Just a group photo from the shoot on Saturday.

12 guns shot just under 100 head of game and we had a great time. The changes we have made this year are really showing in the quality of the birds we are showing and I don't mind saying that some spectacular pheasants were shot, that you wouldn't expect to find so early in the season.

If Dig gets a chance I might ask him to post a few more of the photos he took, but as you can see smiles all round!!



I'll have some more pics next week of the mixed days we are having ths weekend with a few AR friends. The working week can't go fast enough!!

Trapper, did you take any pics?

FB

Well done, Kiri that must be very satisfying indeed. Can you tell us what changes you have made in particular?

Looking forward to more pictures...I know what you mean about the working week being an annoyance between outdoor sessions!

FB,
No, I left camera at home this time.
Have some pictures from the fortnight before, perhaps will post one when I figure out how to do that!
Darn, I missed the roasted pheasant and saussies too!

Dave,

The Roast came out very well indeed. the only thing would be to leave the pheasants in for a much shorter time as they don't take so muych cooking. I have a haunch of Fallow to go in next time round I think, and if IanF does his bit this weekend then we might have two!!

Bog,

We changed a number of things. Primarily we created another release pen for the poults which means we have the capacity to release about 2000+ pheasant poults. We only did 1500 this season. We also got 15acres of maize game cover sited to our needs rater than to the farms convenience. This I outsourced to the farmer for a fixed price per acre which means we have got the best covers we have ever seen on the shoot. They produce great birds from the hill tops and hopefully cut down on the feed bill. wen we mow them at the end of the season I will sell a few days pigeon shooting on there to help cover the ever rising costs of the shoot.

FB

Kiri, it's great to see someone using real gundogs how owns the Weimaraners?

Well I can always bring my hot smoker down if you need a second to fit the other one in.
I guess it depends how many you are feeding?

This is what they become!!

I still can't believe I ate a sald for dinner and enjoyed it!!
Luckily the Wife is away this weekend and I get to go out and play guns to get some testosterone back in my life!!

I put a skinned brace in the slow cooker yesterday morning and slung in some 2" of wine and some chopped veg just to get them started.
Went home early and turned it up for a couple of hours after adding some of your crab apple jelly from last year. (Yes I've still got a bit in the fridge)! A tin of tomatoes and a few other bits and it came out beautifully. The bits that had stood in the wine being especially tasty.
Can't play Saturday. Plumbers coming to change radiators and flush system. No heating and the appeal of log fires is limited to the room they are in.

Hi FB,I have a question about te dogs in the photos, are they weimaraner? the silver ghost dogs?
How do they work?

The man that runs them has three. A bitch and two pups which he brings to the beating line. Another one of her pups is brought by another beater.
They have excellent noses and work well, especially in the maize cover crops.
They do have a tendency to run on though. Like my Lab, when they get their nose onto a scent, they suddenly go deaf!
Lots of energy, seem to work all day without getting tired. Not as busy as a spaniel in close cover but then they are twice the size. I've not seen them retrieve so can't comment there.
Definately a welcome addition to a shoot.

A great day was had by all. The final duck drive was seriously action packed, I am sure I hit a duck but this has been called into question by certain individuals.

After much thought I have decided I did hit the duck.

I'm not going on about that duck.


Much.

Regards,

GH