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Out Foxing Charlie 11

22/4/2017

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                      Out Foxing Charlie 11
                                           (Protecting The Flocks & More)

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Its Lambing time and as always I get the frantic calls from farmers, Come as fast as you can those murdering foxes and corvids are killing our lambs, it happens every year and this year was no different.

Actually that’s not quite correct it was a little different, you see its not out of the ordinary that the corvids attack and kill the day old lambs, its normally one or two of the crow types that start it and the others move in, that’s what its like around here, but this year it was different a huge mob of corvids had moved into the area, the local corvids had been having a running battle with them for ages a sort of turf war I suppose.

Now this new mob of around about 60 birds strong behaved out of the normal compared to our resident murder of corvids, these were very aggressive and very sneaky too compared to my local lot, as the day old lambs were being born they literally mobbed in killing the lambs and feasting on them, the poor Ewes were helpless to protect their young, so the farmers started keeping the lambs and ewes inside the sheds.
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I studied this big mob from a distance for a day or two, I wanted to try and get to know their habits flight lines etc, thus I decided on the day I would start my raid on this weary quarry, this was going to be a long range affair, I set up in the hay loft, I chose this place for several reasons, first it gave me warmth and shelter from the weather, second it was a great high vantage point to be able to see the nursery and lambing paddock, thirdly it also gave me great cover and a perfect back stop for shooting down onto this cunning quarry, I set up with the 17hmr for long range, the 22 rim fire for medium range and the Air Arms Galahad for short to medium range, this way I had all options covered, the air rifle was the perfect weapon as there were sitty trees 30 yards from my position, I could take them from the trees with ease if necessary and the rifles for out on the field. ​

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As you can see this was planned right down to the last detail he says, the corvids had killed a lamb half hour before I had got there and the farmer was shaking his head and very upset of course, I said leave the carcase were it is let me get in position and I will deal with each corvid in turn with a lead aspirin that will cure them of their addiction to live stock.​

Not even a minuet after the farmer walked away from the carcase the corvids were in on it making one hell of a racket, so much so they never heard my shots from the moderated 17hmr tucked away in the straw bails in the hay loft over 100 yards away, I fired 3 shots and killed 4 birds that’s when they realized something was up, they all hovered above the carcase in circles cawing at their very dead mates, that was until one decided to land and that was his mistake as he was added to the pile, corvids 0 Ole Hedge Creeper 5.
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Now they stayed in the air or landing in the trees way out of range, about 40 minuets went by and a pair landed in the trees 30 yards out, now we never gave away our position or even collected the dead ones so they never knew were we were sniping them from, I raised the Air Arms Galahad gave a mill dot of windage and a mill dot hold over and aimed for a head shot, I telle that pellet from this awesome Air Rifle sailed true and sounded like a cricket ball hitting a bat on this corvids head, that carrion never knew what hit it and his mate flew round in a circle cawing and landed back in the tree he was sat in, I carefully aimed squeezed the trigger and thwack nailed him too as he was shouting at his mate on the floor.​

I did not get to use the 22 rim fire this day as all the shots were out at a long range or in the sitty tree, but the 17hmr gave them corvids hell as did the Air Arms Galahad air rifle, what can I say about this day, we evened the score on these murdering corvids, Todays score Ole Hedge Creeper a pile of the corvids in the bag and 1 to them as they killed the lamb before I got there, I left one very happy farmer and some ewes and lambs feeling safer as they knew The Protector was their guarding the flock, The Protector is what the farmers wife nicked named me as she watched me in the hay loft she said I looked like a sniper protecting the flock, I shot there for several weeks and only lost 1 more lamb on my watch, instead of 7 or 8 a day when I was not there on duty.
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The first night out after the flock murdering Charlie foxes turned into a bit of a nightmare, now before I go any further I know its my fault I should of checked the gear before heading out.
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I had 3 rounds left of a batch of my favorite ammo, then I had to break open a new batch of the same ammo, as always I only use one round for all my foxing, that is the 58 grain Vmax from Norma, that bullet in my rifle is like a laser and is as flat as you can get it, me and my Browning 243 and that bullet have accounted for literally thousands of foxes over the years, its my tried and tested combo that coupled with either a Deben Lamp or a Night Master Venom scope mounted lamp or a NiteSite Eagle Rtec we literally are a deadly combination on the foxes.​

I put the first 3 foxes in the bag on a sheep station in quick order, using field craft and the NiteSite and squealed them in to shot range from 50 to a 100 yards, all pretty much text book shooting, I had to put my Jack Pyke moderator cover on too as I was getting glare back through the scope from the moderator, oh before I go any further I forget to mention, I always say to be any good with night vision you must first master the traditional lamping skills and field craft, I will pick up on this a little later in this article, right this is when disaster struck? I had used those 3 rounds and so when we got to the next farm that was having problems, I simply set the gun up as normal loaded up and carried on.


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The first fox was a big dog fox stalking his way around one of the lambing fields, this farm was also losing geese/duck and hens, I knew there were more than one fox here as I had a report that the white van man had dropped some foxes off in the farm next door not a week ago, I got in position got my Primos trigger sticks set just right, the wind was perfect coming from the fox to us, all set for a text book shot as this fox was coming right for us 80 yards out and coming, so I stayed quiet, he stopped and sat down and had a scratch, that was a mistake I was on him, I put the cross hairs on the engine room and squeezed off the shot, MISSED? What how the bloody hell did I miss that? I am only human it does happen but not normally inside a 100 yards.​

My wing man Nik could not believe it either, what happened? I don’t know I said? We both looked at each other in complete disbelief, Nik said you know the report didn’t sound quite right it was a bit dull almost like a 223 report, must have been a dodgy round we agreed it happens from time to time, bugger we just educated him what a shot is, he will be hard to get now, on we stalked a few fields over a vixen was sneaking around the hen houses about 50 yards out, I steadied myself cross hairs on the engine room she was mine, I squeezed off the shot she jumped about 12 feet in the air and ran off? What in gods name was going on and the report was defiantly muffled, the shot went right under her I saw the dust cloud go up behind her on the big bank that was acting as a perfect back stop.
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That’s it stop shooting something is wrong, I went home and checked the footage of both shots as I recorded them on the NiteSite Rtec, both shots fell very short of target, the next day I took the entire batch to the range almost 80 rounds, the best grouping I could get was about the size of a small dinner plate at 100 yards, that was 4 inches low at best with the grouping like I was using a shot gun, we tried them in a fellow shooters rifle just in case it was my rifle, nope his was worse, we then put in my normal 80 grain soft point Federal rounds and they were bang on the money at 100 yards 10 shots all inside a 2p grouping, I even checked the gun, measured the barrels checked the scope and the moderator too, no it was defiantly the 58 grain Vmax from Nora at fault.
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I was at the British Shooting show a few days later representing Pass It On Young Sports(www.pass-it-on-young-sports.ork.uk)for which I am the CEO, so would pop in and see Ruag in Cornwall and discuss it with them at the show, I did and I agreed to send what ammo I had left back to them for testing, I also spoke to Anders a lovely fellow from Norma Ammunition who was more than shocked at my findings, alas as I am going to print I have not heard back from Ruag now for nearly 8 weeks ,so I cant say what the problem was, my guess is the rounds are under loaded and I will report on this in the next article what their findings are when they finally get back to me.
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Back to the foxes, I tried some PPU ammo through the 243 whilst at the range and it worked and grouped perfectly, I thought lets give that a go on the foxes, they were a 100 grain soft point a bit of an over kill in my book for foxes but the price dictated these to be the better value.

Now as I said earlier to be good with night vision you must learn your craft and be good with the lamp and learn real field craft, for night vision is good but its still a sort of lamp so its no good relying on technology to fill the gaps in your short fall of knowledge, its only from time spent in the field making mistakes learning your craft practice on the range both day and night that you will improve and become more successful, you also must fully understand your quarry and how to track etc, I have written about this many times.

I started off with a heavy motor cycle battery in an old army gas mask bag with a motor bike head light as my lamp, many years ago now, how many of you can remember doing the same, the battery used to leak rot my cloths out and my bag too and it was a ghastly heavy affair, that coupled with a pile of rabbits or even a fox when hunting with my game keeper/farmer uncle got even heavier, so as you can see I learnt my traditional craft from the old masters and by trial and error and making mistakes.


One was always be aware of the wind for that can whip around and give your game away as fast as standing there with a flashing light on your head, back to the foxes we had to go back and deal with the missed foxes and this was not going to be easy I tell you that, those foxes were now educated to not only what a shot is but also what the dim glow of the IR on the NiteSite was, so I would have to use every ounce of my cunning and field craft to get on top of these now educated foxes.


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Nik and I got to high ground, I wanted to survey the valley and see what we were facing as farmer had reported seeing several foxes, I got my NiteSite spotter out and started the search, I picked up 6 foxes over the area, pairs and odd ones, we certainly were going to have our work cut out that was for sure, ahhh well lets get on with it as were not getting any younger stood there on that hill with the bitter cold wind blowing the cob webs away.

The first fox we saw out skirted us and stuck to the road hedge, not a safe shot anyway no back stop and a road behind it so we let that one go on undisturbed, we crossed into what we call the marsh paddock and immediately my 6th sense kicked in, lol a lot of the lads say I am like Crocodile Dundee in tune with nature as when I get that feeling something is going to happen, its never let me down and this time was no exception I telle, I put the spotter on and there was a big dog fox trotting back to his earth with what looked like a chicken in his chops.

I sprang into action mounted the 243 on to the trigger sticks steadied the rifle in my shoulder and turned on the NiteSite Eagle Rtec and pressed record, I gave him a rat squeak he stopped on the spot right at the bottom of the big bank, a perfect safe back stop were on, I squeezed off the shot and he dropped like a stone then got up and limped off into the ditch, Nik looked at me cockled as he was watching on the NiteSite Spotter, he said you hit him right in the engine room what happened? I said its ok he will be dead in the ditch lets go over.

I was right 20 yards from were I shot him he was dead as a door nail in the ditch with the bantam still in his jaws, as I feared these PPU bullets are too much bullet for fox, but alas this was all we had so we had to use them and this made me think I had better to do head shots, I don’t like head shots on deer or foxes, you see heads move engine rooms don’t, I have seen too many deer and indeed wounded foxes with folks taking head shots, I never have had it as I know my ability and I more than capable of taking head shots, but I choose not too out of respect for the animal who deserves a clean humane kill, but alas these bullets are hard hitting so head shots it is then.



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As we move around the large marsh grounds I pick up a vixen on her way back to the earth that I know was 200 yards behind not far from where I had shot that dog fox, knowing I was on her line back I set up on the trigger sticks and watched her come to me none the wiser I was there, Nik and I watched quietly on the NiteSite Eagle and Spotter 300 yards 200 yards at around 100 yards she froze and sat down looking straight at us, she knew something was not right, it was too late the cross hairs were on her and I had her card stamped, I instinctively shot for the upper bib as I always do on that shot forgetting I was using the PPU not my Norma 58 grain Vmax, I squeezed off the shot and that distinct dull thump of a perfectly executed engine room shot was heard, she dropped on the spot, then as always I wait for a few seconds just in case in the very rare occasion I have to use a follow up shot, she got up head hanging down and wobbled 20 yards and dropped stone dead on the spot, she was a dead fox walking as we say, only the adrenaline made her go that far, I have seen this with deer in the past.​

We walked over to see were we had shot her and why she was able to get up all be it only for a few seconds, the spot I had shot her on there was a lot blood loss with some heart and lung fragments on the floor, this was what I would expect, and when we walked over to retrieve the fox I simply could not believe she was able to stand for those few seconds with the wound damage, but there you go foxes are tougher than most folk realize, we retrieved both foxes back to the farmer who added them to the dead stock to be incinerated.
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We had to go as another farmer was on the phone saying come fast I have foxes attacking the day old lambs right now we have chased them off but they keep coming back, as it turned out I was only 2 miles as the crow flies from them so our response was rather quick, even the farmer said blimey you boys are fast on the call out, we both giggled and said ahhhh we are the fastest Pest Controllers in the West you know, did you not see our helicopter land, we all started laughing.
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We set up facing the main lambing field using the NiteSite spotter and Eagle, right away almost we picked up a fox and the bugger had a lamb in its jaws and was about to make off with it, I let out a loud whistle to make him stop, that was his last mistake as the cross hairs were already on him, I only need a second or 2 to get on target, this time I loaded my 80 grain Federal soft points in the rifle, he dropped stone dead on the spot, farmer dashed out as fast as he could as we could see the lamb was still moving, farmer took this lamb back to the lambing shed as it was in shock, quite rightly so after a fox had grabbed it, I don’t think the fox had time to kill it as we were on it so fast unlucky for the fox but very lucky for the lamb, the farmer revived the lamb put it under a heat lamp and bottle fed it, you know it made a full recovery with just a couple of tooth marks on it that the farmer put some purple spray on, hardy little things them lambs I telle, I must admit I was nearly in tears when I gave it a cuddle in the lambing shed later on that evening, you can see it in my eyes in the video if you look closely enough and hear it in my voice.
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Nik and I hung on keeping a watchful eye on the flock as farmer said there were 2 foxes attacking, I was just about to say lets call it a night when my 6th sense went off again, I whispered to Nik there’s a fox about here I telle I can feel it in my water, he smiled and said you and that spooky feeling you get freaks me out, all of a sudden the hairs stood up on the back of my neck and that cold chill ran down my spine, I froze on the spot saying its close very close, but we could see nothing on both NiteSite units.


Then I got that deep feeling in the bottom of my guts something was behind me, I pulled out my Night Master Venom with the green pill and had a quick shine around the nursing paddock we were stood in the gateway of, bugger me there was Charlie fox out flanking us not 60 yards to my six(directly behind me) I swung the rifle round still attached to my Primos Trigger Sticks whispering Fox behind to Nik, Nik never had time to see the fox as I dropped the sticks to the floor cross hairs on and BANG a perfect engine room shot right behind its left front shoulder, this big dog fox gave a little flick of its tail and that was it stone dead.​

Farmer came out from the lambing shed asking did you get it? Of course I said he is over there by the piggery, bloody good job too as that’s the bugger that’s been taking my piglets, so all in all a good night protecting the flocks and learning some new things too, as my Pappy always said those that proclaim to be an expert have a closed mind, you will learn something new every day and still not know enough if you live to be a 100 years old, we bid this very happy farmer good by after a well earned coffee in the farm house and headed home for some bacon sandwiches as it was 5am.
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A few days later I got called in on a rabbit clearance job, alas only my old friend Kevin was able to join me, this was a ferreting job on a huge open warren on a big hill adjacent to a crop field, the rabbits were causing one hell of a lot of damage to the freshly drilled crops thus why we were called in, I signed up this farm and the farm next door to a pest control contract for all vermin including the pigeon control, so that was the best part of another 1000 acres signed up to my pest control company and a lot of work there is there too.
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Kevin is my good mate and he keeps all mine and his ferrets at his place, we decided as there was only the 2 of us today we would net some of the warren, he would work the ferrets and deal with any netted rabbits and I would stand back on the hill side and shoot and bolting rabbits with my 410 shot gun, I had my beloved black Labrador Brook with me for marking the warrens and retrieving the rabbits and helping Kevin grab the netted rabbits.​

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We laid about a 100 or so nets and still did not have enough to cover this huge mega warren, time for a mid morning coffee and a sandwich to let the warren quiet down, Kevin popped the ferrets in and for a while nothing just the odd ferret popping up here and there, I have written about this many times as traditional ferreting is my real passion, as soon as the ferrets go to ground no other sound exists your ears locking on waiting for the Pug’s (ferrets) to make contact with the Drummers (rabbits) deep underground, you strain your ears to listen for those Viking war drums to start, 40+ years later this sound still makes my heart race and to a true ferreter they will know what I mean.

Then that eerie silence comes over the warren like all hell is about to break loose, almost like the calm before the storm, the first rabbit to bolt came as always from an unnetted hole, it matters not how many nets you lay you miss one hole and you can bet your last quid a rabbit will find the one without a net on it, this first rabbit was no exception, he bolted right across my right shoulder so with some feet movement Fred Astaire would have been proud of and a snap shot I bowled this big buck rabbit over with a clean right barrel of my little side by side 410, this is a sweet gun I bought for my daughter Shannon many years ago and she still gives me good service to this day, that was a good investment that little gun even though my daughter no longer uses her as Shannon prefers to hunt on horse back now days, Brook retrieved the rabbit to me in fine style then the rabbits really started to move as the ferrets had them on the run.


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Zorro my come to the whistle Hobb ferret, I have written about many times was going like the clappers, he went deep and moved the rabbits up a level and the gill ferrets Bolted them as the are as fast as lightning those gills, Brook and Kevin were dealing with rabbits in nest all over the mega warren as I was picking off the bolters with the 410, for almost an hour we had very near non stop action, then as fast as it started it stopped the ferrets came up showed no more interest in working the warren so we called it a day with a pile of fresh ferreted rabbits in the bag, the farmer was quite simply ecstatic with this first days efforts, we are going back to drop net many areas over the 2 farms as well as lamp it with the rifles, I will report on this in further articles or maybe my next lot of humble scribbles.
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I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have recounting it and writing it for you, please keep the emails and messages on social media coming in Greg and I do try to respond to you all but some do slip through the long net from time to time.

Cheers From THE OLE HEDGE CREEPER
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
www.reallywildadventures.co.uk
www.theoutpostshop.co.uk
www.countrymans-diry.co.uk
www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk
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All Hands To The Decks

11/4/2017

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       All Hands To The Decks
                   (As we Set Sail On Another Pass It On Young Sports Year)

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​As the title suggests, we launched the good Ship Pass It On Young Sports yet again back in February 2017, she is truly a mighty vessel and glorious in all her splendor, she had spent the winter docked in port in gods county of Somersetshire, for some repairs re stocking and preparing and training her crew for yet another year on the high seas inspiring the young sports and beyond.​

We set sail as always with The British Shooting Show set firmly on our port bow, I must say as the crew mustered to the call to arms as we brought this mighty ship about, her sheer magnificent beauty really stood out magnificently as the wind filled her sails and the Young Sports rallied to her flag, I say with a tear in my eye she really fills my heart with pride, for I captain this beloved ship, I have always commanded with one mission, the Young Sports and their education and inspiration must and will always come first.

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We must send a massive thank you to Peter and Eddie and the members of NVUK, they clubbed together and Donated Pass It On Young Sports £100, here they are in the seminar area at the BSS presenting me live on my stage show with the NVUK cheque, to find them look for NVUK on face book or twitter etc.
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We sailed right into the BSS Port with her sails filled with the wind at our backs and her flags and colors displaying for all to see, we docked at Stoneleigh Park and went ashore the crew eager to build our stand, I must say this year the BSS looked simply stunning, John & Annie and their crew had done a magnificent job, the atmosphere at the show was simply buzzing with excitement.

We met lots of old friends and made some new ones, we built our stand in record time and well what can I say she looked absolutely brilliant, I must admit its always a bit hit and miss job building our first stand of the year, but this year just went like clock work, and team PIOYS 2017 have really gelled too, we have a mix of old heads and some youth with us this year learning the ropes and passing on their skills etc.​

This year I was split between the exhibition area in hall 5 and our stand in hall 4, my team really stepped up to the plate as they had to cover the stand in my absence over the 3 days, I really must say mere words do not do my team justice, Greg was in charge of the technical side of things for me on stage in the exhibition area, whilst he did all the computer stuff the music running the big screens etc, I did what I do best and entertained the crowds for all 3 days in my slots in there and back on the stand.
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My ole mucker Jason Salkey and I at The British shooting show 2017, most will know Jason as Rifleman Harris from the awesome TV programme Sharp with Sean Bean and many other great actors and actresses in it too.
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One kid springs to mind, I had his big sister and some other kids learning how to use my game calls etc up on stage, I could see he was bursting to get up on stage with his sister, but his mum had him sat down with a warning don’t move a muscle, me being me noticing him and I love a kid with spirit said er Mum would the boy like to come up too, NO his Mum said in a stern voice he is a night mare, ahhhh he be reet Mum were country boys, he came up ran around kicked me on the leg and dismantled my deer call and ran off ahhhhhh, his Mum was so red faced and embarrassed, the crowd went into hysterics and I had tears running down my face laughing my head off, don’t ever work with kids or animals it turns into a comedy, it could not of gone any better as that’s entertainment, we had a standing ovation with cheers from the huge crowd we had attracted, the big sister was not happy though as she said he is so embarrassing he is always being a pain, I said get used to it kid you have a lifetime of having a spirited brother, absolutely brilliant I thought, I saw the family on our stand a few hours later and he was made to say sorry, through gritted teeth he did, I saw the twinkle in his eye his devil horns were pushing his halo off, I ruffled his hair gave him a cheeky wink like my Pappy would do to me and gave him and his sister a hand full of sweets out of our trick or treat jar, Mum would not stop saying sorry, I said tiz better to have a spirited kid than one who is a shy corner mouse Mother, I am not sure she agreed with me at all.
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We also did a meet the field sports stars on our stand from 1pm until 2pm each day, that was a huge hit and if you watch our video(at the bottom of this article) or look at the pics on our face book page you will see for yourself, I must send a massive thank you to Andy Crow (Crow Man) and his Family, Geoff Garrod and his family, Dave Carrie and His family, Terry Doe, Eddie Jones, Mick Garvey, Matt Manning, The Squirrel Hunter Crew and oh so many more sporting stars that came too, you made the young sports and their families and several disabled sportsmen's weekend I telle muckers, top drawer and proper job muckers for helping and supporting what we do.​

We finished the BSS 2017 high spirited and hearts full of heart tokens as we call them, the show was simply awesome and I cant thank team BSS enough, you guys and Gals did a brilliant Job, next year we will see you at the new venue of the NEC Birmingham and we cant wait I telle, We climbed back aboard ship lifted the anchor and dropped sails and headed back to my beloved West Country.


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The next show we set sail to and docked in was a local one, that is The West Of England Game and Country Fair, Held at The Royal Bath & West Show Ground in Shepton Mallet Somerset in early March 2017, as luck would have it one of our team lives in Shepton Mallet so we all crashed at Kevin’s House.

We got to our normal spot and set up as we always do, joining us this time was Pete Dodsworth from NVUK, his stand was a great addition as it was informative and helped explain the correct way to use night vision etc, this next to my NiteSite Stand with Nigel Jones (The every day hunter) helping me talk to the public about the awesome NiteSite system and spotters really were a massive draw, Chris Park was there with his ancient English knife making demo etc, all in all the stand looked simply stunning if I say so myself, oh and of course I was there book signing too all of my 6 books, all available from www.theoutpostshop.co.uk with all the money going to Pass It On young sports to help be able to put our Taster Days On.


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All the team did a brilliant job and our stand was literally rammed full of families young sports and fellow muckers all weekend, my main ring demos were a massive hit as I invited what started off to be 6 kids in the ring, but actually ended up being over 20 as they just kept coming and coming, Charlie Jacoby (field sports channel) calls me the pied piper of field sports, the kids came from all over the place to join me in the ring, so what started off as a simple game calling demo soon turned into an hilarious wildfowling/pigeon shooting corvid hunting demo with all the kids being the stars of the show, the crowd grew and grew around the ring and what was supposed to be a 20 minuet demo turned into an hour long stage show celebrating field sports with the kids as the main cast and me being master of ceremonies sat on a bale of straw.

I must say that is how I like my show a simple rough plan that can be built on, I like to educate inspire and entertain, you the punters of the show deserve that as that is one reason why you pay to go to a show not just go around a glorified car boot sale.
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The West Country Game fair is one of the finest shows in the country if I say so myself, the fact its what I call my home county show has nothing to do with it, I must congratulate Lisa and her team you guys did a brilliant job again this years, I say bring on 2018 I will see you there, the more muckers the better and don’t forget to bring your young sports too.


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The first taster day of the year as always was at Jackland’s Fishing Lakes near Nailsea in early April 2017, the sun shone glorious as This Mighty Ship Pass It On Young Sports sailed in to dock at port ready to set the day up, we had fly and course fishing/bush craft/archery and catapults, Air Rifle and Air Pistol shooting ferrets and birds of prey and oh so much more, the fishery looked stunning in the early morning sun as the smoke from the bush craft fire pit filled the air with that aroma wood smoke.

As we opened up the gates a sea of young sports and their families descended upon us, all day they just kept coming and coming through the gates with record numbers in attendance at this first taster day of 2017, of course the day started at the reception desk with Margaret and Mandi doing a fine job of signing each person in and giving them a safety talk and explaining our rules and other dates etc we had on.

The Really Wild Adventures/Grass Roots bush craft team were flat out all day with everything from getting the kids to light fires to making our camp fire bread to cooking the trout they had caught and more.
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The course fishing as always a massive draw, JP Angling took charge of the this discipline and were doing a fine job inspiring the young sports in the art, as well as untangling rods etc, Peter and Patrick were on the beginners fly fishing lake with a sea of young sports all wanting to catch a trout and learn how to make a fly line dance, then cook their trout over at the bush craft area, almost every young sport managed to hook a monster Jackland’s trout, the sea of smiling faces looking like Cheshire cats said it all, the day literally was awesome and probably the best one we have ever done to date and that's saying something for this is our 9th year. ​
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The archery and catapults were a massive draw especially for the dads, all the dads wanted to do was use a catapult like they did as boys and of course the lads V Dads competition started as always, a lot of memories made there with fathers and sons I telle, The mums and daughters loving the more refined archery so again a top drawer job to Nik who was going between the air rifle range and the catapult range and Kevin who was running the archery and catapult range.
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Back Woods Falconry did a brilliant demonstration all day, their display was both entertaining and educational, they spoke with such vast knowledge and passion on the subject and drew a very big crowd all day, so a massive well done to Gary and Rupert you boys did a brilliant job, As did Meurig Rees from the Welsh BASC gun dog team, his dogs were beautiful and so well trained and disciplined they were a massive hit with young and old, not forgetting Julia with her awesome ferret display the kids and families loved them too.

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Now leaving the best till last, as always our Air rifle and Air Pistol ranges are a massive draw for young and hmmmm old, the range stand was rammed full all day with mums and dads sons and daughters and more, they got to use everything from Spring Powered Air Rifles to PCP Air rifles and co2 air pistols, they used open sighted air rifles, air rifles with telescopic sights on them and even got to use an Air Arms TDR air rifle with a NiteSite mounted on it using day mode, we had kids as young as 2 years old shooting and a grand mother in her 80s having a go, Chris Nik and Danny you boys did a brilliant job.

I have had literally hundreds of emails and messages through our face book pages saying what a brilliant day when is our nest one, well that is back at Jackland’s Fishing lakes on the 11th of June 2017 a poster with all our dates etc is at the bottom of this article, all the details are on our events page on our website (www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk) as well as many other taster days events, as well as other venues we are at too, so take a look for yourself, all in all a brilliant no quite simply awesome first taster day of 2017, all of this could not be possible without the team of volunteers dedicating their time and often their own money to help these days run, so I must send a huge thank you to each and every one of you.​

Also this has been 5 years coming and with the help of a fellow fishing coach who is passionate about inspiring kids just like me, he has donated us his venue to open up our very own sub powered air rifle range for the young sports and their families, a link to our face book page is on our website www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk this will tell you all you need to know and contact details etc, we are launching it on the 23rd of May 2017 so come along bring your families etc, I will attach a copy of the launch poster to this article if you need any further information drop our secretary a call on the number on site or on the poster.
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So as you can see this mighty ship made of the finest English Oak just keeps getting more magnificent year after year, I hope you have enjoyed this round up of the year so far and I hope to see you at one of our shows events or taster days etc, until the next time ava good un muckers and I will catch you on the flip side, keep an eye out for our mighty sails on the horizon as you never know what Port we will dock in next.​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
www.reallywildadventures.co.uk
www.theoutpostshop.co.uk
www.countrymans-diary.co.uk
www.gun-ice.co.uk
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    To my Haters & Stalkers, I am a Lion not a Sheeple, my advice is to not poke the Sleeping Lion, for if you awake me from my slumber you will hear me ROAR, then you will find yourself staying at Her Majesty's pleasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    About the Archive

    As you will all know I am a busy boy and I am asked post articles and review on behalf of lots people in lots of different places.

    The images and photos are for illustration purposes only, they may not be of the actual day/article or location in question or even at the same venue, for client/venue sensitivity,data protection and often location or contract legalities, we may use a stock photo at our discretion, The main place to find most of my articles is of course the 
    Countrymans Diary Magazine.

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    This Archive is a central location of all those pearls of wisdom I have let loose on the World, whilst its not bang up to date the knowledge contained in here is worth its weight in gold.

    Feel free to share this information its all free and it my pleasure to Pass It On.

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