cloudwalker

Been out today in Bedfordshire on OSR. Set up at about 8.30am. Pigeons suicidal!! Came in all day with only a couple of short quiet spells. Packed up at 5.00pm and picked up 86 Woodies. They were still coming in as I was picking up

Have had a few days on some Spring Barley drillings. We weren't the only ones shooting the field. Looking at the piles of feathers everywhere somebody had some excellent days. As we started to set up I noticed the field was completely littered with plastic wads. Since last harvest I have shot nearly 900 pigeon with about 1500 shots. If I had used plastic wads, that would have left an awful lot of plastic around which wouldn't rot down. Given that BASC research shows that fibre wads give a better pattern, is it time for us all to start using fibre. I know they cost a few pence more (why I do not know?) but they have got to be better for the environment. What do you all think?

Disappointing day on spring drillings on Monday 9 (field shot out!) Good day on rape yesterday 58 3532+9+58 TOTAL 3599

Keep the running total up chaps. 34 today, also on spring barley. TOTAL 3072

44 on OSR today. Total 2875

Pigeon shooters seat bag £29 Had one for a couple of years now. Highly recommend

39 on spring drillings total 2639

Now that the rape is running up I find my dog invaluable,especially for those birds you hit but which carry on flying to the otherside of the field before dropping. If you are only shooting over very low growing crops you should be fine without one.

Not seen much in the way of Spring drillings around here. Pigeon still on the rape and in large numbers. Roll on the weekend

Those timings are almost exactly the same as what I have found. I try to be set up by about 8.00am. The first hour is usually the best as I catch them coming out of the woods for a feed. It drops off then towards about 12.00. After that it is a long wait until about 3.00pm when they come back for their tea! Finally often I catch a few late ones before packing up about 5.00 - 5.30pm. All these timings are for about this time of year of course. I don't do any roost shooting this time of year, only decoying.

23 for me Total 2370

I totally agree

Didn't do it for me I'm afraid

I think a conference is an excellent idea. Also, as some who goes to a lot of conferences as part of my job, £20 is a steal. The going rate is between £100- £150 for a similar event. I am being bias but how about holding one somewhere in the midlands? As for when, how about during the summer?

In Northants they are feeding on the rape. Large flocks about. Managed 69 on Sat and a mate had 55 on Sunday. Both of us were shooting different areas.

I have had two similar experiences. The first time was when out decoying. I put a deek on top of the hedge I had my hide set up against. All of a sudden I heard this wooshing sound, I looked over just in time to see a Perigrine falcon hit the decoy off the hedge and they try to pluck it :( The second time I was out doing some rough shooting. A Woody flew over and I dropped it into the next field. I could see the Pigeon was still alive but just as I climbed over the gate a Sparrow Hawk hit it. The Hawk was so preoccupied in trying to pluck and eat this Pigeon I got to within 6 feet of it before it flew off Both truly amazing things I shall never forget

Cracking day on Rape yesterday, 69. New total 2294

Did 60 miles today for a miserable 3 Pigeons

Pigeons are down to 10p here now. It is very much down to supply and demand. A few weeks ago my dealer was offering 30p (this is when they were all on the ivy berries).No one was bringing any in. Now that the pigeon have moved onto the rape he is getting loads and the price has dropped. You could buy a freezer. I have seen someone in the Shooting Times advertising for pigeons but he will only collect a minimum of 200 or 300 birds. As long as your dealer takes them off you, even at 3p each, carry on shooting but like you, I would rather stop shooting them than burying them.

Absolutety right Cranfield. Last year we thought we had the perfect field, sown late so abit behind everyone else. Major flight line going over it. We tried everything to pull them in but they wouldn't have it Insted they flocked on to the next farm were the rape was really tall. They spent the whole winter on that. Yesterday shot another field which always has pigeon on it. We look forward to it being planted with rape every 3 years. Ended up with 56 No magnet just a flapper, floater and a dozen shells

Had a good day on Rape today. 56 Total 1289

Clear Pigeon 30g felts for me too!!

A miserable 6 today 984

Ive had a nightmare too :o Yesterday went to a field that i've not shot for a couple of weeks. Had a brilliant day there last time The only access to the field was under a railway bridge. Unfortunately, due to the thaw and rain there was about 2 1/2 foot of water underneath the bridge. Checked the height of the trucks exhaust and thought better not risk it. Drove 20 miles to some more farms I shoot over. First 2 farms nothing about. :o At the 3rd there were a few flitting about, so set up. Had a few shots but then they all cleared off :o As I sat there I could see pigeon flying onto a rape field in the distance. 100's were flighting in from all directions. Realised it was one of the farms I shoot over Packed up and headed there. Gates had new paddlocks fitted, I had no keys Then found out the farmer has gone to Florida for 3 weeks :o

17 for me today. Total 562