Undercover operation

Mat Manning heads for the shelter of the farmyard, refusing to let rain and thunderstorms dampen his enthusiasm for airgun pest control

While pest control is the main practical reason for most airgun shooters heading out into the field, I make no secret of the fact that I get a lot of pleasure from my shooting. I enjoy being out in the countryside and watching wildlife; I enjoy helping farmers and foresters to keep pests in check; and I particularly enjoy the reward of tasty free-range meat when targeting edible quarry.

The simple fact is that, for many, many reasons, shooting is an incredibly fulfilling pastime. So I was frustrated when a recent pigeon decoying trip was scuppered by a forecast of heavy rain and violent thunderstorms. As much as I relish my shooting, the thought of being out on the open fields with rain lashing down and lightning bolts flashing around me didn’t really appeal.

Having spent the past couple of months longing for rain while my garden withered to a crisp and the rivers I love to fish shrivelled to stagnant ditches, I didn’t feel that I could complain about the fact that my prayers were finally being answered. It was simply annoying that the rain was set to arrive on my first opportunity to go shooting after a busy spell.

All was not entirely lost, though, as I reckoned I could grab a few hours’ shooting around a friend’s farm buildings. The barns and stock sheds of this holding attract more than a few avian pests and have provided me with welcome shade and respite from the searing heat through the middle part of summer. This time I hoped they would keep me sheltered from the downpours while I enjoyed a few hours out with the gun.

Low power

The rain had failed to materialise into anything more than an occasional swirl of light drizzle when I arrived on the farm just before midday. A blustery wind was rattling around the yard and jackdaws wheeled overhead as I loaded up the magazine of my

.177 calibre Weihrauch HW100. This airgun is a sub-12ft/lb model and its quiet operation and relatively low power make it ideal for pest control around farm buildings.

My first port of call was a large barn close to where I had parked. One end is used as a calf shed and the animal’s feed attracts numerous jackdaws and other corvids that leave the troughs splattered with their white droppings.

The constant disturbance caused by workers and machinery means that pests tend to be less wary around the farmyard. Nonetheless, I approached with caution, making the most of the cover provided by a tractor and some large bales as I made my way along the edge of the barn.

Three jackdaws that I hadn’t spotted feeding in the calf pen took flight as I closed in. With cattle behind them, they wouldn’t have offered a safe shot even if I hadn’t spooked them. But the birds didn’t go far and one of them made the mistake of lingering on the roof of a neighbouring barn less than 20 yards away. Taken from a stable leaning position, it was a straightforward shot with the recoilless Weihrauch and the first bird of the session was duly accounted for.

Although avian pests can be quite bold around the farm, jackdaws are clever birds and I didn’t expect them to return to the calf pen for a while. With that in mind, I headed across to the other side of the yard. The rain was beginning to gather momentum and I soon found myself sheltering in a shed that is used to store old pallets and other scrap wood that ends up as kindling for the farmhouse fires.

Tucked away from the worst of the rain and fairly well concealed, I had a good view of a barn roof and several trees that the birds use as vantage points before flighting down to feed. There weren’t many birds moving in the wet conditions, although I did manage to fell another jackdaw from my makeshift hiding place.

The rain eventually let up enough for me to venture out and explore more of the farm. Making my way towards a grain store, I put up a large flock of collared doves that had been feasting on the result of this summer’s bumper harvest. Inside the store, there were clear signs of unwelcome diners. The main heap of grain and several sacks of recently milled calf feed were littered with feathers and droppings, many of which had no doubt been left by the collared doves, which currently enjoy immunity from my pest control efforts.

For some strange reason, collared doves were left off the general licences following all the confusion caused by Wild Justice’s legal challenge a few years ago. I find their omission bewildering as collared doves are abundant in my locality and are a serious problem to farmers. I did begin the process of applying for an individual licence to control them on this particular holding last summer, but must confess that I found the process so convoluted and restrictive that I eventually gave up. I wish I hadn’t and will endeavour to get it sorted this year.

The farm is also home to a flock of feral pigeons that can multiply quite rapidly through the warmer months if left unchecked. These birds

“Three jackdaws I hadn’t spotted feeding in the calf pen took flight as I closed in”

good view of several promising spots. The position offered safe shots into a small stand of trees and towards a silo that incoming birds often use as a lookout — a large concrete wall behind the silo serves as a convenient backdrop.

I felt very cosy nestled in the barn as rain rattled on the roof and

Pests can be less wary around the farm than in open fields, but Mat Manning tries to make use of any cover

A jackdaw alights within range and Mat takes aim from the shelter of the scrap-wood store

The Weihrauch HW100 airgun’s magazine is loaded with .177 pellets

Mat is forced to leave flocks of collared doves that are causing problems around the farmyard

Mat takes a decent bag on a day when shooting could have been rained off