Ira wakefield

Ive found it the same as most other crops, if there are birds going in and you can get in the flight path then its a good day, sometimes they hit it first thing other times its an afternoon feed. Ive been told thats its not their preferred food and that as its one of the only green crops about in winter is the reason that they feel on it, however we've got barley going in and beans and the birds are still feeding on the OSR. if they're going in well shoot it. Biggest problem I found is earlier on in the winter a few big flocks would be on the OSR and a couple of shots and they would disappear, as the flocks are now splitting up it should be a bit easier. I like the look of a rotary over rape as the birds on it look very natural over the green of the crop, the stubble can also be good but worth getting on it very quickly after harvest. during the rest of the season look for big holes eaten in the crop where the birds are getting in. At the end of the day if pigeons are getting in there the its worth having a crack and learning from mistakes and also having some fun, I'm mean pest control.........Just pick up and use or sell what you shoot!!

They were dropping into the wheat again this morning, same patch as yesterday, I'll have a look at the barley later if I get a chance.

Just been out mowing today and am seeing pigeons getting into the wheat,, not hundreds but a good few, they were flying about all over the field. Lucky theres a nice roundel of trees in the field they aim for before dropping in, probably best I get the flooring down and finish decorating done at home, that should give enough time for the numbers to build up and keep her in doors happy!! yeah right!

That seems to be what i'm doing really, I'm not aiming at producing a first class gun dog, I don't have the time or the knowledge to do that. Everyday I finish work up on the estate and she comes home to the house where the kids and missus adore her, she's the best dog for them and if she only ever does what she did on Friday I would still be happy. Of course as she gets older I will try and nurture her instincts, I have to work to my limited ability too. I do know a bloke who had one of her elder brothers and last time I saw him he had still done nothing with him at two years old, he also said that the mine and his dogs were worlds apart in their temperament and nature, This guy used to clean up at field trials with his two springers, I watched him work them both once and it was mesmerising, his bitch had the brains but the dog would just charge into anything. Any way today I was overlooking the clover I shot on Friday and I could'nt see any birds at all. So much for having another go at it this week!!

I take on board what you say and appreciate the voice of experience. Most of the time she just observes I only send her out for the odd few. I am hoping this keeps her interested and slowly builds her experience.

A good dog man has told me she should be okay but not to let her go for everything. To honest I do most of the picking up I just let her have three or four. She has always come with me work and play. She is my first dog and I have taken advice from a good friend, breeder, shooter and trainer

Had another go on clover on Friday, I didn't hold much hope but had seen quite few getting on it the night before. I decided to go light as I didn't have much time. I took 6 half shells and a flapper with no bird to put on it. No camo netting a bucket to sit on, my 1yr old black lab and my gun. I missed the first but shot the second and put it on the flapper. I managed 21 in total, not huge for most of you, but my best outing to date, add to that my first double a crow and a magpie and I am a happy man. To put the icing on the cake Hen picked up some birds nicely and was a good companion nestled in the high grass beneath a blackthorn hedge. Normally I have put 14 decoys out with bouncers and the flapper and fared worse. Thanks to joining pigeon watch and reading how others do it gave me confidence to rely less on decoy numbers but trying new stuff and being well concealed. Old army clobber in the hedge with tall grass in front they didn't see me stand to take the shots. Looking forward to another go this coming week and the barley and rape is fast approaching.

I think its a good piece of kit on the right gun, I need to really use it a lot to get the hang of it I think as its really hard to get the distance thing sorted. For my Ruger .22, with the loopy trajectory its a ****** to fix a distance at night with the Photon. I have never used a 177 HMR with the flat trajectory but I would think it would be much better suited to such a rifle unless someone can enlighten me as to how to mark the distance effectively. One spot where I knew exactly the range (100m) I didnt have a problem else where on the farm it lit up rabbits with ease but I couldnt easily tell if they were 30m or 130m away. If I cant get it sorted it might mean having another gun!!

If you are easily upset or are unable to take the ambiguity out and read then don't post and don't respond. It's easy to tap away and post your thoughts, at the end of the day the most knowledgeable person on one thing knows ******* all about something else. But like that bloke down the pub we all know, he has a loud opinion about everything from Afghanistan to what cartridges to use in a Southerly with the sun out shooting pidgeons !!! That'll be the beer then!!!!!!!

The pulsar NV750 looked okay but would not mount properly on my gun, ruger ,22 so settled for the Yukon photon. It zeroed really easy in daylight but I used black markers on ply otherwise it was hard to make out the spot!! Looks well at night but as I have just had the sparky in I won't be out for a while as I need to get the whisk and trowel out and get the house finished double quick

Many thanks for the info

So when on laid barley I imagine you have to sit down and use the crop as cover or do you still build a hide. Does it depend on where it's laid. The estate I work on has quite a bit of barley.

Marky adapter ??

Unless the ground is already cleared you had better check with your local FAO that they will allow the ground to be shot over, unless I have missed that or mistaken? Or does that get covered by the FAC ?

Does a doubler fit on the front of the photon sight then I would like to know how this looks. The photon does not have the best Magnification so if there's an addition to improve I would like to know more!!?