kippylawkid

Jealousy is an awful thing AL. Thank you for all your posts over the years. I'm pretty sure all the real sportsmen on here realise you do things the right way. Try not to let it get to you.

Great post, like the look of your dog.

Thank you.

Well done JD, a brilliant hour of sport! Great to see you are posting again, I will look forward to your posts.

Well done, a great day. I admire your persistence in learning to shoot from either shoulder. Many would have called it quits. Finding an outlet for birds is a real headache here too. Pre-covid I had a range of restaurants in the area that took birds but that has greatly diminished to one or two. I have BoP guys that take them but they can only accept so many. Like you I won't shoot unless the birds are used properly.

Always found JDog a knowledgeable, articulate guy who is extremely generous with his time and pigeon permissions. A great contributor over many years to this site. It is a poorer place without him.

Thanks for taking the time to reply lads. My tech guy reckons the gearing may be shot too so I need to evaluate whether it is worth taking the chance to fork out £60 for the motor.

Folks, my Pinewood Rotary has given up the ghost as the motor has burnt out. Does anyone know if it is possible to source a replacement motor or am I best giving it up as a bad job? Do Pinewood still exist? If at all possible I would like to at least try and repair it as it has been a fantastic servant for at least 20 years. Thoughts and recommendations are welcome.

Lol! Very good

On Saturday I shot the same fields that I have had recent success on, but from a different hide. I managed 11 pigeons in 2 hours. The view from the hide wasn't too shabby!

Well done, looks a grand spot.

The strong easterly winds continued to batter Northumberland, leaving a good covering of snow. I was out first thing on Saturday morning to flight pigeons in a wood that has consistently produced birds for me since December. Unfortunately, the farmer had placed a banger right next to the wood and the pigeons were extremely wary. I still managed to bag 13 in 2 hours. I then moved to another farm that I had been asked to shoot to scare them off the rape. I knew this would not be a fruitful trip, but I always score there in spring on drillings so I made the effort and set up on a bare, east facing hillside no decoys; just flighting. The rape showing above the snow had been picked clean and I stuck it out for 90 mins until the cold became too much and I picked 4 very hard earned birds. On Sunday I shot the same field where I had some success last week. Thankfully, the fir wood again offered good shelter and I had an excellent flight. I started with 10 dead birds on cradles, flapper and 3 bouncers. The bouncers seemed to make some difference as pigeons definitely reacted more to them, despite the snow. I picked 44 just in time before the heavens opened with horizontal sleet. Roll on Springtime!

Well done for venturing out. There is definitely something about shooting when there's snow on the ground - even if the returns aren't great. Most fields covered our way but one sheltered field is still showing and pigeons are building. I'm hoping the farmer keeps the banger off until Saturday when the wind looks perfect.

Not sure about that! 20 years ago I would have been out all day in shirt sleeves😉

As previously reported, pigeon numbers seem to be multiplying daily in our area; particularly on the coastal strip that avoided recent snow. I have been happily chipping away at them, (to keep farmers happy and to beat the monotony of home working) without really threatening a big bag. The forecast 30mph easterly wind was perfect for one of a block of 3 fields I have been watching, crucially it also allowed me to shoot from a small fir planting that afforded decent shelter from the wind. It is on top of a steep slope and I hoped the decoys would stick out like sore thumbs to the pigeons. The lengthy haul of gear to the wood certainly warmed me up and I set up 8 dead birds on cradles, FF5 and a whirly (which decided to stop working after 5 minutes) and I was ready to shoot at 8.30. I didn't have long to wait as I could see the first waves of pigeons start to pour onto the fields, hedge hugging as I like to put it. A huge flock decoyed perfectly and I had 2 down. This wasn't to be the norm as subsequent flocks were very wary of my set up, despite my tinkering. The sport was top class though and enough came to the wood or decoys to make me forget about the sub-zero wind chill. The flight moved after a while and at least 500+ were feeding in a sheltered gully, about 200 yards away. I decided to walk them off and as I got nearer I realised they couldn't see me approaching, so Stan and I crept up to about 50 yards and when they flared I let fly 3 shots into the pack and dropped 5 (Pigeon extremes 34g No 5) I continued to shoot until 1130 but a combination of the flight changing and the wind chill penetrating my layers forced me home. Pigeons were still hitting one of the other fields hard but the thought of setting up on an open hedge in the storm wasn't an option - I'm either getting softer or wiser! Stan picked 37 hugely enjoyable but extremely hard fought pigeons. I also had skein after skein of pinks flight over me, some no more than 25 yards up. (You'll see my Post Office game bag in the photos, I did conceal it when I was shooting!) Similar to JD, the look of utter contempt I received from my better half on my return was a picture! It took a hot bath and a bowl of steaming broth to thaw me out. Bonkers maybe, but I'll be out again tomorrow!