In reply to Post #406
my first read after a days graft this thread , keep it up pete
my first read after a days graft this thread , keep it up pete
In reply to Post #407
Thanks Ralph glad you enjoy them it makes it all worth while
Thanks Ralph glad you enjoy them it makes it all worth while
In reply to Post #406
Well the snows gone now for the floods i have never seen weather like we are having in my life time the water cannot penetrate the ground it just cant take any more i have seen places flooded that i haven't seen before our woods have even got standing water in them its very peaty so it cant get away its just flooding the woods our little syndicate have lost a number of days owing to flooding and snow which has also effected a number of syndicates locally some are big shoots that rely on the money its been a disaster, i wonder how the farmers are coping as they cannot get the big machinery on the ground and some farmers have left last years potatoes in the ground as it has been to wet to get them in so they just rot away. The woods i mentioned are the same woods i poached years ago but then they were looked after by the owners and the gamekeepers not like today its just not the same place there is no comparison from then and now, if the old keepers could see it now they would have a fit there was big rides cut through the brambles and under growth then they were strawed they would feed the rides for the hundreds of pheasants they had let go. I can see myself now i would wait until the shooting season then i would be away with my fishing line hooks and half a jar of sultanas i would lie in the brambles or the dying ferns and catch the pheasants i suppose it was fishing for birds they were easy to catch i used a silk line as it did not tangle like nylon half a dozen birds and i would be away you had to keep an eye out for the keepers they would be around most days and always carried guns for the vermin as the pheasants were his living they shot most things in those days that they considered would be a threat to the birds .
adjacent to the big woods were the lakes the big one had hundreds of water fowl some were very rare the keepers fed the sides of the lake with boiled barley and potatoes there were hundreds of ducks and geese they shot the big lake every other week i would hide and watch from the distance they shot mallard and geese i would watch them drop from the sky with a splash two keepers had the punt waiting to collect any in the water it was big business the birds would be sold at the market all money went back into the owners bank they never picked them all some were missed or i had already picked a few myself the pheasant and ducks were a necessity in those days it fed our family and neighbors and friends it also gave me a thrill pitting my wits against the keepers they were great days and i did have a few guns fired over me and the keeper shouting come on out we know your there but i always got away with it despite the police and keepers happy days. A bit more latter.
Well the snows gone now for the floods i have never seen weather like we are having in my life time the water cannot penetrate the ground it just cant take any more i have seen places flooded that i haven't seen before our woods have even got standing water in them its very peaty so it cant get away its just flooding the woods our little syndicate have lost a number of days owing to flooding and snow which has also effected a number of syndicates locally some are big shoots that rely on the money its been a disaster, i wonder how the farmers are coping as they cannot get the big machinery on the ground and some farmers have left last years potatoes in the ground as it has been to wet to get them in so they just rot away. The woods i mentioned are the same woods i poached years ago but then they were looked after by the owners and the gamekeepers not like today its just not the same place there is no comparison from then and now, if the old keepers could see it now they would have a fit there was big rides cut through the brambles and under growth then they were strawed they would feed the rides for the hundreds of pheasants they had let go. I can see myself now i would wait until the shooting season then i would be away with my fishing line hooks and half a jar of sultanas i would lie in the brambles or the dying ferns and catch the pheasants i suppose it was fishing for birds they were easy to catch i used a silk line as it did not tangle like nylon half a dozen birds and i would be away you had to keep an eye out for the keepers they would be around most days and always carried guns for the vermin as the pheasants were his living they shot most things in those days that they considered would be a threat to the birds .
adjacent to the big woods were the lakes the big one had hundreds of water fowl some were very rare the keepers fed the sides of the lake with boiled barley and potatoes there were hundreds of ducks and geese they shot the big lake every other week i would hide and watch from the distance they shot mallard and geese i would watch them drop from the sky with a splash two keepers had the punt waiting to collect any in the water it was big business the birds would be sold at the market all money went back into the owners bank they never picked them all some were missed or i had already picked a few myself the pheasant and ducks were a necessity in those days it fed our family and neighbors and friends it also gave me a thrill pitting my wits against the keepers they were great days and i did have a few guns fired over me and the keeper shouting come on out we know your there but i always got away with it despite the police and keepers happy days. A bit more latter.
In reply to Post #406
Well the snows gone now for the floods i have never seen weather like we are having in my life time the water cannot penetrate the ground it just cant take any more i have seen places flooded that i haven't seen before our woods have even got standing water in them its very peaty so it cant get away its just flooding the woods our little syndicate have lost a number of days owing to flooding and snow which has also effected a number of syndicates locally some are big shoots that rely on the money its been a disaster, i wonder how the farmers are coping as they cannot get the big machinery on the ground and some farmers have left last years potatoes in the ground as it has been to wet to get them in so they just rot away. The woods i mentioned are the same woods i poached years ago but then they were looked after by the owners and the gamekeepers not like today its just not the same place there is no comparison from then and now, if the old keepers could see it now they would have a fit there was big rides cut through the brambles and under growth then they were strawed they would feed the rides for the hundreds of pheasants they had let go. I can see myself now i would wait until the shooting season then i would be away with my fishing line hooks and half a jar of sultanas i would lie in the brambles or the dying ferns and catch the pheasants i suppose it was fishing for birds they were easy to catch i used a silk line as it did not tangle like nylon half a dozen birds and i would be away you had to keep an eye out for the keepers they would be around most days and always carried guns for the vermin as the pheasants were his living they shot most things in those days that they considered would be a threat to the birds .
adjacent to the big woods were the lakes the big one had hundreds of water fowl some were very rare the keepers fed the sides of the lake with boiled barley and potatoes there were hundreds of ducks and geese they shot the big lake every other week i would hide and watch from the distance they shot mallard and geese i would watch them drop from the sky with a splash two keepers had the punt waiting to collect any in the water it was big business the birds would be sold at the market all money went back into the owners bank they never picked them all some were missed or i had already picked a few myself the pheasant and ducks were a necessity in those days it fed our family and neighbors and friends it also gave me a thrill pitting my wits against the keepers they were great days and i did have a few guns fired over me and the keeper shouting come on out we know your there but i always got away with it despite the police and keepers happy days. A bit more latter.
Well the snows gone now for the floods i have never seen weather like we are having in my life time the water cannot penetrate the ground it just cant take any more i have seen places flooded that i haven't seen before our woods have even got standing water in them its very peaty so it cant get away its just flooding the woods our little syndicate have lost a number of days owing to flooding and snow which has also effected a number of syndicates locally some are big shoots that rely on the money its been a disaster, i wonder how the farmers are coping as they cannot get the big machinery on the ground and some farmers have left last years potatoes in the ground as it has been to wet to get them in so they just rot away. The woods i mentioned are the same woods i poached years ago but then they were looked after by the owners and the gamekeepers not like today its just not the same place there is no comparison from then and now, if the old keepers could see it now they would have a fit there was big rides cut through the brambles and under growth then they were strawed they would feed the rides for the hundreds of pheasants they had let go. I can see myself now i would wait until the shooting season then i would be away with my fishing line hooks and half a jar of sultanas i would lie in the brambles or the dying ferns and catch the pheasants i suppose it was fishing for birds they were easy to catch i used a silk line as it did not tangle like nylon half a dozen birds and i would be away you had to keep an eye out for the keepers they would be around most days and always carried guns for the vermin as the pheasants were his living they shot most things in those days that they considered would be a threat to the birds .
adjacent to the big woods were the lakes the big one had hundreds of water fowl some were very rare the keepers fed the sides of the lake with boiled barley and potatoes there were hundreds of ducks and geese they shot the big lake every other week i would hide and watch from the distance they shot mallard and geese i would watch them drop from the sky with a splash two keepers had the punt waiting to collect any in the water it was big business the birds would be sold at the market all money went back into the owners bank they never picked them all some were missed or i had already picked a few myself the pheasant and ducks were a necessity in those days it fed our family and neighbors and friends it also gave me a thrill pitting my wits against the keepers they were great days and i did have a few guns fired over me and the keeper shouting come on out we know your there but i always got away with it despite the police and keepers happy days. A bit more latter.
In reply to Post #410
I may fish lordys again latter this year that estate lake brings back some happy memories i have not been off late owing to me walking it is a wonderful old lake i have spend hours watching the wild life i also have a few bad memories i was asked to form a syndicate all money collected was given to charity looking back i had twelve members there was no night fishing only days but that made little difference it was wonderful fishing until this one day i was told by a member that others were stealing the fish and stocking another lake, a water i knew very well, it really hurt to think that some one you trusted was taking the fish, in fact two weeks latter i caught them red handed i expelled them from the syndicate but it made little difference the damage had been done. I went to see lordy he was very upset and two days latter he netted the lake taking out most of the carp and they were sold to be honest it was not worth fishing for a number of years he did not want any syndicate on the water again i could still fish the place but he had left only the small fish even the large chub had been netted some were over seven pounds.
Thinking back i never fished the place again for a good many years i bumped into lordy this one day and i discussed the fishing it had not been fished since it was netted can i still go i said yes when ever you want he replied i want your car registration number for the keepers so they will know its you to be honest i went to have a look around the lake the very next day i could not believe my eyes the bank side was very over grown there was big trees god they had grown since i was last there i asked if i could cut a couple of swims yes no probs was the answer i had the lake to myself i could take a friend at the time my friend graham was busy working and never had that much time off, so i arranged to take some one i worked with the lake was full of weed we persevered and fished through the holes in the weed and we got runs the fish were there again and big we lost a number to hook pulls but landed a few they were mostly around twenty pounds but we saw a lot bigger this one day the owner came to see me he was going to have the weed killed he said it was safe two days latter along came this firm and sprayed the weed within a month it had all gone he had left sections not touched i was worried about the fish it never harmed them one bit i could not catch for at least a couple of weeks they were soon back on the feed and we caught some crackers biggest around twenty five pounds but i was happy to be back fishing this old estate lake. A bit more latter
I may fish lordys again latter this year that estate lake brings back some happy memories i have not been off late owing to me walking it is a wonderful old lake i have spend hours watching the wild life i also have a few bad memories i was asked to form a syndicate all money collected was given to charity looking back i had twelve members there was no night fishing only days but that made little difference it was wonderful fishing until this one day i was told by a member that others were stealing the fish and stocking another lake, a water i knew very well, it really hurt to think that some one you trusted was taking the fish, in fact two weeks latter i caught them red handed i expelled them from the syndicate but it made little difference the damage had been done. I went to see lordy he was very upset and two days latter he netted the lake taking out most of the carp and they were sold to be honest it was not worth fishing for a number of years he did not want any syndicate on the water again i could still fish the place but he had left only the small fish even the large chub had been netted some were over seven pounds.
Thinking back i never fished the place again for a good many years i bumped into lordy this one day and i discussed the fishing it had not been fished since it was netted can i still go i said yes when ever you want he replied i want your car registration number for the keepers so they will know its you to be honest i went to have a look around the lake the very next day i could not believe my eyes the bank side was very over grown there was big trees god they had grown since i was last there i asked if i could cut a couple of swims yes no probs was the answer i had the lake to myself i could take a friend at the time my friend graham was busy working and never had that much time off, so i arranged to take some one i worked with the lake was full of weed we persevered and fished through the holes in the weed and we got runs the fish were there again and big we lost a number to hook pulls but landed a few they were mostly around twenty pounds but we saw a lot bigger this one day the owner came to see me he was going to have the weed killed he said it was safe two days latter along came this firm and sprayed the weed within a month it had all gone he had left sections not touched i was worried about the fish it never harmed them one bit i could not catch for at least a couple of weeks they were soon back on the feed and we caught some crackers biggest around twenty five pounds but i was happy to be back fishing this old estate lake. A bit more latter
In reply to Post #411
I have just been out in the garden god its cold, i am sure as you get older you feel it more, when i was young i never gave it a second thought, I would be out in all weather and it never did us any harm, when i lived at home, i was expected to get the fire wood we had big sleepers from the railway, it was my job to saw them up and chop the sticks ready to start the fire but it rarely went out especially in the winter, it was the only heating, we had. Some times we had a fire going in the bedroom grate, but that was only if we had some one ill, they were hard days when the river onny was in flood, i would stand on the bridge at Newington, and any branches, that came down in the flood, we collected.
We would use a grappling hook to pull them to the side they were loaded on to an old truck, made from a pram, we would take the wood, home stack it until it dried out it was hard work but kept us in wood for the fire, it was not all work we would go looking for the chickens eggs, at the farm for old Mr price, we would fill an old wicker basket, his chickens, roamed where they liked we would always keep a dozen back for our selves thinking back i suppose they were free range, i don't think he lost many to vermin, i would see him about with his gun i know he shot the carrion crows as i would go and have a look in the wood they would all be strung out on a branch i know they took the eggs, if they had half the chance so did the magpie.
If i went fishing up the river, i would always have a walk through the woods, i would find all sorts hanging from the keepers gibbet, it would really upset me there was hawks, badgers, foxes, weasels, even owls, thank god that does not happen today. I was up the woods one day and i found a pole, trap it had a very big buzzard, in it i climbed the pole and released the bird, god i got a few scratches on my hands, i took it home and we nursed it back to health it never did have a healthy leg, but it got by my parents said it was time to release it back into the wild, which we did but it kept coming back to the house, eventually it got the message, and we never saw it again.
Even with all the trapping, and shooting, the woods were full of wild life there seemed more than today i used to watch the curlew, she was crafty i would lie in the hay field and watch her land when she settled on her nest, i would be away at a run i usually found the nest she would have eggs, i never took them i never see the curlew now well not like i did then they were every where. The peewit was another mind you i would collect there eggs and my mother would pickle them i loved them we would also eat the moorhens eggs nothing was wasted . Well a bit more latter.
I have just been out in the garden god its cold, i am sure as you get older you feel it more, when i was young i never gave it a second thought, I would be out in all weather and it never did us any harm, when i lived at home, i was expected to get the fire wood we had big sleepers from the railway, it was my job to saw them up and chop the sticks ready to start the fire but it rarely went out especially in the winter, it was the only heating, we had. Some times we had a fire going in the bedroom grate, but that was only if we had some one ill, they were hard days when the river onny was in flood, i would stand on the bridge at Newington, and any branches, that came down in the flood, we collected.
We would use a grappling hook to pull them to the side they were loaded on to an old truck, made from a pram, we would take the wood, home stack it until it dried out it was hard work but kept us in wood for the fire, it was not all work we would go looking for the chickens eggs, at the farm for old Mr price, we would fill an old wicker basket, his chickens, roamed where they liked we would always keep a dozen back for our selves thinking back i suppose they were free range, i don't think he lost many to vermin, i would see him about with his gun i know he shot the carrion crows as i would go and have a look in the wood they would all be strung out on a branch i know they took the eggs, if they had half the chance so did the magpie.
If i went fishing up the river, i would always have a walk through the woods, i would find all sorts hanging from the keepers gibbet, it would really upset me there was hawks, badgers, foxes, weasels, even owls, thank god that does not happen today. I was up the woods one day and i found a pole, trap it had a very big buzzard, in it i climbed the pole and released the bird, god i got a few scratches on my hands, i took it home and we nursed it back to health it never did have a healthy leg, but it got by my parents said it was time to release it back into the wild, which we did but it kept coming back to the house, eventually it got the message, and we never saw it again.
Even with all the trapping, and shooting, the woods were full of wild life there seemed more than today i used to watch the curlew, she was crafty i would lie in the hay field and watch her land when she settled on her nest, i would be away at a run i usually found the nest she would have eggs, i never took them i never see the curlew now well not like i did then they were every where. The peewit was another mind you i would collect there eggs and my mother would pickle them i loved them we would also eat the moorhens eggs nothing was wasted . Well a bit more latter.
In reply to Post #411
I have just been out in the garden god its cold, i am sure as you get older you feel it more, when i was young i never gave it a second thought, I would be out in all weather and it never did us any harm, when i lived at home, i was expected to get the fire wood we had big sleepers from the railway, it was my job to saw them up and chop the sticks ready to start the fire but it rarely went out especially in the winter, it was the only heating, we had. Some times we had a fire going in the bedroom grate, but that was only if we had some one ill, they were hard days when the river onny was in flood, i would stand on the bridge at Newington, and any branches, that came down in the flood, we collected.
We would use a grappling hook to pull them to the side they were loaded on to an old truck, made from a pram, we would take the wood, home stack it until it dried out it was hard work but kept us in wood for the fire, it was not all work we would go looking for the chickens eggs, at the farm for old Mr price, we would fill an old wicker basket, his chickens, roamed where they liked we would always keep a dozen back for our selves thinking back i suppose they were free range, i don't think he lost many to vermin, i would see him about with his gun i know he shot the carrion crows as i would go and have a look in the wood they would all be strung out on a branch i know they took the eggs, if they had half the chance so did the magpie.
If i went fishing up the river, i would always have a walk through the woods, i would find all sorts hanging from the keepers gibbet, it would really upset me there was hawks, badgers, foxes, weasels, even owls, thank god that does not happen today. I was up the woods one day and i found a pole, trap it had a very big buzzard, in it i climbed the pole and released the bird, god i got a few scratches on my hands, i took it home and we nursed it back to health it never did have a healthy leg, but it got by my parents said it was time to release it back into the wild, which we did but it kept coming back to the house, eventually it got the message, and we never saw it again.
Even with all the trapping, and shooting, the woods were full of wild life there seemed more than today i used to watch the curlew, she was crafty i would lie in the hay field and watch her land when she settled on her nest, i would be away at a run i usually found the nest she would have eggs, i never took them i never see the curlew now well not like i did then they were every where. The peewit was another mind you i would collect there eggs and my mother would pickle them i loved them we would also eat the moorhens, eggs, nothing was wasted in those days . Well a bit more latter.
I have just been out in the garden god its cold, i am sure as you get older you feel it more, when i was young i never gave it a second thought, I would be out in all weather and it never did us any harm, when i lived at home, i was expected to get the fire wood we had big sleepers from the railway, it was my job to saw them up and chop the sticks ready to start the fire but it rarely went out especially in the winter, it was the only heating, we had. Some times we had a fire going in the bedroom grate, but that was only if we had some one ill, they were hard days when the river onny was in flood, i would stand on the bridge at Newington, and any branches, that came down in the flood, we collected.
We would use a grappling hook to pull them to the side they were loaded on to an old truck, made from a pram, we would take the wood, home stack it until it dried out it was hard work but kept us in wood for the fire, it was not all work we would go looking for the chickens eggs, at the farm for old Mr price, we would fill an old wicker basket, his chickens, roamed where they liked we would always keep a dozen back for our selves thinking back i suppose they were free range, i don't think he lost many to vermin, i would see him about with his gun i know he shot the carrion crows as i would go and have a look in the wood they would all be strung out on a branch i know they took the eggs, if they had half the chance so did the magpie.
If i went fishing up the river, i would always have a walk through the woods, i would find all sorts hanging from the keepers gibbet, it would really upset me there was hawks, badgers, foxes, weasels, even owls, thank god that does not happen today. I was up the woods one day and i found a pole, trap it had a very big buzzard, in it i climbed the pole and released the bird, god i got a few scratches on my hands, i took it home and we nursed it back to health it never did have a healthy leg, but it got by my parents said it was time to release it back into the wild, which we did but it kept coming back to the house, eventually it got the message, and we never saw it again.
Even with all the trapping, and shooting, the woods were full of wild life there seemed more than today i used to watch the curlew, she was crafty i would lie in the hay field and watch her land when she settled on her nest, i would be away at a run i usually found the nest she would have eggs, i never took them i never see the curlew now well not like i did then they were every where. The peewit was another mind you i would collect there eggs and my mother would pickle them i loved them we would also eat the moorhens, eggs, nothing was wasted in those days . Well a bit more latter.
In reply to Post #413
Reading the head lines in the local paper last night made me very angry, it was about a red kite, which was shot. I can not understand why a mindless idiot would do such a thing it really gets my back up it was an act of cruelty they are the most beautiful birds with a wing span of 5.5 ft it also had an injury to its eye which was caused by hitting a electric fence after being shot the red kite was given the the highest degree of legal protection under the wildlife and country side act, In the year 2010 there were seventeen known red kites nests in Shropshire the latest report says there are now 100 individual birds in the county, People that take or injure or kill a red kite face a fine of around 5,000 pounds and/ or a six months prison sentence.
The said bird is now making a recovery it is now at a shropshire specialist wild life centre i really hope it survives i have shot most of my life and would never shoot such a magnificent bird.
i suspect it was shot by some ill informed moron to to protect his birds ie pheasants it is time this sort of thing stopped i really hope they catch the individual and he gets what he deserves.
I see another fox, has bitten some poor child's, finger off, what i would like to know why a fox, was in the house and why the doors were open to the elements in the weather we have had the fox, is an opportunist and will take what it can get i don't know if the child was crying, and the fox, associated the noise to a injured animal, but it should not happen had they been letting the fox, into the house to feed. I have never seen a fox, attack a human and i have had a lot of dealings with old foxy, over the years i have friends that have had a fox, as a pet the one used to go with its owner to the pub most nights and really enjoyed a drink, the land lord always but a bowl under the seat full of mild beer that would soon vanish but a fox is a wild animal and even if it is a pet, it never forgets its hunting instinct this one was no different he got into my freinds chicken pen and killed the lot. well a little more latter
Reading the head lines in the local paper last night made me very angry, it was about a red kite, which was shot. I can not understand why a mindless idiot would do such a thing it really gets my back up it was an act of cruelty they are the most beautiful birds with a wing span of 5.5 ft it also had an injury to its eye which was caused by hitting a electric fence after being shot the red kite was given the the highest degree of legal protection under the wildlife and country side act, In the year 2010 there were seventeen known red kites nests in Shropshire the latest report says there are now 100 individual birds in the county, People that take or injure or kill a red kite face a fine of around 5,000 pounds and/ or a six months prison sentence.
The said bird is now making a recovery it is now at a shropshire specialist wild life centre i really hope it survives i have shot most of my life and would never shoot such a magnificent bird.
i suspect it was shot by some ill informed moron to to protect his birds ie pheasants it is time this sort of thing stopped i really hope they catch the individual and he gets what he deserves.
I see another fox, has bitten some poor child's, finger off, what i would like to know why a fox, was in the house and why the doors were open to the elements in the weather we have had the fox, is an opportunist and will take what it can get i don't know if the child was crying, and the fox, associated the noise to a injured animal, but it should not happen had they been letting the fox, into the house to feed. I have never seen a fox, attack a human and i have had a lot of dealings with old foxy, over the years i have friends that have had a fox, as a pet the one used to go with its owner to the pub most nights and really enjoyed a drink, the land lord always but a bowl under the seat full of mild beer that would soon vanish but a fox is a wild animal and even if it is a pet, it never forgets its hunting instinct this one was no different he got into my freinds chicken pen and killed the lot. well a little more latter
In reply to Post #414
As you say, the red kite is a magnificent creature, and I hope they catch the moron that shot it.
As for the fox attacking the child, again I ask the same as you, what the hell is the fox doing in the house.
Surely, with the weather being cold you would expect all the outside doors to be closed, unless the family have been encouraging the animal to come into the house. Very foolish if they have!!
As you say, the red kite is a magnificent creature, and I hope they catch the moron that shot it.
As for the fox attacking the child, again I ask the same as you, what the hell is the fox doing in the house.
Surely, with the weather being cold you would expect all the outside doors to be closed, unless the family have been encouraging the animal to come into the house. Very foolish if they have!!
Just for you Pete - I love this thread 
Click for full version
Click for full version
In reply to Post #416
thanks Paul a magnificent bird glad your still out there taking superb photos a wonderfull hobby
thanks Paul a magnificent bird glad your still out there taking superb photos a wonderfull hobby
In reply to Post #414
I have always combine my fishing with nature i loved bird watching on one occasion while walking the hills i found a pair of Goshawks, the female is the same size as a Buzzard, the male is a lot smaller and looks just like a giant sparrow hawk, I watched them for weeks you can tell a Goshawk, by its tail it is more rounded the males tail is also barred. They nested in a big plantation up in the hills at the time there were plenty of rabbits, and pheasants, on the menu i was worried that they may get shot by some one who had pheasants in the area but they survived. i think i was extremely lucky to watch these birds as they are quite rare at the time there was only around three to four hundred breeding pairs in the UK she actually reared four youngsters you would hear them calling if they were alarmed gek- gek-gek i never got to near the nest as she would defend her nest and young fiercely and would attack any potential predators including humans she did well and reared four chicks i was hoping she would return the following year but alas she vanished in fact i never saw her again her true breeding ground was in wales, and southern Scotland, so perhaps they moved back into the big forests of wales.
I Really have lived a fascinating life i was looking back in my diary i have written much about old foxy, bringing up her cubs, what they eat over the years i have not seen that many pheasants, taken to the earth, it has been mostly rabbits, and the occasional chicken from the local farm even hedgehogs i have watched them toss the hedgehog around just like a ball these are a totally different fox, to there cousins in the city they keep away from humans in fact they are not very good parents if the cubs, are threatened the vixen would be away i have watched her looking back from afar as soon as the threat passed she would be back i have found them fascinating creatures they have been part of my life for so many years i call the male the gentlemen of the woods.
Badgers, have been another Passion when i was fishing they would come down to the side of the lake you would hear them shuffling about behind the bivvy finding the occasional worm, from the decaying leaves. Graham, and Bern, and myself, would be out at night from September shooting the many rabbits,the local farmers, with our rifles, we have come across the Badgers, many times they would be hudled up finding worms, in the medows as long as we did not go that close they took no notice i think they had got used to us and knew we were no threat it was nothing to shoot forty rabbits, a in two or three hours if we did the farmer a favour and he had some fishing he would give us permision to have a go. well a little more latter.
I have always combine my fishing with nature i loved bird watching on one occasion while walking the hills i found a pair of Goshawks, the female is the same size as a Buzzard, the male is a lot smaller and looks just like a giant sparrow hawk, I watched them for weeks you can tell a Goshawk, by its tail it is more rounded the males tail is also barred. They nested in a big plantation up in the hills at the time there were plenty of rabbits, and pheasants, on the menu i was worried that they may get shot by some one who had pheasants in the area but they survived. i think i was extremely lucky to watch these birds as they are quite rare at the time there was only around three to four hundred breeding pairs in the UK she actually reared four youngsters you would hear them calling if they were alarmed gek- gek-gek i never got to near the nest as she would defend her nest and young fiercely and would attack any potential predators including humans she did well and reared four chicks i was hoping she would return the following year but alas she vanished in fact i never saw her again her true breeding ground was in wales, and southern Scotland, so perhaps they moved back into the big forests of wales.
I Really have lived a fascinating life i was looking back in my diary i have written much about old foxy, bringing up her cubs, what they eat over the years i have not seen that many pheasants, taken to the earth, it has been mostly rabbits, and the occasional chicken from the local farm even hedgehogs i have watched them toss the hedgehog around just like a ball these are a totally different fox, to there cousins in the city they keep away from humans in fact they are not very good parents if the cubs, are threatened the vixen would be away i have watched her looking back from afar as soon as the threat passed she would be back i have found them fascinating creatures they have been part of my life for so many years i call the male the gentlemen of the woods.
Badgers, have been another Passion when i was fishing they would come down to the side of the lake you would hear them shuffling about behind the bivvy finding the occasional worm, from the decaying leaves. Graham, and Bern, and myself, would be out at night from September shooting the many rabbits,the local farmers, with our rifles, we have come across the Badgers, many times they would be hudled up finding worms, in the medows as long as we did not go that close they took no notice i think they had got used to us and knew we were no threat it was nothing to shoot forty rabbits, a in two or three hours if we did the farmer a favour and he had some fishing he would give us permision to have a go. well a little more latter.
In reply to Post #418
I suppose i was around fourteen years old when Io first met the old mole catcher, god he was a scruffy old man he smoked a pipe and chewed tobacco it would run all down his chin but he was also very knowledgeable and loved the country side. He lived in one of those road side huts i went to see him a few times he lived in wattling street the old roman road come in young man, there was a big coke stove in the middle of the hut a bed and a couple of chairs i must admit it was warm and cosy he showed me all these mole skins pinned out on a big board can i have a go if thou wish he said he gave me a couple of traps when thou catches some ill give e some more it was quite hard understanding him as he spoke in a broad Shropshire's language.
I was quite happy my old friend SAM, the keeper had shown how to set the traps, i went up to our local bike and tackle shop, he sold all sorts including mole traps i bought another three and i was away i used a stick to find the run open it up slip the trap in gently put some turf around the trap hey presto i would go fishing in the onny and at the same time check the traps, the first time i checked i had caught four, not bad i put them in my bag old SAM showed me how to skin them. I would take them to the old mole catcher he would send them to a specialist who bought all kind of skins, the old man would give me a few coppers it was enough to buy a few hooks and maybe a float or two.
I spent hours on the river onny fishing they were great days i suppose i taught myself how to fish on that river. I caught brown trout and Grayling i loved the river it was well known in those days for its Trout, and Grayling.
But there was another fish in the river that i loved to catch and that was the perch they were not big the biggest around two pounds but if i float a dead minnow under the sill of the weir the float would dip and i was in god did they fight the locals would eat them if they had half the chance they would come down to watch while walking the dog, can i have that young man i will have it for my tea. They were to pretty to kill and i always put them back. The problem fishing the weir was you could not see if the bailiffs were around i had to fish down this steep bank so i had to clime up the bank to have a look around the bailiffs, patrolled the river at least twice a day and if you got caught you would be in court , lucky i never did get caught but i had a few near misses i was chased on a few occasions the bailiffs even came to the school to warn us all what would happen if we did get caught . a bit more latter
I suppose i was around fourteen years old when Io first met the old mole catcher, god he was a scruffy old man he smoked a pipe and chewed tobacco it would run all down his chin but he was also very knowledgeable and loved the country side. He lived in one of those road side huts i went to see him a few times he lived in wattling street the old roman road come in young man, there was a big coke stove in the middle of the hut a bed and a couple of chairs i must admit it was warm and cosy he showed me all these mole skins pinned out on a big board can i have a go if thou wish he said he gave me a couple of traps when thou catches some ill give e some more it was quite hard understanding him as he spoke in a broad Shropshire's language.
I was quite happy my old friend SAM, the keeper had shown how to set the traps, i went up to our local bike and tackle shop, he sold all sorts including mole traps i bought another three and i was away i used a stick to find the run open it up slip the trap in gently put some turf around the trap hey presto i would go fishing in the onny and at the same time check the traps, the first time i checked i had caught four, not bad i put them in my bag old SAM showed me how to skin them. I would take them to the old mole catcher he would send them to a specialist who bought all kind of skins, the old man would give me a few coppers it was enough to buy a few hooks and maybe a float or two.
I spent hours on the river onny fishing they were great days i suppose i taught myself how to fish on that river. I caught brown trout and Grayling i loved the river it was well known in those days for its Trout, and Grayling.
But there was another fish in the river that i loved to catch and that was the perch they were not big the biggest around two pounds but if i float a dead minnow under the sill of the weir the float would dip and i was in god did they fight the locals would eat them if they had half the chance they would come down to watch while walking the dog, can i have that young man i will have it for my tea. They were to pretty to kill and i always put them back. The problem fishing the weir was you could not see if the bailiffs were around i had to fish down this steep bank so i had to clime up the bank to have a look around the bailiffs, patrolled the river at least twice a day and if you got caught you would be in court , lucky i never did get caught but i had a few near misses i was chased on a few occasions the bailiffs even came to the school to warn us all what would happen if we did get caught . a bit more latter
In reply to Post #419
I used to love walking the lanes when i was a youngster i am sure our summers were better than today i would walk miles birds nesting. The banks down the lanes would be full of flowers the smell of the honey suckle was quite overpowering the wild life was every where you looked a lot was down to the war as there was no gamekeeper's for a few years so the wild life flourished. I never took the eggs, out of the nests, we found i would mark them down in a book Sam taught me to do that i used to collect but SAM always said look and leave them where they are i could not understand his reasoning as he had a big collection him self when i asked him he said they were collected when he was young i don't collect any more .
The days seemed a lot longer in those days i would be away all day fishing all i took with me was half a loaf of bread and some maggots i spent hours fishing stokesay pool, it was full of Rudd i would float fish between the weed beds they were huge to us young lads you could not get your hands around them and there colour was beautiful. Occasionally we would hook a pike, but we lost most i can remember landing one it was seven pounds the farmer weighted it on his antiquated scales, he would of killed it but i stopped him i suppose he would of ate it. But i gently put it back and watched as it swam away we would fish till nearly dark our parents knew we were quite safe they were really heady days i met another lad when i was fishing his name was john we became quite friendly over the coming months would i like to come ferreting, he asked i certainly would we arranged to meet the following morning he headed straight to the farm and into the granary he said we are ferreting rats, god it really was something to remember the old farmer came with his gun a double barreled four ten tie yer trousers legs with some string he said stops um running up your trouser leg. To be honest i had never seen any thing like it he released eight ferrets between the bags of grain nothing happened for a while then we heard the squeals from the rats as the ferrets drove them out i have never seen so many the farmer gave me a stick they would run down the side of the roof not many got away as john had his terriers as well what the dogs did not get the farmer shot we ended up with over a hundred rats what a day i had. The farmer gave us a few bob for helping and it was not the last time i went to that farm ferreting they were great days ones that i sadly miss . unfortunately john died with kidney failure at a young age but life has to go on but i still have my memories of those days long ago.
Well a bit more latter.
I used to love walking the lanes when i was a youngster i am sure our summers were better than today i would walk miles birds nesting. The banks down the lanes would be full of flowers the smell of the honey suckle was quite overpowering the wild life was every where you looked a lot was down to the war as there was no gamekeeper's for a few years so the wild life flourished. I never took the eggs, out of the nests, we found i would mark them down in a book Sam taught me to do that i used to collect but SAM always said look and leave them where they are i could not understand his reasoning as he had a big collection him self when i asked him he said they were collected when he was young i don't collect any more .
The days seemed a lot longer in those days i would be away all day fishing all i took with me was half a loaf of bread and some maggots i spent hours fishing stokesay pool, it was full of Rudd i would float fish between the weed beds they were huge to us young lads you could not get your hands around them and there colour was beautiful. Occasionally we would hook a pike, but we lost most i can remember landing one it was seven pounds the farmer weighted it on his antiquated scales, he would of killed it but i stopped him i suppose he would of ate it. But i gently put it back and watched as it swam away we would fish till nearly dark our parents knew we were quite safe they were really heady days i met another lad when i was fishing his name was john we became quite friendly over the coming months would i like to come ferreting, he asked i certainly would we arranged to meet the following morning he headed straight to the farm and into the granary he said we are ferreting rats, god it really was something to remember the old farmer came with his gun a double barreled four ten tie yer trousers legs with some string he said stops um running up your trouser leg. To be honest i had never seen any thing like it he released eight ferrets between the bags of grain nothing happened for a while then we heard the squeals from the rats as the ferrets drove them out i have never seen so many the farmer gave me a stick they would run down the side of the roof not many got away as john had his terriers as well what the dogs did not get the farmer shot we ended up with over a hundred rats what a day i had. The farmer gave us a few bob for helping and it was not the last time i went to that farm ferreting they were great days ones that i sadly miss . unfortunately john died with kidney failure at a young age but life has to go on but i still have my memories of those days long ago.
Well a bit more latter.
In reply to Post #420
Great story Pete, and one I can relate to as a youngster.
You are right, the days did seem longer and the weather better during those times.
Little or no cars about when walking through the country lanes, with all the widlife about and the smell of the wild flowers.
Great memories!!
Keep up the good work mate!!
Great story Pete, and one I can relate to as a youngster.
You are right, the days did seem longer and the weather better during those times.
Little or no cars about when walking through the country lanes, with all the widlife about and the smell of the wild flowers.
Great memories!!
Keep up the good work mate!!