Add crows for luck
Shooting Times & Country|October 21, 2020
With maize stubbles attracting all kinds of avian pests and a shotgun ambush out of the question, Mat Manning opts for a subtle approach
Mat Manning
Add crows for luck

I live in dairy country and, apart from being a big event in the farming calendar, the autumn maize harvest is always an exciting time for me. Smashed cobs left in the wake of the machinery create a veritable banquet for pigeon and corvids, and that usually means some good shooting.

The farmers on my patch are always eager to see the maize-gobbling pests dealt with before the gathering flocks have a chance to decimate the autumn drillings that promptly follow the harvest. It’s a task that I’m always happy to assist with and usually brings an opportunity to make some hefty bags.

One field on a local farm often gets overlooked because it is close to a row of cottages and the farmer doesn’t want his neighbours subjected to the constant bang of shotguns. Driving past one evening in late September, I noticed pigeon flighting to a prominent tree on one of the field’s hedgerows. While lamenting the fact that I wouldn’t be able to get beneath them with the 12-bore, I noticed the sitty tree was probably less than 50m from a large tree out in the field. Cogs started to turn and it struck me that it might just be a worthwhile scenario for an airgun ambush.

Stretch

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYView all
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

United we stand

Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

They're not always as easy as they seem

While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition

In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

A step too far?

Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

Two bucks before breakfast

A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023