matty* Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I no some "proper" pigeon shooters if thats what you can call them who do take it seriously, but i also no more that come out of the wood work this time of year because of the weather and it may be "easyer" to get a few. Then again i no a few people that say there a good pigeon shooter that never go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveyg Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 With work and family its difficult to get out..but I do at least once a week. I have my retirement already planned..out three days every week.. just another 15 years to wait.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubear Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I'm fairly new to the area I live in (been here less than a year) am I'm on the lookout for permissions in the area at present. I went out for a walk with my better half yesterday and we went through a field of recently harvested barley which probably had 50-60 woodys in it, all of whom scarpered when they heard us coming! The next field over was peas (not yet harvested) and probably had about the same number of woodys on the ground, plus maybe another 20-30 circling and perched on the power lines watching what was going on. And the third field we crossed was un-harvested barley which had a fair few circling around as well. Couldnt see anything on the ground there but there must have been 40 odd up in the air. All of that activity and precisely zero shooting going on! Literally nothing. I was a bit surprised TBH, I was expecting to hear some shooting going on given all the activity but there you go. So my mission now is to find out who the land owner is and see if the woodys are enough of a problem for them to grant me permission to come down and thin them out a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I am on the pigeons every weekend and sometimes twice a weekend during the harvest. I go back at night with a rifle for the foxes. I do really like cold days shooting in winter on young rape, but much depends on kids parties/family stuff. Anyway I always think that Pigeon Controller is out there doing his really quite amazing thing so it takes the pressure of me. I have noticed it quieter this year though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 With work and family its difficult to get out..but I do at least once a week. I have my retirement already planned..out three days every week.. just another 15 years to wait.. When I was planning my retirement I was hoping to get out 3 times a week. Having been retired now for two years, twice a week during the week is about average as I've never been so busy. I was told that I would either be bored or time will go quickly. I can honestly say that I never know how I ever fitted work in and have never been busier. This is often said and is so true. My twice weekly forays however, have mixed results. Had good shooting over winter rape, best for years, and not so good over harvest this year. Best results last year over beans just prior to harvest when I got my personal best of 78. Sadly not in the PC league yet but learning. Quite happy with bags in the region of 20 to 30. That does me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 With work and family its difficult to get out..but I do at least once a week. I have my retirement already planned..out three days every week.. just another 15 years to wait.. That is the same for a lot of people " steveyg " , TIME , shooting pigeons on a regular basis is very time consuming and every one has bills to pay , family life and every thing else that crop up when your younger and bringing up a family and running a house . so pigeon shooting go on hold and other things in life take priority . My day now is normally getting up around 5.45am , taking the dogs out after a cup of tea till around 8.30 , do any chores at home and then go out around dinner time to look around for the next time I am out shooting. The mornings is the same routine seven days a week and if I am shooting I leave mine now around 1pm and get back home around 6.30 to 7 pm , lay the pigeons out to cool off , take my young dog out and have my tea around 8pm , on top of that you need a understanding wife who often share a car full of pigeons on a Sunday when we make a trip to the game dealers . So steveyg , your 15 years left at work will soon roll round and then if you are shooting three days a week the hard work is just beginning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingmachine Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 out last Mon and Thurs back at it Wednesday this week ill be at it every week hopefully for the next couple of months after harvest new drillings plus some beans to go at late september early october. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I never get out. A keyboard warrior that's what I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I plan to go one day a week after pigeon or crows and maybe a couple of evenings this time of year, don't always find any on my permissions but that's how it goes, I don't have the time to put in too to many permissions, I don't believe in taking on somewhere and then only going once in a blue moon and as I put a bit of work in in the winter when there aren't the birds about I get to have first refusal at harvest time and no one else can go unless I give the ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I try to shoot pigeons fairly regularly, usually once a a week or so depending on the time of year, take the rifle when I go and check the poults every night too. What with a young family, work and running a shoot I have little time to fit any more in. Also shoot game every other weekend in the season, so like to think of my self a "real" shooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedly47 Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I go once or twice a week even if its just for a hour on the flight line, with two small children and a wife that works shifts I have to grab what little time I have and just get on with it...! What does annoy is that I shoot all year around doing whatever the farmer wants me to do, yet you get some people that only come when the crop is cut and then hammer the pigeons for a few days then don't shoot again until the next year.... And don't clean up after themselves..... Rant over....! I go once or twice a week even if its just for a hour on the flight line, with two small children and a wife that works shifts I have to grab what little time I have and just get on with it...! What does annoy is that I shoot all year around doing whatever the farmer wants me to do, yet you get some people that only come when the crop is cut and then hammer the pigeons for a few days then don't shoot again until the next year.... And don't clean up after themselves..... Rant over....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingmachine Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 always out in the winter shivering to death on the rape thats when the farmers need you more i think soon as pigeons start hitting the rape thats when i get the texts rough with the smooth i rarely see any shooters in winter they seem to appear out of the wood work once a stubble fields about happened to me last week but i beet them to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I never get out. A keyboard warrior that's what I am. With the modern technology that's available , you could take one along and fiddle with the buttons in between shots, and if things are really quiet you could put a plan on for your next major construction job at your fortress ....... Mrs JDog would really be impressed . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 With the modern technology that's available , you could take one along and fiddle with the buttons in between shots, and if things are really quiet you could put a plan on for your next major construction job at your fortress ....... Mrs JDog would really be impressed . im not going to say anything this time..............even tho..PC will try and force me...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 always out in the winter shivering to death on the rape thats when the farmers need you more i think soon as pigeons start hitting the rape thats when i get the texts rough with the smooth i rarely see any shooters in winter they seem to appear out of the wood work once a stubble fields about happened to me last week but i beet them to it. I must admit, I don't go out that often in the winter unless I think I will get a decent bag. After all, I go to shoot pigeons and not be a mobile scarecrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingmachine Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 cant remember the last time i had adecent bag on the rape tbh normally one bang and off they go in the winter they get harder every year unfortunately but ive been shooting for this one farmer over 20 years now i do my good deeds for him in the winter thats why im the only one shooting it otherwise it would be getting shot to death the amount that turn up on his rape sometimes in the winter make him panic lol so out comes the human scarecrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingmachine Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 cant remember the last time i had adecent bag on the rape tbh normally one bang and off they go in the winter they get harder every year unfortunately but ive been shooting for this one farmer over 20 years now i do my good deeds for him in the winter thats why im the only one shooting it otherwise it would be getting shot to death the amount that turn up on his rape sometimes in the winter make him panic lol so out comes the human scarecrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 At this time of year every balloon with an FAC is out in my area. Roll on the wet cold winter. Half sit in the house in case they melt and the other half stand at a peg and throw lead at semi wild chickens with long tails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 At this time of year every balloon with an FAC is out in my area. Roll on the wet cold winter. Half sit in the house in case they melt and the other half stand at a peg and throw lead at semi wild chickens with long tails. I'm one of those 'balloons' who stands 'at a peg and throw lead at semi wild chickens with long tails'. I also shoot rabbits, ducks, geese, pigeons, corvids, fox and deer. What sort of a 'balloon' are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 At this time of year every balloon with an FAC is out in my area. Roll on the wet cold winter. Half sit in the house in case they melt and the other half stand at a peg and throw lead at semi wild chickens with long tails.I'm another one and note I don't need or use a FAC to shoot pigeon or game sorry half tame long tailed chicken Also note that game shooters contributions to the rural economy is vast and probably more profitable to the land owner than farming in the current economic climate So perhaps you may like to look at the big picture How much do you contribute? Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggiegun Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 (edited) At this time of year every balloon with an FAC is out in my area. Roll on the wet cold winter. Half sit in the house in case they melt and the other half stand at a peg and throw lead at semi wild chickens with long tails. What a silly comment from a shooting man. Edited August 10, 2015 by reggiegun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew f Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Don't get much rape around my area and pigeons get non existent in the winter all do is try and keep on top off the corvids and the bunnies and the odd chicken killer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I'm not out much this year after starting my own business, but I'm managing once a fortnight, sometimes more, often less, sadly. I must say I don't understand the comments that seem to knock "fair weather" shooters as I only really go pigeon shooting when I see large enough numbers and when I can pick them up. Most of my winter and spring shooting is rabbits, I slow right down over may, June and July (I tend to do more sea fishing then) and then try to get out on stubbles at harvest. I'm not interested in large bags, but I don't want to waste my time either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 At this time of year every balloon with an FAC is out in my area. Roll on the wet cold winter. Half sit in the house in case they melt and the other half stand at a peg and throw lead at semi wild chickens with long tails. You let yourself down with this post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocknee Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Where are all these "pigeon shooters" in the winter when the rape needs the pigeons kept off it I have sat out in rain snow carried my gear for what seems like miles to keep the pigeons off the rape the farmer said had thousands on it only yesterday, then come harvest it seems there is no end of "pigeon shooters" willing to drive to their hide the minute the combine has left the field no letting a feed build up for them get there get set up normally in totally the wrong place and shoot half a dozen on a field that having been left a week or so you would have shot 100 plus. So now I limit my outings to the farms where I have exclusive rights or where I know the other shooters and we shoot it together. I shoot a lot less than I used to which was at least once a week usually 2 or more days now I spend a lot more time on the pheasant shoot on which I have been part time keeper for the last 35 years. I do still love to get out but tend to limit my outings to days when I know I will get a good bag otherwise I tend to sit in the hide thinking I should be doing this or that instead of sitting here shooting these 20 or 30 pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.