipe at Christmas one time, just roasted it (which took minutes) then plonked it in the middle of the biggest dish we had. (Of course there was bigger fare too.) I brought it into the living room to show my daughter, hailing it as the Christmas dinner roast. Oh how we laughed....

 

[terrier1]

Why?
They’re not rare threatened or endangered.

If you have been shooting a long time you will know there are not as many as there was years ago.
And I would not like them to become endangered.

 

[Dunwaters]

If you have been shooting a long time you will know there are not as many as there was years ago.
And I would not like them to become endangered.

Theres not as much of just about anything about as there used to be. I take the odd ‘cock but let most of them pass, same thing with snipe and I’ve given up shooting the wild ducks. If it wasn’t for the dogs I‘d probably stick to shooting clays, but as long as its legal and not harming the population I don’t see anything wrong with a modest wild harvest.

 

[terrier1]

Theres not as much of just about anything about as there used to be.

But apparently there are more deer than there has ever been.

 

[Dunwaters]

But apparently there are more deer than there has ever been.

And buzzards, I saw my first one about 25 years ago, common as muck now.

 

[terrier1]

And buzzards, I saw my first one about 25 years ago, common as muck now.

Yes buzzards kites and I have seen more peregrines than ever before. But these are the things that we see when out shooting or stalking.
The lads I work with say they never see such birds and I tell them you won't see them sat in front of the TV.

 

[browser5031]

Managed 18 birds on ours yesterday - highest this season was 41, not bad given the few birds we put down. It’s the people that make the shoot what it is and I’m so glad I left my “big” shoot 3 years ago where sadly, the values were not the same. Similarly, we don’t shoot woodcock and yesterday, after the first 2 drives we had seen more woodcock than pheasants! They are all small woodcock so IMHO non-migratory - I love to see them and the “flutter” they cause when they suddenly lift or come at you nearly horizontally in the woods.

View attachment 235177View attachment 235178

Beautiful photo of your Vizsla in action.

 

[jall55]

A big ask, but I don't suppose you have any photos of that?

Hi
I do but downloading pics from my phone to computer is not my thing hahahah

I have a little project starting tomorrow digging little ponds for newts

My digger is my conservation tool !