Hi guys
Went out for a few hours the other day mainly to get some bunnies but that soon changed
Any how on arrival decided we would set up the hide and wait it out as the particular area was quite a hotspot, while setting the hide up we both noticed a flock of pigeons in the distance in a couple of tall tree’s and although these are not at the top of the priority list from the farmer I thought I would have a little change for an hour or so.
I wandered up the side of the field along the hedge row for 100yrds or so looking out for wabbits as I walked/stalked, turned towards the nearest tree with Woody’s in of about 80yrds away, I crept in and out of some thorn bushes to get into position on Mr. Pigeon. At now 25yrds off so had done really well but I was pretty much stuck in what to do next as I could not move from were I was and I could not get a shot off with all the branches over hanging in my line of site. So I just sat and pondered for a minute and watched all around me for other quarry to reveal them self’s.
I then broke cover and risked it, trying to get clear of the branches for a clean unobtrusive shot. I eased myself out of the hedge very slowly with my face pointing down even though I hade my face vial firmly in place, had moved out from the hedge a good two meters and still could not get a clean shot and now the branches were thinning out to there tips
Now in almost full view I was very skittish myself just waiting for these eight or nine pigeons to clock me, I saw a gap in the branches were maybe I could get a clean shot so I very slowly raised my S410 and sure enough I was rumbled but to my surprise it was one on the other side of the tree that clocked me and with his infamous clatter of wings sent the rest reaching for the skies. I lay in the frost ridden grass for a moment and gathered my thoughts and came to the conclusion that I was pushing my luck from the moment I left the ivy ridden tree I was using for cover.
Strike me down!!!..... as I was getting up out the corner of my eye was a bunny ,one of this years kits stood there , I grinned as I had two feet and one hand on the ground with my hand helping me up, I froze and chuckled to my self “if I go back down he will bolt, if a get fully up he will bolt” I got up as slowly as I could but he was to scared having been only 15- 20yrds away
Patted myself down and went to the edge of a field slightly further on which has been a source of a couple of rabbits. No sooner had I got into the hedge over looking the field when a giant horse came bounding over making noises from his snout and bucking quite aggressively having met the old fellow before I backed out of the hedge and turned and sat back on the other side, I had a look around for a while, from were I had just came I saw a woody slightly flying toward me just off centre.
Pushed myself into the hedge with my heals ,he swooped down and back up as he found his spot and opened his wings to slow ,He perched him self on a branch no further than 15-20yrds away to my left very unfortunate for him. Squared him up and nailed him, down he came hitting a few branches on the way coming to rest in some bracken. Picked him up and took him over to an opening in the field that I would later use to exit the field so that was were I lay him
Went out for a few hours the other day mainly to get some bunnies but that soon changed
Any how on arrival decided we would set up the hide and wait it out as the particular area was quite a hotspot, while setting the hide up we both noticed a flock of pigeons in the distance in a couple of tall tree’s and although these are not at the top of the priority list from the farmer I thought I would have a little change for an hour or so.
I wandered up the side of the field along the hedge row for 100yrds or so looking out for wabbits as I walked/stalked, turned towards the nearest tree with Woody’s in of about 80yrds away, I crept in and out of some thorn bushes to get into position on Mr. Pigeon. At now 25yrds off so had done really well but I was pretty much stuck in what to do next as I could not move from were I was and I could not get a shot off with all the branches over hanging in my line of site. So I just sat and pondered for a minute and watched all around me for other quarry to reveal them self’s.
I then broke cover and risked it, trying to get clear of the branches for a clean unobtrusive shot. I eased myself out of the hedge very slowly with my face pointing down even though I hade my face vial firmly in place, had moved out from the hedge a good two meters and still could not get a clean shot and now the branches were thinning out to there tips
Now in almost full view I was very skittish myself just waiting for these eight or nine pigeons to clock me, I saw a gap in the branches were maybe I could get a clean shot so I very slowly raised my S410 and sure enough I was rumbled but to my surprise it was one on the other side of the tree that clocked me and with his infamous clatter of wings sent the rest reaching for the skies. I lay in the frost ridden grass for a moment and gathered my thoughts and came to the conclusion that I was pushing my luck from the moment I left the ivy ridden tree I was using for cover.
Strike me down!!!..... as I was getting up out the corner of my eye was a bunny ,one of this years kits stood there , I grinned as I had two feet and one hand on the ground with my hand helping me up, I froze and chuckled to my self “if I go back down he will bolt, if a get fully up he will bolt” I got up as slowly as I could but he was to scared having been only 15- 20yrds away
Patted myself down and went to the edge of a field slightly further on which has been a source of a couple of rabbits. No sooner had I got into the hedge over looking the field when a giant horse came bounding over making noises from his snout and bucking quite aggressively having met the old fellow before I backed out of the hedge and turned and sat back on the other side, I had a look around for a while, from were I had just came I saw a woody slightly flying toward me just off centre.
Pushed myself into the hedge with my heals ,he swooped down and back up as he found his spot and opened his wings to slow ,He perched him self on a branch no further than 15-20yrds away to my left very unfortunate for him. Squared him up and nailed him, down he came hitting a few branches on the way coming to rest in some bracken. Picked him up and took him over to an opening in the field that I would later use to exit the field so that was were I lay him
( thank god Richard took his camera because i forgot )
I walked back down to my first ambush point to have a look at were I could locate myself to get a clean shot on the Woody’s return there was no easy position and needed to rethink my approach so I thought I would go back get my woody and meet up with Richard find out what’s been happening in the adjacent field he was covering and maybe have a coffee or two and let my presence cool down
Could not believe my eye’s when I reached the opening to find my prize was gone, looking around saw a few feathers, then saw a clump of feathers a bit further on past the opening I walked on there was my woody, “what the hell” I said and not quietly either, my woody was there alright with it head down a small hole .Confused I grabbed him lifting him out to find most of his neck and face ripped open. I can only assume that the weasel I have seen on occasion had dragged his new found gift away from my grasp and tried taking him underground, thank you very much !!! Were the words I used while walking away
Walking down the fields back to Richard I was more interested in telling the account of what happened than showing the woody
We had a coffee and chatted for a while but still buzzing was soon of again this time in the opposite direction to do a little reccy on a area we both had over looked for a good reason being that to get to this little area we would upset any chances of a rabbit or two on the other side of the hedge. Curiosity made me do it, and yes I did set off a few bolting rabbits but my finding were great plenty more holes and quite a few places to hide up that we will be using on our next visit.
Mike S410
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