In reply to Post #401
Hi Pete,
I remember my dad telling me about wearing brown paper under his trousers too !! thought he was mad at the time !! personally i have worn ladies tights under my uniform when i did my stint in the falklands !! there were a godsend let me tell you !
Another great read Pete.
Cheers,
Paddy.
Hi Pete,
I remember my dad telling me about wearing brown paper under his trousers too !! thought he was mad at the time !! personally i have worn ladies tights under my uniform when i did my stint in the falklands !! there were a godsend let me tell you !
Another great read Pete.
Cheers,
Paddy.
In reply to Post #401
Just found this thread by accidently clicking on it. loved reading your stories pete, sounds like you have led quite a life! Reading your comment of how your mate said he can no longer do the walks he loved to do reminds me of my granddad. He used to always go fishing with me and my brother when we were boys and walking through the countryside explaining to us the trees, birdlife and animals, now after his 3rd stroke he can barely go outside - sucks getting old, but at least you still have your memories and are able to share with others. Its amazing hearing stories of the past, as its hard to imagine what people like you and my granddad went through
Just found this thread by accidently clicking on it. loved reading your stories pete, sounds like you have led quite a life! Reading your comment of how your mate said he can no longer do the walks he loved to do reminds me of my granddad. He used to always go fishing with me and my brother when we were boys and walking through the countryside explaining to us the trees, birdlife and animals, now after his 3rd stroke he can barely go outside - sucks getting old, but at least you still have your memories and are able to share with others. Its amazing hearing stories of the past, as its hard to imagine what people like you and my granddad went through
In reply to Post #402
Thank you both for your kind remarks i will carry on with this thread about 1963 its really snowing here so i have a bit of time on my hands thanks again i am glad your enjoying my stories it makes it all worth while. best wishes pete
Thank you both for your kind remarks i will carry on with this thread about 1963 its really snowing here so i have a bit of time on my hands thanks again i am glad your enjoying my stories it makes it all worth while. best wishes pete
In reply to Post #401
From memory it started to thaw but it was short lived it started to snow once again and it came with a vengeance the wind blew and it piled the snow in drifts 10 to fifteen ft deep further away from our home there was rumors that there were drifts twenty ft deep i can remember digging the sheep out of the snow they had come down from the top ,of the hills and lay behind the hedgerows i was only around 21 years old i had never experienced snow and cold like this the main thing was to keep warm our Boots had dubbing rubbed all over to keep the damp and water out as i have said we used brown paper under our clothes to keep the heat in and spats on our legs from the boots up we would dig into drifts five ft deep to get the animals out it was really hard work but you helped one another in those days it amazed me how the sheep survived but they did they were warm as toast when buried when we had found most they were taken down to the farm and put in the barn with plenty of straw but after the snow came the cold east winds and did it freeze it froze the diesel in the lorries, the milk in the churns froze solid, i would be sent to get the doctor, for a prescription, it was around five miles from our house i would walk on top of the snow most of the way it was really hard and i struggled through the drifts but it was my job to see our family were safe and well you never thought about it you just got on with the job but when i arrived back i would be tired and hungry but i still had jobs to do like fetching the water from the well it never froze as it was very deep usually i would bring about five buckets back that would keep us going for the night my young brother in law would help then it was feed the chickens and clear the snow our work never ended there was always wood to chop to fire up the boiler for the weekly wash which usually was done on a Monday it was oil lights until the electricity came which it did and made a big difference to us in this weather.
I really think my in laws thought it was a miracle to have lighting after so many years using oil lights it was a big improvement but things got worse the boughs of the trees snapped of with the weight of the snow and ice we lived actually on the side of a mountain it was a beautiful place in summer but in winter it was dreadful it became quite hairy we were running out of coal there was no way we could get more so we decided that one or two trees had to go we would walk with snow over our knees eventually we would arrive at the tree we wanted we used a big cross cut me one end and the brother in law the other, after sawing half way the tree would just snap of the frost had frozen the pith solid but it kept us in fuel after thawing out in the shed, it gave us a bit of heat mixed with the coal with a bit of supplementary food we managed my mother inlaw would bake the bread with flower she had put by, you could not get any bread from the shop. a bit more latter
From memory it started to thaw but it was short lived it started to snow once again and it came with a vengeance the wind blew and it piled the snow in drifts 10 to fifteen ft deep further away from our home there was rumors that there were drifts twenty ft deep i can remember digging the sheep out of the snow they had come down from the top ,of the hills and lay behind the hedgerows i was only around 21 years old i had never experienced snow and cold like this the main thing was to keep warm our Boots had dubbing rubbed all over to keep the damp and water out as i have said we used brown paper under our clothes to keep the heat in and spats on our legs from the boots up we would dig into drifts five ft deep to get the animals out it was really hard work but you helped one another in those days it amazed me how the sheep survived but they did they were warm as toast when buried when we had found most they were taken down to the farm and put in the barn with plenty of straw but after the snow came the cold east winds and did it freeze it froze the diesel in the lorries, the milk in the churns froze solid, i would be sent to get the doctor, for a prescription, it was around five miles from our house i would walk on top of the snow most of the way it was really hard and i struggled through the drifts but it was my job to see our family were safe and well you never thought about it you just got on with the job but when i arrived back i would be tired and hungry but i still had jobs to do like fetching the water from the well it never froze as it was very deep usually i would bring about five buckets back that would keep us going for the night my young brother in law would help then it was feed the chickens and clear the snow our work never ended there was always wood to chop to fire up the boiler for the weekly wash which usually was done on a Monday it was oil lights until the electricity came which it did and made a big difference to us in this weather.
I really think my in laws thought it was a miracle to have lighting after so many years using oil lights it was a big improvement but things got worse the boughs of the trees snapped of with the weight of the snow and ice we lived actually on the side of a mountain it was a beautiful place in summer but in winter it was dreadful it became quite hairy we were running out of coal there was no way we could get more so we decided that one or two trees had to go we would walk with snow over our knees eventually we would arrive at the tree we wanted we used a big cross cut me one end and the brother in law the other, after sawing half way the tree would just snap of the frost had frozen the pith solid but it kept us in fuel after thawing out in the shed, it gave us a bit of heat mixed with the coal with a bit of supplementary food we managed my mother inlaw would bake the bread with flower she had put by, you could not get any bread from the shop. a bit more latter
In reply to Post #405
I was not working for at least ten weeks we had to survive i would be away with another chap called Dougie he had been brought up in hill country and knew the lay of the land, we would be up the small tracks struggling over snow drifts but the one thing on our minds was pheasants he had a small black terrier he would be under the hedge rows and snow he shifted a few pheasants we would shoot a few then move on the only trouble with a gun it could be heard miles away i would say to Dougie the keepers will be after us if we are not careful he would answer in broad Shropshire they wanna catch us i knows the area to well and to be honest he did the old gun he used was not the best it had seen better days the action was loose i said that gun of yours has got a bit of a headache when he shot you would see sparks and loads of smoke god knows what cartridge he was using they were white in colour when i asked him he said they were used in the war i could not get any more out of him he offered me a few i declined the kind offer but he could shoot the old gun and it was rare for him to miss there was a piece of tin wrapped around the stock and made secure by screws ah he said that the stock split i repaired it with an old fruit tin giving me a smile and a wink, dust thee think we should go for a pint at the miners arms he said what about the guns and pheasants the landlord wanna worry his used to um we may even to be able to sell a brace to him i nos him well he said in broad Shropshire.
There was about six more at the pub drinking and playing tippet does e wont ago Pete, i declined a lot of money passed hands as i watched but it was nice to be in front of the roaring fire he had a big piece of oak lying on the stone floor he would push it further in the fire as it burnt he does not use logs here only big branches i can see that i said. He only had candles or oil lights for when it went dark, he would bring the beer in a big jug then pour it into your glass it was a cosy place but i was not unhappy when we left we will go over the moors to the valley should shoot a few long tailed uns, down there wont the snow be to deep on the moors, i said . Na he said we will go to the the farm if it gets to deep my grandad is bailiff on there but we should get through all right we did but it took some time the light was going as we entered the wood we managed another four between us we had ten brace they were a bit heavy to carry but i hung my share around my shoulders with a piece of binder twine we made our way home throught the snow it had started to freeze again the fire was a welcome sight and the birds would keep us fed for the next few days. A bit more latter
I was not working for at least ten weeks we had to survive i would be away with another chap called Dougie he had been brought up in hill country and knew the lay of the land, we would be up the small tracks struggling over snow drifts but the one thing on our minds was pheasants he had a small black terrier he would be under the hedge rows and snow he shifted a few pheasants we would shoot a few then move on the only trouble with a gun it could be heard miles away i would say to Dougie the keepers will be after us if we are not careful he would answer in broad Shropshire they wanna catch us i knows the area to well and to be honest he did the old gun he used was not the best it had seen better days the action was loose i said that gun of yours has got a bit of a headache when he shot you would see sparks and loads of smoke god knows what cartridge he was using they were white in colour when i asked him he said they were used in the war i could not get any more out of him he offered me a few i declined the kind offer but he could shoot the old gun and it was rare for him to miss there was a piece of tin wrapped around the stock and made secure by screws ah he said that the stock split i repaired it with an old fruit tin giving me a smile and a wink, dust thee think we should go for a pint at the miners arms he said what about the guns and pheasants the landlord wanna worry his used to um we may even to be able to sell a brace to him i nos him well he said in broad Shropshire.
There was about six more at the pub drinking and playing tippet does e wont ago Pete, i declined a lot of money passed hands as i watched but it was nice to be in front of the roaring fire he had a big piece of oak lying on the stone floor he would push it further in the fire as it burnt he does not use logs here only big branches i can see that i said. He only had candles or oil lights for when it went dark, he would bring the beer in a big jug then pour it into your glass it was a cosy place but i was not unhappy when we left we will go over the moors to the valley should shoot a few long tailed uns, down there wont the snow be to deep on the moors, i said . Na he said we will go to the the farm if it gets to deep my grandad is bailiff on there but we should get through all right we did but it took some time the light was going as we entered the wood we managed another four between us we had ten brace they were a bit heavy to carry but i hung my share around my shoulders with a piece of binder twine we made our way home throught the snow it had started to freeze again the fire was a welcome sight and the birds would keep us fed for the next few days. A bit more latter
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 
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