doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Anticipation

The only experience similar to this type of hunting I have had is a deer drive during flintlock muzzleloader season. I can see your point Tim as there is a lot of anticipation there waiting for the drive to begin but you only have a chance at one deer, here there are multiple shots taken at all sorts of birds coming in at all differing angles at differing speeds. That would be a lot of fun.

What is the rules regarding a low flying bird? Let it go and pick it up on the next drive? Does the shooting line keep moving to a different position after the drive or are you stationary?

Catton is also host to the annual Gamekeepers Fair.

Alrewas, home to the National Memorial Arboretum (http://www.thenma.org.uk/) and a poignant place.

This is my old regiment's memorial unveiling in 2014. The old boy in the wheelchair, who has sadly since died, knocked out the first German tank of WW II in Norway.

Tim

There is a convention that one lets low flying birds go by. The choice of what constitutes low flying is up to each gun. Generally, when there is a flush of birds, ones eye tends to get drawn to the highest bird in range and, once locked on, go for that bird. Hit it and you can then take the next bird your eye is drawn to with the second barrel, provide it too meets your criteria for range and height and, of course, safety.

Each drive tends to take place at a different part of the estate, so the guns walk or ride to the next drive. There are shoots where the topography allows for one drive facing one way, then doing an about turn and facing the other. However, that does not, in my opinion, give the birds a chance to rest and settle down if they are flushed so frequently. Clearly there are big number days where there are more than enough birds to do this, but those sort of shoots hold little attraction to me.

Tim

The offer to organize a shooting day is something you guys should really consider. I've had some great times driven shooting .......No one is getting any younger, and to have your first time driven shoot organized by an experienced and enthusiastic gun like the Poster would smooth the process....Remember you can borrow Money ,but not Time.....

As to anticipation, regardless of how many days gunning I get in , ( I am past 100 since September 1 Dove opener) it never goes away for me.....
I sit here with coffee and biscuit (Southern style) waiting for the sun to break over the east end of the ranch. The "shooting brake" is loaded and the dogs can tell we are going this morning.... I live for the anticipation, I doubt it will ever dim.
Can't wait to cut the dogs loose on these plains and see what the first point of the day brings.....

I've done it several times. First, you need to make sure that the airline in question will accept guns. United will; American won't. (American is a partner with British Airways. If I recall correctly, BA is OK with guns but the issue is either American or some of its regional partners.) Extra cost unless you can get by with just a carryon plus your gun, because otherwise the gun case is a 2nd checked bag. Charges vary.

Second, you need to have arranged in advance for a visitors' shotgun permit. Some paperwork required with the local British police. If it's a commercial shoot, the place you're shooting should be able to take care of that for you. But you need to work on it well in advance.

It's always worked relatively smoothly for me . . . although I did have an anxious moment when my shotgun permit described my gun as an OU rather than a sxs. Scottish customs asked me to open the case and show them the permit, which I did. The gun was in sleeves. They didn't ask to see it, just the permit. I did have a corrected permit waiting with our driver, but managed to dodge the extra hassle.

Re shoot or don't shoot at birds: The one rule you don't violate is the blue sky rule: You need to see sky around the bird. You've got beaters who are potentially in the line of fire if you violate that rule. Low birds, even if against the sky . . . if that's what you're mostly getting on a particular drive, there probably won't be much complaint if you take one or two. But if the guns take too many low birds, you run up the cost of the shoot. The theory is that you pick ones that present some degree of challenge--which of course varies depending on your level of skill with a shotgun.

Whilst the sky under the bird is a good rule of thumb for pheasants, it certainly wouldn't do on a grouse moor and I've shot on partridge shoots where it does not apply.

However, safety first and if in doubt, don't shoot. Usually the shoot captain will explain where and when you can take the grouse or partridge below the skyline.

Interesting that you have had positive experiences bringing a gun into the country and I was glad to read that. I've flown a few times with a gun and never had a problem, lots of curiosity dressed up as officialdom, though!

Tim

As Tim says, the accent is always on safety. Dangerous shooting might result in being told to leave at the very least; shoot over for the violator. Can be a bit mesmerising for someone who has never shot driven game when the sky is suddenly filled with birds. Don't worry about an easy bird as the next second a couple of good sporting ones will come over. Relax and pick the shots carefully. The game is not to kill everything but to behave in a sportsman like manner. I often pick up behind the shooting line with the dogs and nothing is worse to see than the gun who has a bang at everything sending wounded birds back or smashing to pieces a close one.

Eugene, interesting that you also used Derek as a Gunsmith. It always beat me how he could find anything in that workshop of his; a bit like Tutenkahmun's tomb after an earthquake had hit! Lagopus.....

Fieldsports magazine here in the UK wants to do an article on over 80s who still shoot. So I nominated my dear old pa.

They have now come back to say he is just the sort of chap they wish to interview and write up. So I asked him how he felt about doing so and he said yep, he'd speak to the editor.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Tim

Interesting shooting angle with birds coming at you in those hunts at differing altitudes. I'm or most are vastly more familiar with birds flying away or crossing. Only a few times I can recall where a bird turned and flew directly at me and in those instances I turned 180 degrees to fire. Be hard to practice for, possibly.

Tim, does your father shoot the Clarke?

No, I do.

It was my grandfathers from new, then passed to my father, who used it until 1975, when he bought his Beesley.

Tim