Winter rape and high winds

[ShropshireSam]

I have been watching pigeon numbers build up on rape over last two weeks. One permission was looking very promising until I turned up on Wed for a reccy to find a gas gun in position and not a pigeon in sight. Plan B was a different farmer who is not yet bothered by the pigeons as he claims the rape is too advanced anyway and pigeons won't do it any harm. I choose to shoot Friday as a dry forecast and a good strong wind. Let the birds come in and have a feed before I moved them off around 10 AM (about 500 birds in flock). Had to drive over to the nearest wood where most of them settled in as only 1 field away from the rape...too try and push the birds further from the field. Set up under a big oak tree with the wind directly behind me. Kept the hide low at the front so I could shoot seated and reduce the wind blowing the hide around. Birds came in fast and furious for the first half hour in flocks of 5-50. Then a flock of 300 came in which I left alone, they landed further down the field, moved off to the nearby wood when I shot at another bird and went altogether after my next shot. Traffic slowed to a trickle by lunchtime. Shot badly to start with, blamed it on the seated position so raised the hide and stood...promptly hit 4 from 4 including a nice double. Seemed to miss the slower birds coming into the wind and then hit them with the second barrel when they turned and darted away with the wind. Picked 24 from about 100 carts so not too bad a ratio for a windy day. Hope to get out again tomorrow to a different field with similar numbers....problem is they are feeding in the middle of the field and don't fancy setting a hide up with no shelter as high winds due again tomorrow.

[pigeon controller]

Good luck if you go tomorrow , well done with the result from today . Why are they feeding in the centre of the field if you have decoys out ? Don't worry about setting up just get the wind on your back and they will come with the wind to your decoys

[kitchrat]

Good luck if you go tomorrow , well done with the result from today . Why are they feeding in the centre of the field if you have decoys out ? Don't worry about setting up just get the wind on your back and they will come with the wind to your decoys

Not round here they won't!

[ShropshireSam]

Good luck if you go tomorrow , well done with the result from today . Why are they feeding in the centre of the field if you have decoys out ? Don't worry about setting up just get the wind on your back and they will come with the wind to your decoys

 

They were feeding in the centre of the field every time I reccied it...not with decoys out. Went out yesterday (Sunday 21st), late arriving so about 10:30, and large number sat in trees and wood surrounding field. Moved birds off and set up with a thin hedge and a strong wind behind me. Initially had two dried dead birds on a magnet (I don't keep dead fresh birds for decoys) and about 20 half shelled flocked decoys built up the pattern with a flapper and three angels that "bounced" nicely in the wind. The magnet seems to work really well with the strong winds. The wind was higher and more uneven with lots of strong gusts compared to Friday. Had a very busy first half hour then traffic slowed to a trickle by 1 pm and packed up. Shot from standing from the start and shot better, 23 picked from about 60 carts. Love the speed pigeons enter and leave the pattern when its windy, makes for some memorable doubles.

 

Based on the last two outings I think the best strategy for this time of year is to travel light, shot for an hour or two then move on to another field....and finish the day on a flightline back to roost.