aga man Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 I have struggled to find any decent pigeon shooting situations for what seems an age, weeks at least. My regular shooting buddy tan had not shot pigeons for a while and i owed him a favour so i was determined to find something this bank holiday. Despite my best efforts and many miles, the best i could find was birds on some winter rape which we have shot a few times over the winter. The field is awkward to shoot due to houses, a footpath and horse paddocks against one side. A good wind is needed here to muffle shots, but the wind must be in the correct direction, which today would be a westerly. The usual telegraph poles we use to set up on are surrounded by tall rape in flower now, so the only place for a hide was in a small clump of rape standing in the lower crop where the birds have mostly been feeding. The forecast had given the west/south west wind we needed but also a heavy rain band moving through which we thought we had already had at lunchtime! Now 1.30pm we got set up and the heavens once again opened. The rain only lasted 40 minutes or so but we endured a good soaking, as did the decoys and hide net etc. Thankfully as the rain stopped, the sun came out and pigeons started to decoy nicely. Sport was not hectic but nice and steady with tan doing most of the shooting. The short rape here has a carpet of chickweed beneath it so not sure if the pigeons wanted that or the rape. The dog was essential today and bless him he worked well in the soaking wet rape, managing to pick 41 of the 46 birds shot, [we picked up 2 more on the way back to cars]. I managed to shoot a few myself with my trusty little 410 which once again was a joy to shoot. A worth while session all in all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 Well done a decent session at a tricky time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 as I have said before it's called a fisherman's umbrella get one. well done for the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 At the end of the day, you got what you went for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.w. Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 Under testing times that's very well done chap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 That is very good for rape so tall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 Well done for persevering in difficult conditions , you achieved the desired result, well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 This is not a moan but a question, looking at the pictures you have your hide set-up in some tall rape, with two shooters in the hide did you not trample the rape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted May 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 This is not a moan but a question, looking at the pictures you have your hide set-up in some tall rape, with two shooters in the hide did you not trample the rape? No problem for the question old'un, i will do my best to answer it. The second photo shows the rape in front of our hide, to right of the picture but not in shot is twenty acre's of tall rape in flower, the ten acre strip in front of us has suffered pigeon damage and although the plants are stunted, they will grow with the help of nitrates if the pigeons can be kept off. It is possible we damaged a small piece of standing crop but 46 pigeons paid the price and those birds would soon damage a similar piece of ground eating the smaller plants. Passing the field today there are no birds there, The pictures are decieving as they are only from my mobile phone, some of the shorter crop looks like this from above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 No problem for the question old'un, i will do my best to answer it. The second photo shows the rape in front of our hide, to right of the picture but not in shot is twenty acre's of tall rape in flower, the ten acre strip in front of us has suffered pigeon damage and although the plants are stunted, they will grow with the help of nitrates if the pigeons can be kept off. It is possible we damaged a small piece of standing crop but 46 pigeons paid the price and those birds would soon damage a similar piece of ground eating the smaller plants. Passing the field today there are no birds there, The pictures are decieving as they are only from my mobile phone, some of the shorter crop looks like this from above. Ok thanks, the reason for asking was I have had my ear bent a few times when I have set-up on rape that was about a foot high with a few bare patches being told I was doing as much damage as the pigeons because the smaller stuff was hearting up, each to their own I guess, funny things farmers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 Nice Aga Man Sounds like it was a good day! I haven't been out for a while because I'd run out of holiday entitlement. New year started 1st April so I'm raring to go again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 What Agaman didn't say was that he swathed about an acre of rape so that incoming pigeons could see the decoy pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 good going and again it shows that it pays off not to be a fair weather blaster and the spoils come to those who work for it. atb 7diaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 What Agaman didn't say was that he swathed about an acre of rape so that incoming pigeons could see the decoy pattern. Yep and how many of you in your youth did a roly-poly in a field of standing corn (no sexual remarks please) hoping the pigeons would find it, mind you I lost my car keys once doing that, took me and my mate an hour to find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 good session that, I can honestly say I have never shot pigeons in tall rape in flower just never had birds use a field at that stage around here for some reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wilksy Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Good work agaman! Good to see some east Yorkshire pigeons on the deck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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