kitchrat

That's exactly the problem, the farmers want them gone, the guys with the equipment/experience don't want to shoot them and be left with a load of venison they can't get anything for. Having to gut it, drag it home etc is much the same as shooting a 100 pigeons, except the stalker, for all his time and effort gets one shot, then the work begins.

Yes you have list when you shot them, where you shot them, how you cooled them, how they were stored, at what temperature etc etc. Just to make it almost impossible. However, the stalking boys do all this and still get peanuts for their venison, if anything.

Many thanks, most impressive even to get to 35feet! Cheers

That clip is from Shooting Times. I struggle to get 20p for a pigeon, they (admittedly a "posh" pub) got £40 for the meat! Round here, Fallow Deer are becoming a plague, farmers want them shot but the guys with all the gear and training etc can hardly get more than a few £ for all the effort, so don't bother. Yet venison is way more expensive than many meats in the supermarket or diner. Lots of good food goes to waste because of "Rip Off Britain". NB Show me a butcher selling pigeons for £3 and I'm round there to do a deal!

Very interested in your lofting scheme. I too have wasted hours with the hooky things, especially trying to get them down again. How long a pole are you using? I assume you are putting them up only in medium-sized trees, say 30 ft trees in a hedge of lower bushes? A wide angle piccy would be much appreciated! I would love to be able to use lofted decoys roost shooting, but the trees in "my" wood are huge beech, maybe 80 or 90 feet high. As the wood is over 20 acres, pigeons don't often choose the come in near me, then they all flood towards those that land elsewhere. Once, I was lucky enough to drop a dead bird in plain view on top of a Scots Pine. Worked a treat. Cheers

I know I posted about this some 10 years ago, but it bears a reminder. This is a 1.2aH battery, easy to carry, runs a flapper all day. However, the terminals can just short across the base of a (live) 12 bore cartridge. So what I hear you say but it happened to me when I was doing 70mph in the middle lane of a 3-lane road. And the result? Full detonation of the cartridge and lead shot rattling round in the cab of my truck! Very scary! With no barrel to contain the blast, little damage was done other to a cardboard box and my hearing! However, if it happened in a person's pocket?? Cheers!

I shot a scrawny young bird this week, no neck ring, very lightweight. Surely it was a late squab from last year, not a 2024 model?

Good God, that's brilliant! I have loads of rape to shoot over, some of which is being hit by large numbers but it's usually a 1 or 2 shot wonder and the flocks clear off, or just sit in the trees for 45 minutes. So you end up with a very occasional attack by 100+ birds (shoot 1 , scare 99) or an occasional "Nobby-No-Mates". Double figures takes all day, let alone 100+!

Talking of squirrels..... I was recently going roost shooting in a 6-acre wood but the farmer advised me that a couple of chaps were going to be after squirrels. Not good but they are decent guys and we decided that they would start at one end of the wood, where I wanted to be, and then if they made a noise down the other end it could even help me. I soon found them a nice drey they could reach with their poles and 4 of the grey tree munchers were sorted. The boys moved away and from time to time I heard a few shots. I managed to fill a game carrier with pigeons and later heard that they had accounted for 13 squirrels, in the one small wood! It is quite isolated from any other wood, even well away from any decent hedge, so I was quite amazed.

"Conditions: Very mild, overcast and light, almost imperceptible easterly winds." You should worry!! It was p*** ing down here, I've only just dried out, hence the late reply! There are some nice conifers in the wood, just right for them to shelter under. So that's where I waited. But NO, any that did eventually come into land went to the middle of the wood on the top branches of huge beech trees, in the full deluge. They were even cooing at me! As to roost shooting getting harder, much of it is, I think, down to less shooters going out and moving them about. especially in bad weather. The 6-Nations Rugby has a lot to answer for. I say, "this is why God invented the VCR", but to no avail! Of course the birds are also getting pretty smart and don't seem to dive straight in any more, they overfly the wood 1st and only commit when a brave (or stupid) bird has landed. Then they flood in. If you shoot him, all gone again.One year I hit a high bird which became lodged on the top of a fir tree, in full view. Best night I've had, they just came in. I shot 25+. What we need is a 120-foot+ tower you can easily move in the wood and put a few lofted decoys up there at the top of the trees. (Dream on!) Of course, us Old Uns, can't swing so fast so birds we used to be able to knock down have been and gone. (excuse number 4543) Still good fun trying though! It's also noticeable how they learn, I had a really exciting evening Xmas eve, very windy, they just kept coming round and getting shot at. Hit about 12 at a ratio of about 1:4, Old Man stiff and slow syndrome! Since then, it's been all this overflying stuff, even though I laid off the wood unt3rd Feb.

After a bit of Google time, they do community roost : Roosting Summaries (friendsofredkites.org.uk)

Ha Ha, very good!! I thought Essex birds were supposed to be easy?

Yes, that's rape shooting. Trouble is, I'm getting the same problem on some very popular (until I turn up!) freshly drilled bean fields. A couple of days until they have found it and cot comfortable, I turn up and it's the same story Not that bothered "Thanks but no thanks", no panic or flaring away, half chances only for a while, then that dries up too. Frustrating or what!!

I fully agree with your point 2, they just "flock-string" wherever they know is safe. As to point 1, over the 3 fields of osr, there are about 4 "favourite" places. Once you set up on one of them and shoot at something, the other three locations become more popular, despite the fact that there is a gas gun up the other end. The crows and rook weren't seeing me. The pigeons just want to see a load of their mates there already. If the location is empty of pigeons, they go and sit a tree to watch and watch and watch. Eventually, one comes for a look. If you shoot him, they all go. If you don't, he swoops over the decoys and usually doesn't like what he sees for some reason. Watching from a distance, they NEVER drop straight onto a crop, unless there are loads there already. It's sit in the trees etc etc until one braves it, then they all flood down too. As to the road, no, it's a public road, not very busy but quite fast, so vehicles are gone in a flash, It is a very rural area so hopefully, no antis to cause trouble, but I take your point. I was there because the pigeons appeared to want to be there. (until I fired a shot). All perfectly legal but we are at risk from antis wherever you go. Recently, I was on the edge of a field, no footpath within half a mile and a bloke turns up. I point out that I am pigeon shooting and ask if he thinks he is on a footpath. "No idea" is his reply, "but I've walked this way for 9 years" . I point out that it doesn't make it a footpath and get the reply "So what are you going to do about it?". Of course I say "Nothing, enjoy your walk" and he stalks off. Joe Public....

Rope bangers are like the gas guns they all use, pigeons know the difference and they have limited effect. All jump off into nearby trees, then flood back down 15 mins later.