Opening Day

Straffan1979

Good to see plenty of good wild birds around today after the fine summer-

Half-cocked

Got a brace yesterday. Saw loads more, they didn't seem to eager to fly high enough for a shot though. Also held fire on some Mallard that were just a wee bit too high. But a great day out all the same.

Snowc

very few pheasants around lately is it because of the cold March ?

Birdnuts

Snowc wrote: »

very few pheasants around lately is it because of the cold March ?

Generally its been a good year for pheasants - at least based on what I've seen around North Kildare and South Dublin(were I'm based for work atm) and what other GC lads from down the country have been telling me. However the NARGC put out a warning recently about Mycoplasma disease outbreaks originating from released birds. Seems to be an issue in some areas as it is easily transferred between wild and released populations.

Straffan1979

Birdnuts wrote: »

Generally its been a good year for pheasants - at least based on what I've seen around North Kildare and South Dublin(were I'm based for work atm) and what other GC lads from down the country have been telling me. However the NARGC put out a warning recently about Mycoplasma disease outbreaks originating from released birds. Seems to be an issue in some areas as it is easily transferred between wild and released populations.

Not a good place to end up if that gets established and the anti blood sport crew will be all over this.Brings home the value of wild birds and the need to protect them.

Shooting these released birds around feeders for the first week or two of the season madness wouldn’t be my bag and maybe nationally we will need to re think it going forward.I often had considered maybe trying releasing hens in the spring and seeing would they be capable of producing broods that would naturally be fit to survive without feeding etc although I think I’ve read that they often produce barren clutches. This disease thing is making me think it’s a non runner now too.

Cass

Lads, don't feed the trolls. Just report and a Mod will deal with it.

hrcbob

Didn't make it out on the first but got out sunday for a few hours.

Met lots of birds and the springer was on top form trailing and flushing birds.

Took until the third attempt to drop the first bird as I hadn't shot the sxs since January.

I hunted out two covers just to see what was in them when I had two shot and thought the birds seemed a bit on the smaller side but good fliers.

Barnsley

Seems to be a good few wild birds around with us this year. Met 4 or 5 very young cocks so far and let them off, hopefully they'll survive till later on in the season. Got 3 birds myself on the opening day so can't complain.