highdowns hunter Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 can anyone tell me the best time to catch pigeons feeding I have been going out from 12 noon untill 5pm and all I have seen are pigeons sitting on telephone / Electricity wires in the middle of Barley fields. but they just seem to be roosting. I did spot a group of about 60 today some were feeding on a small patch of laid barley but the majority of them were again on the wire. Would it be better if I went out early morning or late evening ? Your views would be appreciated :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 The pigeons on the wires over your barley filed were probably digesting a snack and getting ready to pop down for "seconds". When do they feed ? Depends on the crop. Depends on the weather. Depends on the time of year. Depends what time Mr Pigeon gets home from work :( Etc. I have gone early,( expecting rain later) and the shooting has been slow. Then it doesn,t rain and the birds feed strongly from 5pm onwards. I,ve been out in bad Winter weather, when the birds fed for less than an hour between dawn and dusk. Don,t forget, you can get birds come and look at your decoys (and get shot), even if they are not feeding. If you ain,t in the field with your decoys out and your gun loaded, you will never know. Its difficult to shoot pigeons if you don,t go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highdowns hunter Posted July 10, 2002 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 thanks cranfield, i didnt have my decoys out as it would mean wading through the barley to get to the laid part. however i did get a few shots at them as they were flying towards the roost wire and managed to drop 4 and a magpie which decided to fly up in front of me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 hh, sounds as though you made the best of a difficult situation. Its frustrating when the laid down bit is right in the middle and there aren,t any tractor tracks to make use of. I think we,ve all experienced that. One good thing about swathed rape is that you can get right in to the field and utilising the rape (carefully) plus the light cammo net, you can make a functional hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave15 Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 If it has been raining all day and you it finaly stops Get out there ! Loads of them make the most of the dry spell before it rains again so nail em while you can :( P.S Anyone had good bags in the rain? they seam to just sit in the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 I have never had any success shooting pigeons over crops in heavy rain. The main reason they don,t like walking around in the rain, is that they get mud on their feet and can,t fly. Thats what makes meadows and clover so attractive on long wet days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted July 11, 2002 Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 Talking of "Pigeon dinner time" makes me wonder, is anyone else aware of a period each day when pigeons take a break. Over the years I have become very concious of a break in activities around midday. I have always assumed that the birds had filled their crop and were digesting its contents before they could eat any more. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted July 11, 2002 Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 is correct............ :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted July 16, 2002 Report Share Posted July 16, 2002 I went out yesterday afternoon and it was very quiet so I went home for something to eat, then returned to the field at about 6-30pm. I shot about 25 in an hour and I missed loads of others. They were still coming in as I collected my decoys so I think if I had stayed I may have got a few more. There was a marked difference in activity between afternoon and early evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 21, 2002 Report Share Posted July 21, 2002 All the comments made just prove how you have to keep your eyes open and make the most of every opportunity that presents itself. Beware of the "self-fullfilling prophesy" syndrome !!!!!! A friend of mine use to go pigeon shooting after work, starting about 4.30 - 5.00 pm. He usually got some birds and every now and then would have a storming session. He went around telling everyone that late afternoon/early evening was the best time to shoot pigeons. Well, it was for him, he never went any other time. :( It pays to be flexible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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