army646

Hi John As a matter of fact I do. I was with a work friend of mine today and had a look at his silver pigeon which has only had a hundred or so cartridges through it, so is still as tight as when new. It is still in the ABS case it came in and is totally mark free. I think basically he was showing it to me in the hope that I would buy it from him as I know that he could do with the brass ATM. He is based in Clitheroe in Lancashire and I said that I would keep an ear and eye out for anyone that was`after one. Interested? I can always broach the subject with him and if you wish put you in touch with him. Nige

So hopefully there is not a lack of pigeons and as the general concensus seems to indicate and what we are experiencing is simply the birds response to an unusually mild winter with a glut of natural food. As some people are indicating it will be interesting to see what happens over the next couple of months as the natural food supplies begin to run out. I sincerely hope that there are shed loads come blitzing out of the woods and onto the rape, like grey feathered pirahnas when they finally have scoffed natures bounty in the next month or so. Bad news for farmer 'Tom' but a god send for us!

The birds that you have seen blowing mucus out of their beaks Acid House have got 'Trich' or canker, both are alternative names for trichomoniasis. Generally birds that are affected are very listless and just perch somewhere with their feathers fluffed out. Basically they have had it when they get to this stage. I have seen a lot of birds around the Cheshire area last week, perched on the street lights around the industrial areas where I have been working that looked like they were not having a good time of it. Basically you could walk under the street lamp and they were not for moving and looked really doscile and then what I read in the BASC magazine asking for reports of any birds showing symptoms got me thinking that there might be a bigger problem this year. From what I can make out it seems to come in waves and every now and then we get a bad year. Hopefully I will be able to get clear of the sodding DIY that I am committed to ATM and get out and do some reccying on the land I shoot around Ripon. Last year it was like something from Hitchcock's film 'The Birds', there was literally thousands of them, so it will be interesting to see how this year compares. I will know if they are in the woods as there are a couple of big ones in the area which is where the birds usually roost.

Right a bit of an update to my original post 'definately fewer pigeons'. Ended up working today, which meant a trip from the M65 junction down the M6 to Warrington. I live in Skipton and at 7.00Am this morning we were down to -6 degrees, so a fairly good old coating of the icy stuff. I normally start to see pigeons on the morning flight at a about 8.00Am and over the past couple of days on my waydown to Warrington I usually see birds moving west to east across the M6 around Haydock Park area. In the past couple of days there has been a steady stream of small numbers. This morning was different there was a significant increase in the number of birds, more like the usual amount that I would expect to see moving about at that time of the morning at this point in the year. I think that I have got to say that there has to be some thing to the statement I have heard so many times that cold weather always seems to 'keen them up' and get them roving about a bit more. That definately appeared to be the case this morning. I hope that we have not got a problem with pigeon numbers, as I really enjoy the sport and eating what I shoot.

I spend most of my time driving around the country as part of my job and have read one or two posts regarding the lack of pigeons this year and can't help but tend to agree that there definately does seem to be far fewer this year. I have not really seen that many large flocks. The largest I have seen I would say is probably about 60+ birds and that was a while ago. The majority of the larger numbers of birds that I have seen are tending to move just after first light, probably around 8.00Am. I have not seen that many birds dropping into rape fields, but have seen more in the last couple of weeks. In past years in January, the birds are generally moving in their largest flock numbers and I have seen flock numbers into the thousands and yes what everyone says is true and **** law they are generally not where you are or gone no sooner than they appear. But overall there have been plenty of birds evident in the past at this time of year. What worried me a little was that when I was reading through the latest edition of the BASC magazine, there was a section that was asking for all shooters to report cases of the disease Trichomoniasis, particularly in woodpigeons. For those who do not know, this is a nasty little organism that can affect birds and shows itself as 'plaques' or cheesy looking deposits that form in the mouth and throat. Normally when they are in the final stages they tend to just sit with their feathers fluffed out looking pretty listless and then finally carc it. Due to having to do 'man work' at home to keep the missus sweet, I have not been out shooting recently so cannot comment on this one. Any body seeing anything like this? Is there a problem/outbreak of this ATM? Is this reducing numbers? Oh and by the way to put everyone's minds at rest the bird strain is not transmissible to humans. Everyones comments, thoughts and observations would make interesting reading for us all.

I have though about clearing a patch with a leaf blower. Do we reckon this would work?

Evening Foxbuster Yeah I have got a short wheel base 2.8 auto Pajero on a '93 L plate and can probably give you a few pointers as a result of my experiences. I could have gladly set fire to the thing when I got it, but to be honest now I have got it sorted I love setting off shooting in it. Right! Things you need to watch out for when buying one: 1. Check water pump for leaks around the impeller shaft. If they loose to much water they cook and knacker the cylinder head. 2. Cylinder heads are prone to cracking on the 2.5 and the 2.8's as a result of the above and they are expensive to replace. Watch for white smoke/steam particularly at start up and take it for a good long test drive and watch the temp guage for wild fluctuations. It is no good checking for emulsified oil as this does not happen on the Paj/Shoggy for some reason when the head is gone. 3. Check the bottom pulley is running true and not wobbling as they have a habit of comming loose and ********* the end of the crank. If you know someone who knows the Paj/Shogun take them with you when you go to have a look at one. If you get a good one they are a pleasure and for the record I recon I can get pushing 30 to the gallon on a run, put your boot down or run round town and yes the economy is pants!

I can highly recommend Bamfords near Chorley in Lancs. Just traded in a very nice clean Lanber Sporter 12g O/U and got pretty much what I paid for it in part ex against a nice clean Beretta A303 Sporter. Decent, down to earth people, easy to deal with and I will definately be putting more business their way I like the lads at Bond & Bywater and get on really well with them, but unfortunately they were way out of bed on price this time so I had to go else where. So Bamfords get a bid thumbs up for me and the brass that I have saved from giving up smoking will be spent on another gun from them. Give em a go. They currently have plenty of quality S/H autos just right for us pigeon shooters. Nidge

I travel up and down the country on a weekly basis and there is very little activity at the moment. They are definately feeding on natures harvest in the woods. We could do with some really good hard frosts to make the rest of the leaves drop to cover up the beech mast and acorns and drive them onto the rape. I have seen an odd larger flock on the move early on in the morning. Hopefully we won't have to wait too much longer.

Dear all Thought that I had reposted this last night, but looks like I made a hash of it. Still have some camo nets for sale if anyone is interested. Details are as follows. Prices + postage costs (Post Ofice - Standard Parcels) are as follows: Woodland 5x3m £20 + p&p @ £8.50(2.8Kg)= £28.50 - 10 left Desert 5x2m £20 + p&p @ £5.50(2.0Kg) = £25.50 - 10 left One of each of the above £40 + p&p @ £12.00(4.6Kg) = £52.00 Pictures can be seen on Photo Bucket at the following link http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/g456/army646/ In the first instance, send me a PM to let me know which you would like and include your address details. If you include a contact number, I will give you a call, or alternatively I will reply to your mail and include my Paypal address to send the money to. Look forward to hearing from you soon, grab em while you can as when there gone there gone. Best regards Nige

Hi Cranfield Thanks for the re post, much obliged. Nige

Hi Muggins Skipton, North Yorkshire. Nige

Dear all Finally in a position to send out nets as discussed in previous posts Before you commit to one of the woodland nets have a look at the 'photo bucket' link, where pictures are now posted. It turns out that the woodland is what I would call a 'patch' net and not full cover, unlike the desert. But what I have done to counter this is cut the net at 5X3m (same price), so that they can be 'double draped' to give you a 5x1.5m run but with better coverage. Alternatively you could run some of the 'printed net/scrim' behind it. Used one on Sunday 'double draped' which gave good cover and worked a treat. Prices + postage costs (Post Ofice - Standard Parcels) are as follows: Woodland 5x3m £20 + p&p @ £8.50(2.8Kg)= £28.50 - 14 left Desert 5x2m £20 + p&p @ £5.50(2.0Kg) = £25.50 - 17 left One of each of the above £40 + p&p @ £12.00(4.6Kg) = £52.00 In the first instance, send me a PM to let me know which you would like and include your address details. If you include a contact number, I will give you a call, or alternatively I will reply to your mail and include my Paypal address to send the money to. Look forward to hearing from you. Best regards Nige

Me again As promised to all interested parties with regards to the desert camo nets, please have a look at the following pics on photo bucket. The link is as follows: http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/g456/army646/ I will post photos of the woodland as I process them. I know that the desert are of more interest to most at press. Any problems getting at the photos let me know. Regards Nidge

Hello to all Yes Iam back. Spent 3-4 hours today unravelling and cutting up the first of the 11x11m desert camo nets on our local football field. I will post the photos in the next 48hrs. Basically when the nets are cut down no matter how hard you try, you end up with an edge where the dressing needs securing back in. My first aproach was to tie the dressing back in using the tail end of the cut mesh, but this is very slow and labourious and I know that everyone needs them now. So what I have done tonight is to order some 75mmx1.5mm cable ties on 48hr delivery (clear for the desert, black for the woodland) to speed things up. One thing I will not do is to supply you with badly finished ****. The good thing is that I can now confirm is that the dressing coverage is 100%, not the patchy **** that is not UK MOD spec that I have seen being sold on the internet. Basically the desert nets are the ones that I will do first. They are like a very light sand on one side and a darker colour on the reverse. My back is mullered from all the bending and cutting that I have done tonight. My fingers ache like **** from all the knots that I have tied and my head is melted from explaining to the local youth what the hell I am doing and also from stopping local dog walkers dogs from sprinting all over the net whilst I am trying to cut it! Once I have got the cable ties I wil get my back side in gear again and process them as quick as possible, work out the postage via Royal Mail (probably the easiest as far as collection from your local collection office is concerned)and let everyone know what the cost will be. My next post will be the link to the piccys. Sod it I am having a day out on the stoggies tomorrow! Bear with me please. Regards Nidge

Evening all To all interested parties I have literally landed back at 10.00Pm from collecting the camo nets that I said I would probably have for sale. I can now confirm that they are all new nets. The desert nets are still sealed in the original black poly sacks, with the original manufacturers label intact. They were manufactured by W.J.Knox and are 'Desert MK7' pattern. What the cam covering is like I will not know until I lay them out, but I know what one of your posts refers to, some of the 'mil spec' stuff is a bit patchy on the dressing. I basically have two large desert desert nets measuring 11m x 11m, which I will cut down to give me 20 nets at actually 5.5m x 2.2m. Two of these nets I will be keeping myself, the other 18 will be up for grabs. The woodland camo net is actually 18m x 18m and is still unopened in its original heavy weight canvass wrap/bag and believe me weighs a ton. Had to check my gonads were still in their bag after hoiking it out of the back of the four wheel drive. This will be cut down into 27 nets at 6m x 2m, again two of which i will keep myself, the other 25 will be up for grabs. As I mentioned in my post I will be setting off on holiday with the wife and 'bin lid' early tomorrow morning, so unfortunately I will not be able to do the photos until I get back in two weeks time, but will do them as soon as I get back. What I will do is take a photo of each net spread between some hide poles with my mate in the picture for scale to give everyone a good idea of the actual size and dressing coverage. I will also take some close ups to show the quality and construction of both the desert and woodland patterns. These I will probably post on 'Photo Bucket' and provide a link to them. This is probably going to be a one off, when they're gone, they're gone basis. From what I can see from having a sneeky peek in the bags the quality and colouration looks good on both patterns, dressing coverage I will only really know when I lay them out when I get back. I know it is harvest time now and it is a real pain **** that I am away, can't go shooting and can't sort these nets out for you right away, but if you can wait a couple of weeks the opportunity will be there to buy some large, quality nets at little money and avoid some of the **** that is being sold for a hell of a lot more else where. For the member that asked, I am about six miles from Skipton, North Yorks. So when we get to it, if some of you want to collect we will sort it out. Failing that I will sort out the cost of postage to where you are and let you know the cost. So hang in there peeps if you can and I will be in touch when I get back from hols. Best regard to one and all. Nidge

I will post some photos so you peeps can have a look. Might be a slight delay as I am on holiday for the next two weeks. I will see if I can get some photos sorted and a link to them before I go. Cheers Nidge

Hi Jakkam I have just posted on the equipment for sale section. I have had the same problem getting hold of decent desert camo net, but as a result of ducking and diving I should be in possesion of 18 5x2m new MOD spec nets as of tonight. Basically they are new large nets that I am cutting down to useable size. The only problem is that as from tomorrow I am away on holiday for two weeks. If you are still in need by the time I get back, they will be £20 + p&p as apropriate. Let me know. Cheers Nidge

I have been trying to source some desert camo net recently for post harvest shooting. Not easy to get hold of but I have managed and **** law I have ended up with way more than I need. Also I have ended up with a large amount of woodland pattern, again more than I need. It is all new and unused, MOD grade so I am thinking of passing in onto my Woody shooting bretheren at low cost. Before I put it on the 'equipment' page I am just wondering if anyone is interested. The net sizes and prices that I am toying with are as follows: Woodland - 6 x 2m - £20 + p&p (as apropriate) - I will have 25 of in total up for grabs. Desert - 5 x 2m - £20 + p&p (as apropriate) - I will have 18 of in total up for grabs. I will take some photos and sort out a way of providing a link to view them (photo bucket possibly). If I get enough interest I will post them on the equipment page failing that I will pass them on else where. Anyone interested. Nidge

Evening all I have a '93 L plate SWB 2.8 with suposedly about 73K miles on the clock and I recon I am getting near 30 on a run if Iam not too heavy with the old right boot. Off road is a different matter! I did have to replace the head and water pump when I bought it. Other than that it is a fairly good old bus. Nidge

Evening all Over the past couple of weeks I have been trying to source some desert camo net for post harvest use. The problem is that it is almost impossible to get ex MOD stuff and the new stuff that is available is either 3x2m or 4x3m bits and is expensive for what it is. A recent development as a result of ferreting around and tapping up all the contacts I have, is that I may have sourced some large APG, woodland, desert and arctic nets, that is if it does come off! Basically if the sizes are as quoted I will more have more than enough for what I need and was thinking about putting some 'four season' net kits together and was wondering if anyone would be interested in buying them. If the sizes of the bulk nets are as stated, the kits will comprise four nets as follows: 1. Woodland - 5.5m x 2m - harvest/autumn/winter use. 2. APG (All Purpose Green)- 5.5m x 2m - Spring/summer - on it's own or in conjunction with the above. 3. Desert - 5.5m x 2m - Post harvest use to supplement bales or whatever in the middle of field if you need to get under the flight line. 4. Arctic (white) - 5.5m x 2m - Snow conditions if you fancy your chances. If these nets do appear would anyone be interested in a set at say £125 a pop. I will take some photos so the quality can be seen, but I believe they will be new. Please post a reply if anyone is interested. Nige

A word of warning! The Mitsy Pajero SWB has been mentioned in this thread and I have got to say that yes they are very good off roaders that will do all that you want for your pigeoning needs and will return about 30MPG driven carefully. But they are not as bullet proof as everyone bangs on about. I have a 2.8TD SWB and love it for what it will do and the purpose that it serves, but here is the list of maladies so far that are all known Pajero faults: 1. Cylinder head - prone to warping and more so cracking between the valve seats. Mine did - cost £800 including labour. 2. Leaking water pump - probably caused the cracked head. I think that the previous owner had K Steel'd the ****** to cover the head problem. I have worked in the motor trade (4x4's for a while - Landy)and the problem is that with the Mitsys a slightly cracked head will not always show itself in the form of emulsified oil (dip stick neck or filler cap)or over heating. Cost £100 including labour. 3. Bottom damper pulley - these are a three way pulley mounted directly to the crank shaft end at the front of the engine that drives the water pump, alternator, AC. They either delaminate the pulley from the rubber center or worse come loose or wear and begin to chatter on the Woodruff key in the end of the crank shaft, eventually opening the key way in the end of the shaft and knackering it. Cost £200 including labour. 4. Wandering and noise from front suspension/steering - can be a number of things and none of the old Pajies/Shoggies are perfect due to the fact that the rack/suspension is of a poor/basic design. Common causes are: ball joints (two per side), track rod ends (two per side), idler box, Pitman arm, warn control arms, knackered electric shocks, anti roll bushes and drop links. Knackered rear shocks and springs, rear drop links and anti roll bushes and rear trailing arm bushes are also notorious for causing the 'Pajero/Shogun weave,shimmy or wander'. So if you are thinking of buying one be careful, but dont be put off because they are still one of the cheapest and best off roaders than you can buy. Put it this way, I asked my mate, a Landy repair specialist who repairs mine at mates rates and knows the problems I have had, what 4x4 he would buy on a budget to do what most of us pigeon shooters want and guess what? He still said he would advise an old Pajero or Shogun! I hope this post will not put people off Mitsys and will help anyone who may be looking to buy one.

Thanks for that everyone. I might treat myself to a day off work for my birthday this week and have a days shooting. Even if I have a **** day it has got to be better than working! Cheers Nidge (army646)