Well children what a busy month we have had and not just out pulling the trigger either? Its been crazy around here one
of our main farms had a staff shortage due to illness and had to get all the hay etc cut, Well thats when us shooting boys
jumped into the breach and helped out doing the cutting and hay bobbing and sheeting up pits etc, I even had to deliver a
calf as the farmer was tied up else where its a good job I grew up on a farm and knew what to do, I dont think any of the
townie guns would have managed it eh? But as I have always said being a good shooter is not just about keeping the bird off
the crops its about being able to pich in when needed and thats how us country folk do things aint it guys,
The old pond is coming along great and its all pretty much back to normal now, Our kingfishers are back after all the
Fish the bird boxes are full of chicks my owles are making a mess and the otter and her cub are back as usual, BASC have been
down and found our water voles so Robin has got pretty excited about it all and said we are doing a grand job, This month
also saw us sort of rescue a Mallard Drake from a peragrine falcon? It was a bit more like he dropped it in our pond as it
was to heavy for him to carry, So He has made best mates with Emilies pet duck daffy and the 2 of them seem inseperable, He
will never fly again as he has 2 broken wings but that does not stop him gobbeling up all my grain ha ha ah well he is welcom
to it,
The first shoot of the month saw me taking young Ryan(14) and Josh(14) clearing the grain barns whislt all the other
lads took care of the crops, Well let me tell you guys the boys are true crack shots & the picture is after being
at the barns for 20 mins and I think the smiles on thier faces tell you how they enjoyed them selves, Well atfer 2 1/2
hrs let me tell you they had a realy respectable bag of woodies/ferals/corvids/rats and 3 tree rats, The farmer and his wife
were well pleased with thier efforts, The boys were repaid with a pint of Ice cold home made lemonade and some fresh baked
crusty bread with Propper farmhouse Butter on(gurt lush) I just wish the little buggers would have saved Me and old Hollie(the
lab) some as we had to do all the picking up,
Our next shoot was over standing oats it was more of a recce shoot and to strech our legs so we did not take many shells,
Oh boy I wish we did, I even ran out and that very unushual for me I even used a box of steel shot I had in the truck, But
it was well worth it and a great bit of shooting, Simon went to retrieve a bird and fell off a barbed wire fence with spaggetti
legs(its happend to us all aint it) and cut both his palms so the lads nicked named him Jesus as he looked like he was trying
to walk on air ha ha ha, We finshed the shoot with a good bag of oat stuffed woodies and corvids I hope the rest of the summer
goes like that eh?
This month has also seen the lamping crew is back in full swing as there has been a bunny explostion round here (how
about in your area drop me an e-mail and let me know via the contacts page) we have picked up 3 new farms because of it so
far this month, I think us bunny bashers are going to be kept very busy over the next few month, So you may see the Ole Hedge
Creeper and the Verminator with Rat boy Ryan in tow in your area very soon.
I am a very proud dad this month as Not only has my top boy Bracken the lab won a 3rd place in a dog show, But My little
Emilie(5) has won a star of the week trophy for her talk to the whole school on shooting and dog handeling, What do you
think guys aint she sweet she must get it from her mum as I look like a desert worn camel(dont say a word ha ha) anyway I
think with young sporting guys n gals like these youngsters coming through our sport is in safe hands dont you?
Well chaps I got to go now as the Verminator will be picking Ryan & yours truely up for lamping shortly, Keep me
posted of any news and I hope to see you all at any of the game fairs if I ever get the time to go.
Cheers From The Ole Hedge Creeper.
