In reply to Post #789
What a day cold and wet i was with the syndicate the rain came down most of the morning and it was freezing at times but they managed to shoot i got stuck with the car i could not get up the bank to the car park it was a sheet of ice the woods were dank and dark in fact i never saw much wild life at all the peasants did not really want to fly although one or two were shot we called it a day around dinner time i felt really sorry for the few duck i saw they were having a lean time finding food to eat if this weather carries on to long i can see a complete ban on all duck shooting
a few years ago i would have been out and about when it got dark and would be poaching a few birds and such for christmas i have done it in all weathers but did not like the snow as the keeper could tell you had been there foot prints were a give away a few spots of blood it all added up to poachers, and they would be out looking for you so usually when we had those conditions i just stayed at home Another thing was the lack of geese we had some big skeins in the last couple of months but they have now vanished gone to pastures new maybe the availability of food is better, but they will be back. The guns do not usually shoot ground game ie rabbits, but today was an exception and one or two made up the bag they certainly were not wasted and were all taken to be eaten.
The pools were still frozen not a fisherman in sight but if it keeps on raining it wont be long before we see the pike anglers back i was talking to the syndicate leader to day and he said pike up to twenty pounds had been caught but no bigger specimens but they are certainly in the place, he said that quite a few jacks had been caught . they are the future of the sport on this old lake when i was a young man graham and i could catch as many as fifteen on a sunday morning with some very decent fish gracing our nets , they say its not like that any more how things change over the years, i can remember when the pike championships were held on the lake i think that was in the eighties and some reasonable fish were caught . well that's it for now more latter
What a day cold and wet i was with the syndicate the rain came down most of the morning and it was freezing at times but they managed to shoot i got stuck with the car i could not get up the bank to the car park it was a sheet of ice the woods were dank and dark in fact i never saw much wild life at all the peasants did not really want to fly although one or two were shot we called it a day around dinner time i felt really sorry for the few duck i saw they were having a lean time finding food to eat if this weather carries on to long i can see a complete ban on all duck shooting
a few years ago i would have been out and about when it got dark and would be poaching a few birds and such for christmas i have done it in all weathers but did not like the snow as the keeper could tell you had been there foot prints were a give away a few spots of blood it all added up to poachers, and they would be out looking for you so usually when we had those conditions i just stayed at home Another thing was the lack of geese we had some big skeins in the last couple of months but they have now vanished gone to pastures new maybe the availability of food is better, but they will be back. The guns do not usually shoot ground game ie rabbits, but today was an exception and one or two made up the bag they certainly were not wasted and were all taken to be eaten.
The pools were still frozen not a fisherman in sight but if it keeps on raining it wont be long before we see the pike anglers back i was talking to the syndicate leader to day and he said pike up to twenty pounds had been caught but no bigger specimens but they are certainly in the place, he said that quite a few jacks had been caught . they are the future of the sport on this old lake when i was a young man graham and i could catch as many as fifteen on a sunday morning with some very decent fish gracing our nets , they say its not like that any more how things change over the years, i can remember when the pike championships were held on the lake i think that was in the eighties and some reasonable fish were caught . well that's it for now more latter
In reply to Post #790
The red fox
A few more stories regarding my favorite animal over the years i have put so much time in studying and watching this beautiful animal i have took many people with me to watch this rogue of the countryside success in watching foxes depends on a number of factors but the most important thing is patience and varies a lot depending on the time of the year , i have observed foxes all times night and day but you must have some knowledge about his way of life also wind direction and the paths he takes, summer is a good time to be out fox watching i have watched them early morning night and day time but they are much more active around late April may June July the vixen is kept very busy feeding the young cubs, by the end of may it become much more difficult to watch and film the cubs in the daytime as they will emerge latter in the evening.
most fox cubs are born in a disused rabbit hole that has been enlarged by the vixen but first lets look at the the environment within the hedge they live in most hedge rows are full of vegetation with a number of plants and insects you have the humble dog rose the hawthorn tree blackberry bushes dock leaves climbing ivy the nettles voles, will burrow in the leaf mold and live in the bank hidden within the vegetation wood mice will clime among the lower branches of the trees the squirrel has his nest high above in the old oak that grows within the hedge row and small birds will nest in the trees shrews are also also seen hurrying along there tunnels in the vegetation also you will see the tunnels of the badger set and the rabbit holes can all be found in the shelter of a country hedge, it supports a number of vegetarians from beetles to the scavenger magpie and they all occupy different positions within the hedge row this is the environment the vixen likes to rear her young. the vixen will also be able to catch and kill a number of ground rearing bird to feed her young the partridge the pheasant the fox will kill any thing which is available it is a blood thirsty killer if he gets to the farmers chicken he does not just kill one but the lot by biting there heads off, if she has cubs she may take two or three she knows how much she and her cubs need to survive he is also a lamb eater and can do severe damage to some of the hill farmers but he is a lovable old fellow and the country side would be a sad place without him, most of what i have written is my own observations i have spent hours following and watching this splendid animal one thing that will kill the fox without man being the culprit is mange a cruel disease where there fur of the coat comes out and is caused by parasites i have seen them completely bald and had severe bleeding on there bodies from scratching i have shot these animals on sight and have buried them immediately, as if a domestic dog gets any where near it can catch this horrible disease.. well that's a bit more about my favorite animal. i know its not fishing i just like to share my experiences of the country side with you all
The red fox
A few more stories regarding my favorite animal over the years i have put so much time in studying and watching this beautiful animal i have took many people with me to watch this rogue of the countryside success in watching foxes depends on a number of factors but the most important thing is patience and varies a lot depending on the time of the year , i have observed foxes all times night and day but you must have some knowledge about his way of life also wind direction and the paths he takes, summer is a good time to be out fox watching i have watched them early morning night and day time but they are much more active around late April may June July the vixen is kept very busy feeding the young cubs, by the end of may it become much more difficult to watch and film the cubs in the daytime as they will emerge latter in the evening.
most fox cubs are born in a disused rabbit hole that has been enlarged by the vixen but first lets look at the the environment within the hedge they live in most hedge rows are full of vegetation with a number of plants and insects you have the humble dog rose the hawthorn tree blackberry bushes dock leaves climbing ivy the nettles voles, will burrow in the leaf mold and live in the bank hidden within the vegetation wood mice will clime among the lower branches of the trees the squirrel has his nest high above in the old oak that grows within the hedge row and small birds will nest in the trees shrews are also also seen hurrying along there tunnels in the vegetation also you will see the tunnels of the badger set and the rabbit holes can all be found in the shelter of a country hedge, it supports a number of vegetarians from beetles to the scavenger magpie and they all occupy different positions within the hedge row this is the environment the vixen likes to rear her young. the vixen will also be able to catch and kill a number of ground rearing bird to feed her young the partridge the pheasant the fox will kill any thing which is available it is a blood thirsty killer if he gets to the farmers chicken he does not just kill one but the lot by biting there heads off, if she has cubs she may take two or three she knows how much she and her cubs need to survive he is also a lamb eater and can do severe damage to some of the hill farmers but he is a lovable old fellow and the country side would be a sad place without him, most of what i have written is my own observations i have spent hours following and watching this splendid animal one thing that will kill the fox without man being the culprit is mange a cruel disease where there fur of the coat comes out and is caused by parasites i have seen them completely bald and had severe bleeding on there bodies from scratching i have shot these animals on sight and have buried them immediately, as if a domestic dog gets any where near it can catch this horrible disease.. well that's a bit more about my favorite animal. i know its not fishing i just like to share my experiences of the country side with you all
In reply to Post #791
We used to fish a lake a few miles from my home i cant name the place as it is now syndicate when i fished the place it was very over grown but it was fringed with lilies and really held some very good fish we first fished the lake in the late seventies middle eighties at that time no one had got permission the land owner would not let any one on the estate although i approached him the answer was always the same no. so we poached the place it was very difficult as it was very much a shooting estate and was very heavily keeper the keeper would walk around the lake with his gun most days so when we fished we were very much on edge and always alert and ready to hide the tackle and run.
we decided the best time to fish was in the evenings maybe night on a Friday as the chances were the keeper would be at the local pub if i remember right the hair rig had just gone public as the lake had not been fished before we started to put a little bait in often a mixture of bread layers mash and maize i bought the maize from a local mill my brother in law was the foremen so i managed to get it a bit cheaper i would soak it a few days then boil it up adding a bit of salt then i would let it stand for a few days it smelt bloody awful but in it would go half a bucket at a time as well as the bread and layers mash. The first night we fished we blanked not a touch we were away before eight as we did not want to be discovered.
The next Friday could not come quick enough we caught nine fish between us the biggest was eighteen pounds plus the smallest twelve but good fish , all caught on hair rigged maize it worked, as i said to graham if it works for the bream it will do for carp as we had caught some very big bream on the bait over the last few months funny really we had not seen any one else using it on any other waters we fished. we slaughtered that lake using it the biggest carp was just over twenty pounds. But we were getting a bit worried about being discovered how on earth can you not leave signs that some one had been fishing the place, we had also caught some very big eels on worm most were between four and five pounds i really loved the place it was in the middle of a wooded valley there were pheasants every where you looked the estate must of put thousands down and i think at the time there was four or five keepers looking after the birds. We did not want to over stay our welcome so come the end of august we decided to pull off the partridge shooting was about to start and we were seening more and more keepers going about there duty feeding the pheasents there was a big pen not far from where we were fishing and i certainly did not want to be caught so we were away hoping to return the following year we caught over 60 carp from that old lake in the time we were there we took the chance and it worked it was good fishing but there was a lot bigger fish in the place than we had caught i really wanted permission i knew the head keeper and decided i would ask him the answer was no if i catch e on there ill shoot yer then he smiled he knew i had been a bit of a jack the lad come un see us after the shooting when april . so can i go please we will see he says i wunner touch your birds i say all he did was laught see y in april. well thats a bit more ill tell you more about that lake latter and what happened the following year
We used to fish a lake a few miles from my home i cant name the place as it is now syndicate when i fished the place it was very over grown but it was fringed with lilies and really held some very good fish we first fished the lake in the late seventies middle eighties at that time no one had got permission the land owner would not let any one on the estate although i approached him the answer was always the same no. so we poached the place it was very difficult as it was very much a shooting estate and was very heavily keeper the keeper would walk around the lake with his gun most days so when we fished we were very much on edge and always alert and ready to hide the tackle and run.
we decided the best time to fish was in the evenings maybe night on a Friday as the chances were the keeper would be at the local pub if i remember right the hair rig had just gone public as the lake had not been fished before we started to put a little bait in often a mixture of bread layers mash and maize i bought the maize from a local mill my brother in law was the foremen so i managed to get it a bit cheaper i would soak it a few days then boil it up adding a bit of salt then i would let it stand for a few days it smelt bloody awful but in it would go half a bucket at a time as well as the bread and layers mash. The first night we fished we blanked not a touch we were away before eight as we did not want to be discovered.
The next Friday could not come quick enough we caught nine fish between us the biggest was eighteen pounds plus the smallest twelve but good fish , all caught on hair rigged maize it worked, as i said to graham if it works for the bream it will do for carp as we had caught some very big bream on the bait over the last few months funny really we had not seen any one else using it on any other waters we fished. we slaughtered that lake using it the biggest carp was just over twenty pounds. But we were getting a bit worried about being discovered how on earth can you not leave signs that some one had been fishing the place, we had also caught some very big eels on worm most were between four and five pounds i really loved the place it was in the middle of a wooded valley there were pheasants every where you looked the estate must of put thousands down and i think at the time there was four or five keepers looking after the birds. We did not want to over stay our welcome so come the end of august we decided to pull off the partridge shooting was about to start and we were seening more and more keepers going about there duty feeding the pheasents there was a big pen not far from where we were fishing and i certainly did not want to be caught so we were away hoping to return the following year we caught over 60 carp from that old lake in the time we were there we took the chance and it worked it was good fishing but there was a lot bigger fish in the place than we had caught i really wanted permission i knew the head keeper and decided i would ask him the answer was no if i catch e on there ill shoot yer then he smiled he knew i had been a bit of a jack the lad come un see us after the shooting when april . so can i go please we will see he says i wunner touch your birds i say all he did was laught see y in april. well thats a bit more ill tell you more about that lake latter and what happened the following year
In reply to Post #792
April came the next year and i visited the keeper he remembered me but said sorry the boss still does not want any one fishing the lake, it was like some one giving me a kick in the teeth i blurted out then ill bloody poach your lake he smiled and said go a head i wont kick you off, and gave me a wink but just keep an eye out for sir he rarely goes any where near the pool so you should be OK, ill tell my under keepers you will be fishing there pop to my house when you are going to be there and ill pop down and see you.
And so it was we really had the run of the place it was a very pretty place i suppose the lake was about ten acres and covered in lilies and bull rushes around the sides at the top end of the lake a small stream ran in and at the bottom was a dam it had been made out of stone many years before and was covered with grass, where daffodils and primroses grew it was absolutely beautiful and we could not wait until the 16 of june to come around we carried on baiting up a little bit often looking back about three times a week and also giving it a good scattering of maize they already knew what the maize was so i had no doubt they would be on it straight away.
The night finally arrived and graham and i set up in the same swim between some rhododendron bushes with two rods apiece i baited both my rods with maize graham was trying meat on one rod maize on the other the keeper called by to see if we were alright, before he went graham was in on the meat and managed to land a nice common of 17 pounds well it was a start and he had the next two all around the same size then it was my turn i managed a nice mirror of 18 pounds then i got broke by a much bigger fish by morning we had caught another two carp the biggest a 22 pounds common, falling to grahams rod , we had also caught some nice tench, i really did not know there were any in the place, the biggest going around six pounds, we had high hopes for the future we had seen much bigger fish showing but now it was time home as i did not want the owner to know we had been there we called at the keepers cottage and told him what we had caught and we would be back maybe next Friday he wished us well we could not wait untill the next week end, ill tell you more about this old estate lake latter
April came the next year and i visited the keeper he remembered me but said sorry the boss still does not want any one fishing the lake, it was like some one giving me a kick in the teeth i blurted out then ill bloody poach your lake he smiled and said go a head i wont kick you off, and gave me a wink but just keep an eye out for sir he rarely goes any where near the pool so you should be OK, ill tell my under keepers you will be fishing there pop to my house when you are going to be there and ill pop down and see you.
And so it was we really had the run of the place it was a very pretty place i suppose the lake was about ten acres and covered in lilies and bull rushes around the sides at the top end of the lake a small stream ran in and at the bottom was a dam it had been made out of stone many years before and was covered with grass, where daffodils and primroses grew it was absolutely beautiful and we could not wait until the 16 of june to come around we carried on baiting up a little bit often looking back about three times a week and also giving it a good scattering of maize they already knew what the maize was so i had no doubt they would be on it straight away.
The night finally arrived and graham and i set up in the same swim between some rhododendron bushes with two rods apiece i baited both my rods with maize graham was trying meat on one rod maize on the other the keeper called by to see if we were alright, before he went graham was in on the meat and managed to land a nice common of 17 pounds well it was a start and he had the next two all around the same size then it was my turn i managed a nice mirror of 18 pounds then i got broke by a much bigger fish by morning we had caught another two carp the biggest a 22 pounds common, falling to grahams rod , we had also caught some nice tench, i really did not know there were any in the place, the biggest going around six pounds, we had high hopes for the future we had seen much bigger fish showing but now it was time home as i did not want the owner to know we had been there we called at the keepers cottage and told him what we had caught and we would be back maybe next Friday he wished us well we could not wait untill the next week end, ill tell you more about this old estate lake latter
In reply to Post #792
April came the next year and i visited the keeper he remembered me but said sorry the boss still does not want any one fishing the lake, it was like some one giving me a kick in the teeth i blurted out then ill bloody poach your lake he smiled and said go a head i wont kick you off, and gave me a wink but just keep an eye out for sir he rarely goes any where near the pool so you should be OK, ill tell my under keepers you will be fishing there pop to my house when you are going and ill come down and see you.
And so it was we really had the run of the place it was a very pretty place i suppose the lake was about ten acres and covered in lilies and bull rushes around the sides at the top end of the lake a small stream ran in and at the bottom was a dam it had been made out of stone many years before and was covered with grass, where daffodils and primroses grew it was absolutely beautiful and we could not wait until the 16 of june to come around we carried on baiting up a little bit often looking back about three times a week and also giving it a good scattering of maize they already knew what the maize was so i had no doubt they would be on it straight away.
The night finally arrived and graham and i set up in the same swim between some rhododendron bushes with two rods apiece i baited both my rods with maize graham was trying meat on one rod maize on the other the keeper called by to see if we were alright, before he went graham was in on the meat and managed to land a nice common of 17 pounds well it was a start and he had the next two all around the same size then it was my turn i managed a nice mirror of 18 pounds then i got broke by a much bigger fish by morning we had caught another two carp the biggest a 22 pounds common, falling to grahams rod , we had also caught some nice tench, i really did not know there were any in the place, the biggest going around six pounds, we had high hopes for the future we had seen much bigger fish showing but now it was time home as we did not want to out stay our welcome we called at the keepers cottage and told him what we had caught and we would be back maybe next Friday he wished us well we could not wait untill the next week end, ill tell you more about this old estate lake latter
April came the next year and i visited the keeper he remembered me but said sorry the boss still does not want any one fishing the lake, it was like some one giving me a kick in the teeth i blurted out then ill bloody poach your lake he smiled and said go a head i wont kick you off, and gave me a wink but just keep an eye out for sir he rarely goes any where near the pool so you should be OK, ill tell my under keepers you will be fishing there pop to my house when you are going and ill come down and see you.
And so it was we really had the run of the place it was a very pretty place i suppose the lake was about ten acres and covered in lilies and bull rushes around the sides at the top end of the lake a small stream ran in and at the bottom was a dam it had been made out of stone many years before and was covered with grass, where daffodils and primroses grew it was absolutely beautiful and we could not wait until the 16 of june to come around we carried on baiting up a little bit often looking back about three times a week and also giving it a good scattering of maize they already knew what the maize was so i had no doubt they would be on it straight away.
The night finally arrived and graham and i set up in the same swim between some rhododendron bushes with two rods apiece i baited both my rods with maize graham was trying meat on one rod maize on the other the keeper called by to see if we were alright, before he went graham was in on the meat and managed to land a nice common of 17 pounds well it was a start and he had the next two all around the same size then it was my turn i managed a nice mirror of 18 pounds then i got broke by a much bigger fish by morning we had caught another two carp the biggest a 22 pounds common, falling to grahams rod , we had also caught some nice tench, i really did not know there were any in the place, the biggest going around six pounds, we had high hopes for the future we had seen much bigger fish showing but now it was time home as we did not want to out stay our welcome we called at the keepers cottage and told him what we had caught and we would be back maybe next Friday he wished us well we could not wait untill the next week end, ill tell you more about this old estate lake latter
In reply to Post #1000
couldnt he just write a book
couldnt he just write a book
In reply to Post #794
well its very cold here last night was - 10 the poor birds are really struggling to survive in this weather i was down the woods with my syndicate yesterday and we noticed hundreds of pigeon on our the way. Trying to feed on the frozen turnip tops i just hope to god its not going to be another one like we had in the eighties it killed so many pigeon, but a lot of other birds as well the wren blackbirds with lots of other small birds died because of the cold and lack of food, i have got so many on my feeding station gold finches green finches chaffinches sis-kins i have the lot and im feeding them twice daily and they clear it all , so they are starving so i urge every one to put a bit of food out for our feathered friends to insure that they will survive in this terrible weather.
the bye roads are a sheet of ice very bad to drive on i had a look at my beloved river rea and parts are already frozen over, the condover brook i used to poach all those years ago is also starting to get covered in ice i really wonder when it may end. So many of the animals that roam our country side rely on the small streams and rivers to drink the tree branches hang with a frosty covering that glistens in the suns rays the trees of the hedge rows and streams look like bleak statues against the white land scape no animals only tracks can be seen as i stand and watch the crows fly over head making for some woods far away to roast the night away.
the kingfisher in all her glory flashes by the only chance she will get is to catch from the faster water where it has not frozen she may pick a minnow in the swirling water that runs down the centre of the brook, which is incased in ice on either side, as i walk along the heron takes flight he looks like a prehistoric monster against the white back ground he has probably caught his meal for tonight a trout or gray-ling maybe a chub but things will get harder as the days go by and i really hope he survives this bitter weather and does not die.
as evening approaches flocks of field fairs pass over head a few lap wings are also seen where they go i do not know as i enter the woods by climbing the old style the same as i have done many times before, i disturb the fallow deer and i watch as they disappear into the the shadows of the wood leaving there tracks in the snow, it will soon be dark and i must head for home as the warmth of the house beckons me, but first i must call on my freind the farmer and have a cup of tea and talk about things of old that some will never see we were both born in the forties and we both have memories some are good some are not but we love to talk about our lives and what happened long ago more latter
well its very cold here last night was - 10 the poor birds are really struggling to survive in this weather i was down the woods with my syndicate yesterday and we noticed hundreds of pigeon on our the way. Trying to feed on the frozen turnip tops i just hope to god its not going to be another one like we had in the eighties it killed so many pigeon, but a lot of other birds as well the wren blackbirds with lots of other small birds died because of the cold and lack of food, i have got so many on my feeding station gold finches green finches chaffinches sis-kins i have the lot and im feeding them twice daily and they clear it all , so they are starving so i urge every one to put a bit of food out for our feathered friends to insure that they will survive in this terrible weather.
the bye roads are a sheet of ice very bad to drive on i had a look at my beloved river rea and parts are already frozen over, the condover brook i used to poach all those years ago is also starting to get covered in ice i really wonder when it may end. So many of the animals that roam our country side rely on the small streams and rivers to drink the tree branches hang with a frosty covering that glistens in the suns rays the trees of the hedge rows and streams look like bleak statues against the white land scape no animals only tracks can be seen as i stand and watch the crows fly over head making for some woods far away to roast the night away.
the kingfisher in all her glory flashes by the only chance she will get is to catch from the faster water where it has not frozen she may pick a minnow in the swirling water that runs down the centre of the brook, which is incased in ice on either side, as i walk along the heron takes flight he looks like a prehistoric monster against the white back ground he has probably caught his meal for tonight a trout or gray-ling maybe a chub but things will get harder as the days go by and i really hope he survives this bitter weather and does not die.
as evening approaches flocks of field fairs pass over head a few lap wings are also seen where they go i do not know as i enter the woods by climbing the old style the same as i have done many times before, i disturb the fallow deer and i watch as they disappear into the the shadows of the wood leaving there tracks in the snow, it will soon be dark and i must head for home as the warmth of the house beckons me, but first i must call on my freind the farmer and have a cup of tea and talk about things of old that some will never see we were both born in the forties and we both have memories some are good some are not but we love to talk about our lives and what happened long ago more latter
In reply to Post #796
Three weeks until Christmas. How it has changed over the years you don't hear the carol singers any more i would love to hear the singing . And watch the local ladies make the wreaths for the local green grocers shop we would as kids collect holly by the bag full and mistletoe growing wild and sell it to the shops it was ways of making a shilling a two. Out side the butchers would hang turkeys chickens pheasants rabbits hairs all for sale and by night most would have been sold it was a wonderful time of year, we would help one another what one had not got, the other did and we would share it out. When i was a bit older my parents never had to worry to much as i have said before i would be up the fields or woods and would bring home a few pheasants and rabbits our neighbors were always grateful i would go up to the plantation and get a Christmas tree i was caught doing this by the local squire and after giving me a good telling off allowed me to take it home and said in future come and see me before you cut anything down. Although the said gentlemen is now long gone i had quite a good relation ship with him he owned a pool on his property and allowed me to fish the place he had lost one off his sons in the war and really treated me well he did have a younger son but i did not meet him until some years latter.
it was quite a big shooting estate and the squire was the high sheriff off Shropshire but as i have stated he took a liking to me i fished that pool it was next to his house and i never saw any one else fishing there i would catch the roach and perch on the maggots that i had collected from the local abattoir, i was there one day and this fish jumped out in the pool it really startled me it was a carp and i intended to catch one and i did on float fished bread paste what a time i had trying to land it i had no net in those days sirs wife came at the same time i had it on , ill, go and get john he has a net hanging up in the house, well to cut a long story short down he came with this old net it looked more like a tennis racket but he landed it was only three pounds, but huge to me do you want to take it home he said no ill put it back. its the first time i have seen one caught my ancestors stocked the pool years ago mainly for eating but ill take a photo he came back with this old wooden camera and took a few shots i never did see the photos so perhaps they did not come out i returned the fish and i felt really proud of myself. i was there one day he said young fellow do you want to come shooting well beating i jumped at the chance ill have to come and see your parents first to make sure its OK with them. i was so exited they were all toffs and i could not believe my friend SAM was there the old keeper that had been so good to me and my parents he had shown me so many things. come on young UN he said yer can come with me today ill learn e the ropes and he did i walked through the under growth stick in hand up the pheasant got and you would hear the shots in the distance they collected the pheasants in an old cart pulled by a horse there were hundreds tied together in twos and hung on the side of the cart. at the end of the day sir came to see me and gave me ten bob bloody hell i had never been so rich it was a lot of money to me, SAM also gave me two brace for home would i like to come again i certainly would and snapped his hand off and so it was to be i went every Saturday from then on i had some marvelous days out but I'm afraid i still did a bit of poaching it was in my blood as my ancestors were livers of the the woods and lived on what they caught they were also fighters and would fight for any one who paid the most, money they won the family creast fighting in the holly land . well ill tell you a bit more latter
Three weeks until Christmas. How it has changed over the years you don't hear the carol singers any more i would love to hear the singing . And watch the local ladies make the wreaths for the local green grocers shop we would as kids collect holly by the bag full and mistletoe growing wild and sell it to the shops it was ways of making a shilling a two. Out side the butchers would hang turkeys chickens pheasants rabbits hairs all for sale and by night most would have been sold it was a wonderful time of year, we would help one another what one had not got, the other did and we would share it out. When i was a bit older my parents never had to worry to much as i have said before i would be up the fields or woods and would bring home a few pheasants and rabbits our neighbors were always grateful i would go up to the plantation and get a Christmas tree i was caught doing this by the local squire and after giving me a good telling off allowed me to take it home and said in future come and see me before you cut anything down. Although the said gentlemen is now long gone i had quite a good relation ship with him he owned a pool on his property and allowed me to fish the place he had lost one off his sons in the war and really treated me well he did have a younger son but i did not meet him until some years latter.
it was quite a big shooting estate and the squire was the high sheriff off Shropshire but as i have stated he took a liking to me i fished that pool it was next to his house and i never saw any one else fishing there i would catch the roach and perch on the maggots that i had collected from the local abattoir, i was there one day and this fish jumped out in the pool it really startled me it was a carp and i intended to catch one and i did on float fished bread paste what a time i had trying to land it i had no net in those days sirs wife came at the same time i had it on , ill, go and get john he has a net hanging up in the house, well to cut a long story short down he came with this old net it looked more like a tennis racket but he landed it was only three pounds, but huge to me do you want to take it home he said no ill put it back. its the first time i have seen one caught my ancestors stocked the pool years ago mainly for eating but ill take a photo he came back with this old wooden camera and took a few shots i never did see the photos so perhaps they did not come out i returned the fish and i felt really proud of myself. i was there one day he said young fellow do you want to come shooting well beating i jumped at the chance ill have to come and see your parents first to make sure its OK with them. i was so exited they were all toffs and i could not believe my friend SAM was there the old keeper that had been so good to me and my parents he had shown me so many things. come on young UN he said yer can come with me today ill learn e the ropes and he did i walked through the under growth stick in hand up the pheasant got and you would hear the shots in the distance they collected the pheasants in an old cart pulled by a horse there were hundreds tied together in twos and hung on the side of the cart. at the end of the day sir came to see me and gave me ten bob bloody hell i had never been so rich it was a lot of money to me, SAM also gave me two brace for home would i like to come again i certainly would and snapped his hand off and so it was to be i went every Saturday from then on i had some marvelous days out but I'm afraid i still did a bit of poaching it was in my blood as my ancestors were livers of the the woods and lived on what they caught they were also fighters and would fight for any one who paid the most, money they won the family creast fighting in the holly land . well ill tell you a bit more latter
In reply to Post #797
What a day yesterday . the lakes are still frozen despite the recent thaw we were out on the pheasant shoot when i was standing by the smallest of the lakes i noticed some idiot had walked across the centre of the lake i cant believe how some people play around taking these sort of risks it was an adult by the look of his foot prints, if he had fell through that would have been his end no way would he have got out it certainly was not any one in my syndicate. it could have been some one poaching but i very much doubt that as most poachers know the lay of the land and certainly would not take a stupid chance like that the said lake is quite deep why people take chances i really don't know. But it turned out quite a good day and i saw lots of mallard and teal flying around huge flocks maybe two or three hundred at a time there was a good showing of pheasant but not many shot owing to the lack of guns a few of my syndicate could not make it yesterday so it left us really short but the day was enjoyed by most they will all turn up next week for the Christmas's shoot as its sloe gin all around.
we saw a nice dog fox and i was very pleased to see, him he walked around the side of the lake on the ice and i watched him disappear into cover on the far side i am glad no one shot him as he really looked in good nick his red coat really stood out against the white back ground i think maybe it was the one i saw the other week that i told you all about, i like to see a couple around and would hate to see them all killed but alas he has such a bad reputation that on a good many estates around here he is shot on sight the farmers are none to keen on this old fellow of the woods but i love him and the country side would be a lot poorer without him.
As i stood yesterday i had a big flock of long tailed tits in the trees above me lovely little birds i would say there was a good fifty in the flock all looking for some tit bits to eat to keep them going in this cold weather just of late i have had some big flocks feeding on the nuts in my garden at least they can get a bit of protein down them to help keep them through the winter. By the amount of birds of every kind on the feeding station this morning there must be more hard weather on the way they really are feeding very heavy it is surprising what our little feathered friends can tell you. I had a look at the river severn this morning it is still partly frozen over in places and where it was free of ice all i could see was goo-sanders ,feeding on the small fry they fish all together and on counting them there was at least thirty they certainly want controlling as the amount of fish they eat is immense and those small fish are the future for our rivers the way its going the severn will soon have no fish in it what with all the other predators the problem is unless you are a fisherman no one else cares most people like to see the goo sanders otters and if you mention anything about a cull they are up in arms they really want educating as to the damage they can do . a little story about a chap that lives not far from my house he was always playing hell with my friend Rodger and ourselves for shooting foxes he would say leave them alone they have to live like all other animals but he soon changed when old foxy crept into his garden one night and killed the children's pet rabbits six in all he is now anti fox and cant stand them how people change when things affect them personally. well a bit more latter
What a day yesterday . the lakes are still frozen despite the recent thaw we were out on the pheasant shoot when i was standing by the smallest of the lakes i noticed some idiot had walked across the centre of the lake i cant believe how some people play around taking these sort of risks it was an adult by the look of his foot prints, if he had fell through that would have been his end no way would he have got out it certainly was not any one in my syndicate. it could have been some one poaching but i very much doubt that as most poachers know the lay of the land and certainly would not take a stupid chance like that the said lake is quite deep why people take chances i really don't know. But it turned out quite a good day and i saw lots of mallard and teal flying around huge flocks maybe two or three hundred at a time there was a good showing of pheasant but not many shot owing to the lack of guns a few of my syndicate could not make it yesterday so it left us really short but the day was enjoyed by most they will all turn up next week for the Christmas's shoot as its sloe gin all around.
we saw a nice dog fox and i was very pleased to see, him he walked around the side of the lake on the ice and i watched him disappear into cover on the far side i am glad no one shot him as he really looked in good nick his red coat really stood out against the white back ground i think maybe it was the one i saw the other week that i told you all about, i like to see a couple around and would hate to see them all killed but alas he has such a bad reputation that on a good many estates around here he is shot on sight the farmers are none to keen on this old fellow of the woods but i love him and the country side would be a lot poorer without him.
As i stood yesterday i had a big flock of long tailed tits in the trees above me lovely little birds i would say there was a good fifty in the flock all looking for some tit bits to eat to keep them going in this cold weather just of late i have had some big flocks feeding on the nuts in my garden at least they can get a bit of protein down them to help keep them through the winter. By the amount of birds of every kind on the feeding station this morning there must be more hard weather on the way they really are feeding very heavy it is surprising what our little feathered friends can tell you. I had a look at the river severn this morning it is still partly frozen over in places and where it was free of ice all i could see was goo-sanders ,feeding on the small fry they fish all together and on counting them there was at least thirty they certainly want controlling as the amount of fish they eat is immense and those small fish are the future for our rivers the way its going the severn will soon have no fish in it what with all the other predators the problem is unless you are a fisherman no one else cares most people like to see the goo sanders otters and if you mention anything about a cull they are up in arms they really want educating as to the damage they can do . a little story about a chap that lives not far from my house he was always playing hell with my friend Rodger and ourselves for shooting foxes he would say leave them alone they have to live like all other animals but he soon changed when old foxy crept into his garden one night and killed the children's pet rabbits six in all he is now anti fox and cant stand them how people change when things affect them personally. well a bit more latter
In reply to Post #798
A few years ago it would have been a very busy time of the year we would be out poaching any thing to make a bob or two maybe out at night shooting the humble rabbit or in the woods taking a few pheasants, it all helped ,for the family to have a great Christmas graham and myself and another friend also had turkeys cockerels and ducks to kill and truss we usually had about fifty turkeys and also the same for cockerels it was a long job we would be at it for at least three days feathering trusing the birds then we had to deliver to our customers but at the end of the day we made some serous money which really helped out over Christmas.
but i loved to be out and about whether it was dark or in the day i loved to ferret the hedge rows graham and his brother one side and myself the other side waiting with the gun for a bolting rabbit we shot hundreds like this and some times we caught or shot so many you could not carry them to the car so we would gut and hang them on the fence and return latter to pick them up we could make good money most were orders we had to fill any left were sold to a dealer in my home town. i would love to be out with the rim-fire rifle at night usually three of us would be together using two rifles and taking it in turns to shoot one would use the lamp while one shot the other would pick up we had some fantastic nights doing this and shot scores of rabbits. Some times not strictly legal as we would poach others land but we got away with it we did have a few escapes where the keeper had realized we were on his patch but we usually got away with it we have actually been lying in thick cover and the keepers have passed us by you could hear them talking also the police have been with them at times, as i said once before i have had a dog stand on top of me when lying in a ditch covered in brambles and listened to the Sgt talking to the keepers i could hardly breath in case i was discovered i suppose i lay there a good half hour listening to them discussing where i might be little did they know i was lying right under there feet, they were exiting times i loved the chase and to outwit the keepers was always a feather in your cap they knew it was us but could never prove it i have hid my gun in many different places and have retrieved it latter when all was quite. Some times i am reminded about my life of long ago by different people that can still remember my exploits i would love to do it all again i was asked the other day would i care to come out shooting one night a few years ago i would not have hesitated but im a bit to long in the tooth now and with my legs could not do the walking and it was all legal as he has permission but when i was younger it was all big estates no way could you get permission so you poached and took the chance. a bit more latter on about my life as jack the lad
A few years ago it would have been a very busy time of the year we would be out poaching any thing to make a bob or two maybe out at night shooting the humble rabbit or in the woods taking a few pheasants, it all helped ,for the family to have a great Christmas graham and myself and another friend also had turkeys cockerels and ducks to kill and truss we usually had about fifty turkeys and also the same for cockerels it was a long job we would be at it for at least three days feathering trusing the birds then we had to deliver to our customers but at the end of the day we made some serous money which really helped out over Christmas.
but i loved to be out and about whether it was dark or in the day i loved to ferret the hedge rows graham and his brother one side and myself the other side waiting with the gun for a bolting rabbit we shot hundreds like this and some times we caught or shot so many you could not carry them to the car so we would gut and hang them on the fence and return latter to pick them up we could make good money most were orders we had to fill any left were sold to a dealer in my home town. i would love to be out with the rim-fire rifle at night usually three of us would be together using two rifles and taking it in turns to shoot one would use the lamp while one shot the other would pick up we had some fantastic nights doing this and shot scores of rabbits. Some times not strictly legal as we would poach others land but we got away with it we did have a few escapes where the keeper had realized we were on his patch but we usually got away with it we have actually been lying in thick cover and the keepers have passed us by you could hear them talking also the police have been with them at times, as i said once before i have had a dog stand on top of me when lying in a ditch covered in brambles and listened to the Sgt talking to the keepers i could hardly breath in case i was discovered i suppose i lay there a good half hour listening to them discussing where i might be little did they know i was lying right under there feet, they were exiting times i loved the chase and to outwit the keepers was always a feather in your cap they knew it was us but could never prove it i have hid my gun in many different places and have retrieved it latter when all was quite. Some times i am reminded about my life of long ago by different people that can still remember my exploits i would love to do it all again i was asked the other day would i care to come out shooting one night a few years ago i would not have hesitated but im a bit to long in the tooth now and with my legs could not do the walking and it was all legal as he has permission but when i was younger it was all big estates no way could you get permission so you poached and took the chance. a bit more latter on about my life as jack the lad
In reply to Post #799
A Christmas long ago
It was snowing hard as i made my way to see SAM the old keeper who had befriended myself and my family i suppose i was about twelve years old the year was 1954 i wanted to take a card and thank him for all he had done for myself and the family the air was cold and still as i made my way up the fields the bitter wind had piled the snow into huge drifts you could not see the adjacent hedge rows they were covered in snow which looked more like cotton wool hanging from the sides of the hedges i pulled my coat around me as the wind whistled and bits of snow disappear down my collar of my coat making me shiver. i could see the woods in the distance you could see the smoke rising way above the trees from sam's tiny cottage deep in the woods.
i would get a warm welcome when i arrived and would get a place beside the roaring fire to warm my feet and hands but for now i struggled on the snow was not as bad in the woods. I made my way forward disturbing a squirrel who was grubbing about maybe for acorns that he had buried long ago a pheasant made me jump has he took flight and cleared the tree tops and it still snowed i eventually came into the clearing where Sam's cottage stood and knocked the door hello young un he said come on in. His wife came and gave me a big hug I'm glad yer come Ive got summat for you for Christmas's he gave me this box all wrapped up in brown paper dunna open that till Christmas day he said sit down there by the fire we will have a bite to eat his wife came with a big plate of home made bread with helpings of butter and cheese and big cups of tea, they really did spoil me with there kindness Ive got a couple of birds for you to take home for your parents should keep y filled up over Xmas he said . i have to go out in a minute to check the traps do you want to come did i i had my coat and boots on and we were away up the woods and then into the valley checking the traps he had set for rats stoats and weasels and squirrels any caught he would take home with him and then skin the animals, the pelts were sold to a company called Horace friend he would send dozens of pelts it was the keepers tip, but only got pennies back for all his hard work, but i loved this old man and his way of life . He also fed the birds throwing large quantities of grain onto the strawed rides in the woods there were hundreds of pheasant scratching about in the straw looking for the corn to eat by the time we got back it was nearly dark ill come home with e he said i don't want anything happening to you on the way home falling down or getting lost, ill be alright SAM but he would have none of it and delivered me to my door and after chatting to my mother was away home i was cold and tired but the smell of mother baking kept me awake it was Christmas day tomorrow and it was still snowing but as i felt the warmth of the fire i felt content, what a day i had with my friend SAM. more to come latter
A Christmas long ago
It was snowing hard as i made my way to see SAM the old keeper who had befriended myself and my family i suppose i was about twelve years old the year was 1954 i wanted to take a card and thank him for all he had done for myself and the family the air was cold and still as i made my way up the fields the bitter wind had piled the snow into huge drifts you could not see the adjacent hedge rows they were covered in snow which looked more like cotton wool hanging from the sides of the hedges i pulled my coat around me as the wind whistled and bits of snow disappear down my collar of my coat making me shiver. i could see the woods in the distance you could see the smoke rising way above the trees from sam's tiny cottage deep in the woods.
i would get a warm welcome when i arrived and would get a place beside the roaring fire to warm my feet and hands but for now i struggled on the snow was not as bad in the woods. I made my way forward disturbing a squirrel who was grubbing about maybe for acorns that he had buried long ago a pheasant made me jump has he took flight and cleared the tree tops and it still snowed i eventually came into the clearing where Sam's cottage stood and knocked the door hello young un he said come on in. His wife came and gave me a big hug I'm glad yer come Ive got summat for you for Christmas's he gave me this box all wrapped up in brown paper dunna open that till Christmas day he said sit down there by the fire we will have a bite to eat his wife came with a big plate of home made bread with helpings of butter and cheese and big cups of tea, they really did spoil me with there kindness Ive got a couple of birds for you to take home for your parents should keep y filled up over Xmas he said . i have to go out in a minute to check the traps do you want to come did i i had my coat and boots on and we were away up the woods and then into the valley checking the traps he had set for rats stoats and weasels and squirrels any caught he would take home with him and then skin the animals, the pelts were sold to a company called Horace friend he would send dozens of pelts it was the keepers tip, but only got pennies back for all his hard work, but i loved this old man and his way of life . He also fed the birds throwing large quantities of grain onto the strawed rides in the woods there were hundreds of pheasant scratching about in the straw looking for the corn to eat by the time we got back it was nearly dark ill come home with e he said i don't want anything happening to you on the way home falling down or getting lost, ill be alright SAM but he would have none of it and delivered me to my door and after chatting to my mother was away home i was cold and tired but the smell of mother baking kept me awake it was Christmas day tomorrow and it was still snowing but as i felt the warmth of the fire i felt content, what a day i had with my friend SAM. more to come latter
In reply to Post #800
Its been a happy life i have been on a journey i have fished shot watched wild life what more could i ask i am content and along the way i have met some great friends but the one that i learned most from was my old friend SAM the keeper, he knew the wild life inside out he could track any animal and tell you what it was he would take me birds nesting dunna take the eggs young he would say you, have seen the nest the eggs and the bird so that's enough hold it in your memory but he had a big collection himself it was huge he had collected since he was a youngster but not any more he just liked to watch and look when he died i think the collection must have gone to a museum it was so vast but he was in a job that allowed him to collect such things another thing he used to collect was bugs and butterflies hundreds all under glass and in draws he had collected since he was a young boy he really was a fascinating man. i would be out with him in the woods he would say young un you have three things that are important to you in your life your eyes ears and nose, and in his profession it certainly was im sure he heard thing i did not most keepers have a good eye sight and SAM would sit hours alone in the dark watching for poachers no torches he knew those woods back to front in fact they could be dangerous times as the poachers some times worked in gangs especially around Christmas time.
Although Sam was an old man to me he was only probably in his fifties but i think he was quite capable and could look after him self he had a couple of scars down his face i asked him one day what had caused them he did not want to talk about it but after some time he said fighting, its part of the job y knows not as bad to today as when i was a young man i got slashed with a chain catching some poachers, then i knew he could look after himself it was a lonely job out all hours and the pay was not that much but at least he had a cottage to live in. I loved to sit in that house in the evenings with a roaring fire in the grate and oil lamps for lights they would cast shadows on the walls and would make you feel all warm inside and out, he had some stuffed animals foxes owls hawks and such, all in glass cases i was not to keen on the foxes, as i was only a youngster and in the poor light they looked quite fearsome but Sam would reassure me and say its all in yer head youngan they wunner hurt e they be dead, and he was right no animal will hurt e in my woods or any woods its only a human y has to look out for, and that was good information as he was right. I have been out with him and he has said listen, listen to what Sam do e hear that, what that be a deer , and we would lie down and out of the trees a big old deer would appear with a big head of ankle-rs, his an owd un he would say, He was amazing but what he taught me has helped me through my life. i loved to listen to his tales of long ago when he first became a young keeper at the age of fourteen and how he lived on the rearing fields in an old shed and looked after the broody hens that were all in , little pens and sitting on the pheasant eggs he was one of the old breed alas they have all gone now, we have only the the memories of these old keepers. well a bit more latter
Its been a happy life i have been on a journey i have fished shot watched wild life what more could i ask i am content and along the way i have met some great friends but the one that i learned most from was my old friend SAM the keeper, he knew the wild life inside out he could track any animal and tell you what it was he would take me birds nesting dunna take the eggs young he would say you, have seen the nest the eggs and the bird so that's enough hold it in your memory but he had a big collection himself it was huge he had collected since he was a youngster but not any more he just liked to watch and look when he died i think the collection must have gone to a museum it was so vast but he was in a job that allowed him to collect such things another thing he used to collect was bugs and butterflies hundreds all under glass and in draws he had collected since he was a young boy he really was a fascinating man. i would be out with him in the woods he would say young un you have three things that are important to you in your life your eyes ears and nose, and in his profession it certainly was im sure he heard thing i did not most keepers have a good eye sight and SAM would sit hours alone in the dark watching for poachers no torches he knew those woods back to front in fact they could be dangerous times as the poachers some times worked in gangs especially around Christmas time.
Although Sam was an old man to me he was only probably in his fifties but i think he was quite capable and could look after him self he had a couple of scars down his face i asked him one day what had caused them he did not want to talk about it but after some time he said fighting, its part of the job y knows not as bad to today as when i was a young man i got slashed with a chain catching some poachers, then i knew he could look after himself it was a lonely job out all hours and the pay was not that much but at least he had a cottage to live in. I loved to sit in that house in the evenings with a roaring fire in the grate and oil lamps for lights they would cast shadows on the walls and would make you feel all warm inside and out, he had some stuffed animals foxes owls hawks and such, all in glass cases i was not to keen on the foxes, as i was only a youngster and in the poor light they looked quite fearsome but Sam would reassure me and say its all in yer head youngan they wunner hurt e they be dead, and he was right no animal will hurt e in my woods or any woods its only a human y has to look out for, and that was good information as he was right. I have been out with him and he has said listen, listen to what Sam do e hear that, what that be a deer , and we would lie down and out of the trees a big old deer would appear with a big head of ankle-rs, his an owd un he would say, He was amazing but what he taught me has helped me through my life. i loved to listen to his tales of long ago when he first became a young keeper at the age of fourteen and how he lived on the rearing fields in an old shed and looked after the broody hens that were all in , little pens and sitting on the pheasant eggs he was one of the old breed alas they have all gone now, we have only the the memories of these old keepers. well a bit more latter
wow this is the first time i have looked at this thread and cant beleive what i have been missing BRILLIANT peter some great reading 
this is the first time i have looked at this thread and cant beleive what i have been missing BRILLIANT peter some great reading
In reply to Post #802
Thanks mark i have lived a very interesting life and have loved every minute of it thanks again for reading my stories and i am glad you enjoyed them
Thanks mark i have lived a very interesting life and have loved every minute of it thanks again for reading my stories and i am glad you enjoyed them
In reply to Post #1000
Amazing read Pete I've copied every thread written and will put into a word document to read on my iPad for when I'm at work
Amazing read Pete I've copied every thread written and will put into a word document to read on my iPad for when I'm at work