Ravenwood
Well-Known Member
The shoot where I pick up mostly changed hands this season and for the first time went mainly partridge. Consequently we started our season 6 weeks earlier than usual!
My dogs are not very used to picking partridge, just the odd few that some of the other usual pheasant shoots put down. We have discovered that they hold little scent, you have to get right on them straightaway and they hide in little holes!! Flyn and Toby can't believe how light and easy they are!!
The Partridge pretty much finished by November and then onto pheasants as normal, but not so many as usual and we have had lots of small days.
Today was the last day for this shoot, another small day of just 100 birds and the birds are very scarce now.
So, up early to do the horses, came back and OH has cooked a full English breakfast - yummy!! Arrived at shoot a bit late but we always hang around for ages for the guns to get ready anyway, so time for a cup of coffee and a good gossip!
Just four of us picking up today so all in one truck with nine dogs!
First drive and you have to walk up quite a long steep track to get to the drive, some of the guns were so unfit I feared one of them may have a heartattack before he got there, I even offered him to lead Flyn who always pulls on the lead, thinking he might help to pull him up!!
Few birds, as expected and my dogs didn't get to pick up any
But the guns were happy and we were given plenty of sloe gin after the drive
Second drive, more birds. I was marking two guns and at the end one of them told me he thought there was a hen bird in some gorse and thank God Flyn found it as they all stood around watching us! More Sloe gin followed!
Back for soup (chicken), bread rolls and sausages and Port
Third drive was one that we haven't shot for ages but the Keeper was hoping a few birds had come back in and he was right it was excellent and lots of very high birds, unfortunately the guns were not very good shots but again they were all very jolly. More glasses of sloe gin and then some concoction that came out of Thermos flask which I think contained whiskey, brandy and oranges - hmm it was really yummy and warming! I wish I had asked that gun for the recipe!
Fourth drive - always a good one this one, very high birds with pheasant and partridge mixed, picked up 8 birds on this drive. (The guns went off before we got back so no drink
)
Fifth and final drive, just the most beautiful setting and again very high and fast birds. I stood in a gateway so I could mark two fields. One gun shot a high hen bird which spiralled down, Flyn was on it like a shot, watching and waiting for it to fall, he raced up the very steep slope, just about to get it when the damn thing suddenly flew up again and I didn't see where it went. So we spent a good long time looking for that one!
Back to the barn for full roast pork and all the trimmings plus a glass of red wine! Hic
I really have had the most wonderful season, both Toby and Flyn have behaved impeccably throughout. Flyn has brought his birds to hand nearly every time which is such a relief and Toby hardly whines anymore - but even better he has stayed sound throughout
When he was first diagnosed with OCD the vet told me he wouldn't see 5 if I didn't have the operation - well here he is aged 5 and completed a whole season.
I have had days of being in charge and days of driving the game cart - but I still can't drive a quad bike
I have loved every minute of it and love both my dogs to bits - they never let me down
Just one more day at another shoot next week (very big shoot will expect a 400 bird day - so dogs will be busy!), a couple of beaters days (where I may do some shooting!) and then thats it - end of the season
Roll on September
My dogs are not very used to picking partridge, just the odd few that some of the other usual pheasant shoots put down. We have discovered that they hold little scent, you have to get right on them straightaway and they hide in little holes!! Flyn and Toby can't believe how light and easy they are!!
The Partridge pretty much finished by November and then onto pheasants as normal, but not so many as usual and we have had lots of small days.
Today was the last day for this shoot, another small day of just 100 birds and the birds are very scarce now.
So, up early to do the horses, came back and OH has cooked a full English breakfast - yummy!! Arrived at shoot a bit late but we always hang around for ages for the guns to get ready anyway, so time for a cup of coffee and a good gossip!
Just four of us picking up today so all in one truck with nine dogs!
First drive and you have to walk up quite a long steep track to get to the drive, some of the guns were so unfit I feared one of them may have a heartattack before he got there, I even offered him to lead Flyn who always pulls on the lead, thinking he might help to pull him up!!
Few birds, as expected and my dogs didn't get to pick up any
Second drive, more birds. I was marking two guns and at the end one of them told me he thought there was a hen bird in some gorse and thank God Flyn found it as they all stood around watching us! More Sloe gin followed!
Back for soup (chicken), bread rolls and sausages and Port
Third drive was one that we haven't shot for ages but the Keeper was hoping a few birds had come back in and he was right it was excellent and lots of very high birds, unfortunately the guns were not very good shots but again they were all very jolly. More glasses of sloe gin and then some concoction that came out of Thermos flask which I think contained whiskey, brandy and oranges - hmm it was really yummy and warming! I wish I had asked that gun for the recipe!
Fourth drive - always a good one this one, very high birds with pheasant and partridge mixed, picked up 8 birds on this drive. (The guns went off before we got back so no drink
Fifth and final drive, just the most beautiful setting and again very high and fast birds. I stood in a gateway so I could mark two fields. One gun shot a high hen bird which spiralled down, Flyn was on it like a shot, watching and waiting for it to fall, he raced up the very steep slope, just about to get it when the damn thing suddenly flew up again and I didn't see where it went. So we spent a good long time looking for that one!
Back to the barn for full roast pork and all the trimmings plus a glass of red wine! Hic
I really have had the most wonderful season, both Toby and Flyn have behaved impeccably throughout. Flyn has brought his birds to hand nearly every time which is such a relief and Toby hardly whines anymore - but even better he has stayed sound throughout
I have had days of being in charge and days of driving the game cart - but I still can't drive a quad bike
Just one more day at another shoot next week (very big shoot will expect a 400 bird day - so dogs will be busy!), a couple of beaters days (where I may do some shooting!) and then thats it - end of the season
