Day Out The Fallen Oak (pt5) - Ground-Feeding Bird Snare and Gammon Lunch

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Tank

Full Member
Aug 10, 2009
2,015
278
Witney, Oxfordshire
Good evening all,

Back once again the the fallen oak camp. On walking in to camp I gathered some material for fire starting, dead cleavers and dead bracken which were dry and quick to collect.


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Also gathered some twigs caught up in the trees.

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After gathering other fire wood it was graded from the tinder go wrist thick

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I wasn't in need of a fire for the moment so I left this ready for when to go when required. With this sorted I set about trying to make a trap, something I have little to no experience in.

Using some cordage I had previously made I found a area to set up a Ground-Feeding Bird Snare. (Please note this trap was set for an self learning exercise and was dismantled arter)

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The trap triggered, however was not as sensitive as I thought it would need to be. So I will come back to this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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While playing the trap I was getting pestered by bugs so it was time to start that fire.

Time to play with the flint and steel.

a75c0b733454c975c2a07408a05b1ff6.jpg


Dropping sparked onto some charred punkwood to get and ember

ddd9009fc93d9952f2939cdf8f575a2e.jpg


Normally I would then take the tinder bundle to this and blow into flames, but I decided to try doing it differently (I can't remember if I had seen this or thought about it)

Moving the whole tinderbox under the tinder bundle with the twigs in place ready to catch alight, lots of heat in the tin which quickly resulted in smoke.

c0b3f4a04db37f365afca13bb32fb0e1.jpg


Only a few breaths blew it into flame.

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Larger twigs on and close the tinder box to extinguish the ember.

d8d202620f6c10a1e06f7703ded3f2f9.jpg


Ready for the next fire.

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Straight on with the kettle for a brew.

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TBC.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

Tank

Full Member
Aug 10, 2009
2,015
278
Witney, Oxfordshire
The fire was loaded with oak to burn down ready for lunch and I chilled and did a few small things around camp.

Even something small like a lid lifter for the zebra can make a little difference around camp.

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The coals for lunch were ready for another green stick cooking method (I pre-prepared sticks while coals were forming)

Pulling some emebers out I started a second fire sperate to the coals, this was to be a hot fast cooking fire to boil water for some potatoes and green beans

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Not forgetting some spices (thanks for the suggestion @Man of Tanith)

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The fine balance meat over coals and the gamble of will it cook before the sticks burn through.

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Thankfully all worked out well and lunch was spot on.

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Anyway I will end this post with the normal process of cleaning up and leaving the camp ready for the next time.

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If your interested in what else I get up to between posts I regularly share on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tanktracksoutdoors/


ATB Tim
 
Last edited:

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
Traps can be a bit difficult.
the triggers especially.
One thing you might want to try is to cut the twig the bird lands on in half so as the bird lands it hinges easily. also maybe trim it down to make smaller facing ends.

that food looks cracking Tim - well done.
is the last pic a shot of the site after you'd had the fire and then cleaned up rather than as you arrived?
 
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Tank

Full Member
Aug 10, 2009
2,015
278
Witney, Oxfordshire
Traps can be a bit difficult.
the triggers especially.
One thing you might want to try is to cut the twig the bird lands on in half so as the bird lands it hinges easily. also maybe trim it down to make smaller facing ends.

that food looks cracking Tim - well done.
is the last pic a shot of the site after you'd had the fire and then cleaned up rather than as you arrived?
I knew traps would have a fine art to them, try and try again. I have a few tips to try this agian but perhaps if your available one afternoon/evening then we could meet down the woods for some pointers.

Good was good, made even better with the redeyed hog spices.

The last photo was indeed a leaving shot after clear up.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
happy to meet up if we can
It warms my heart to see an area cared for like that. it's a credit to you.

Perhaps we should start a thread of post clean up sites?
 
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Tank

Full Member
Aug 10, 2009
2,015
278
Witney, Oxfordshire
Yeah, looks great.
Sorry, but I think I missed the point of the bird snare?
What birds were you trying to snare and why?
Thanks.

Regarding the trap it would trageting ground feeding bird that will be peeking around such as pheasants (I believe this trap is used in Africa to catch guinea fowl). The edge of the trap would be camouflaged so the bird would need to look in to get the bait.

The trap was dismantled after playing with it and was done purely for learning exercise.

Hope that makes sense.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 
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Reactions: JediTimbo

Poacherman

Banned
Sep 25, 2023
437
213
31
Wigan
Good evening all,

Back once again the the fallen oak camp. On walking in to camp I gathered some material for fire starting, dead cleavers and dead bracken which were dry and quick to collect.


005b3898e2cadaaac6ceabc2d81d4bb3.jpg


ac3e53397b17113adc61e64ce7ceae74.jpg


52ee9ff887dc1a0b359e03355e123174.jpg


4c82fbffee05af388579df1e862f6798.jpg


Also gathered some twigs caught up in the trees.

9f4b0f607084db6905bc2421fdd98d6f.jpg


7460d20dffe2633cbcf74b068d8912d8.jpg


After gathering other fire wood it was graded from the tinder go wrist thick

47ec1d0cfa43a2540ca8c613f64468d7.jpg


I wasn't in need of a fire for the moment so I left this ready for when to go when required. With this sorted I set about trying to make a trap, something I have little to no experience in.

Using some cordage I had previously made I found a area to set up a Ground-Feeding Bird Snare. (Please note this trap was set for an self learning exercise and was dismantled arter)

a2e88197758a02bd09f23d28eeb3ddc7.jpg


b6639a60893d8597f8defbf1abf3e975.jpg


The trap triggered, however was not as sensitive as I thought it would need to be. So I will come back to this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

093567083a308f1fadce4d2230da1ece.jpg



While playing the trap I was getting pestered by bugs so it was time to start that fire.

Time to play with the flint and steel.

a75c0b733454c975c2a07408a05b1ff6.jpg


Dropping sparked onto some charred punkwood to get and ember

ddd9009fc93d9952f2939cdf8f575a2e.jpg


Normally I would then take the tinder bundle to this and blow into flames, but I decided to try doing it differently (I can't remember if I had seen this or thought about it)

Moving the whole tinderbox under the tinder bundle with the twigs in place ready to catch alight, lots of heat in the tin which quickly resulted in smoke.

c0b3f4a04db37f365afca13bb32fb0e1.jpg


Only a few breaths blew it into flame.

daf80be135d53ccde1ae13db2220e701.jpg


Larger twigs on and close the tinder box to extinguish the ember.

d8d202620f6c10a1e06f7703ded3f2f9.jpg


Ready for the next fire.

e84a3393eb9c747f89c8712743d5321c.jpg


Straight on with the kettle for a brew.

5321a080777a499895843277dd4d82c6.jpg


f06596235b15e141d62700b156ba4cb7.jpg


7381c7e1e24876a91d8881d252fface4.jpg


65e64ed32cf424367b6f9deb81d389b1.jpg


TBC.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
Look into bird foothold snares there much simpler easier to setup and u can catch multiple birds in one go .They use s lot less cottage aswell, from experience spring traps look cool but arnt great In practise.
 

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