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Arrived late on Friday night, the other guys arrived from 3 pm to just on or after dark. When I arrived they had had several hours of time to warm up with beer, rum and port.

Rained over night and rained most of the next day. Properly clothed though it was not too cold.

Started at around 9 am and was instructed by Stuart. Guns to be carried loaded but broken. Forty pheasants and six chukars had been released that morning or the day before.

I was lucky and took the first bird of the day. First blood on Sunday as well, so lucky. About five drives in the morning. Yabbie I think took a left and a right. Good shooting by him, but I had the first line lined up, then it died, moved to the second, then it was gone as well. Too bad!

I choose to use my Tikka Under and Over the first morning, but thereafter used the Azhur Side by Side. Had been shooting better with the U/O at clays recently, but the Azhur did OK Sat afternoon and very well on Sunday morning.

Dropped another bird that morning, perhaps a couple more, though at least one was shot simultaneously with another shooter.

Loved the way the birds rocketed straight up out of the tussocks with their tail feathers streaming behind.

Lunch back at the hut, the at 1:30 pm another series of drives.

More fun, a few misses, too many. The wind was still blowing hard. Took at least one bird in the afternoon.

One of the drives during the day, I could see two or three cock pheasants moving in the tussocks and knew they would be coming out soon. Two came out almost at the same time. Walked to the last tussocks and wondered if there was a third or not, and yes there was, the cock exploding out from the bracken at my feet. I missed!

End of the first day's shooting was 29 pheasant taken and 5 chukar.

Saturday night down to the pub after getting a shower at Tim's place for all of us at My Gambier, about 35 kms away. Lots of heavy rain over night including hail, a bit worried about getting my car out the next day. Most guys had their 4WDs but two us of brought 2WD. In the end a third track out was a lot dryer with better drainage.

Sunday morning had some sun at times, and no real rain. Quite a difference from the previous day.

First drive, we split into two groups of three, I was with Jeff's group, with Yabbie and Adrian (I think). Took the first bird flushed with the right barrel, I think another bird taken by us, and a third by the other group on the fenceline. A second drive the opposite direction from the far end of the paddock near the forest, one bird flushed but escaped. Then back along the fenceline. A chukar flushed by a dog in front of me, but flying directly away, my shot puffed its arse feathers, but Yabbie took the rocketing chukar with a classic crossing shot, the bird beautifully lit by the sunlight.

A drive through the middle of the forest and asked to walk a track right by the forest, Stuart came over with a dog and worked some tussocks and another pheasant burst out from behind. Pleased to take it with the first shot, Yabbie firing just after.

Off to the far corner, then back again, and a cock pheasant was seen running along in front. We never got that one to flush, but another flushed by the powerlines and was the last bird of the weekend.

Good fun for the weekend and everyone enjoyed it and I think will do it again. I certainly will be.

Some of my photos