The year ahead?

wildfowler94

So today was my last day of the season, work next week :rolleyes: Wasn't a bad day got 10 divers overall my season was ok god near 200 ducks and 3 pheasants aswell, but pheasants numbers were low. so I began thinking on my projects for this year.

1. im hoping to sow some cover crops and encourage the Club to buy some for farmers if they sow.

2. Hammer vermin. lamp as often as I can. keep the larsens and mink traps going hard and build a ladder trap or two and see how that goes, also ill be banging away at crows and pigeons on the crops.

3. I have two pens built so I just have to move them into place and get some Pheasants and partridge to fill them.

4. I have a new pup coming so I plan on getting it going well for next year.

What do ye all have planned?

WF

charlie10

similar to that had a brilliant season not as good as last year but good all the same ,i too have a little pen project in the making and training has started with pup two weeks ago have him searching cover and things looking promising hoping to have a woodcock dog for next year . have a cocker bitch to cover and hopefully have a new recruit . starting a bit of ferreting too and have a new wagon bought for the lamping. in total shot in the region of 14 or 15 cocks and about 5 0r 6 woodcock ,shot about 50 -60 snipe,and 50-60 ducks. i have one more days shooting to do tommorow over a friends springer which is the sire of my pup and hopefully bring the woodcock tally up a bit!!

djflawless

Tis very hard to try plan anything here.it seems that the only good ideas have to be put thru the chairs.with about 98% of the good ideas being tossed off because either the club genuinely are not interested, or reckon before even asking that the landowners wont be happy.
(if someone could enlighten me on the next bit id be grateful)
i havn't a clue what the general rules would be as far as just tipping out to set me own traps,crops etc.
But for the next year, i plan on partially abandoning the club work i do.it wont be missed as all we've ever done was tidy pens a week before bird arrival, peck bite birds and 1 fox drive 2 weeks ago.
My plans for 2013 are much the same as op's.and try get a few of the younger lads like myself to actually do something to make an immediate impact

mike91

I had a good season this year im pretty green in terms of numbers as im not at it very long but eager to learn and im learning quick mostly head out with my uncle and some friends but had some good days you cant beat it always eventful and alot of fun! My plan for the year ahead is to try for some rabbits and foxes im waiting on a licence for a .223 and its another part of shooting id like to take up I had a .22 but didnt get much use but im excited to go after Charlie fox and maybe some rabbits so if anyone wants to offer some help!! Would be much apreciated!

daithi55

200 duck what the feck did ya do with them all

deeksofdoom

djflawless wrote: »

Tis very hard to try plan anything here.it seems that the only good ideas have to be put thru the chairs.with about 98% of the good ideas being tossed off because either the club genuinely are not interested, or reckon before even asking that the landowners wont be happy.
(if someone could enlighten me on the next bit id be grateful)
i havn't a clue what the general rules would be as far as just tipping out to set me own traps,crops etc.
But for the next year, i plan on partially abandoning the club work i do.it wont be missed as all we've ever done was tidy pens a week before bird arrival, peck bite birds and 1 fox drive 2 weeks ago.
My plans for 2013 are much the same as op's.and try get a few of the younger lads like myself to actually do something to make an immediate impact

If you don't speak up at the meetings your not going to be heard.

A lot of clubs suffer from a bunch of senior members who are also committee members who want to everything their own way with as little effort and expense as possible.

What you and the younger more interested lads should be doing now is scheming to ovethrow the current commitee and put your own guys in.

Dalken

daithi55 wrote: »

200 duck what the feck did ya do with them all

That is a bit excessive, especially as diver numbers are in decline. I'd like to see a bag limit introduced in Ireland, we seem to be one of the few countries that don't have a limit, we're only killing our own sport in the long term.

wildfowler94

Well put it this way, when your out every weekend sometimes twice a week after duck tell me is it excessive? their all ate by me or family and friends. I go to different lakes so not at the same spot all the time?

Dalken

wildfowler94 wrote: »

Well put it this way, when your out every weekend sometimes twice a week after duck tell me is it excessive? their all ate by me or family and friends. I go to different lakes so not at the same spot all the time?

Put it any way you want, if we all shot 200 ducks a season there wouldnt be too many around in a few seasons time.
Bag limits are the way to go as far as Im concerned. I shot Sheelin at Xmas for the first time in about 8 years and the number of duck on it compared to back years ago is disturbingly low, Redhead divers(Pochard) are virtually non existant on the midland lakes now. Im not saying its all down to shooting but I do think that conservation is not to the fore in a lot of mind sets.
One day, please God, Id like to take my Grandson out duck shooting on a big lake and the way things are going I can't see there being much point.

wildfowler94

Im not disagreeing that compared to a few years ago duck numbers are lower, and when I say Ducks I mean divers? but imo its nothing got to do with shooting more down to other factors? speaking of pochard i seen a fair few yesterday and was talking to a lad who got a few during the week and the uncle got 2. In america bag limits exsist but have you seen the work they do at duck breeding grounds? we have no control over that as most our ducks are migratory, IMO stronger European wetlands control and better vermin control would help.#
WF

howya mike

wildfowler94 wrote: »

Im not disagreeing that compared to a few years ago duck numbers are lower, and when I say Ducks I mean divers? but imo its nothing got to do with shooting more down to other factors? speaking of pochard i seen a fair few yesterday and was talking to a lad who got a few during the week and the uncle got 2. In america bag limits exsist but have you seen the work they do at duck breeding grounds? we have no control over that as most our ducks are migratory, IMO stronger European wetlands control and better vermin control would help.#
WF

How about **** the European wetlands control and do your bit by not shooting 200 birds in the first place and spend more of your time shooting Vermin?

wildfowler94

How about getting your facts right. I shot over 700 crows last year, 120 mags 70 greys, trapped 40 mink and shot 130 foxes. that enough vermin for you? I seen lads here with big bags of woodcock and snipe? thats the same thing so don't go preaching to me, im doing my bit. oh and the 200 ducks was with my uncle as we only shoot together. so between us we averaged 5 ducks a week during the season? hardly excessive when you say some were released mallard on ponds and the rest a mix?

howya mike

wildfowler94 wrote: »

How about getting your facts right. I shot over 700 crows last year, 120 mags 70 greys, trapped 40 mink and shot 130 foxes. that enough vermin for you? I seen lads here with big bags of woodcock and snipe? thats the same thing so don't go preaching to me, im doing my bit. oh and the 200 ducks was with my uncle as we only shoot together. so between us we averaged 5 ducks a week during the season? hardly excessive when you say some were released mallard on ponds and the rest a mix?

Wow. That's some shooting lad. Where did you find the time to shoot all those ducks No wonder lead prices have gone up. So you really only shot 100, why didint you say that first?

wildfowler94

Well we shoot together on the boat, you know? we buy all our gear for decoying together so we just put all the ducks together as we often hit the same bird :rolleyes: He should really learn the difference between Left and right:o
I guess 100 each then yes. Im really trying to hammer vermin and I go out lamping 2 nights a week run traps and decoy on crops. its the only way.

howya mike

Did you shoot any pigeons snipe or woodcock?

wildfowler94

About 400 pigeons over crops, and 20 or so during season? no snipe or woodcock

djflawless

Ah well we've tried the speak up bit.
Usual response is ah we'll see, might be a waste of time.
Twud be about time older shooting folk started realising they wont be there forever.that sooner or later the youth that they ignore will be running the club.time for a lil uprising!!

wildfowler94

I know clubs that split over these issues? You need to make it clear, no vermin control and conservation no younger members?

howya mike

Jasus. so that's
700 crows
120 Maggie's
70 grays
130 foxes
40 mink
400 pigeon
200 Duck
4 pheasant
and in your first post you say you need to do more vermin and your gettin a new dog and your back to work.
Amazing. Well done.

wildfowler94

Its hard at times when you have other commitments like family but it can be done Its amazing If you lamp once or twice a week and set traps how much vermin you get. Lazy sundays and that in July and August are great for knocking the pigeons and crows over crops even if you only get 10 its something, I always find out when farmers are cutting and take the week off, get a few that way.
I plan on getting a few more traps built especially ladders and see how it goes.
The pup is badly needed as lost my dog 2 years ago so even if its just company tipping around their well worth it.:)

howya mike

when does your club hand in their Vermin?

wildfowler94

Montly from December until April. but were at it all the time!

howya mike

You should stick up pics every week of what you get. It would be great to see.

TriggerPL

Not bad for a lad that went to Lebanon in November !

wildfowler94

never went after all medical reasons. Pm me to know more. I have an old digital camera im going to start doing that. have few pics to stick up if the uncle sends them on to me.

TriggerPL

wildfowler94 wrote: »

never went after all medical reasons. Pm me to know more. I have an old digital camera im going to start doing that. have few pics to stick up if the uncle sends them on to me.

Ah buddy I'm only rising ya !

charlie10

wouldnt care to paying for his shells! or his electricity bill for the freezers:eek:

Dalken

wildfowler94 wrote: »

never went after all medical reasons. Pm me to know more. I have an old digital camera im going to start doing that. have few pics to stick up if the uncle sends them on to me.

You'll need to take ariel photos of those bags.

Alchemist2

Will be a busy year ahead, two pups in training and finally getting round to building a pen after 3 years of deliberation

deeksofdoom

Alchemist2 wrote: »

Will be a busy year ahead, two pups in training and finally getting round to building a pen after 3 years of deliberation

Jesus, it took us just as long.

dodderangler

this season is gonna be involving this lot
aifric my female harris hawk

fatso the alcoholic ferret lol

and of course m y new pup i got from corco on this
shes 8 weeks old hungarian vizsla cross gwp but she'll be a smooth coat

mike91

pictures are brilliant hahaha!!

dodderangler

mike91 wrote: »

pictures are brilliant hahaha!!

Sorry **** phone
I do love the alco ferret though ha

mike91

No! i was being serious, The hawk is class and the ferret had me in stitches i have two of the stinky things myself!

dodderangler

mike91 wrote: »

No! i was being serious, The hawk is class and the ferret had me in stitches i have two of the stinky things myself!

Alright
The ferrets are great crack and I've 3 2 are great on rabbits and my smallest is good on rats

mike91

mine are only good for tearing the hand off ya.... haha hope to have them workin proper soon tho

dodderangler

mike91 wrote: »

mine are only good for tearing the hand off ya.... haha hope to have them workin proper soon tho

They work great just one is better for rats because of her size
Very quick
Does yours bite constantly

Dupont

Put out a few feeders yesterday and released 15 birds. Hope to get at least 10 feeders out. What do yous feed in them. I'm using rolled barley but do you no where to get whole barley or maize

charlie10

released 12 birds yesterday and have two feeders out with rolled oats and barley mix never seem to shoot the tagged birds i release but im giving back all the same;)

Browning2010

Why anyone would release birds this time of the year and hope to shoot them next November is beyond me. No feckin way they'd still be around... Bar you released a few hundred had no foxes and fed them all year.

Vizzy

Browning2010 wrote: »

Why anyone would release birds this time of the year and hope to shoot them next November is beyond me. No feckin way they'd still be around... Bar you released a few hundred had no foxes and fed them all year.

Our club released 500 birds last week(wild birds that had been shot at last season).
We do the same every year and there is always plenty of birds around during the season but you'll have to work to get them.
Sure,a good few of them will drift into neighbouring clubs but their birds will drift into ours as well.
Lastly,you are right,the vermin needs to be hit hard.Last year we nailed over 300 foxes and about 2000 greys & magpies.

charlie10

Browning2010 wrote: »

Why anyone would release birds this time of the year and hope to shoot them next November is beyond me. No feckin way they'd still be around... Bar you released a few hundred had no foxes and fed them all year.

our club released 200 the same day and from my previous posts in the photo thread i have a lot of foxs shot and in particular the spot where i released them. i released my own few birds as a kind of "personal payback" for the some of the birds i have shot. not worrying about shooting them as hoping to be shooting more woodcock and duck anyway but point taken

pheasntstalker

the year ahead?mmm let me see well first up there is a litter of pups on the way in the nxt week then there is pens the be built for pheasants, feeders,build Larsen traps, get minktraps out, hammer Charlie, train new pup when ive picked him,pray to Buddha,god allah what ever he/she goes by for decent weather;) and hopefully get back into the workforce, to fund my love of the countryside and my favourite pastimes shooting/fishing and conservation:):):)

Lastin

Wheat is probally better as feed for phesants, they tend to pick each other on barley. Though not as much of a problem outside, still barley or oats are better than no feed at all.