Wilts#Dave
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Posts posted by Wilts#Dave
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Had a particularly frustrating day myself today, after shooting 200+ on my last outing (rare pb) today ended on a total of 9 pigeons after setting up once only for the combine to roll in after I’d shot 5.....moved to a different part of the farm in haste at 3 o clock only to get caught in the biggest downpour I’ve ever been out in, soaked through along with all the kit and only a further 4 pigeons to show for it.
I’m not going to lie I don’t overly enjoy those days as time is at a premium at the moment but most people will only tell you of the good days when we all get the bad ones where it just doesn’t go your way!
Still, at least you were in good company eh!! -
I look a lot at that sort of time as I often squeeze in recce’s with going home from work but have never set up so late.
That was worth your while though and a pleasant couple of hours no doubt, without having to sit around for hours with no shooting!
Maybe I should as have shot 50 plus countless times after 5 o clock when I’ve been out for the afternoon, often a second wave will come in for a later feed at this time of year. -
On 09/08/2020 at 15:27, motty said:
Yeah, I think some maybe don't realise how much driving and looking can be involved in finding birds and planning a shoot. I will sometimes look at the same field 3 times in a day to see what is happening. It used to be easier to check farms because I would go past several to and from work, but my work area has changed so I can't do it anymore. It has cost a lot in diesel recently, but it is all worth it in the end.
The rape stubbles have been slightly disappointing this year and it will be even worse next year. Another 4 farmers have told me they are growing none at all. That will only leave me with about 3 farms that will grow any!
Unfortunately not, but I may film some more soon. It can be distracting sometimes, and your shooting is compromised a bit by concentrating on the camera. I will have to upload some film from earlier this year, and even some from last year that I haven't yet edited.
Also, Chris Green has again shown an interest in coming up to film some shooting. Maybe that will happen this year.
Absolutely, I drive by at least some fields almost daily on the way home from work or between jobs.....definitely gives you an idea of where to spend more time looking!
Strangely there’s almost no rape stubble in our area but one tiny field that didn’t grow very well either was cut and topped off straightaway and the pigeons went mad for it, I shot 239 over it last Wednesday in just over 4 hrs.
Don’t think there will be any at all next year, but hitting wheat stubbles / peas at the moment here. -
Blimey how many shells did you take 😂!!
Good on you, I’ve been going regularly for the last 20 plus years now and still crave the next day out in the hide.....may seem strange to those who don’t do it, but I’m definitely addicted and have never got bored of going! -
It can be very frustrating at times, and things just don’t go your way.
I think most of us struggle with other shooters getting there first etc at some point or another......your luck will change if you keep at it! -
Some good shooting had there Motty, and as some people don’t seem to realise you need to put a lot of time/miles in to shoot good bags regularly......turning up on spec rarely produces consistent results!
Don’t know about you but I find work/weather often gets in the way of some good days for me which can be frustrating, but like you i’ve managed one real red letter day so far this harvest and it never gets boring seeing so many pigeons on a good day! -
21 hours ago, marsh man said:
Two fantastic bags, and congrats on your P B , this go to show there are still a lot of pigeons about despite the word of shortage keep cropping up from time to time .
Have you still got an outlet for fresh and frozen pigeons in your neck of the woods ?
Strange as our area can be devoid of pigeons almost then they’ll turn up en masse, but only in specific areas and then go again....it’s a matter of just keeping an eye on it all constantly and where/what crops are planted makes the most difference here.
Other areas though seem to produce 2/3/4/500 bird days on a regular occurrence going by the Facebook pages so certainly no shortage overall it seems.
All the game dealers we usually deal with have stopped taking them so an outlet for bigger numbers is harder now. I’ve managed to find someone who breeds ferrets and is taking 100 plus at a time, they took over 250 on their last collection! -
14 hours ago, Balotelli said:
Thanks, Motty, please tell the pigeons it's a good area. Had a spin round today. Nothing on laid rape, most fields have been combined, both rape and wheat. A couple of fields had a group of about 20. As soon as you set-up they'd be off to another field. And I have covered a heck of a lot of territory and I think that my inexperienced good eye would spot a decent crop of pigeons. Quite frankly, I'm at a loss. What I haven't done is to go out at the crack of dawn - about the only thing that I haven't explored. In my experience, it was so much better last year. What would be interesting is to see how these organised pigeon shoots at about £100 a day can guarantee any pigeons unless they throw down a shed load of grain, beans or peas to guarantee a half decent day's shoot.
The thing is, Leicestershire is a large area and you might just be unlucky and be in a part that doesn’t hold good numbers.
it’s the same where I am, not an amazing area compared to some but some of our farms just produce better numbers than others for reasons seemingly unknown sometimes but it’s just how it is.
You might need to start searching a different area! -
Great day by the looks of it!!
I had my personal Pb too on Wednesday over some topped off rape stubble, 239. -
On 30/07/2020 at 09:58, marsh man said:
Shotgun shooting at the highest level , I would imagine the guy is one the countries top clay pigeon shots who knows exactly what his gun , cartridges and himself are capable of .nice to watch and hopefully they made the effort to pick up most of what were shot.
He is indeed a top clay shot!
only a youngish lad but a very good shot and clearly done a LOT of shooting.....love to see shooting like that! -
Area dependant in the first instance.....some areas hold huge numbers of pigeons seemingly all year round, making finding them much much easier!
This time of year I’ll tend to look mid to late afternoon as if there’s nothing there by then there’s unlikely to be at all.
Been pigeons in my area but in pockets so you need to really work at finding a decent field.....been a frustrating time of farmers plans colliding with ours, work has got in the way of timing days just right and now the stubbles are coming off every man and his dog is suddenly out pigeon shooting which ruins lots of good days you had planned! -
Great outing Jdog, nice when things go your way! Rarely had a better day without the rotary personally.
I had a similar outing yesterday and shot 60 over peas, although they wouldn’t commit until after 5 o clock oddly then came in steadily till 7 o clock when we knocked it on the head. Every day is different! -
Quite sad that’s had to happen, I don’t know the reason behind it but I’m guessing someone local has been poaching your permissions.
Great bags as I would expect PC.
I do get where he is coming from though, over the last 5 years in particular it has seemed much harder to keep the same shooting as so many people seem keen on having a go, and often where we would be able to refrain from shooting a small bag and watch for a few days people now jump in when they see a few pigeons.
Telling people of your success seems to result in them telling others to follow in your footsteps which is most frustrating, happens a fair bit sadly. -
Nice video with some good shots there, I’d love to see where I miss the easy ones from time to time.
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On 18/06/2020 at 18:09, Centrepin said:
I shot again over peas Tuesday, different field, proper peas this time. 18" to 24" high and pods filling out. 1 pigeon at too long a range in 2 hours and not another bird to be seen. Packed up and moved on to another perm. Leaving it a few weeks now.
Sticking to where I know there are Crows and go back to pigeons later.
If there are no pigeons using the field you won’t shoot any pigeons, simply setting up because a field has peas in it isn’t the best way to go.
Spend some time finding a field where the pigeons are going in and then study the flightlines for a day or two at least, you’ll then have an idea of a.) where to put your hide and b.) what time of day to shoot.
Good luck -
On 17/06/2020 at 19:47, motty said:
Judging from what I see on other sites etc, Oxfordshire would seem to be at the top of the list for pigeon population, with some huge bags being taken there regularly. I see Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Essex mentioned regularly as a place where large bags are taken. Cambridgeshire and Norfolk are where I shoot, and there certainly isn't a shortage.
I reckon the south west is one of the more sparse areas for pigeons.
I’d have to agree with all of that, Anthony Poolman and Steve Day to name two who shoot in the Oxfordshire area mainly both shoot huge numbers in excess of 20,000 a year.....in most areas that simply isn’t possible no matter how ‘good’ you are at it, aa the numbers simply aren’t there.
We get some decent days throughout the year but nothing like the numbers some get easily and seemingly most time’s they go out. The 3/4/500plus bags just don’t happen in this area (very often anyway) sadly!
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2 hours ago, Centrepin said:
Really nice to see especially as I'm seriously looking for a moderated .410 as I'm having noise issues too.
Can you drop crows with it as well as i find crows are harder to kill, I often find even with 32g of 6s they drop but still need further dispatching.
Good video, I can only dream of 97 round here.
They’ll drop crows no problem, providing your on them centre pattern and not at extreme range.....much like a 12g in a lot of cases! You need to be bloody accurate with the .410’s, those moderated pumps aren’t the easiest to shoot with.
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Cracking shooting with that .410 ! Haven’t used mine for quite some time now as haven’t needed to as such.....you proved how effective they are, I prefer 7’s over 6’s in it too.
Some of those pigeons were jinking around so you did well to get on them with the drainpipe.....not easy that’s for sure!
My pb with the .410 like yours is also 97, good few years back now.
We’ve been stopped shooting in the past through noise, so frustrating and always someone who just doesn’t like shooting and kicks up a fuss! -
12 hours ago, motty said:
Game dealers are taking them, but are storing everything. They have currently got 400 pallets in a cold store, at a cost of £1200 per week!
Ahh you must be lucky where you are, game dealers in general aren’t taking them until the market for them opens up again.....at least every one I phoned within an hour or so of where I live!
real pain as got a freezer near full and pigeons to go at now, typical. -
Great bag with the hushpowers that.....my pb with mossberg .410 is 97 some years ago now. They’re so hard to shoot consistently when you only use them occasionally, I find myself avoiding using it for that reason but kill well when you’re on form!!
Are you managing to get rid of the pigeons? Game dealers have all shut the doors to pigeons, interested to know how you’re finding it!? -
When first drilled and then again at harvest, you’ve missed the boat until harvest time now (and shouldn’t be going out at the moment anyway obviously)!
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Don’t agree with overpriced paid for pigeon shooting personally, but then I’ve been lucky enough to have land to shoot over ever since I was old enough to go with the old man.
Can see why people will pay, it’s an easy option, but it’s the bane of any pigeon shooters life once a guide starts trying to buy all the shooting around you!
Not so much lately but in the past had numerous good days we’ve had lined up ruined by a ‘guide’ turning up with his band of foreign shooters. -
Been nothing to report here either, although there have been a couple of potentially good opportunities on cut maize but the arrival of a baby and having serious man flu the past month have put a stop to them.
The wet weather has been a nightmare for getting access to some fields too, maize stubble in particular.
Rape has been a non starter with nearly all failed and so little grown now, such a shame as although never used to shoot big numbers always looked forward to chasing a decent day on rape over the winter! -
Didn’t see anyone ask but thanks anyway!
Advise needed
in Talk From The Field
Posted
Won’t hit rape drilling generally, unless a previous seed from the stubble happens to be present perhaps......worth keeping an eye on but will be into the winter when you’ll likely get some shooting, if the flea beetle don’t get to the crop first!