kippylawkid

When at Flamingo Land a few years ago with the family, we walked around the big lake there and a decent flight of Canadas started arriving. I cannot describe the shame and embarrassment my family showed as I hid on the lake edge and took a left and right out of every skein! It didn't bother me one jot.

You Southern lads live in a different climate to us Northern lads! Still loads of peas, rape and wheat to be cut up here. I reckon we're 5 or 6 weeks behind the South for harvest. The autumn stubbles have replaced the Spring srillings as my favorite/most productive time of the year for pigeon shooting.

Like an earlier post, wind, hail, snow or rain wouldn't have stopped me in my younger days but now I am not keen to shoot in hot conditions. The dogs don't enjoy it (can be dangerous) the flies annoy me and the birds can easily go green if not attended to promptly. I enjoy the later stubble shooting in Sep/Oct when it cools down.

Thank you, I use conventional game bags and fill 25 in each. I find this manageable but would prefer the weight higher up on my shoulders.

Another 2 excellent reports. You have done very well to only lose 8 birds with such temperatures. I'm curious what type of bags you use to carry 60? Hessian sacks or do you have bags you can properly shoulder?

I have been picking away on some evening flighting after work with mixed success of bags between 3 and 25. The first field to be cut on my patch usually presents a decent opportunity and this was the case as pigeons were nearly following the combine an a winter barley field. I let them finish the cutting and baling and shot the field 2 days later. I started later than I intended at 3pm, set up with the decent breeze behind me with a whirly, FF5 and 6 dead birds. The pigeons decoyed beautifully and I enjoyed that feeling where you know nearly every bird coming to the field would come to your pattern. Stan I picked up at 6pm. I probably could have shot 15-20 more but the call of the pub (only half a mile away) was too much! Picked 57 and 2 crows.

Excellent. I was looking for the like button!

Yes, got to agree with this. One well known guy continues to make regular 200+ bags, sometimes 2 and 3 times per week from the Oxfordshire area. There must be a huge population to sustain bags such as this. Northumberland definitely can't compete with that but thankfully we do have times where they show in good numbers.

Good to see you're posting again. I can relate to other guns moving in on your permissions. My main permission is on 3 joined farms that make up the game syndicate that I'm a member of. I have solely shot these farms for over 30 years now, usually alone but I invite pals and other syndicate members if i think there's a decent day to be had. What I have found recently are many "chancers" (JDog came up with this term) continually turning up and trying their luck, despite them knowing that I shoot the land. They have offered cash to the the farmers and keeper, (I suspect they then take cash from their guests) but luckily they either chase them or put them onto me. I do shoot on many other farms but appreciate that they're not my sole permissions and others can beat me to it at times. It is becoming more difficult to make decent bags on these farms as the birds are just not allowed to build up. Hope to see you posting again.

Great video again. If you and Muncher found using the moderated guns tricky it shows how difficult it can be. Boils my pi$$ when you get complaints from folk who just like to complain.

I really like that - now wish I'd kept some of mine over the years.

Pm'd you

😂 I had switched off from this post having received sage advice from the lads. I didn't realise that it had caused so much conjecture! Again, thank you for all the helpful comments.

Thanks for the replies folks. I think I'll go with the Super Steel 32g No 5

I have been asked to supply some birds of prey guys with pigeons. Not having used many steel shells for pigeons, can I ask the PW massive what their preferred brand and shot size of steel cartridges are? I will be using a Browning Maxus auto, mostly over decoys. My thinking was for a 32g No4 but I will listen to advice. TIA

Brilliant film. As JD as said, it makes you realise the amount of lead needed on high birds.

Bought my first over 20 years ago around June time. First time I used it was on a field where crows were flattening a barley field. I shot 2 crows and set them up on the magnet. I have never had birds respond like it since, they were literally throwing themselves at the magnet. I reckon it was the first time a magnet had been used in the area. Shot over 100 mixed crows that day. I agree they can sometimes scare pigeons but if you get it right, they are an invaluable bit of kit.

Come on then PW massive, what's everyone's stance on continuing to shoot? I personally won't be shooting until we get the all clear, my personal stance but from other Pigeon sites on social media there appears to be plenty who will!

Drillings are going in all over Northumberland and spreading pigeons far and wide. One of my most productive farms had drilled a big block of 4 fields of beans, last one done on Thursday., with beans spilled all over the headlands.These fields nearly always deliver and I eagerly went to shoot on Saturday. However, it just didn't feel right. The lines were sporadic and I took a chance in leaving it another day, when the wind was to increase. (I went to a clover field on another farm and shot 30) I returned to the bean fields 10am Sunday and there was already 2 distinct lines going into the block. Fortunately, I was able to drive to my chosen spot where both lines crossed and use a hide I'd used many times over the years, sheltered in the hedge from the cold easterly wind at my back. I set up 15 dead birds on cradles in a basic horse shoe and placed the FF5 in the middle of the killing area. I was in the action straight away and it was great to see birds committing a long way out, many skimming the drilling with no hesitation, text book decoying. They came well all day, particularly between 2 -3pm where the Maxus was red hot. I found that I needed to keep the killing area tidy or incoming birds would start to skirt the pattern. Soon as I tidied, they came back in where I wanted them. Frustratingly, I can't say my shooting was great. Many times I killed a bird with the first shot and missed subsequent chances for double and trebles - possibly over excitement! I shot to 4pm and picked 162 with Stan from all around the field. A superb days decoying, Not sure how many more chances we will get to do this. Apologies for the poor pics.

Well done. I'm looking forward to having a few over the decoys. Your land is very different to my patch! Dreadful return from the game dealer, I too sell mine to local restaurants as nearest dealer is to far away to make viable.

I like that - very true. I think when you're younger that numbers are more important but as you "mature" you realise it's not all about pulling he trigger and filling the game bags. I hope I never lose the thrill of seeing a high pigeon react to the decoys and dive bomb into the pattern.

Well done, sound like an exciting session! You've obviously done a lot of things right.

Nice one! You can't beat getting out on wild days/nights.

Fantastic, what a gun. A pal of mine has a single 8, English gun and uses it once or twice a season flighting pinks off Lindisfarne. I will never forget him taking a single pink out of a bunch that I hadn't bothered raising my 12 to. They must have been at least 60-70 yards and the goose was dead in the air.

Well done. Stormy days can make fools of even the best shots. The cream of shooting though.