A FREINDS DAY OUT

Well as promised i got a picture from my buddy dusty from the rapid7oc from the day out we had.
To start off we decided on the shotgun approach,as the weather isn`t at its best it gives us the oppertunity to at least get something.I took dusty to a small wood that has produced a few squirrels lately for me and the old man, so confidence was at a high.We split up to make the most of spotting something and it wasn`t long before i seen dusty doing the 100m sprint after a tree rat,he took a couple of shots at it but as he was knackered from his run he didnt connect with anything apart from a few branches,all i can say is when you get to your late 40s early 50s dont run and shoot.The next 30 mins was bleak , nothing showed at all and i was getting worried i wasn`t going to give my mate a day worth driving up for.The next wood was going to be different i knew this would definately throw up something ,dusty was to my left in this wood and we decided on letting the dog work between us and hopefully any rabbits or squirrels on the ground would be moved by her to at least give us some sport.
Dusty was the first for some action,dee had broke a rabbit from cover and it took off behind dusty,a good turn and equally good shot seen him take the rabbit clean out.
Next it was my turn,I noticed a squirrel run under a log and never showed behind it,i walked upto it and gave it a kick and who els but our freind tree rat scarpered out towards a big chestnut tree,i gave him a chance to get half way up the tree for a more sporting shot and that was it ,curtains for him.
While i was retreiving my squirrel dusty had seen another in some trees to his left so off he went,not running this time and got that one,this was more like it.
Due to someone working in the other wood we had to settle for a walk around the fields and hope for a shot or two.
We had noticed some pigeons back and forth to a sitty tree while we was having a cuppa so we decided on a stand and wait approach and hopefully get one or two.After pushing about 20 pigeons out the tree we got stuck in tight between some holly trees about 30 yards from them.we must have been ther 20 minutes before one came right towards us, i picked the gun up to take a shot but dusty was to quick, he nailed it before i even sighted it up,maybee your reflexes dont go so quick at that age just your breath.Well nothing showed for another 30 minutes so we decided to go into the little wood and have the last hour in there.
We stood 60 yards apart in the hope that anything crossing over the wood would be covered and i know this wood can produce squirrels late on in the day , fingers crossed.
Dusty was the first to take a shot,i didn`t know what at but i hadn`t heard a thud of something hitting the ground so i presumed he had missed .The next chance was mine , a squirrel came from the top of a conifer towards me,he must have took refuge when i got in place and thought i had gone .I had stood quiet for 20 minutes and this was to be his downfall as he came nicely in range and took him out just as he was about to jump to another tree.
Ten minutes had passed when dusty got two shots off,i had seen a squirrel heading towards him 5 minutes earler so i knew that it must be him dusty was shooting at,as dusty had took his shots a pigeon that i hadn`t noticed landing in a tree right above my head took off,it took two shots as it was more like a snipe dodging through the trees but all the same i got him.
It was getting dark now so we decided to give it neck and have a cuppa before we gave the foxes a go.
Well i could go into detail here but i wont,to cut a long story short we seen four foxes in the next two hours but couldn`t get one within range or within a safe shot,it was quite light but not enough for us to see them without a lamp so they will be there for another time hopefully.

Yesterday i decided on going out with the rapid.Its been a while since i was last out with it and to be honest i had missed it.As it was snowing quite a bit on and off i decided to go to my local farm and take a look at settling down for some pigeons.As most will know they dont like flying in snow so they will sit up for most of the time and that gives the air gunner a good chance to bag a few birds.I had a walk around the ground and noticed a few settling in some oak trees bordering to the pig farm next door.
As there is food with the pigs getting fed i thought it was going to be the best place to go and luckily there is more cover for me to get in tight and stay hidden.I had just got settled when the snow came down quite heavy, within minutes four had come in right at the top of the tree, i settled the crosshairs on one of them right under the wing and dropped him stone dead.The other three took to the wing but one came back and landed just where i had shot the one from.I took the same shot and he joined his mate under the tree.
Twenty minutes at least had passed when i heard a magpie,he was working down the hedgerow towards me,so i kept an eye on him untill he got 45 yards from me.As i have mildots on my scope i knew the first dot below my cross was spot on for that range so one dot to his chest and an inch for wind sent the magpie tumbling to the deck.
The next hour produced further flurries of snow and i managed three more pigeons before it got to late for them and they had gone to roost,i was also freezing my nuts off so decided to go home.

We have to draw the line somewhere dont we.