Mightymariner

I was surprised he shot so many. Only because I didn't think there were that many about, not because of his ability. I am glad he did though, I was useless. Couldn't get into the groove and wasn't in the best frame of mind, so I thought it best to pack up and give JDog some tips, which I think he was pleased of.

So yesterday I was presented with the late opportunity to get out for a few hours, and though the weather was hot with light winds I never pass up the chance to get out. I headed to a farm where I knew there was lots of stubble as it is owned by a family who do all the work themselves, so if they are harvesting there is no cultivation. Parked on the top of a hill with views to the east coast and the Wolds, I was quite happy watching the world go by. Below me they were harvesting wheat, other fields had been cut, some baled some not. And the field I parked on was week-old rape stubble. An initial drive round put up approx 200 birds, mostly on the lower portion of the field. I drove off to the wheat, and while I chatted to one of the farmers at the wheat field, I noticed birds coming back in. Sure enough as I drove back on to the rape, a good number lifted again. I parked up again, nearly 4pm, plenty of time. After a few minutes of watching odd birds drift back to the field, I could bare it no longer and picked my spot - a lone tree with the sun and wind behind me, next to a 100 metre gap in the hedge line which the birds were using to enter the field. Setting up in the shade, I was well positioned to take birds entering on my left to the rape. A few dead birds and a flapper completed the picture. Sure enough as I parked the truck and walked back I could see a few birds trying to get in. Optimism was high. Settling in the hide I had a couple of early shots, birds drifting in to the decoys from the left, then on the shots I would get another chance from a field further away as disturbed birds headed back to the village behind me. It was sporadic, few shots here and there, birds decoying well or coming back over me into the wind. By 6pm it tailed off, it was never busy but I got the odd shot. I picked 11, lost two in some bushes, and was more than happy given only a small proportion of the birds I initially saw came back. In the shade of the tree with a nice wind cooling me, it was a great place to be regardless of pigeons.

Agree. And as long as they engage a good PR firm who understand both sides of the argument (no middle-aged white males in tweeds).

Well done for doing this, BASC take note. Your Game Fair ban on Packham was a PR own goal.

I've been lucky to get out a few times in recent weeks, sometimes with JDog, sometimes on my own or with others. So here's my round-up. Flightline fun: JDog and I shot a fantastic flightline on land I can shoot with birds coming to and fro from rape fields I can't. I spotted the line and watched it over several days, it was amazing, like a motorway for pigeons. The birds were travelling in a loop but funnelling through an area with rough grass and a tall hedge. We couldn't shoot on the best day when the wind was strongest but when we did get out, it was very good. We had hides 50m apart, me in front of the rough grass and JDog in front of some standing wheat. The line was fairly broad but we managed to get on some of the birds coming back, with some great shooting. A rough pick up of 40 with only a few lost in the crop as we had no dog. Barley stubble. Always exciting when you find you have new fields to shoot over, so when the farm manager said they had harvested winter barley on the "new fields" I was right on it and, even better, it was five mins from home. I watched the fields for a couple of days (I usually combine this with letting my son drive the Land Rover around the field while I look). It looked decent with a nice tree to set up under where birds were pitching in. JDog couldn't join me so I went alone. My heart sank when I saw two 4x4s parked down the field - how on earth did these two know about the fields! ******. Anyway as I drove down I realised they were set up next to a muck heap and shooting pigeons coming into it. Clearly they hadn't watched the fields. Quick chat and I parked up to watch for a bit. The line looked good to the tree but there was also another line into a second stubble. They were big fields so I couldn't cover both. A quick call to JDog and he was on his way. Showers came and went, JDog set up on the other field but it just didn't happen, he thought it had been shot recently (possibly when it was standing). Anyway, I stuck it out, the wind dropped and it became hard work in the heat as birds could pitch in anywhere. I managed 24, which I was happy with considering there was no wind when I finished. Rape stubble. Near the spot where we shot the birds flighting was rape stubble which I don't have permission over. After the flightline shoot, I found out who owned it and JDog went one better and drove round and asked the combine driver. A pigeon shootter himself, he kindly gave limited permission to shoot from the boundary of my land on the edge of his stubble. I couldn't get out when JDog wanted to, and he was reluctant when I wanted to. Still, I went out, it was forecast heavy rain and strong winds. As I watched there certainly were some heavy downpours as clouds raced across. However, as soon as they cleared pigeons started to pile into the rape stubble. I called JDog......I could tell he wanted to come and sure enough a few minutes later he was in the car. It rained again....and again....and then cleared a little. So we set off, carried our gave over a ditch and set up (after the usual argument about hide positions) in one hide and shot together. It wasn't as prolific as we thought it would be but we did manage to decoy some and shoot other passing by. A much better line to our right would have been the spot, however, it was out of bounds. So, with Jasper's help, we picked 26 pigeons. One lost in a tree which we couldn't see but Jasper told us was there. Rape stubble....again. A solo outing which involved a recce over many rape stubbles where I saw a lot of pigeons. Five fields together in a large block held a good number but I was concerned they would head to any position once I set up. A smaller field I only went to as an after-thought must have held 250 pigeons. I pushed them off, they came back. I grass cutter came, he pushed them off, they came back. With that anticipation only pigeon shooters must experience, I set up on the likely hedge close to where they had been feeding. Almost immediately some came back. I had lots of shooting. This is it.........then, it stopped. Birds headed over me to distant fields, I know not where. I picked up a few here and there, picked around 14 and enjoyed myself nonetheless. As you can see no big numbers on any outings but much fun and just good to be out there!

In time the crowd funders will lose interest in Wild Justice, just as Extinction Rebellion will fade away. It was a shame Packham was uninvited from the Game Fair. It would have been an ideal opportunity to debate the issues. IMO. BASC would be well advised to spend some money on outside PR experts to help counter Wild Justice. While I find some BASC social media and other media OK, some of it is embarrassingly amateur.

I am not sure how you can judge when to shoot pigeons then, given they breed for most of the year now.

I would agree with that. I would say the most of the general public are completely indifferent to shooting - and their attitude to shooting depends on where they live, their upbringing and many other factors.

I am sure many of you are on FB and possibly members of woodpigeon groups there, if so you may have seen a post this week about a mammoth day's pigeon shooting. Two men, 985 pigeons,11-7pm, on barley stubble. I can't quite get my head round the figures: shooting that many, the rate of shots, how many pigeons there must be in that area, how exhausted they must be after that. Apparently Chris Green has made a film of the day, so you may be able to watch it at some stage.

Good video, and editing....well done.

Good report. As I always say, it was good to be out, regardless of what we shoot. I think Jdog will have many good days on that field. I have suggested he set up right in the middle as the birds were quite happy to switch positions when shot at.

Well done chaps. I hate getting wet unless I am shooting pigeons. This wet weather will have brought some of my peas well on. They have just finished drilling peas, having started late Feb.

OMG...... you *** *** ** ********** again? When will you learn.

I think all methods are worth doing. The volume of replies, individual and groups, is what counts, Imo.

I signed up for email alerts from Defra/NE last week.