Through the early-morning mist came the unmistakable “caw, caw, caw” of a crow coming in from behind me. The sun was yet to rise and this bird was one of the first to lazily spread its wings and make the flight from the distant treetops bordering the farm to head out to the fields to feed.
It drifted in low to observe its feeding friends and called again, but it received no response from the ‘breakfast club’ already out in mass among the young maize shoots. Clearly my hide, built hastily in the predawn darkness, was doing a good job of obscuring me from view as the young crow set its wings and dropped its landing gear in preparation for touchdown among its motionless brethren.
Unfortunately for this individual, landing wasn’t as smooth as expected as 32g of No 6 shot collided with him in mid-air, sending him tumbling to the ground in a crumpled heap of feathers. This was the first time the barrel of the old Beretta semi-auto had been dirtied in several months, and despite this being a very straightforward shot, I was pleased that I wasn’t too rusty given my lack of shotgunning since the end of the season.
At this time of year, crows and especially rooks can become quite the nuisance to the farmer planting maize. The birds will walk down the rows, plucking out the new shoots in order to get to the sown seed below. During the spring there is also an abundance of young birds around with limited flying hours to their name, which are more easily fooled having yet to learn the dangers presented by the cunning ‘chameleon’ humans with their leafy skins and boom sticks.
Denne historien er fra June 07, 2023-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra June 07, 2023-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
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
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
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
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
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
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside