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Pigeons in Essex?


shalfordninja33
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I've been roost shooting the last two Saturdays and it's been the quietest I've known it for some years.

 

There's barely any sign of pigeons using the woods on our syndicate. I've had a brace both weeks so it's nice to have something for dinner but I was hoping to put some in the freezer.

 

The birds I've shot have been solitary and just seem to be passing through. I've seen one flock of a dozen birds and that's been it.

 

Is anyone seeing good numbers of birds in Essex?

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I've been roost shooting the last two Saturdays and it's been the quietest I've known it for some years.

 

There's barely any sign of pigeons using the woods on our syndicate. I've had a brace both weeks so it's nice to have something for dinner but I was hoping to put some in the freezer.

 

The birds I've shot have been solitary and just seem to be passing through. I've seen one flock of a dozen birds and that's been it.

 

Is anyone seeing good numbers of birds in Essex?

Yes, I've seen lots of birds but they are not playing the game and seem to be roosting anywhere they wish. When beating, the old "roosting woods" were as clean as could be ie no **** to be seen.

There are some good flocks about but there is little or no rape up your way. (Shalford I assume?)

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Been watching a field of rape which i do not have permission on but borders one of my farms. The farmer told me a couple of weeks ago that it had been fine then one day was hammered, missed the feed by a couple of days. I have been back several times and have not seen a bird on it, I can clearly see through the binos where they have had werried it, what a big patch too!

 

Few fellow shooters who are serious pigeon shooters around here have reported really poor numbers of pigeons this year.

 

Went back again today, no activity. Not long back in. Stood at the end of a strip wood for about two hours, not a pigeon in the sky. What a cold wind and struggled to find shelter from it, back home now.

Edited by 7daysinaweek
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Same story for me. Went to a shoot of mine near Maldon and on route just half a mile from my fields, a few trees were filled with hundreds of pigeons (more like a flock of starlings) presumably gathering to attack the rape beneath them. The week before I got a dozen (should have been more but the down hill position was challenging) I was using up some 28grm 8s (yeah I know, 8s! really?) I was surprised at the killing power but my Franchi semi didn't like them, often not cycling properly. Looking forward to getting my 1965 Franchi 48 AL back from the main man Wabbitbosher" and also getting a replacement 20 bore Hushpower, so hoping for some of the hoard to be in my area, though with pigeon shooting nothing is certain.

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Really lean times on my perms in South Essex at the moment.

 

Mind you, I only have wheat on my perms right now, so not too surprised. But apart from that, there is very little in the air either, or sitting in trees.

 

Had been hoping for at least some success on previously well established flight lines, but no good right now.

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May be we should lobby parliament for a few days each year to allow shooting in towns :lol: ; there's loads of the beggars around my house and the flight line going over to and returning from Kent every day is second to none. I'm sure they do it just to taunt me. I thought pigeons were getting more intelligence, but isn't Kent where The Crowman shoots?

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Hope so; I'm getting withdrawal symptoms. I got a new shoot last year and was about 3 weeks too late for the peas going in, so this year I'll be on it. Don't know if I like this early warm weather though, bit of crispness might help us and winter should still be here. God damn global warming.

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So I went out again today and how frustrating was it! Same as last time with hoards of birds decimating a rape crop just 1/2 mile from one of my shoots. Tried everything to contact the owner but to no avail. Came home without getting the gun out of it's slip and a few gallons of fuel lighter due to trolling around the other shoots and cold calling a couple farms covered with corvids and pigeons only to be told they already have guys that shoot there.So now I'm bored bored bored bored bored and only the prospect of Saturday night TV and a week of work before another chance presents itself. Darn those Essex Woody's

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I'm near to you getthegat Stebbing and roosting this year over Terling area not much about we shoot for 4 weeks in February had about 60 total some big flocks at times but all very wary and country mile high. Lack of rape seems to be the main problem for good old Essex and gets worse year by year. Roll on the drilling of peas beans and wheat perhaps that will change things for us guys ????

Come on pigeons come out to play ... . .

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Oh a neighbor! Cool. I managed to get a go on Tyndales last friday (very very nice of the land owner, farm manager and keeper to allow me) Loved being away from work for a day, out in the open air, but as for the size of the bag.........1 feathered and flew on, one blinding stone dead 40 yard-er and 2 token magpies. That was from 8.30 - about 3.00 ! ! ! I don't give up easily. There were hundreds when I arrived, mostly feeding in amongst with the bird scarer whirly things, They never returned to the field I was in but I could see them in the woods about 1/2 mile awaty, just sitting for hours and not moving. Almost made me wish I'd stayed at work and made some money; almost.

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Think I'd agree that there is no shortage, I have seen plenty at various farms; just that they are always on every other farm at other times, than when I'm out. Not having much time for reconnaissance, I have to take pot luck most of the time. The birds are definitely wising up and can spot a dodgy decoy or flapper that seems never to mover forwards only flap a bit. I did have minor success with a flapper loaded with a dead bird, but my magnet must have it's poles reversed, as it always seems to push them away. After 50 plus years I'm not about to give up though.

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