In reply to Post #436
In reply to Post #436
In reply to Post #436
And so it starts for those that don't know I love nature and I am dreading the coming Badger, cull in my own opinion it will not work I think they want 800 badgers, culled in the first six weeks, plus a further 1600, in the proceeding months it will not stop the disease only make it worse I have seen it before you kill and clear a place of its animals, then more will move in I have seen it happen with foxes, and magpies, Badgers live as a family I have watched Badgers, most of my life and can honestly say they are lovable creatures they have really thrived since they were protected . At one time interbreeding worried me but that has not happened they have tried ta cull before mass gassing in the counties of Devon, and Somerset, it did nothing to help there is no actual proof badger are spreading the disease I favour inoculation that the Badger, society are carrying out in Shropshire, it will take a bit to do but its worth a try I really feel for the farmers losing there cattle to this terrible disease it must be heart breaking but I think the way forward is inoculation the one big set not far from my home has been there for generations I used to love going down on a summers night to see them out feeding in the meadows they would be out worming we should not interfere with nature it is very fragile the Badgers should be left for future generations to enjoy this is only my thoughts others may not agree with what I say every one has there own opinion but I don't think killing this beautiful animal is the way forward.
Well the sun is shining but it is still very cold in that easterly breeze. graham and I will not be fishing until it warms up a bit we are going after the carp. And we are also going to have a go at the Barbel, when the season starts in June, it will do graham good to get out fishing again as he had a terrible few months last year but he is slowly getting there I usually get down the woods this time of year and also walk the hedge rows looking for any signs of fox cubs, the vixen will have them tucked up under some hedge but alas I can not walk like I used to so I shall have to give it a miss for the time being. well a bit more latter
A beautiful animal the Badger
And so it starts for those that don't know I love nature and I am dreading the coming Badger, cull in my own opinion it will not work I think they want 800 badgers, culled in the first six weeks, plus a further 1600, in the proceeding months it will not stop the disease only make it worse I have seen it before you kill and clear a place of its animals, then more will move in I have seen it happen with foxes, and magpies, Badgers live as a family I have watched Badgers, most of my life and can honestly say they are lovable creatures they have really thrived since they were protected . At one time interbreeding worried me but that has not happened they have tried ta cull before mass gassing in the counties of Devon, and Somerset, it did nothing to help there is no actual proof badger are spreading the disease I favour inoculation that the Badger, society are carrying out in Shropshire, it will take a bit to do but its worth a try I really feel for the farmers losing there cattle to this terrible disease it must be heart breaking but I think the way forward is inoculation the one big set not far from my home has been there for generations I used to love going down on a summers night to see them out feeding in the meadows they would be out worming we should not interfere with nature it is very fragile the Badgers should be left for future generations to enjoy this is only my thoughts others may not agree with what I say every one has there own opinion but I don't think killing this beautiful animal is the way forward.
Well the sun is shining but it is still very cold in that easterly breeze. graham and I will not be fishing until it warms up a bit we are going after the carp. And we are also going to have a go at the Barbel, when the season starts in June, it will do graham good to get out fishing again as he had a terrible few months last year but he is slowly getting there I usually get down the woods this time of year and also walk the hedge rows looking for any signs of fox cubs, the vixen will have them tucked up under some hedge but alas I can not walk like I used to so I shall have to give it a miss for the time being. well a bit more latter
A beautiful animal the Badger
In reply to Post #439
I have been putting new line on my reels so after forking out the money I will certainly be going fishing when the weather improves I shall start with the carp but will also be having a go at the Barbel, I love fishing on the river you do not know what you will catch i have had chub to over six pounds and barbell to twelve and a quarter not bad for the river Severn, I regularly caught over twenty Barbel, in an evening fishing until midnight most weighing between six and nine pounds it was exiting fishing, but owing to my walking problem I cant get to the swim I caught them in. I well remember leaving my friends daughter in charge of my rods the cattle were thrashing the cars some one had left the gate open to the car park what a mess. I managed to get the cattle out after they had thrashed a couple of cars on returning to the river the young lady was up to her knees in water rod held high with a good bend then he showed he threw him self up and back in with a splash it was a moonlight night the moon reflected off his flanks it was a big salmon, maybe twenty pound or so he had taken a halibut pellet I just managed to get to the lady when all went slack we had lost him I don't know who shook most me or her.
Nice Barbel
The one night I fished I lost a tremendous fish, I could not stop him in the fast water he went through the weed beds like a rocket eventually snagging him self, my two friend waded out with a net there lay a big carp, on his side they tried to get him in the net with the aid of a torch but it was not to be away he went I could not stop him he eventually shed the hook after taking yards of line in the fast water, talking to Andy after losing the carp he said it was well over twenty pounds but that's fishing some you win and some you loose it was wonderful fishing I tried fishing all night but never had much success I found between five pm and midnight you got the best results as well as the Barbel, we caught a good many Chub, mostly around four or five pounds they were nice deep bodied fish, with the odd one over six pounds.
Another nice fish
In those days I used to fish two rods ledgering with halibut pellet or maggot but found the latter caught the smaller fish, when I was younger you could catch big bags of roach and dace but they have now vanished it was great trotting a maggot down the river the float would dip and you were in another a nice dace, around half a pound they were easy to catch but as I said before to many predators today the big shoals have gone I know the answer but I dare not say as it may put the general public backs up they love to see the ducks, and one ducks, like another to them the merganser, has caused terrible damage here in in Shrewsbury and has decimated the roach and dace. well a bit more latter.
A nice chub
I have been putting new line on my reels so after forking out the money I will certainly be going fishing when the weather improves I shall start with the carp but will also be having a go at the Barbel, I love fishing on the river you do not know what you will catch i have had chub to over six pounds and barbell to twelve and a quarter not bad for the river Severn, I regularly caught over twenty Barbel, in an evening fishing until midnight most weighing between six and nine pounds it was exiting fishing, but owing to my walking problem I cant get to the swim I caught them in. I well remember leaving my friends daughter in charge of my rods the cattle were thrashing the cars some one had left the gate open to the car park what a mess. I managed to get the cattle out after they had thrashed a couple of cars on returning to the river the young lady was up to her knees in water rod held high with a good bend then he showed he threw him self up and back in with a splash it was a moonlight night the moon reflected off his flanks it was a big salmon, maybe twenty pound or so he had taken a halibut pellet I just managed to get to the lady when all went slack we had lost him I don't know who shook most me or her.
Nice Barbel
The one night I fished I lost a tremendous fish, I could not stop him in the fast water he went through the weed beds like a rocket eventually snagging him self, my two friend waded out with a net there lay a big carp, on his side they tried to get him in the net with the aid of a torch but it was not to be away he went I could not stop him he eventually shed the hook after taking yards of line in the fast water, talking to Andy after losing the carp he said it was well over twenty pounds but that's fishing some you win and some you loose it was wonderful fishing I tried fishing all night but never had much success I found between five pm and midnight you got the best results as well as the Barbel, we caught a good many Chub, mostly around four or five pounds they were nice deep bodied fish, with the odd one over six pounds.
Another nice fish
In those days I used to fish two rods ledgering with halibut pellet or maggot but found the latter caught the smaller fish, when I was younger you could catch big bags of roach and dace but they have now vanished it was great trotting a maggot down the river the float would dip and you were in another a nice dace, around half a pound they were easy to catch but as I said before to many predators today the big shoals have gone I know the answer but I dare not say as it may put the general public backs up they love to see the ducks, and one ducks, like another to them the merganser, has caused terrible damage here in in Shrewsbury and has decimated the roach and dace. well a bit more latter.
A nice chub
In reply to Post #440
The weather seems to be improving, its funny really when I was younger the weather made no difference to me I would be off fishing in the cold even the snow but as you get older you cant stand the colder weather its like night fishing we don't go any more and to be honest I have caught just as much in the day light. One of the best times to go is in the evening fishing until midnight especially on the river I have had some spectacular bags of barbell. the biggest I had came in the morning when the river was very high and coloured it took a bit of weight to hold bottom and I caught most down the side of the river that particular day I caught thirty two Barbel-in five hours it was fast and furious fishing.
A nice barbel from the severn
In the fifties i did lots of night fishing but that is when I poached the rivers for the trout, I loved to be out on a warm sultry night just myself and a rod, as I have said before a lot of the rivers were stocked after the war for the big estates, I had no trouble catching a few I loved to free line a nice red worm, and feel for the bite, I could catch twenty fish in a few hours. Times were hard after the war years the wages were very low and to get a decent wage you worked all hours so a few nice trout, were welcomed they were shared out between my parents and neighbours poaching became like a drug I could not leave it alone I liked the excitement and the rush of adrenaline if you were discovered and chased I loved it all you were always listening for any noise the snap of a twig, the bark of the dog, noise would travel at night when all was quite you would soon know if the bailiffs, or keepers, were around and you would be away at a run hiding your rod on the way I fell in the river a few times but I got away they were wonderful days no pressure like today no keep up with the joneses most people I knew led a modest life style and not much money.
A big barbell in the dark
There were two keepers that I had one or two encounters with old frank bell was one and the other was Gerry Hayes, both long gone but really good keepers plus there was the under keepers they were the old school frank died a few years ago but he is remembered for his excellent gun dog training he was well known throughout the counties of England but he was a hard man and came down on poaching very hard, and a few went to court over the years he would come down the field in full cry urging his dogs to find me on most occasions he had the police with him I would run the side of the river through the water and up a big old fir tree and there I stayed until it had quietened down I was lucky I never did get caught once by those old keepers but I had a few near escapes. well a bit more latter.
The woods behind Gerry the keepers house
The weather seems to be improving, its funny really when I was younger the weather made no difference to me I would be off fishing in the cold even the snow but as you get older you cant stand the colder weather its like night fishing we don't go any more and to be honest I have caught just as much in the day light. One of the best times to go is in the evening fishing until midnight especially on the river I have had some spectacular bags of barbell. the biggest I had came in the morning when the river was very high and coloured it took a bit of weight to hold bottom and I caught most down the side of the river that particular day I caught thirty two Barbel-in five hours it was fast and furious fishing.
A nice barbel from the severn
In the fifties i did lots of night fishing but that is when I poached the rivers for the trout, I loved to be out on a warm sultry night just myself and a rod, as I have said before a lot of the rivers were stocked after the war for the big estates, I had no trouble catching a few I loved to free line a nice red worm, and feel for the bite, I could catch twenty fish in a few hours. Times were hard after the war years the wages were very low and to get a decent wage you worked all hours so a few nice trout, were welcomed they were shared out between my parents and neighbours poaching became like a drug I could not leave it alone I liked the excitement and the rush of adrenaline if you were discovered and chased I loved it all you were always listening for any noise the snap of a twig, the bark of the dog, noise would travel at night when all was quite you would soon know if the bailiffs, or keepers, were around and you would be away at a run hiding your rod on the way I fell in the river a few times but I got away they were wonderful days no pressure like today no keep up with the joneses most people I knew led a modest life style and not much money.
A big barbell in the dark
There were two keepers that I had one or two encounters with old frank bell was one and the other was Gerry Hayes, both long gone but really good keepers plus there was the under keepers they were the old school frank died a few years ago but he is remembered for his excellent gun dog training he was well known throughout the counties of England but he was a hard man and came down on poaching very hard, and a few went to court over the years he would come down the field in full cry urging his dogs to find me on most occasions he had the police with him I would run the side of the river through the water and up a big old fir tree and there I stayed until it had quietened down I was lucky I never did get caught once by those old keepers but I had a few near escapes. well a bit more latter.
The woods behind Gerry the keepers house
In reply to Post #441
Its eighteen in Shropshire today has spring arrived at last. I took look at the forecast its going to be -2 again by the week end what ever is wrong I have never seen such weather in all my seventy years when I was young spring was a wonderful time of year the hedge rows, and woods, were full of nesting birds, the bottom of the woodland floor was a sea of yellow and blue with the primroses, and the blue bells, most of the farmers sheep, had now got lambs, and old foxy, and his lady friend had cubs, another year had started nature was so wonderful from the first of may you would see the nettles, and the road side flowers, covered in butterflies, the red admiral, and the tortoise shell, the large white, and small white, the common blue the lovely peacock, and many more where have they gone oh for the days of my youth when I could walk woodland and the lanes and see the hedgerows full of flowers, and the nesting birds you would find the robins nest tucked under the grassy bank beside the wood you would come across the rookery where old Sam shot the young for his pie, these were the days of my youth now a distant memory things have changed since then. we shared with our neighbors and friends left our back doors open and never got done we had very little for a thief to take but what we did have was respect and love for our fellow man we ate what we could afford we lived on rabbits and pheasants which were in abundance in those far off days.
one of the lakes I poached
I walked the rivers with rod on hand and poached the beautiful trout, I fished the estate lakes for Rudd, and roach, and if lucky catch the Tench, we also caught the carp, but most lakes did not hold carp only two to my knowledge I have told you about those lakes earlier in my stories, I would find the ducks, nest in the willows we would take a few home with us we did not take all they were lovely for breakfast we also ate the peewits, eggs they were nice but small but they helped us survive when the potatoes were ready in the fields we would be away buckets in hand and dig a root or two they were beautiful boiled and served covered in home made butter the farmer never missed a few he knew how hard life was most men in those days only earned eight pound a week if lucky farm labourers got less than that. well a bit more latter
A Tench from years ago I had some hair then
Its eighteen in Shropshire today has spring arrived at last. I took look at the forecast its going to be -2 again by the week end what ever is wrong I have never seen such weather in all my seventy years when I was young spring was a wonderful time of year the hedge rows, and woods, were full of nesting birds, the bottom of the woodland floor was a sea of yellow and blue with the primroses, and the blue bells, most of the farmers sheep, had now got lambs, and old foxy, and his lady friend had cubs, another year had started nature was so wonderful from the first of may you would see the nettles, and the road side flowers, covered in butterflies, the red admiral, and the tortoise shell, the large white, and small white, the common blue the lovely peacock, and many more where have they gone oh for the days of my youth when I could walk woodland and the lanes and see the hedgerows full of flowers, and the nesting birds you would find the robins nest tucked under the grassy bank beside the wood you would come across the rookery where old Sam shot the young for his pie, these were the days of my youth now a distant memory things have changed since then. we shared with our neighbors and friends left our back doors open and never got done we had very little for a thief to take but what we did have was respect and love for our fellow man we ate what we could afford we lived on rabbits and pheasants which were in abundance in those far off days.
one of the lakes I poached
I walked the rivers with rod on hand and poached the beautiful trout, I fished the estate lakes for Rudd, and roach, and if lucky catch the Tench, we also caught the carp, but most lakes did not hold carp only two to my knowledge I have told you about those lakes earlier in my stories, I would find the ducks, nest in the willows we would take a few home with us we did not take all they were lovely for breakfast we also ate the peewits, eggs they were nice but small but they helped us survive when the potatoes were ready in the fields we would be away buckets in hand and dig a root or two they were beautiful boiled and served covered in home made butter the farmer never missed a few he knew how hard life was most men in those days only earned eight pound a week if lucky farm labourers got less than that. well a bit more latter
A Tench from years ago I had some hair then
In reply to Post #442
The wild cherry,trees behind my house are covered in flower my old plum tree was the same but the frost killed the lot. THE buds on the trees are starting to unfold,blue bells,are out so spring is here at last but we still have that cold breeze graham and I went up to see the fishery that we have been given permission to fish,we saw a few come out they average around twelve pounds.
I am told he owner is putting a few really big carp in the water in the near future I am certainly looking forward to that he has had otters on the complex but there not there any more they have moved on he is going to fence all around the two lakes when talking to him a couple of weeks ago he had put an electric fence up which has helped matters I noticed we had a Canada goose sitting on eggs on one of the islands that is in the middle of the lake so I truly think the little furry animals have gone as they would have had the goose and eggs away.
I really cant wait to have a go at the carp, we were shown a nice photo of a carp,caught last week it was well into double figures so maybe next week graham and I will be having a go on this pretty lake,I will be quite happy being there whether I catch or not the owner has given us permission to park the car next to the lake so there will be no walking we are both in our seventies our minds are willing but our bodies are not it will be the first time we have fished this lake so it will be quite interesting roll on next week. God there are some sort of otters around I was told they are going to release more otters on the river Rea and build more Holt's it was told me by a man that's in the know I was a bit annoyed and told him so. If they do the river will be dead it presently stocked with trout and grayling and a few nice chub and roach it looks to me they are still releasing the otter in some areas.
When I was young I walked the river Rea I was about seventeen and had just acquired my first twelve bore shot gun the ministry of agriculture and fisheries would give you free cartridge if you shot any cormorants or wood pigeon I can remember being sent mine they were coloured white funny really they asked you to shoot the vermin in those days but not today its all changed to many do gooders that don't understand the counry side. well a bit more latter.
The wild cherry,trees behind my house are covered in flower my old plum tree was the same but the frost killed the lot. THE buds on the trees are starting to unfold,blue bells,are out so spring is here at last but we still have that cold breeze graham and I went up to see the fishery that we have been given permission to fish,we saw a few come out they average around twelve pounds.
I am told he owner is putting a few really big carp in the water in the near future I am certainly looking forward to that he has had otters on the complex but there not there any more they have moved on he is going to fence all around the two lakes when talking to him a couple of weeks ago he had put an electric fence up which has helped matters I noticed we had a Canada goose sitting on eggs on one of the islands that is in the middle of the lake so I truly think the little furry animals have gone as they would have had the goose and eggs away.
I really cant wait to have a go at the carp, we were shown a nice photo of a carp,caught last week it was well into double figures so maybe next week graham and I will be having a go on this pretty lake,I will be quite happy being there whether I catch or not the owner has given us permission to park the car next to the lake so there will be no walking we are both in our seventies our minds are willing but our bodies are not it will be the first time we have fished this lake so it will be quite interesting roll on next week. God there are some sort of otters around I was told they are going to release more otters on the river Rea and build more Holt's it was told me by a man that's in the know I was a bit annoyed and told him so. If they do the river will be dead it presently stocked with trout and grayling and a few nice chub and roach it looks to me they are still releasing the otter in some areas.
When I was young I walked the river Rea I was about seventeen and had just acquired my first twelve bore shot gun the ministry of agriculture and fisheries would give you free cartridge if you shot any cormorants or wood pigeon I can remember being sent mine they were coloured white funny really they asked you to shoot the vermin in those days but not today its all changed to many do gooders that don't understand the counry side. well a bit more latter.
In reply to Post #443
been playing catch up tonight pete , cracking write ups mate . keep it up 
been playing catch up tonight pete , cracking write ups mate . keep it up
In reply to Post #444
Thanks Ralph glad you still like them
Thanks Ralph glad you still like them
In reply to Post #443
What a week end i had woke up Saturday morning with pains in feet ankles and wrists it turns out I had got severe gout I am just getting over it now I could not even change gear in the car, lovely weather and that's how it turned out for me so I never really went far well to be truthful I could not walk or get my shoes on as you get older every thing seems to drop apart I am 71 years old on the twenty sixth of this month and have really had a good life so I should not moan.
When I was a nipper I would be out from dawn till dusk fishing dominated my life and not all legal not far from where I lived there was a trout pool the owners had stocked for there own use and for friends it was full of rainbows with a few browns times were hard I would be about fifteen at the time I watched that pool for weeks it was looked after by the keepers the one keeper was not past having a few trout himself I decided the way forward was night lines I would use a rod to cast out cut the line which had already been baited with a couple of juicy lob worms cut the line and Tye it to a peg and bury it I would put out anything between eight or nine lines they would be set in the dark I would be back at first light I caught loads but I became to confident and venturing out one morning they were waiting for me they had discovered my lines not only keepers, but there was a police, presence I had just got the one line in when I was startled by a shout stay where you are you cannot get away I see the police car in the lane leading to the pool, I ran up through the wood I could hear the dogs, in the distance and the occasional shout.
I got out onto the field and saw the blue land rover in the distance it was the old Sgt I jumped a ditch looking back they were gaining on me there was a little brook a field away in I went up to my neck in water there was a tunnel that went under the road in I went and that were I stayed Io could hear them talking in the distance god I was cold I was soaked to the skin I could hear the whine of the dogs I just hoped they did not enter the tunnel I decided to follow the tunnel and get out onto the field the far side I crept out and ran up the hedge row and onto the main road I managed to get home I had a wash and went to bed it was not long before there was a knock on the door it was the Sgt is he in beryl in bed said mum and he has been there all night that's one night in my long life. well a bit more latter.
What a week end i had woke up Saturday morning with pains in feet ankles and wrists it turns out I had got severe gout I am just getting over it now I could not even change gear in the car, lovely weather and that's how it turned out for me so I never really went far well to be truthful I could not walk or get my shoes on as you get older every thing seems to drop apart I am 71 years old on the twenty sixth of this month and have really had a good life so I should not moan.
When I was a nipper I would be out from dawn till dusk fishing dominated my life and not all legal not far from where I lived there was a trout pool the owners had stocked for there own use and for friends it was full of rainbows with a few browns times were hard I would be about fifteen at the time I watched that pool for weeks it was looked after by the keepers the one keeper was not past having a few trout himself I decided the way forward was night lines I would use a rod to cast out cut the line which had already been baited with a couple of juicy lob worms cut the line and Tye it to a peg and bury it I would put out anything between eight or nine lines they would be set in the dark I would be back at first light I caught loads but I became to confident and venturing out one morning they were waiting for me they had discovered my lines not only keepers, but there was a police, presence I had just got the one line in when I was startled by a shout stay where you are you cannot get away I see the police car in the lane leading to the pool, I ran up through the wood I could hear the dogs, in the distance and the occasional shout.
I got out onto the field and saw the blue land rover in the distance it was the old Sgt I jumped a ditch looking back they were gaining on me there was a little brook a field away in I went up to my neck in water there was a tunnel that went under the road in I went and that were I stayed Io could hear them talking in the distance god I was cold I was soaked to the skin I could hear the whine of the dogs I just hoped they did not enter the tunnel I decided to follow the tunnel and get out onto the field the far side I crept out and ran up the hedge row and onto the main road I managed to get home I had a wash and went to bed it was not long before there was a knock on the door it was the Sgt is he in beryl in bed said mum and he has been there all night that's one night in my long life. well a bit more latter.
I really enjoy your write ups pete, keep them coming, always gives me a smile and a good think of when i was a teenager, makes me want to get out in the countryside, but you can't walk your dogs in some places without people thinking your hunting, but love to still hear about it all, keep at it and good luck.
In reply to Post #447
Thanks so much William I am glad you like my stories it makes it all worth while pete
Thanks so much William I am glad you like my stories it makes it all worth while pete
In reply to Post #448
More of please, Pete...Gout...Urgh. Not nice.
More of please, Pete...Gout...Urgh. Not nice.
In reply to Post #449
Thanks ken its been bl terrible could not walk to the car in two feet and ankles then wrist ill pop a bit more on latter pete
Thanks ken its been bl terrible could not walk to the car in two feet and ankles then wrist ill pop a bit more on latter pete
In reply to Post #446
To my mothers disgust I always carried a ferret in my shirt I would take every opportunity to catch a couple for food as in those days times were hard in the early fifties before myxomatosis there were literally hundreds of rabbits it was nothing to go up the fields and catch two or three they were really sort after in those days it was the only meat we had. We had it in a pie roasted or a stew it kept us going. You really had to keep your eyes open as you were trespassing some of the estates had full time rabbit catchers the money made was pumped back into the estate the rabbits would be sent to Birmingham or London I used to see hundreds sent by train to these locations.
Well I was a bit of a jack the lad I learned at a very young age how to get a pheasant, or two I would watch the big shoots in the area I would hide and watch the gentlemen and ladies shoot, they would shoot hundreds any that came down in the under growth were I was hidden would be in my bag I used an old sack to carry the birds until I was given a post office bag I carried everything in that bag nets for rabbiting, fishing, tackle when in use. lets get back to the shoot I would laugh to myself when the gun shouted to the keeper bird, down he would not find it I had already had it some of my mates would say you are going to get caught one of these days luckily I never did but i had a few near misses one such estate was not far from my home I should have known better I went down in to the woods in broad daylight found the feed ride I caught the birds, quite easily with a fishing hook, tied to some line with a big sultana or current on the hook, suppose I got to greedy I had caught about six birds when I heard the keeper shout and he was not by himself god did I run have you tried running with a bag on your back full of birds, I climbed an old ivy tree and hid the bag amongst the ivy leaves then I was away there were open field surrounding the wood that I would have to cross. I was half way across the field when I heard stop or ill shoot and he did the pellets flew over my head I just made it to cover god I was frightened I lay there shaking come on out they were shouting more pellets ricochet off the trees above were I lay.
The feed ride
I really thought this was it I managed to crawl out and flew across the ditch that surrounded the wood there was an obsolete firing range not to far were I was I made it to there and dived under some old sand bags and covered myself completely I could just see out i watched as a blue and white police land rover, crossed the field funny they never came to look at the firing range I stayed there for four hours I collected my birds latter I made my way home changed I knew we would get a visit from the sgt, we did about an hour latter where have you been today young man here I said I could not help smiling he could not prove any thing but it was a bit near for comfort I made sure that would not happen again but of course it did which I will tell you about latter.
The beautiful cock bird
To my mothers disgust I always carried a ferret in my shirt I would take every opportunity to catch a couple for food as in those days times were hard in the early fifties before myxomatosis there were literally hundreds of rabbits it was nothing to go up the fields and catch two or three they were really sort after in those days it was the only meat we had. We had it in a pie roasted or a stew it kept us going. You really had to keep your eyes open as you were trespassing some of the estates had full time rabbit catchers the money made was pumped back into the estate the rabbits would be sent to Birmingham or London I used to see hundreds sent by train to these locations.
Well I was a bit of a jack the lad I learned at a very young age how to get a pheasant, or two I would watch the big shoots in the area I would hide and watch the gentlemen and ladies shoot, they would shoot hundreds any that came down in the under growth were I was hidden would be in my bag I used an old sack to carry the birds until I was given a post office bag I carried everything in that bag nets for rabbiting, fishing, tackle when in use. lets get back to the shoot I would laugh to myself when the gun shouted to the keeper bird, down he would not find it I had already had it some of my mates would say you are going to get caught one of these days luckily I never did but i had a few near misses one such estate was not far from my home I should have known better I went down in to the woods in broad daylight found the feed ride I caught the birds, quite easily with a fishing hook, tied to some line with a big sultana or current on the hook, suppose I got to greedy I had caught about six birds when I heard the keeper shout and he was not by himself god did I run have you tried running with a bag on your back full of birds, I climbed an old ivy tree and hid the bag amongst the ivy leaves then I was away there were open field surrounding the wood that I would have to cross. I was half way across the field when I heard stop or ill shoot and he did the pellets flew over my head I just made it to cover god I was frightened I lay there shaking come on out they were shouting more pellets ricochet off the trees above were I lay.
The feed ride
I really thought this was it I managed to crawl out and flew across the ditch that surrounded the wood there was an obsolete firing range not to far were I was I made it to there and dived under some old sand bags and covered myself completely I could just see out i watched as a blue and white police land rover, crossed the field funny they never came to look at the firing range I stayed there for four hours I collected my birds latter I made my way home changed I knew we would get a visit from the sgt, we did about an hour latter where have you been today young man here I said I could not help smiling he could not prove any thing but it was a bit near for comfort I made sure that would not happen again but of course it did which I will tell you about latter.
The beautiful cock bird