November 1st

Auldloon

1st Nov used be the most important day in my calender. I remember when i was in my teens i used barely be able to sleep with the excitement. Where im originally from in Clare we dont get much duck shooting until Janurary so other than an odd evening with a few shots the season was only really about to start tomorrow. Really enjoying looking at the gundog photos on here and heres wishing all ye lucky enough to be out tomorrow with a good dog in front of you the best of luck. Photos please!

macnab

Its my first time shooting Pheasants tomorrow and I am realy lookin forward to it. I couldnt get a loan of a dog but I took the day off so what the hell, in for a penny in for a pound. I thought there would be more hype though, its a bit of an anti climax. I am determined to enjoy my days shooting anyway. Have fun lads:)

Mellor

Hopefully there will be some photos, my uncles all go tomorrow and bet on who can get the biggest, measured by wing span. but it gets tougher each year

Rovi

Mellor wrote: »

my uncles all go tomorrow and bet on who can get the biggest, measured by wing span.

They've changed the terminology recently (to 'Longest Pheasant'), but it used to be a riot looking through the Irish Shooter's Digest back over the years at photos of Gun Club members from all over the country being presented with their 'Longest Cock' trophies.

Double Barrel

I will always remember it as being "who got the best tail". :D

Trojan911

There is a "measuring up" for the longest pheasant in my local tonight. It's done every year, bottle of whisky for the winner.

TJ911...

Auldloon

Longest cock its still known as my way. Night of complete chaos, birds necks being stretched, tail feathers being pulled out a bit, birds being stolen and skinned etc etc. Good laugh. Not as good as the shooting bit though. Whats the weather like today? Hopefully there will be a few left for me when i get home in dec.:)

spideog7

Stupid work
But the weekend looks frosty, nothing like an early frosty morning shooting Pheasants
Bring on Saturday !!!

Trojan911

No joy for me today......

TJ911...

macnab

Trojan911 wrote: »

No joy for me today......

TJ911...

I bagged a medium sized rabbit and what I would call a big pheasant. He measures 31.5" beak to tail and 31" wing tip to wing tip. Other than that there was more life in a graveyard. Typical, I could have shot 5 pheasants yesterday

Mellor

Seen a good few hens, a few cocks, but was only close enough to shoot at one, and missed.
Shot a rabbit, but was mixi'd

macnas

Shot four, longest 38 inches

meathstevie

A lovely big hare and a snipe.... the only cock I had a chance at broke through a hedge the wrong side...Saw another two who refused to fly and I refuse too shoot them on the ground. Still a lot of cover around though...you could do with a pack of dogs in a lot of spots

kerryman12

the season is long yet. they are so scarce down our way now I wont shoot them. But luckily my father in law raises some each year and I get a few days when him each year.

Auldloon

Good to hear of a few birds being got. What part of the country are you in Macnas sounds like ye got a lot of birds? Any woodcock around yet? I live in Aberdeen which is big wintering ground for geese. They were flying over the flat in their thousands last night:) Will be having a crack at them in a month.

J.R.

It was a lovely morning to be out.

Didn't start off too well - arrived at selected shooting spot at 7.50 a.m. to see that two other gun club members were already there. Witnessed them shoot a find cock as I was turning the car.

Moved off to another spot - no good, met one cock who went out the wrong side & two hens.

Returned to the first spot after lunch that had been previously hunted - got three and missed one - just shows that birds are moving around all day.

It ended up a great day in the end.

cavan shooter

As usual I went home (Nrth County Dublin) and went out with my brother yesterday (1st November) it didn't bother me not shooting or even seeing a cock or a hen for the day (luck of the draw etc) I did put two foxes out of a couple of ditches and that maybe why things are slack on the pheasant front.

What really, really pi$$ed me of was watching guys in jeeps and vans driving around stubble fields. When I say driving I mean driving along ditches and headlands. I witnessed two guys drive into a field down a headland, gun put out the window and two shots taken, he jumped out picked up the bird and drove off.

If that is the future for our sport, (Driving shoots) I will quit, What chances do the birds have.

johnfaul

got one snipe

I used to help out with guys who shot a pond near us a couple of years ago.

Used to like heading out, help feed the pond etc. Never did actually take a shot (prob for the best.. don't know much about shotties!) but used to be great craic.

No ponds in Dublin though, unless someone wants to shoot in Stevens Green??

Rovi

All this reminds me of the old joke about two shooters chatting:

#1: Did you shoot the mountain today?
#2: I did.
#1: How did you get on?
#2: I let it have both barrels; it didn't even gave a kick.

Auldloon

cavan shooter wrote: »

As usual I went home (Nrth County Dublin) and went out with my brother yesterday (1st November) it didn't bother me not shooting or even seeing a cock or a hen for the day (luck of the draw etc) I did put two foxes out of a couple of ditches and that maybe why things are slack on the pheasant front.

What really, really pi$$ed me of was watching guys in jeeps and vans driving around stubble fields. When I say driving I mean driving along ditches and headlands. I witnessed two guys drive into a field down a headland, gun put out the window and two shots taken, he jumped out picked up the bird and drove off.

If that is the future for our sport, (Driving shoots) I will quit, What chances do the birds have.

Cavan shooter thats just not on. Do ye not have a local gunclub? This certainly wouldnt be tolerated down my way. Dont quit mate instead get these **** sorted out.

J.R.

J.R. wrote: »

It was a lovely morning to be out.

Didn't start off too well - arrived at selected shooting spot at 7.50 a.m. to see that two other gun club members were already there. Witnessed them shoot a find cock as I was turning the car.

Moved off to another spot - no good, met one cock who went out the wrong side & two hens.

Returned to the first spot after lunch that had been previously hunted - got three and missed one - just shows that birds are moving around all day.

It ended up a great day in the end.

PHOTO

kerryman12

Originally Posted by cavan shooter
As usual I went home (Nrth County Dublin) and went out with my brother yesterday (1st November) it didn't bother me not shooting or even seeing a cock or a hen for the day (luck of the draw etc) I did put two foxes out of a couple of ditches and that maybe why things are slack on the pheasant front.

What really, really pi$$ed me of was watching guys in jeeps and vans driving around stubble fields. When I say driving I mean driving along ditches and headlands. I witnessed two guys drive into a field down a headland, gun put out the window and two shots taken, he jumped out picked up the bird and drove off.

If that is the future for our sport, (Driving shoots) I will quit, What chances do the birds have.


Thats not a sport, what a waste:mad: