Squirrel73 Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Apologies if this has been asked before and any info would be appreciated. Sugar beet will be sown on one of my perms soon and the farmer is keen for me to shoot on the new growth that comes through as he is sure the pigeons will be interested in it. He hasn't grown this crop before and I have never shot over it either. I understand that harvest time is good on sugar beet but don't know if the young growth will be worth decoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Yes its certainly worth keeping a eye on . I have had some reasonable bags on it over the years , they will take the young beet leafs but are more interested in the weeds that grow between the rows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Yes its certainly worth keeping a eye on . I have had some reasonable bags on it over the years , they will take the young beet leafs but are more interested in the weeds that grow between the rows. right on that one......but be careful when looking at emerging beet....a lot of shooters think damage at the edge of the crop is birds...more often and not it is mice voles etc....your best bet is the day after it is lifted...shoot over the wilted tops...that can give you a few days good sport ....if the farmer dosnt plough it all in the next day ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 right on that one......but be careful when looking at emerging beet....a lot of shooters think damage at the edge of the crop is birds...more often and not it is mice voles etc....your best bet is the day after it is lifted...shoot over the wilted tops...that can give you a few days good sport ....if the farmer dosnt plough it all in the next day ! You're lucky if you get it left until the next day round here sometimes! I watched a field this year with harvester half way across the field, quadtrac with plough a couple of breeds behind him, quadtrac on power harrow not far behind him and the John Deere on the drill just behind him! They had it pretty much done by the time the harvester finished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrel73 Posted April 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Thanks guys for some good advice. I'll keep that info in mind and hopefully have some success soon. Shot 11 pigeons and 4 blacks on drilled barley today 5 or 600 metres above the proposed beet fields and observed a strong flight line for 2 hours coming up the side of these fields so I'm keen to try and draw a few in on the freshly drilled beet too. Hot barrels guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Beet stubble can produce fabulous shooting . Pigeons will also go for young beet just pushing through . I have had some super shooting on young beet about June time . Pigeons will hit it in very dry weather as they are after the moisture content of the beet leaves . Keep your eye on it a day or so after irrigation ,again they seem to like the moisture in the plants . The beet will be irrigated through out any dry period . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Beet stubble can produce fabulous shooting . Pigeons will also go for young beet just pushing through . I have had some super shooting on young beet about June time . Pigeons will hit it in very dry weather as they are after the moisture content of the beet leaves . Keep your eye on it a day or so after irrigation ,again they seem to like the moisture in the plants . The beet will be irrigated through out any dry period . Harnser They may irrigate it in your part of the world Harnser but I have never seen a field of beet irrigated in these parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 I used to shoot hares on sugar beet they used to eat the hart out of the emerging plant it was nothing to shoot 60-80 a night over 600 acres then they are in abundance in this part of the country (Lincolnshire ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) They may irrigate it in your part of the world Harnser but I have never seen a field of beet irrigated in these parts.It's irrigated all the time here in Norfolk . My farmer friend has just had a massive irrigation system built to enable him to irrigate the beet and potatoes . I am surprised that they don't irrigate beet in Lincolnshire . It's proberbly due to the different type of soil . We do have a very light type of soil on the farms . Harnser Edited April 19, 2015 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 It's irrigated all the time here in Norfolk . My farmer friend has just had a massive irrigation system built to enable him to irrigate the beet and potatoes . I am surprised that they don't irrigate beet in Lincolnshire . It's proberbly due to the different type of soil . We do have a very light type of soil on the farms . Harnser They may well irrigate in parts of lincolnshire I can only say I have never seen it in my local area , one of my farms has just had a large reservoir built to irrigate potatoes and carrots though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 They may irrigate it in your part of the world Harnser but I have never seen a field of beet irrigated in these parts. They irrigate beet over East winch way but the soil is a whole lot different, very sandy over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 They may irrigate it in your part of the world Harnser but I have never seen a field of beet irrigated in these parts. That would be down to soil type in your area fenboy , as beet is irrigated most years down the marsh and the uplands round here , plus just about any other crop they grow now , Peas , Spuds , Veg and Cereals .....they all get a good watering . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickB65 Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Was on a fresh drilled beet field on sunday and although there had been some on there in the week it is not one of their fav diets - they much prefer beans or rape so it was a quite day. I shot from 1 to 4 and fired tweleve shots killing one pigeon (one shot), one rat (two shots because I could), one squirrel dray (three shots - it kept moving) and six shots on steel plate. The skies were very empty..... :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekibrotom Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 hi mr squirrel i have never shot on the sugarbeet myself if you are in the borders i am not to far away from yersel an invite would be very much appreciated , i have been using a hush power .410 and found out to my dissapointment they wouldnt kill a wasp at ten yards have you had any experiance of the hushpower yersel toasting hot barrels . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 hi mr squirrel i have never shot on the sugarbeet myself if you are in the borders i am not to far away from yersel an invite would be very much appreciated , i have been using a hush power .410 and found out to my dissapointment they wouldnt kill a wasp at ten yards have you had any experiance of the hushpower yersel toasting hot barrels . The .410 will kill well if pointed in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 if you cant kill with the humble .410 , I think your find its more pilot error than the calibre . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaunda Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 We do not irrigate sugar beet and have more problems from rooks pulling up the young plants than from pigeons though the latter will go for beet tops after harvest,especially if frosted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekibrotom Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 the four ten is for boys not men , if your shoulder canyy hack a 12 bore take the wife with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 The 2 calibres that are responsible for most of the deaths of big game and small British game ..rabbits etc are 303 and 410........in the right hands even a 2 1/2" 410 cartridge is lethal ..........they are a boys gun..........that is why most of the boys when they are over 30 are still using them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 (edited) the four ten is for boys not men , if your shoulder canyy hack a 12 bore take the wife with you. Is that because you appear to be incapable of using one? Edited April 26, 2015 by motty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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