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Golf club crows; .....buzz off !!
Topic Started: 7th September 2006 - 10:03 PM (181 Views)
photopro
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"Where are you Hawkeye?" I asked knowing the stroppy sod was on location shooting (evident since he was on his mobile)
"I'm in Bilsdale" came the reply "With Monkey Hanger"
He went on to tell me he had started shooting about midday and was going to stay until it got dark. Quite a long day !! I knew the answer to the question I was going to ask him before I spoke.
"I promised you a crow shoot on the golf course and I am going tomorrow morning do you want to come ??"
"Depends if I can get up in the morning" was the reply but I knew he wouldn't.
So it was just me who set out in the still dark early morning.
I let myself in via the "Tradesman's Entrance" using my own key. It's typical three years ago I couldn't talk about shooting crows on the course. Now I am actively encouraged to do it and given my own key to the premises.
I spoke to the treasurer the other day and he said "We are very lucky we have got you because we know we can trust you" it's a funny old world isn't it ??
Anyway I've drifted off the subject. Parking my wife's 4x4 Freelander outside the greenkeeper's workshops, I unpacked all the gear. Decoys, camo net, new shotgun crow call - wait a minute where's the crow call ? Oh ! Sod it I haven't brought the crow call. Ah well I'll have to do without. So loaded with tackle (minus one piece) I headed for one of the course refuges. These are little shelters built from slats of rustic poles intended to shelter upto 4 people in the event of heavy rain. The crows are used to them so they are great for shooting from. The one I had chosen backed onto the river and some large riverside trees, facing an open fairway. I quickly put the decoys out, a mix of crows and woody shells and the got to work on the camo net. The shelter meant I needed only two poles with the net in the front edge of the shelter. A simple draped net of about 5ft behind which I could hide and be comfortably seated - brilliant. I thought I'd gone deaf at one point then I realised Hawkeye wasn't with me !! *lol*
I put the first three cartridges into the Benelli and waited.
What happened next was not in the script.
I heard a number of crows perched high above me and I leaned forward ready to take a shot, a fly on my left caught my attention - no not a fly it's a wasp. Then another and another and another and another - what's going on here ?
I had inadvertently setup the hide VERY close to a wasp's nest, the wasps now becoming entangles in the camo folds. "OH SH1T" !! I muttered to myself as if to emphasize the point. *aaaa*
The crows were cawing loudly and I had a decision to make, stay and potentially have a wasp swarm to contend with or move and frighten off the crows?
I decided to move. Wasps were entangled in the net folds as I was moving the poles, fortunately I didn't get stung. I hurriedly resited the net 10 metres or so away and crouched behind it, cursing the fact I hadn't brought my shooting seat - well I didn't need it did I ?
Minutes later the first crow spiralled down to the pattern and as it feathered to land I fired the first ever shot through the Benelli. The black marauder crumpled without a flicker to the sound of nigh on 100 Canada geese taking flight behind me. I was well chuffed !!
I continued shooting and hit four more, this number could and should have been higher but the gun jammed on me twice - more on that in a minute. The pattern was primarily setup to attract crows but several pigeons thought it attractive enough to land inside it. It was their lucky day though since they aren't on my quarry list for the golf club.
It was now approaching 7.30am and some early bird golfers had started to appear so it was time to call it a day. I always get asked - very nervously - if I've shot anything and today was no different. The guy asking must have recognised me and finished the question with "Oh it's you" to his obvious relief.
I arrived home within about three minutes and I was keen to find out why the gun had jammed. The Benelli takes only seconds to dis-assemble and it was quite obvious upon inspection what the problem was. As the cartridges feed from the tube mag they line up with the end of the barrel but are still at about 30 degrees. The leading edge of the cartridge slides along the chamber which deflects the shell into the barrel pushed by the bolt. The chamber looked like it had been lacquered or maybe thinly plastic coated, probably to protect it during the camo finish process. Some of this coating had already been worn off, but the remainder wasn't smooth. I took some "T-cut" used on automotive paint and rubbed off the remainder. Then I polished it - fixed !! Benelli should have done this but never mind job done.
All in all I like the gun, I will change the fore-sight bead though to a larger fibre optic version, Benelli's offering is way too small. (American Truglo or HiVis are on the list have you used these Hunter?)

*crow*

photopro
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Danger Mouse
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Resident Sea Fishing and Pest Control expert

So apart from the little bit of "honing" work that you have had to do, how do you like the gun mate? :)
Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that who cares? ....... He's a mile away and you've got his shoes!

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hawkeye
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CROW & FOX Killer BUT scared SHITLESS of DAREBEAR

What time did you start i had every intention of turning up but was so knackered after last night banging bunnies i slept through the alarm.
It didnt waken me till 5-45 am it was still bloody dark,
why dont you get them to close the course for the day and tell them you have the bestest crow KILLER in the North East waiting to sort the problem out.... -HB- -HB- ***crylaugh*** **spam** *aaaa* -Eat Lead- -Eat Lead- -Eat Lead-

Why dont we have any crow smilies on this site then ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
MIKE

Hawkeye the noooooooooooo



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photopro
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Will that do you ?? *good* Unique to Hunter World !!

photopro
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hawkeye
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CROW & FOX Killer BUT scared SHITLESS of DAREBEAR

photopro
Sep 7 2006, 10:37 PM
Will that do you ?? *good* Unique to Hunter World !!

photopro

looks good make it bigger if you can :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
MIKE

Hawkeye the noooooooooooo



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photopro
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Subtle - That's S-U-B-T-L-E !! :)
Smileys are generally only a few Kb's in size otherwise you can have issues with loading and playing. They also take up large amounts of text space in postings if they get too big.

photopro
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hawkeye
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CROW & FOX Killer BUT scared SHITLESS of DAREBEAR

photopro
Sep 7 2006, 11:54 PM
Subtle - That's S-U-B-T-L-E !! :)
Smileys are generally only a few Kb's in size otherwise you can have issues with loading and playing. They also take up large amounts of text space in postings if they get too big.

photopro

OK i only asked :o :o :o :o
MIKE

Hawkeye the noooooooooooo



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