mrpip

Went out Saturday strong winds & chance of rain forecast so decided to stay local, got to rape field at 07.15 just walking down tree line & pigeons started coming to the trees 50ish in a number of small groups . Quickly got set up rotor & 20 assorted plastics, had a very steady few some nice shots with wind. Got to 12 o’clock & had 20 picked then never saw a pigeon till half two, then same again had a few more coming plenty more moving about in the distance, stuck it out till death finished with 32 picked up. Big improvement on the last 2 weekends Went to another permission Sunday, got to farm 12 o’clock no number of pigeons on any of the rape, set up on boundary of a large block which is usually a good flight line. Just stuck rotor out, had 2 straight away then a civil helicopter landed on a wheat field next to me sat there for about 10 mins with blades spinning then left (strange one??). Then a women was walking the boundary checking the hedges & ditches for the stewardship scheme, never usually see a soul round here, we were stood talking about wildlife in general when a dozen pigeon decoyed perfect, **** law. Then about half four 7 pheasant were out on the rape 50 yds up the hedgerow, noticed a fox working its way slowly to the pheasants, they just moved out into the field a couple of yds away & it walked straight through them. Owner won’t allow fox shot on this farm so got camera ready, it stopped 20 yds off the hide & stood there watching the rotor managed to get a picture (pheasants in background). Finished up with 9 picked the last one at 5 o’clock, then walking back to the landie I tripped on a tractor rut ended up going **** over t*t took all impact on my right knee & left shoulder, laid there on me back could not get up, all my gear under me & straps tight across my chest, dog thought it was a game & dived on me (go for help Lassie, not a prayer). Managed to get myself up sat on me bucket well winded don’t think I’ll forget this day in a hurry. Cheers

cheers for that, got the jist of it, just doing a bit of research before taking the plunge, addons, fixed scopes etc,

I pass a field that has always been hammered in the past when in with rape, no shooting allowed on this land. this year hes got the coloured spinning globes on & 2 kites but they dont look like hawks there red & yellow coloured. have only seen a few pigeon sat in trees when it was freezing cold

cracking bag there mate

spot on mate, nice write up, not keyed up on NV any info in laymans terms would be great

Take your phone number off mate, not advisable on an open forum.

top bag mate, they love maize

Funny that, found one that had crawled in my cartridge bag last week.

nice mixed bag, full day out thats what its about mate

Yes thats the idea, the pigeon tend to get used to them if there left in the same place to long, they just lift & drop back in. Theres also been alot of gas guns stolen around here, one farm I shoot on has fixed them in locked heavy metal boxes with a hole for the light sensor you need a fork truck to move them.

I use a single shot pedretti hushpower 410, when out lamping my brother uses his rimfire & I drive with the 410 out the window, lost count of the number of rabbits I've shot with it cracking little tool with 3 inch magnums noise is no big issue dosent seem to spook the rabbits.

Out this morning at first light, usual set up for this time of year on rape, 20 mixed decoys & rotar. Stong wind blowing from right, pigeons showed straight away, came in singles & small bunches decoying like bullets with the wind, had a mad half hour picked up 14 then that was it. Stayed till 12ish then called it a day due to other commitments, never saw above a dozen from 9 onwards & they showed no interest in the pattern at all. On another note alot more rape around here this year, most of it untouched & well away, also not many gas guns going off.

went out this morning at first light, sat for 2 hours for one shot, called it a day at 12ish did'nt see any number of pigeon all morning. Got an invite to go roosting starting about 2, there are 2 woods about quarter of a mile apart. I walked down to the far one left my brother in the first wood, pigeons started coming in straight away had some cracking shots. I picked up 15 my brother picked 7. Managed to make a good day from bad one

heads up, lovely looking dog

know the feeling mate, same over my neck of the woods, should pick up when it gets a bit warmer & the flocks break up

Had the last 3 days of work Day 1 set up with rotar & 20 assorted decoys on some rape I shot xmas eve, started well 13 in first half hour then it went dead, sat it out finished up with 18 & a crow Day 2 set up on some rape that they have had a good go on, shot 4 straight away then nothing, not a pigeon flying anywhere near. Packed up and did a recce never found any number Day 3 went to a farm about half an hour away got there at 08.30 200 plus feeding & another 50ish in the treeline, set up shot 4 then same again, left at 12 went to another permission on way home field blue over, but this time I tricked them I never set up, just walked them off & sat & watched, then went for a walk with dog. Guess what they never came back think they ended up in the next county, the joys of winter rape shooting love it

Heads up , well done, the joy of winter rape shooting

2 for joy, great start to the new year, mine starts today

Sounds like you've both enjoyed your holidays, great pics, keen looking dog

Excellent post Harnser, some good pointers in there. I was taught the basic art of decoying (it is an art) 30 plus years ago & I.m still learning. Pigeon habits have changed over the years also the range of decoying equipment often wonder how I used to shoot a bag over decoys made out of plastic guttering & paper mache, but I did. Couple of bits of advice that have stuck with me over the years, set up were the pigeon are feeding not were it looks a good spot for you, dont spend to much time on the hide you could be moving shortly if they dont come, Another tip I have used in the past when shooting tallish crops without a dog, is to stick a few twigs out beyond the decoys with a bit of coloured tape on them, makes it easier for marking your birds when picking up. I could go on but theres only one way to learn fieldcraft thats by being out there at every opportunity watching the wildlife, trying to outwit them & learning by your success & your mistakes.

another top bag, don,t mind full time keepers its the wanabees that pea me off

well done, keep enjoying it

so do I Matt, thanks for all the replys lads

Great bag mate, good to see reports coming in

Went out this morning first light, set up on maize stubble, been pigeons on it all week, but not today sat for 2 hours never saw a pigeon decided to move to another maize stubble field there was a few pigeon about so set up, same again nothing, Got a call from my brother he was having a few decoy on maize on a 100 acre block which is divided into 3 fields. The far side is rape, told me there was a good few feeding on the rape, so moved again, Finally shot my first pigeon at 12.30, finished at 3.15 with 21 pigeons & a crow. All the best folks