This isn't what it said in the brochure. Nasty sweeping mist and drizzle for days now, but warmer. Birds are keeping a low profile but a drive just after dawn reveals the true scale of things with every bird on the place out and about. It was amazing to see a carpet of acorns present at 7-15am totally disappear by 7-45am. The birds simply hoovers thousands of them up. My beat is almost entirely hardwoods and the oaks and beech have been particualrily heavy with fruit this season. It is stopping some of the birds going to the drives but they will be reserves for later.
Keeping up with the feeding is a a massive task but we are just about doing it. I am getting sick of tying and carrying feed bags.
Gun rides for the first day are all sorted, looked at the pegging and made sure all is ready, branches trimmed back, footings level, bridges and walkways sound etc. Beaters are more or less confirmed and the head picker up has reported a team ready. Thats one less headache as the picking up and organising the numbers is delegated out.
We are moving beaters rooms. The old carriage shed was dull and with big garage type doors, not very draught proof. I have commandeered the old tack room which has a lot of character with its pine boarded walls, old baize backed, glass fronted tack cabinets and tack cleaning hooks hanging from the ceiling. I have an overflow of sporting prints and some fox and badger masks, bird plates and so on which will make it more homely too. The pastie (We are in Devon you know) warming cabinet and Burco have their own counter area to stand on so food and brews are sorted. Both trucks have the canopies and seats organised, game cart is ready and the mobile chiller arrived late this afternoon. Nealry sorted then.
A few tidying jobs about the place and final pegging later this week and we are about ready.
I am looking foraward to it. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
Sorry the updates are a long time coming but this is a busy little spot now we are up and running.
Had our 15th shoot day today and so far it has been mostly a success.
Obviously learning all of the new drives on two beats, one of which I don't actually keeper, has not been so easy. The beaters have been absolutely brilliant, if a little set in their ways at times. I am afraid new brushes do sweep clean so things have alteres but the adaptations have been gradually made and several teams of Guns have made favorable comments. Equally there have been a few cock ups as well but overall things have panned out.
One worry is if there is a Lifeboat "Shout" on a shoot day as we often have several crew in the line, including myself. That could be an interesting addition to a day for the Guns.
It is very novel driving pheasants to Guns stood on the sea shore too. The feeding takes up most of my day and often nights as well. When we shoot two or three back to back days I prefer to feed from stupid o'clock in the morning before heading home to get booted and suited but still have had to pop out in the evenings to make sure we keep ahead of the uptake of feed. It is still a struggle to keep in front and now my beat is solely fed off the quad 6 bags at a time it things are taking a long time to get done.
The quality of birds here is exceptional, especially on my beat which tends to take most pressure as it is where Guns like to be tested. Not all of them pass. Interestingly it is not the highest birds which beat them, rather those who are dropping seem to be the hardest to get to grips with. One drive in particular shows very few straight birds as it is driven to the point between two seriously deep and steep valleys with birds swinging back to either side as the pens are basically behind the drive itself so birds head out then swoop and turn back for home. The shot ratio here is rarely below 9:1. We fill a dustbin with empties.
One of the plus points is we often only do 3 drives so early finishes are good, allowing birds to settle and busy keepers time to get sorted out in daylight. I commend it to many shoots although the Guns often prefer a more spread out day. We have huge areas to blank in, mainly incredibly steep, several drives have ropes to keep the beaters upright and enable them to drag themselves up the faces. The beaters never see the Guns, just as well as we would never get back up from their level.
The shoot is blessed with several miles of cobbled carriage ways so access is straightforward for the drop offs on each drive anyway. Most of my drives involve a pretty serious drop off a high steep banking down to the cobbled roadway. Stout ropes assist but one was invaded unbeknown to us by a serious nest of nasty wasps. That scattered the beaters, only two got stung but there were lots of angry jaspers looking for victims. We won't come down that route again.
It is strange not having the dogs in the line but we flush off some pretty thin ground in a lot of cases and the numbers may prove too tempting when I am distracted running two halves of the line and watching to see where the shooting is. Not that I can see very often as the Guns are simply too far below us and there are a lot of hardwood trees in the way. I am getting better at knowing where the sport it but winds can affect things considerably.
Anyway, 30% of days done and on target but it will get harder as the birds wise up and thin out.
I like a challenge _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
Phew this is getting hard work.
Only three days this week but two major big ones, double guns and loaders and all that goes with it.
My beat is struggling for many reasons but we are getting there in the end each day but I can see things getting very, very tricky indeed as we get further along the season.
The failure of the maize crops and the extremely mild and open weather along with a massive crop of natural feed is all combining with a seriously tight programme to make things very difficult.
Most teams have gone home very happy with their days sport if somewhat demoralised and downtrodden when they relaise we have a bigger trailer for empty cartridge cases than we do for shot game. Some of the high volume big bag boys have been a bit dissapointed but we try our hardest, however, at the end of the day you can never beat nature.
We did a full day on our less spectacular beat today, well less spectacular as far as quality of birds goes. The team thoroughly enjoyed themselves, a younger team who were great fun and all had a whale of a time, were very appreciative of the efforts of the team and loved the sport even if the bag was well down. The shot count was huge and they loved it all, especially in such unique surroundings. Not many places Guns can stand between drives on a private sea wall watching the Atlantic pounding the shoreline whilst enjoying a sloegasm. An about face to look inland reveals stunning, steep wooded valleys with birds to tempt you.
I enjoyed a cup of tea with the team in the ancient Red Lion Inn before showing the Guns around the Lifeboat Station to fill time while they waited for dinner.
I am invited down for post dinner drinks with them, and do you know, I might just take them up on it. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
...........and relax.
Well, kind of. We now have a well earned and much needed break in the programme. We have been very busy with shoot days this month, sometimes as many as 5 in a week so fitting in feeding, dogging-in, which has still been neccesary in this soft frost free and very open winter and the many other duties has been a bit of a struggle.
It has been mentally challenging too as holding birds has been a massive problem this season especially on my own beat. I have entirely decidous woodland, facing the sea, pretty bare understory, extremely steep and a lot of it not safley accesible due to the fact that the lower woodland edge is a sea cliff of as much as 600 feet in height.
I have lost one dog over the edge myself, thankfully he landed on a ledge and made it back up. Bruised and shaken, a bit like my nerves. With the pressure on the birds they have taken refuge down there out of the way and only on really rough days do they venture back in to the drives in strength. On those days it has been spectacular to say the least and at least we know if the weather ever realises it is winter in the South West then we have a chance. On the plus side we have hit the bag or got in to the region on the vast majority of the days. All but the most tricky of clients have been happy with the days and are wanting to return, many of them new clients. Most accept this is a volatile sport and at the vagaries of many factors beyond human control. Our Team yesterday were the epitomy of understanding in a day long downpour with contrary winds. Not only did they shoot very well indeed, they also adapted to conditions, took pains to be as flexible as possible on the drives and pegging and went out of their way to seek out, thank and sympathise with the beaters. They showed a clear understanding of what my team were up against and that effort to make it known added a new enthusiasm to the job.
I think they may have been beaters themselves before their fortunes favoured them and they moved to being in front of the birds rather than behind them. As my old Boss used to say, " we can stand and look at this wood a long time, but if the beaters don't do the job, nowt'll come out". Good to know he was not the only person to realise driven shooting is in fact a team sport and nobody can have a good day if the whole team, no matter what their role may be, isn't pulling together.
Right then, time to get wrapped up again and fire up the quad and feed the rest of them.
Best wishes for the festive season to all readers of the diary. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
This break in the shooting programme is very nice thank you.
I am now more or less on top of the feeding, most of the hoppers are topped up for over Christmas and the spin feeding does not take too long at all.
A new batch of wheat has arrived, still quite bad for long straw which blocks the spirals and upsets the Solway Spinner. You soon learn the change from a nice steady rattle to an intermittent noise and then have to stop and clear the offending item. I like the Solway spinner as I set mine as wide as possible to make the birds work for their feed over a large area. You can tell the extent of the spread as the leaf mould is well trashed up where they scrat for feed.
I just wish it was bigger and the quad could carry more. Trailed options are out due to the narrowness and limited turning areas on some of my feed rides. My best one is not much wider than the quad and picked out of a 1:1 slope a couple of hundred feet up the bank. Not for the feint hearted, especially in the dark and the rain.
One more good session of spinning should see me ahead, then a row of manolas to fill down in a wood will see everything pretty much done.
There are a few other jobs to do as well. Kennels could do with a serious once over, some broken feeders to gather and a load of firewood to tide us over Christmas might be nice.
There simply has not been time until now.
Yes, a 10 day break from shooting is a very good idea and I am sure the pheasants are wondering where we have got to.
They will find out once we resume as it is all happening in January.
The weather is unseasonably mild. I have just noticed we still have surfinias in bloom in the borders of our front garden.
I seem to remember we were down to -19C with several feet of snow this time last year in the frozen North. How different although I am not sure which I prefer. Somewhere between the two perhaps.
Well I suppose a lesiurely feed around is called for. I might even take a camera. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
I hope everyone had a very pleasant Christmas, I know I did.
Back to the grindstone now and our well earned and welcome break is over and we are back on with shooting days.
First was a small day for an extended family and friends with a varied selection of experienced Guns, Father and sons, daughters/girlfriends and others sharing and swapping pegs throughout the day. 16 bodies to organise and move about made it a steady day but we achieved the objective, tried a couple of experimental drives which were more or less succesful. Two youngsters bagged their first ever pheasant and it was good to hear the odd pop from a .410 followed by a cheer as success was acknowledged.
We chose the less challenging drives where we might get a variety of qualities in the birds, volume being an essential to offer as many chances as possible.
The weather was kind despite a tricky wind and we arrived back in the yard just as the heavens opened.
Second day was on my beat and altogether a more serious day. Our main drives with the highest of quality so boys were double pegged with Dads ready to step in. A degree of mixed pride and emberassment was witnessed as some boys eye wiped the dads which was not in the script apparently.
First drive was a nightmare for my team. Dead calm and drizzling with lots of birds sauntering about in the open and requiring a lot of blanking in. With a severley depleted beating team due to a funeral and exhausted holiday allowances it was a struggle. Added to the bare clay slopes, rain and extremely unco-operative pheasants and very muggy conditions within the woods it was hard work but we finally gathered enough to the flushing point and produced a pretty seriously testing first drive for a team who had by all accounts enjoyed an evening of good hospitality. There did appear to be a certain reluctance to fire the first shot for some.
Second drive was considerably less taxing for us as we had less ground to blank in and a lot of birds had headed in to the wooods as the drizzle had intensified to a steady and pretty solid grey curtain across the skyline. Birds broke form the second we began to move and continued for almost 45 minutes more or less non-stop, the rest clearly having done them a lot of good.
Several flushed off the fields behind the wood, cleared the 60-100 foot high beeches, which themselves stand atop a ridge some 150 feet above the main track which is some 200 feet above the Guns. Needless to say the shotcount was pretty massive and the game cart remarkably light.
An outburst of common sense prevailed and the Guns declined their drink break in favour of getting on to the pegs promptly. Not sure whether this was influenced more by getting wet from the outside today, or wet from the inside last night?
A quick dash to line out for the third drive which was a lot more normal for the Guns, which was as well as there were some demoralised faces in the team. A swift blank in with nearly everything now well in to the woods as the day had worsened considerably. This drive benefits from being driven hard so it didn't take long. Some sensible quality birds were downed and confidence appeared to be restored.
A second outburst of common sense arose and the Guns thankfully decided to forgo lunch and shoot through allowing us to finish ealry and allow birds and beaters to get home in daylight.
Final drive was back to an extreme level with lots of blanking in. Thankfully the birds were on their way home and heading the right way so all we needed was gentle encouragement and steering.
A pretty stupendous drive with some amazing quality and a good quantity present. We pushed this one hard too as the cartridge supplies were dwindling. Some intense gunfire was ended with a spectaculare flush at the end. I think this drive is by far the most difficult on the estate as the birds are high, dropping and jinking. The Guns agreed.
Final shot count was just a part box short of 1700. I won't disclose the bag but lets say it was a significant margin lower.
We have another brief lull over the New Year then it is pretty much every other day or more throughout January.
I may be glad when 1st February arrives.
Happy New Year everyone, lets hope it is a good one. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
A dry day today without the gales we have had since the new year.
A couple of days this week. First one went well apart from a serious shot ratio deficit. The Guns enjoyed their day but were happy to admit they were overfaced by the birds. They came expecting high birds but were amazed at just how high. Anyway they enjoyed a great day and having travelled from America and Australia they were relieved we proceeded with the day as it was looking seriously in doubt due to gale force winds and torrential rain in the morning. By end of play the wind had lessened and the sun was making flitting appearances.
A one day break to catch up with feeding, again in gales and rain and then back to it for a team from East Anglia. Some shocked faces appeared as the first birds of the day crossed the line. Not the usual fare for these Guns and not the greatest of drives to be honest. It was shot only one day previously and it showed. However they saw enough to know what was expected and enjoyed the experience. Second drive didn't shape anything like as well as expected, possibly as it is a pretty bare face to the valley and full to the wind which was straight off the sea. Apparently the Guns saw plenty down on the valley floor which isn't really the plan.
Off to a more sheltered spot where we enjoyed some great sport a day ago, but again the birds thought otherwise and whilst not a total disaster it was a shadow of the expectations.
A break for soup and a rethink of the plan. A sporting drive was selected but again there was little at home and this drive has had a week off but lies to the wind somewhat. Another thin one but the Guns made inroads here and had some good birds down.
Final chance was another drive we shot this week and again there was only a few home but we ended the day with a happy team nevertheless.
The day was compromised by the wind and some of the drives we would have preffered simply would not work due to the wind strength and direction. To add insult to injury we moved some pegs as the birds had gone with the wind last time over. Today they took it on and flew over empty stands which just about summed up the day. Oh well, if you don't get a bad one how would you know when you were having a good'un??
The Guns were perfect sporting gentlemen and one very nice young lady who all accepted that nature will sometimes show you who is in charge and took the day with good grace and praised the team for their determined efforts. I enjoyed a couple of hours in the bar with them and discovered they were from the locality of one of my previous jobs and we had many mutual aquaintances. It was good hearing how various characters and shoots were getting on many years on.
They also appreciated a guided tour of the Lifeboat Station and ended the day with a generous donation of their sweepstake money to the RNLI. This act was much appreciated as we need to raise several thousand pounds for the new lifejackets which are due to be issued soon.
Met the Guns the following morning to distribute their dressed game fresh from the chiller ready for their long journey home. Some of the team were enjoying a calm morning stroll along the quay in the weak winter sun before returning to their hotel for a hearty breakfast. This is a unique part of this shoot and one the Guns seem to enjoy very much.
I think they enjoyed their stay. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
A busy day feeding between shoots and thankfully 95% dry today.
Some areas had cleaned up, others had scarcely been touched so clearly the birds are moving due to shooting pressures and the weather.
I have noticed more road kills now than when the poults were wandering earlier in the season. Thankfully still in very low numbers compared to what may have been expected but it is noticeable that there are birds risking crossing the busy A road on my top boundary rather than getting surrounded by the beaters and brought in to a drive.
The wind has wreaked havoc with the feeders many of which are now being run empty as we approach the seasons end. I am gradually moving to solely spinning the feeds as we will be cacthing up soon and need to confine to confine the feed areas. it also saves a lot of time blanking in on shoot days as we now do more drives each day as the stock dwindles.
gathering the feeders will be a nightmare with several blown on to the steep banks. It will be easier to allow gravity to assist and send them down to the tracks where I can collect them in the pick up once we finish shooting. It is very important to remove the lids and completely empty the big blue barrel feeders or else the massive population of grey squirrels will very quickly chew a way in to the plastic barrels and ruin them. If they get a sniff of food and no other way in their teeth will soon make an entrance.
I am already making a mental note of areas which give us problems on shooting days. (Birds, Guns, beaters?? ) such as bramble banks, gorse brakes, over thick tree canopy, overgrown flushing cover or places where old fencing or pens makes life trickier than needs be. There are now several places where beaters tracks would help us as we have revamped many of the drives and people need to come in to a drve in a different way for example. There are options for different Gun positions and some areas where we lose enough birds to make a worthwhile but smaller drive. The steepness of the valleys and overgrown stream sides prevent even the bravest Guns reaching some of the spots until we get some clearance done. There is still much untapped potential. Some areas were clearly driven in the past but the cover has taken over and favour given to the way things are done now. If these areas are cleared and reopened then we will have more flexibility when we get contrary winds. It allows us more variety for the syndicate Guns too and we could use the same birds a different way preventing them getting too crafty and picking escape routes.
There is another major forestry programme planned for this spring and summer so many drives will need to be altered as the woodland is thinned or clear felled. Some pens will need to be removed as the work goes on as the wire will either be in the way or at risk of damage.
There is also the incredibly tedious task of leaf clearance around the pen sides. If left it drags the pens down or rots them off at the bottom as it mulches down in to compost. It also forms a layer of ever increasing depth making it easier for verminous creatures to gain access to the pens later in the year.
There are also lots of rotten and snapped posts to replace. Easier when the ground is soft rather than the baked dry clay we dealt with this past summer.
Plenty to plan and plenty to do. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
Two big days back to back, last two for the "Syndicate".
This is not the formal set piece syndicate of old but a good way of matching single Guns up to form a team with a hard core of regulars and a nice mix of occasional Guns forming the remainder. It has worked in very well and the visiting newcomers benefit from the experience and knowledge of the shoot that the regulars bring.
There is a mixed ability so we can do a wider range of drives and offer something for almost everybody. Our top drives are what some come for but demoralise others, whilst the more normal drives suit some too. The more discerning clients simply pick the best birds. This week we had a group of three French and one German guest out both days and they shot well and coped with some exceptional birds. They were sportsman of the best sort and were another team to appreciate the difficulties of holding birds in this ridiculously mild "winter". Temperatures of 12 to 13C on both days and only a zephyr of a wind were hardly typical January days even in the balmy South West.
We did our best and got them plenty of sport on both days despite a stray collie just emerging from one of our best drives as we arrived to blank-in.
It wasn't a total disaster.
Two high bird drives to offer a taster of what we can offer in better times, then off to the more manageable beat where we seem to be better able to hold numbers even if the quality is not as good. They are by no means easy, but not in the stella bracket people come here for. A final drive on the higher side saw a significant drive and a suitably entertained team.
The second day began with a great drive despite losing hundreds back along the hillface too far away from the gunline. This is a stunning setting with the Guns lined along the valley floor just above a rough stream which runs out to sea across the pebble beach. not so many shoots can offer that sort of location, especially with Lundy as the backdrop out across the Bristol Channel.
Off to a skinny game crop for a quicky next. Some stupendous birds went over along with a few who didn't want to perform. The Guns picked the best.
In to a woodland drive next for another quicky and some testing snapshooting. This led on to a new drive which after a lot of blanking in produced a very busy time for all of the Guns.
Soup break for the beaters then a big manouvre to gather the drive spoiled by the collie and a big long wood together in to one of our toughest drives. Here the birds are funnelled off a ridge between two seriously steep valleys and the drive is in effect a "W" and the Guns are bombarded by birds from behind, from each side and some "peregrinesque" birds which come off the spur of the ridge and simply fold back their wings and dive-bomb the line. We have yet to have a team here who do not leave this drive bamboozled as to how to deal with them. They love it though.
A few high pigeons started the shooting, then odd single archangel birds began to appear crossing from the tip of one leg of the "W" to the other. Things gradually hotted up and steady shooting from all positions as the two outer legs came in. As the final "V" is pushed out to the point of the ridge the Guns don't know where to look next and the shooting rose to a crescendo. One final flush to end the drive then it all went quiet. We still had a further drive ready but as the pickers up had a lot to do and it had been a fantasticly busy drive at high birds and lasted well over an hour it was decided to leave them for another day. The beaters offered no argument and neither did the Guns. That one would take some topping.
Yet again all the Guns appreciated the difficulties the weather has created and the extra efforts the beaters are making to produce these days. It is good to know they realise what we are up against and are very happy to return.
Still a dozen shooting parties to entertain and thankfully mostly smaller days now which eases the pressure slightly.
Lets hope for some winter to help us end on a good few weeks of sport. _________________ CPSA Qualified Level 1 Instructor
CPSA Qualified Level 2 Coach-ESP
Some seriously messed up nature about. A pool full of hatched frogspawn, hazel bushes in full leaf, game crops flowering, daffodils out already and bud burst on hardwood trees with even the oaks almost breaking leaf. The game processor is complaining as the hens are full of eggs, some almost shelled up and big strings of messy yolk bursting everywhere when they are eviscerated. It will be interesting to see what sort of laying season we get this year if things are so advanced already.
A very tricky start to the shoot today. First drive had plenty in but they were "line shy" and went anywhere other than out to the Guns. A bit of repositioning in the line helped but the new opening we aimed them for sent them stright out behind two huge spruce which split them again. It is a very tight canopy here, mostly huge conifers so the openings are limited and we have only done this drive once this season.
Next drive was just poor. No excuses needed, it was just pretty dire as there were only a few pheasants at home, probably further out up the hedges than the beaters could stretch. it has been showing much better in the late afternoon when they are returning to feed up before roost.
Third drive was an armed blanking in and light again for the same reason.
Fourth drive was tweaked with an extra flagman and it was a bit good. Not stunning, but good enough with much better spread than normal and more shooting for all the Guns rather than the lucky ones on the edge of the big trees which had been the main flightline.
Another middling drive then off to a piece where we struggle to blank birds out without them breaking back normally. The Guns lined out in the big oaks at the opposite end to the drive to normal and we gathered things up. those who broke back thinking it was a cunning plan met the Guns. They won't do it again. With half the birds left the Boss blew out as we had enough. Not the expected result after a shakey start to the day but we will take it and save a drive for another day, of which there are many.
A cool start to the day, not quite a frost but there was allegedly a bit of rime on some of the sheltered fields before the sun came up.
A day off from shooting today so a big feed blitz and tidy up before setting off to take a load of logs. This was the first bright sunny day when we have not been shooting in weeks and it was a pleasure to be out and about. Signs of spring everywhere and plenty bird song and rooks cawing. The ravens are displaying and cronking and flying like loonies.
ICE !!! Yes real proper ice on my windscreen and the first frost of the winter. Those tadpoles will regret their early entry to the world.
The birds responded by coming in to feed, or rather not going out quite as quickly. A reasonably good first drive and definitely some of the most stupendously high birds we have seen this season. Shame we are now losing 50% of these birds wide of the Guns. Sadly the nature of the ground here makes it impossible to get Guns beneath them where they are at their best and the same severe slopes prevent the beaters getting around them safely to keep them in. If we put a Gun where he can get safely the birds are decidedly average for him.
The second drive was a final fling on a smaller drive, not much at home but the few we saw were very good and the setting was stunning with the Guns enjoying a sunny valley right by the sea.
Third drive was now suffering due to the otherwise lovely sunshine with many birds off out and about up the hedges and edges rather than in the woods. Still enough at home to make it a worthwhile exercise and the Guns added several to the cart.
A quick rethink on the planned drives needed as the scheduled fourth drive is a dark forestry bank with a mass of sheltered stubbles, grass fields, gorsey valleys and dense hedges laying full in the sun. No prizes for guessing where those birds were going to be today.
Decision made and back on to my side for a big blank in and two drives pushed in to one. We got it surrounded and everything walked in that was possible and then stood and waited for the Guns. Then waited some more, then more again. Not sure quite what the delay was but out of the sun down in the wooods the temperature was plumetting and the beaters were getting restless.
Finally the Guns arrived and got to the pegs. This is the big "W" we did the other day and if anything it went better with some ridiculous birds going right from the off. Good steady shooting for over an hour again with just a slight lull as we repositioned after the first manouvres then off in full swing again ending with a few big flushes to spread the last birds as they have become accustomed to swinging back over the beaters well out of reach of the Guns. The underkeepers dog gave them some stick and instead of flushing a few hundreds for perhaps a dozen shots we flsuhed them for a barrage of shooting. We never use dogs here but late in the season it is clearly a good idea to add them to the line and get these crafty birds out of their comfort zone again.
The great news came over the radio. "Thanks everyone, job done". Enough shot off this drive to achieve the desired bag for the day without having to do the final planned drive so an early finish and another drive saved for another day. 560 shots isn't too bad a drive in January really.
Due to an administrative error the beaters pasties had not been delivered, for which I will take the blame. The bakers have all of our new dates except that one. The underkeepers wife found a bag of party treats so we had something to nibble at the end of the day. Many thanks for baling us out.
Some very, very happy Guns again so job done. They want to come back.
Only 12 shooting days and keepers day to go. Roll on February 2nd.
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