JDog

Several fields of rape were cut around my village today and by four this afternoon there were 300 birds feeding in them. I watched for an hour or so and identified the flight lines and I know where I will set up tomorrow. The only problem will be the sun.

Part of a bag of 56 shot over laid barley on Saturday 21st July. JDog and two tired and thirsty companions. With thanks to Fenboy.

Another example of excellent advice given over the forum. I am amazed at the knowledge members are able to glean from other users of the forum.

Please be gentle with a novice. I do now have a 'photobucket account' and I have a photo in 'albums'. Two further questions: 1. How do I 'cut and paste' into my chosen forum from my album? 2. How do I open other member's photos shown as being on photobucket?

Gentlemen, my question was rhetorical I must admit but it didn't take very long for the responses to veer wide of the mark. Here's the converse. If I asked a townie whether or not he drove dangerously when he was passing the entrance to a girls school at home time would he say that he drove no more dangerously than those country people looking for pigeons?

Pigeon shooters must spend a lot of time looking into farmers fields rather than at the road when they are driving especially at this time of year when pigeon shooting is approaching 'fever pitch'. Does this mean that they can be classified as dangerous drivers in the countryside?

Thank you gentlemen I will have a go at it today and let you know how I get on.

To those who are more technically gifted on the computer than I, please could you tell me how to upload/download pictures onto the forum. At present they are on my computer under the Picasa programme.

I think that you will find that PC Harwood will quietly leave the Police Force, though he will not escape from the reality of what he has done for the rest of his life.

Good point about the stubbles being around longer if all of the crops become ready at the same time. I used to despair when stubbles were ripped up the day after the crop had been harvested until I discovered that pigeons are just as eager to feed in those fields for a few days at least, particularly after rape.

The sign is a very good idea and more of us should produce one for the times when we are shooting near footpaths and houses. However, and far be it for me to differ from such an expert as 'Swiss Tony', but I would use the word 'CAUTION' rather than 'DANGER'. Members of the public may prefer to be cautious rather than feel that they are in danger.

It's probably best that you pluck and gut the birds first then cook them. From what I hear eating raw pigeon in the hide is a messy business.

I haven't seen swathed rape for some years but I do know that shooting over it can produce exceptional results. If I were you I would clear your diary for four or five days time when the birds have found it and are feeding on it in numbers.

I use drops which are placed on bare skin on the neck. They are relatively cheap from a vet and last for three months. My border Terrier is a tick magnet. When I was shooting last Autumn he sneaked away from the hide to a badger sett and he came back covered in ticks. Over the next week I took 200 ticks from him.

I had a very fine two hours shooting over a small patch of laid wheat this afternoon. There was a strong wind and when the birds came down it across the front of my hide before turning in to the decoys they were very difficult targets indeed. Some birds never did turn in so I had to take my chances when I could and shoot them as fast crossers. I ended up with 20 for 45 shots. However I would say that I would much rather shoot 20 of these difficult birds than 100 'doddlers' coming into decoys with no wind.

Why, if you had a camera, didn't you get a photo of the bloke? It would have aided identification by others.

Two of my weekend bag of birds were very young and far too valuable to go off to the game dealer with the rest of them. They have just gone in the oven with a single slice of bacon over each one and I am now looking for the strongest Merlot I have around the place to go with them. Apart from young grouse, woodcock and teal young pigeon take some beating on the table.

Speak to the farmer and clear with him whether you can trample around in his crop for your sport. If you can then shoot the field but take a dog to pick up as it would be a shame for you to leave dead birds in the crop.

Shot 60 on laid barley on Saturday and 48 on a different farm yesterday on barley. Interestingly the birds were difficult to decoy and many stayed well wide of the rotary and floaters.

Very good point. We pigeon shooters are all happy to find a field of laid barley or wheat or rape and those fields certainly do provide excellent sport. Spare a few thoughts however for the farmers whose annual income is lying out in the fields reducing in value by the day.

I also tip both birds on their sides to a 45 degree angle once they are mounted on the rotary so that incoming pigeons see more of the white wing bars.

'A couple of days of sun' may be enough to ripen the earliest barley but in my area (the Cotswolds) it will take a more prolonged dry spell to dry up the ground sufficiently for harvesters to get on. I shot over laid barley yesterday and there was 2" of water in the tram lines.

And how did you do?

When I travel light the one piece of equipment I need is always one of the pieces I have left in the car. Natural hides at this time of year save carting netting, and if the shooting is over laid corn or in tram lines then only the rotary and maybe a floater are needed. Roll on harvest so that we can all drive to the chosen spot.