If Mr Crow's natural habitat is a pigeon hide, Mrs Crow is the apex predator in any clothing
outlet - which is why Mrs C is the one making the most of being let lose in Jack Pyke's
warehouse.
Crow is not usually shy when it comes to filling his boots, but he's is being overshadowed
as even the Sorcerer's Apprentice gets kitted out for a day on the pheasants.
Saying that - Crow spots something that might prove useful in the next few weeks.
Its quite handy to have the lofter, soon as the leaves start dropping I shall be doing
some lofting and Jack Parker just started doing these lofting hooks and I'm having some
of these, they are always handy, the more the merrier so I'm going to have a few of
these.
Stick them under my coat and go I think.
Anyway, back to the here and now.
Andy's been invited on a small shoot day by Jack Pyke as a thank you for the work he does
as a brand ambassador.
They are also going to take a few snaps of him in action for an upcoming catalogue.
However, photographer Keith does seem to be a little star struck or maybe just nuts!
Ah ah ah they call me the crowman.
They call me, they call me, they call me the crowman.
Unfortunately - this is what happens when u leave a camera unattended on a shoot day.
Have you had your teeth whitened?
I don't think Crow is going to get an easy time of it today.
Right let's get on with the day shall we?
Crow , a pretty laid back guy look like it going to be fun.
The first drive does give the shooter a good look at the bird before it arrives, which
can be a bad thing.
Crow selects the most sporting birds and does well with cameras pointing at him from all
directions - but he's used to it these days -he even has more breathing room than normal
- Dom and David are, typically, breathing down each ear.
It's a beautiful morning in Northamptonshire - and Crow get's some more shooting on drive
2, but it's a challenge to get to it and leave for a mid morning snack with such wet ground.
The Jack Pyke camo'd truck takes the puddles at speed - the Jack Pyked-up young beater
takes it a little slower though he is having just as much fun.
During the break Crow does some posing for the camera - I believe he is actually embarrassed
- which is even more entertaining for everyone watching.
With the second November moon behind us, the woodcock are in.
On the drive before lunch, some of the guns get a shot at some woodcock.
It's a first for two of them and Crow helps out showing them where the pin feather is.
This last drive we done there's probably 20, 15 to 20 woodcock in there, hell of a lot
of woodcock come through . It's a preference whether you shoot them or not, I personally,
if you get a nice high one, yeah I'll take it, they're usually woodcocks they are floppy
things they don't fly that high so either they are not safe or not really sporting so
I don't usually bother with them, but the people that were shooting today, they picked
out half a dozen good ones and they shot one or two.
Lot of people they get the pin feathers off the end of the wing.
Right on the very point, look here they are.
Just there.
That's them there, right on the end.
Just bend the wing out like that and there it is.
Pin feather.
I just like them because they are ideal for painting.
Lovely bird, flown miles.
This syndicate shoot will aim to take between 70 and 100 birds today - it's a relaxed, informal
day with Thai-green-curried pheasant to keep us warm.
The last drive is a good one - and Andy stretches his legs a bit -
there is also the highest bird of the day - a pigeon.
Crow's had a good day.
He has been abused mercilessly for having his photgraph taken but it's been a great
day out.
That's the last drive, been a nice day, steady day, good atmosphere.
Just like to say thanks to the Jack Pyke boys.
All the guns and the beaters that have been here today they have done a really good job.
It's been a great day.
As we're leaving Crow is curious about what the pigeons are dining on up here.
Birds are scarce all around the UK, though Andy has seen huge flocks on the move over
his farm in Kent.
Wholemeal, that's what you call a healthy pigeon, he's on wholemeal brown bread, he's
got a ivy berries and a Hawthorne berry.
If he comes down my way we've got tons and tons of acorns.
If he chooses to stay here on hovis wholemeal brown bread and ivy berries and a hawthorne
berry.
So farmers.
if you're growing wholemeal bread - get out there and start checking your flight lines.
For more information about the shoot and the fishing lakes that go with it, go to www.woldfarmfisheries.co.uk
and for more information about Jack Pyke products go to Jackpyke.co.uk