Wilts#Dave
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Posts posted by Wilts#Dave
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I’ve had some reasonable success shooting a couple of roosting flight lines over winter, more so than usual.
Have never managed access to any significant flailed game covers over the years but see many golden opportunities on them every year.
They certainly draw pigeons like nothing else at this time of year so I’m sure you’ll have much more success over the coming weeks. -
Love a spot of flightlining…..you must have left a (good) lasting impression Jdog!
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I stayed at another hotel in Hurghada last November, Jasmine Palace if that’s any help?!
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3 hours ago, JDog said:
I would enjoy that. There might be an opportunity on spring drillings.
Likewise, would be most enjoyable I’m sure of that. Before we know it spring drillings will be here, and winter shooting a distant memory again!
Great that you’re chipping away at them on the rape, certainly tests even the most seasoned pigeon shooter. -
1 hour ago, marsh man said:
For those who do use one , what is the reason why they are no longer drawn into a rotary as they once did , anyone of our age or even a little younger will know they came into a magnet as if it was a five course meal , maybe that was where the saying ( Magnet ) came from , even other times of the year the Pigeon decoyers tend to use them less and less as the majority have found that they are no longer effective , in the Summer on a clear day we blame the arms are glinting , but in the Wintertime the sky is mainly dull like it is now outside , we will get one or reasons why this should be , but deep down , do anyone really know the answer ?
We hear that they get used to them , but surely there are young Pigeons about who have never seen one operate ? , one way or the other , I really believe that the hey day of the rotary is now well and truly over . MM
I remember Dad buying one of the first ones when Phil Beasley started marketing them. Very expensive and heavy we took it out the first time and didn’t think much of it initially, but quickly worked out how much closer it needed to be and from then on using one transformed our shooting once we got used to how differently they came in. Rarely shot bigger bags prior to the magnet but the 100 plus days went up sharply so as you say they really were mustard back then!
Personally still get on just fine using one and would rarely not use it or rely solely on decoys if I didn’t need to.
On the occasions where it’s either broken or the battery ran out the pigeons have noticeably slowed up being pulled as well to the pattern but that’s just my findings and as many others do I’ve shot plenty of pigeons so not a ‘newbie’.
Likewise I’m not a fan of flappers, never had much success with them over the rotary where as others swear by them…..everyone does things differently and as long as you’re happy with the results you get who’s to say what’s right and wrong when it comes to decoy set up?9 hours ago, JDog said:Yes I must admit to being a relative newcomer to pigeon shooting and I am always happy to be deferential to those with more experience like yourself.
You’ll get there Jdog, we all started somewhere. Perhaps I could accompany you sometime to tell you where you’re going wrong?
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7 hours ago, Bigbob said:
Darts , Bowls and snooker like watching paint dry
What do you enjoy watching? A matter of opinion of course, I wouldn’t watch bowls but do enjoy the snooker and darts even more so as it’s over much quicker and more exciting to watch!
Much harder than it looks to play as well 😂 -
1 hour ago, pigeon controller said:
I’m on the list for a a spare bed and been fitted with a PICC line ready for my stem cell infusion. I’m in good heart and walking five miles every day. I was out with Ben two weeks ago as he had been called out on. A couple of farms and had seen the birds on the field of sprouting beans the day before. I set up the next day but no birds returned walking the field I noticed some drowned worms in the puddles so they may have been feeding on them??
I had a phone call yesterday asking me to be on stand by ready to go to the hospital, so my bag is packed!!
Keep well PC and all the best for your upcoming treatment. Those pigeons are getting too much of a break without you around full time!
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Quiet here on the rape, untouched so far really. To be fair I’ve not shot a good bag on rape for some years now, but they all come out of the woodwork in the spring.
A roosting flightline i shoot every year is always busiest in December then drops off, shot 55 in just over an hour on the best afternoon this time which is the most I’ve ever shot there…..but they certainly weren’t coming off rape !
Always amazes me how some shoot bigger numbers on rape in other areas, but that’s pigeons for you. -
2 hours ago, Fargo said:
Excellent load in plas or fibre.
shot a lot with them
Used to use the plastic wad as that’s all they ever sold but agreed a great shell. Used tens of thousands of them over the years, shot some flighting pigeons not long ago with them and pulled down some crackers!
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3 hours ago, Fargo said:
Always said if they can produce a “budget” 28g 8 why not a budget 6
Same components just shot size different
Agreed. Sadly can’t obtain them any longer for a decent price but up until a year or so ago I used to buy the load you’re describing from a small local gun shop, RC2 competition loaded in 6 shot…..for some reason they weren’t much over £200/thousand for years, the last lot less than £250/thou. They were just that, their budget clay load in a 6 and were absolutely mustard on pigeons!
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31 minutes ago, kitchrat said:
OK, maybe I have been going the wrong way, with 32gm No5 shot and the tighter chokes, because I was afraid of having to shoot at some considerable range and often through some light twigs etc. Maybe I had too tight a pattern. I'll try my normal 32gm No6s, with 1/4 and half choke tonight. Nice and windy in the forecast! Cheers!
I only ever use 1/4 and 1/2 and generally the quarter choke first…..wouldn’t believe some of the ranges I’ve killed flighting pigeons with the open choke barrel, usually with 28g 6 or 29g 6’s.
Personally don’t think pigeons need the firepower to bring down the bigger birds that a pheasant does for example.
Great weather this week for roosting/flighting…..good luck 👍🏼 -
Lovely little early morning session there Jdog. Not seen any hitting the rape at all in any numbers here, but I’m sure that was plenty to make it an enjoyable spell and not have to kill your self getting them off the field.
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It’s amazing how the numbers don’t always tell the full story of how successful you’ve been. Flighting / roosting is so dependent on how they come over that day, some days you can fire fifty shots and end up with 20-30, another day you’re lucky to get into double figures…..all part of the fun!! Well done again Jdog.
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Cracking weather for a spot of roost shooting today wasn’t it, a little too windy if anything. I finished up from work early and had an hour on a flightline before it got dark and picked 20 exactly. As you say each bird was well earned ducking and diving in that wind!
Haven’t got any taking an interest in rape yet, more’s the pity. -
21 hours ago, Ultrastu said:
I have to say I'd love a 28 gauge I'd probably also use the high pheasant 23 grm no 7 .as they are mustard in .my .410 ou at 18 grm of no 7 . That extra bit more lead of 5 grms would probably give me another 5 yds range over the .410 and be all the gun I could ever need for my shooting .
It's just the price and availability of carts and an inpending lead ban that puts me off .
I was amazed at how much more gun the 28g feels over the .410 and only use the high pheasant 23g shells.
I only use mine on pigeons but at normal ranges out to 35/40 yards it really does kill like a 12 bore, and plenty of longer ones. Shot several 200 odd days with it this year and it’s so soft to shoot there’s zero fatigue either.
The lead ban and price of cartridges is an issue to be fair, I order in a thousand or two at a time if they haven’t got any but they’ve gone up a lot in the few years I’ve been using one so I still use the 12 bore a fair bit too.On 15/12/2023 at 09:18, London Best said:Some folk really do have no idea.
They really don’t do they. Online / marketing of the super hot game shells has a lot to do with it, people are convinced into thinking they won’t be able to kill anything with less than the punchiest most expensive 32/4/6 gram etc etc.
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1 hour ago, Yellowvanman said:
Because the gun is 2lb lighter and when you get to my age that makes a big difference walking around.
One could say why shoot light loads from a 12?
I would say that is pointless
Can understand using one for its lighter weight, I don’t need one for that but they’re a joy to shoot.
Personally wouldn’t and don’t think you need to stuff a 28g load through them but personal preference I suppose…..see plenty of guys pillow casing 30 yard pheasants with 36g 4’s etc so I guess that’s the same 😂 -
16 hours ago, Cjbram said:
Going to try the hull high pheasant 23g #7and #6
You won’t need anything else! Fired a fair few thousand of these through mine on pigeons and it absolutely flattens them with barely any recoil. 5’s are very effective too, what I would use on pheasants.
I’ve got a beretta silver pigeon, lovely light little gun…..a pleasure to shoot all day!
Enjoy your 28 bore experience 👍🏼 -
Sometimes those walk rounds turn into the most enjoyable forays don’t they.
Love the smaller bores, extremely effective and satisfying to shoot! -
Great to hear you’ve been out again, and well done on the fitness regime…..commendable and hopefully you’ll be back out with the regularity you’re used to very soon!
Nice that BB invited you out, bet that was a nice phone call to receive.
Pigeons thin on the ground here aLao although I could have shot some big numbers on maize where I used to have permission frustratingly.
Shot a cracking 35 on my usual roosting flightline 10 days ago, if the wind and rain return again I’ll give that another go! -
Great job Jdog, that young chap won’t forget that in a hurry!
I had a cracking first afternoon on a flightline we shoot every year, perfect conditions for such an outing yesterday afternoon wasn’t it. -
36 minutes ago, Weihrauch17 said:
The Taxpayers pays for hospitals, they should not be charged again to park on what they have paid for!
Absolutely, the last thing someone going to hospital should have to bother with too!
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4 minutes ago, Fargo said:
Justcartridges sell
Just had a quick look and you’re right but they’re out of stock. Sadly they were also £100 cheaper from where I used to get them (what made them so attractive)!
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Not seen any as yet touching the rape, but after a poor year on it last year it’d be nice to have a busier one this time round!
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23 hours ago, BrowningDJC said:
RC2 competition would be my choice for a good value pigeon load if I still shot a 12 bore regularly, Italian 7.5 which as mentioned is a UK 7.
I think 7 shot is overlooked for pigeons and game, I’ve found it does the job perfectly at normal ranges.Up until a year or so ago when a small local gunshop closed, they used to sell the RC2 competition line in 6 shot for just over £200/thousand (cheapest shells ever) but so damn effective on pigeons! Used tens of thousands of them over the years, down to my last few slabs now and it’s a shame I can’t seem to get any more.
Moved back to Hull Superfast pigeon 29 now which are a good shell too!
Back in the hide
in Talk From The Field
Posted
Nice one, any bag of that size is most enjoyable over winter rape in my opinion.