Add crows for luck

I live in dairy country and, apart from being a big event in the farming calendar, the autumn maize harvest is always an exciting time for me. Smashed cobs left in the wake of the machinery create a veritable banquet for pigeon and corvids, and that usually means some good shooting.

The farmers on my patch are always eager to see the maize-gobbling pests dealt with before the gathering flocks have a chance to decimate the autumn drillings that promptly follow the harvest. It’s a task that I’m always happy to assist with and usually brings an opportunity to make some hefty bags.

One field on a local farm often gets overlooked because it is close to a