Country Boy

How do we stand legally now if we decoy over these remains stubbles ??

Hope this thread aint dead.... I recently bought a Benelli 828U after handling one at a clay shoot last year. For clays and game I've always used Browning and Beretta's over/unders and briefly used a Perazzi MX2000s but always had a semi-auto for pigeons and sometimes clays, it's a Beretta 302 for which in the late 80's I made my own shims to alter cast and comb height and some new autos now come with the means to get the perfect 'gun-fit'. Which was what attracted me to the 828, I chose a 28" barrelled version (there is now also 26" and 30") because it gives the same overall length as my semi-auto and I have set up the cast and comb height exactly the same as the auto. Also I have added some weight to the stock void and I am very pleased with this new gun, I intend to use it for everything !! I've fired about 200 cartridges with good results in the field and at clay targets. It handles better than the Perazzi and overall is equal to the 302 - I think I'm gonna stick with it :-)

This bird - the wood pigeon - is pretty intelligent you know. It's moving with the times, as well as the safe forested areas it knows the safe urban places, where to feed and when, only a very small percentage fall victim to the ancient art of decoying. In the winter months I see the frustration of the lads who patrol the oilseed fields near me, where the flocks number 1000's yet very few appear to be shot, for on those days when there are no hunters are in attendance the birds feed freely, often unperturbed by gas cannons and scarecrows. I think we are kidding ourselves when we talk of a close season, self imposed or not because the wood pigeon has created it's own form of closed seasons.

You don't say if, when you've 'fired' that, the target is hit or missed ??

Seems to me there must be an awful lot of pricked / wounded pigeon, if some of the comments on this thread are to be believed ?

I hope you're right mate :unsure:

Forgot to say - 'don't like getting there feet wet' - is just another myth about pigeons

WOOD PIGEON the clue is in the name. Currently still on the menu are beech-mast and acorns, black ivy berries, red hawthorn berries and other mixed woodland fruits which vary from county to county. Don't forget we have some massive ancient woodlands, massive estate mixed woodlands and 1000's & 1000's of acres of sustainable forestry all of which have little or no public access, in which it is not possible to drive by or through to check and evaluate the pigeon activity. In my experience the weather at this time of year is key to pigeons eating brassica & oilseed rape plants, it just is not cold enough to make the birds hungry, a covering of snow will help and/or the birds exhaust there current food source and are forced onto the arable pastures. But this is a top rated agricultural pest species we are talking about and there are zillions of them out there currently not causing any problems, likewise the pathetic bags which are currently being made, in the name of pest control, won't even begin scratch the surface of even beginning to make an impression on the pigeon population. Now as I drive about pigeon spotting I can often see enthusiastic pigeon hunters set up, their position betrayed by some rotary device, doing their utmost best to try and attract pigeons onto farmland with very little or no effect. It makes me wonder just what some of the landowners and farmers must think, if and when they see this phenomena of so called pest controllers attempting to draw pigeons who really prefer other things at the minute than dining on their crops Really in truth we none of us care about the crops we shoot over only the opportunity to shoot this wonderfully unpredictable sporting bird and I wonder if roost shooting at this time when there is a dearth of them on any rape or other arable is actually pest control ? This GENERAL LICENCE system we have does pose questions for us right now - however I like to think that it shouldn't make any difference if pigeons are shot away from farmland now as it must mean less to come on to the land at say immediate pre-harvest time. What do some of you guys think about this ??

Had mixed days on pigeons over oilseed rape last month, best bag being 12 or so, with several blank days. A week last Friday afternoon six of us were invited duck shooting and noticed many pigeons in the surrounding woods, the shoot owner said if you like come after season ends and shoot pigeons. Well there was only myself keen and yesterday I had about 30 pigeons shooting from a clearing in the wood downwind from where I'd spent an hour and a half lofting decoys into oak trees which the pigeons were heading for.

A close season for wood pigeons ? What next protection for grey squirrels ? Well, where I live there is much grass ley with sheep and beef cattle surrounded by a large scattered ancient woodland acreage, every morning hundreds of woodpigeons converge on the trees, still lots of acorns to be had, rooks also eating acorns I've noticed on my way into Leeds that since xmas a few pigeons are beginning to drop into the oilseed rape and it's quite high, once they are in there you can't see 'em.

There is currently a massive natural harvest in the UK's wooded areas, so surely no surprize then that this is where wood pigeons can be found and because they are very mobile opportunistic feeders they will check the arable between the woods - old stubble fields, game crops and set-aside - regret they won't be pinned down and there probably won't be much action for decoyers until the weather produces a much longer cold spell but, never worry, by mid February we'll all be into some stoggies.

Northallerton Shooting Supplies has them on sale at £90.00 I tried one in the shop but thought it was expensive, particularly as they are made in China, then someone told me they are on ebay ? Is the self same article you are talking about on here?

Yes I agree and wood pigeons prefer 'HH' deeks as well, anyone know why they stopped making them?

Makes the mind boggle how the action of a few affects millions. Perhaps David Cameroon should invite all the tanker drivers to Chequers for tea and cupcakes ?