deny essex Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Went to one of my local permissions yesterday afternoon on the ever loving rape for a look see, 'birds have been getting on the top corner of the field and cropping it' I'm told by the farmer 'go up there'. Not a bird to be seen but to keep him happy and knowing the pigeon could appear later in the afternoon I walked the 300 yard up field, and sure enough the corner of the field for a good area was cropped of leaf. Back to the car and light'end the gear as much as possible as I'm not as young as I was I walked back up the gentle slope'ing field puffing and panting with wobbly legs There was sparse cover but I managed to trim cut my way into a large blackthorn bush and put the net in front. Blood and puncture wounds by the dozen on my hands I put a dozen modified Fud decoys out , a hyper flap floater and a single arm hypa rotary, sat back in the hide and waited ..............and waited.........and waited I never saw a bird for over 4 hours so packed up to head home, the farmer cant say I did'nt try , I drive out the farm onto the road and where are some 100 ish birds ... right in a corner beside 2 roads on another of his rape fields grrr! an un-shootable area. Well peas being drilled at the weekend so hopefully a little reward for my efforts may materialise. Happy drill time lad's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Yes we all have to do it to placate the farmers who allow us to shoot . I've reported before five hours , five birds. Well done for sticking at it hopefully you will get your reward on the peas . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I think of it as, "doing the time". What we have to do sometimes to enjoy the easier decoying on the stubbles later in the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nothing worse then the "they are everywhere" comments to find that indeed they are everywhere else and not on the ground you shoot. Have to take the rough with the smooth sometimes to keep people happy. I am sure the farmer appreciates you efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 we are all in the same boat mate, all part of our service, it could have gone the other way, you could have run out of cartridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 You sure there was no birds? You know that eye sight isn't as good as it used to be Mr Essex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted March 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 You sure there was no birds? You know that eye sight isn't as good as it used to be Mr Essex Slap your legs next time I see you youngster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 (edited) Did the same today,set up 9am packed up 2pm,30 FUDS out 2 dead birds on the rotary & 2 dead on floaters.Not a shot fired,had the rimmy with me with the new Photon XT on so decided to zero that in and head off down other perm,shot 4 rabbits for 4 shots so not a total waste of the day. You have to keep the farmer happy though,I've seen me take a weeks holiday on the drillings because he's been on the phone flapping and I turn up and sit there every day supping tea and eating hobnobs with a round trip of 50mls per day.But if I don't do it someone else will.I don't even know why I take the gun sometimes,because when I turn up they all disappear lol.Thinking of just trading all the gear in for a big wooden cross and tie myself to it and wear a straw hat. Edited March 13, 2015 by Davyo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 i think most of us have been there,but you have to be seen being there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 My last 1/2 dozen trips have just the same. Longest stint 5 hours with not a shot fired, the others 4 hours. The latter 4 of those, I haven't bothered taking the decoys out of the car. Just walked the fields keeping the pigeons off. Its more effective and appreciated that sitting midst a decoy pattern with nothing going on. Davyo, did similar to you today. Did my "time", then went into the woodland and had a fun hour plinking chesnuts at silly ranges with the 22lr and air rifle!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 My last 1/2 dozen trips have just the same. Longest stint 5 hours with not a shot fired, the others 4 hours. The latter 4 of those, I haven't bothered taking the decoys out of the car. Just walked the fields keeping the pigeons off. Its more effective and appreciated that sitting midst a decoy pattern with nothing going on. Davyo, did similar to you today. Did my "time", then went into the woodland and had a fun hour plinking chesnuts at silly ranges with the 22lr and air rifle!!! I wouldn't sit there for that long without a shot. I'm there to kill pigeons. If I can see there is no/little chance of getting a few shots I won't hang around. The farmers I shoot for wouldn't really expect me to, either. I would only sit for an hour or so without a shot, then i'd either move position or move field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 if one of your farmers phones you, you have to go I have done it as many others have most times (you think ) why have you asked me to come out , but I only spend an hour or so in the field you have turned out and showed willing even the farmer doesn't expect you to spend 3,4,5, hours in the field in winter with no action, so if its not working move on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowbuster1 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I find most farmers get paranoid see a couple of woodies get on the blower get us out there wasting our time. Yeah its a good thing we r out there but 99per cent of the time its a complete waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I wouldn't sit there for that long without a shot. I'm there to kill pigeons. If I can see there is no/little chance of getting a few shots I won't hang around. The farmers I shoot for wouldn't really expect me to, either. I would only sit for an hour or so without a shot, then i'd either move position or move field. I understand your comments Motty. With Hind sight, I may well think at times, I shouldn't have bothered, or left after an hour. But the point is, if I don't put in an innings, there are a plethora of people who will. Then the farm becomes overshot and then there is no point going. Don't misunderstand me, I would like to go and have a good days pigeon shooting every time I go out. But fortunately, its not all about shooting. If that was all I was doing it for, I'd have stopped a long time ago.! I am lucky, I have a very large amount of land to shoot over. However, its not a heavily pigeon populated county. But at least I can get out whenever I want to, work permitting, take the fat with the lean and be part of it all. I would rather do a 5 hour stint chasing pigeons off, a few times in the winter, and safeguarding what I have than lose it altogether. Just my take on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I wish my farmers WOULD call me when they see pigeons. What I get is "You should have been here last week, after I drilled that wheat field". They don't tell us anything and I can't watch all fields on all my farms every day. I spend £100/week on fuel as it is!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I wish my farmers WOULD call me when they see pigeons. What I get is "You should have been here last week, after I drilled that wheat field". They don't tell us anything and I can't watch all fields on all my farms every day. I spend £100/week on fuel as it is!! It's all about building a relationship with the Farmers and them knowing that you will get out there when they call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I wish my farmers WOULD call me when they see pigeons. What I get is "You should have been here last week, after I drilled that wheat field". They don't tell us anything and I can't watch all fields on all my farms every day. I spend £100/week on fuel as it is!! Yeah, it's easy to use a tank of fuel just having a look round your farms. I usually phone/text farmers around this time and politely remind them to let me know when they're about to start drilling. Some still phone me and tell me '' well, we drilled these fields a week or so ago''. Too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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