NatureBoy
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Posts posted by NatureBoy
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Great in formative read. Out where you want to be, and birds in the bag, what its all about, well done
Cheers mate! Yeah and making the most of a patchy situation. Lol. NB
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Question!!
Went up one of the new farms earlier to get milk and cheese for the week. And recy the fields of cos.
Farmer has acreage of established luscen (excuse spelling) for cattle fodder.
Says it can get hammered by pigeons at times. Had 15 off it when it sort and not growing in Feb. Seen nowt since n it up about a foot n lush.
When does it attract pigeons most? NB
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Great report and a good read, two magnets and a flapper and floater??? I thought I carried a lot of gear. It amazes me that when your not expecting birds to arrive they come a sit in trees or fly in the wrong way to wind. Well done .
Thanks PC! enjoy reading, being inspired by and learning from your reports to. And others! Especially when it's hard going in the winter months! yeah it all gets chucked in my ol truck. Could drive to where i was shooting yesterday and last week. End of hedge part splits 2 fields where rape knocked back. So used 2nd magnet to try and pull birds from other field like last week. Floaters stood out well above small clumps of patchy rape in blossom. flapper in open ground between the two. even tho knocked back tried to get all as visible as poss. They didn't like it when i put extension arms on magnet tho. Going to fast then maybe? NB
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Well done mate I enjoyed reading that, as for kite's their are loads around our area I had 7 circling round looking at my flapper yesterday!
Thanks mate! Had buzzards doing the same most weekends. NB
Great read that! Thankyou!
Thanks mate! NB
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Bet farmer wasn't happy shooting the two cows you called in
Lol! And would have needed more than 30 grams of no 6. Buffalo gun maybe.
Good job they can't fly. Though i did hear one jumped over the moon! NB
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Well done, good write up.
I think you will see more red kites, they have been very successful in Cambs and Northants.
Thanks mate!
Hope so. Lovly birds n a change from buzzards. Have seen em that way and the midlands. Saw taged released ones about here few years back, but don't think they lasted long. NB
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Where have you been for the last two years?
Your write ups are excellent and the joy you take from the sport is obvious. I like the little touch 'other pasties are available'.
Looking reading and learning so much from the pigeon watch massive mate!! And being out in the fields as much as i can! Only my 4th year trying to decoy woodies seriously. So a newbie compared to you lot with a lot to learn still. This sites been great as i shoot on my own!
Thanks Jdog!! Also comes from a life long passion for knowledge about all things in nature. Hense my handle. Given me by the late great Percy Edwards After winning an adult bird quiz at the age of 11 after one of his talks in our local village hall. It'snot all about the biggest bags. And i would probably shoot more and use less carts if i weren't so distracted by nature. Lol!
There pasties! The perfect pigeons shooters bait. It's tasty ,filing, sealed and tucks in your pocket or bag. Plus easy to eat with bloody muddy fingers. No! I haven't got shares! But i am hungary now. NB
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- Out later today. Party'n late last night so a bit of a thick head and jobs to sort.
- Do the tour of all the possible fields and farms as not had much chance to reccy during the week. 12oc and 25 degrees little wind. not looking to promising. Nothing on the drilling's. a few on the clover in paddocks i can't shoot. That leaves the knocked back rape fields i shot last week when unwelcome company turned up. Left this farm till last as i was convinced the other shooters would be on there. Or had shot it again during the week as they are retired. Drive thro the farm no one about or in the fields. Look for signs it had been shot again. None! whew it's hot! but there are a few pigeons about. No where near the numbers last week, but a few going down and feeding where i shot last week. Fields had recently been sprayed and we had no rain to wash it in. I think pigeons avoid fields that have been sprayed and not rained in for a few days. There's a flight line across these to fields tho so i' give it a go. set up in same place in ditch under small sitty tree at end of hedge line between the two fields as last week,What little Wind there is off my back. 12 flocked shells out in 2 small groups gap thro the middle. 2 Breasted birds on the magnet off to the right between the 2 fields. Lucky confidence crow out down the margin to my left. It's 2oc and still with a thick head it's good to be tucked away in the shade in the ditch, within 2 minutes the 1st bird dives into the patten and is shot. 5 minutes later another. This could be good after all. Then it goes quiet. Put the two shot birds on 2nd magnet and off to the left 10 yrds out. Another two birds are shot. one on a flapper in open patch in rape to the right. other on a floater 70 yrds out to the right to try and pull some birds that are drifting wide of the end of he field. this works for a while. tho birds not decoying. But close enough to bring down some high birds with testing shots. one of these put on anther floater and out to the left about 60 yrds, others are added to the patten. this helps keep odd birds coming into patten or over to have a look. managed to call 2 cows in and shoot to. as i am playing with the patten i hear and see 2 angry crows launch from the trees opposite and fly up to mob what i first think is a buzzard. As the bird gets closer i see it looks and flies a bit different and realise it's a red kite. Truly amazing! And only the 4th one i have ever seen in Suffolk. it drifts off with lazy wing beats. about 6oc Things get fairly quiet. With no birds about i am thinking of packing up. I am just tucking into one of ginsters finest (other pasties are available) when a cheeky ####dy pigeon lands in the tree not 10ft above my head. Pasty on floor as i grab for the maxus. it sees me and as it clatters out of tree i manage to catch up with it with the 3rd shot going away. This shifts several pigeons that have snuck in to the trees around the field and the small wood beyond. some come in to the patten others circle around. In the next half hour i down 13 more birds before it dies completely. I pack up at 7oc picking 29 woodies and 2 crows for 67 carts. Not a big bag or great ratio. But what a great day to be sat in a field on my own!!!
- And what a difference a week and a bit of sun makes huh! Did anyone else notice that there was loads of insects out today? Butterflys and early hornets to. The swifts are well and truly back. chiff chaff's, blackcaps and whitethroats in the hedges and skylarks singing.
- At work Friday i watched 3 spotted flycatchers fighting over territory/mates. a garden warbler to.Birds i haven't seen for a year or two. Heard shrews fighting in the grass round me today to. What happened to them? Used to be loads about.
NB
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Cheers mate.
Is not all bad! My comments about my negative experiences with other shooters were based on what happened over having shared the same farms with these characters for the last four years. And being out on the woodies most weekends. another time on the same farms i was watching birds on a field with a mind to setting up. when another truck rocks up and out gets a shooter i hadn't seen before. At first i thought there we go again. While we both continuing to watch the bird numbers build on the field we get chatting and do stories. Turns out he had been shooting on the farm for about the same time as me. But hardly gets on there as he lived some way off. he had been harassed by the other 2 shooters to.. Turns out he had been on a morning flight for geese on a Norfolk marsh that morning and blanked. Then drove sixty odd miles to come and shoot the farm. Keen or What! Asks if i am gona shoot the field. i said i was but as he had travelled so far i would leave him to it and shoot another field of rape with a few birds on the other side of a wood that separate the two fields. both said we would set up with our backs to the wood to help cut down on noise as there's not much wind. We exchange numbers shake hands and off i go, just finished setting up and gun loaded when bang! He's way. Loads of pigeons lift from the wood. first bird comes straight into the patten and is down. for the next 3 hrs the shooting is steady as we bounce birds between us. at first decoying really well but as we shot they became more challenging. It was a still cold winters day. At times shots sounded more like cannon fire. At 2oc it started raining hard. We got soaked and the birds disappeared. I pack up quick picking 26 soggy woodies. Pleased with that on December rape my way. Get back to the other field on my way off the farm. He's packed up to but it's raining so hard he's got his truck stuck axle deep on the track. i tow him off the track with little hassle. He's picked 42 birds and well chuffed. It's new years eve, we wish each other happy new year an go our separate ways. New friendships made!
Also had 2 dates with gals i have met in the field. Lol!
NB
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Cripes this makes for some desperate situations. I share one farm on occasion with a rifle shooter who once lined up on my deeks (with me behind
) but we sorted that and all is ok.I am Chair of Bristol 12 bore club we have 30 plus members and I also invite others to come out with me on my perms it amazes me that so many shooters can shoot so infrequently and at the same time read about the conflicts in this post. It does not make sense.
Maybe thats why I shoot mostly crows rather than pigeons unintentionally avoiding conflict.
I think it depends on what part of the country you are in. East Anglia has a lot of shoots, shooters and a huge acreage of rape and other pigeon favoured crops! Therefore at times a lot of pigeons that need controlling.
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Again you misunderstand the GL!!
Farmers want pigeons kept off crops, shooting is meant to be a last resort.
You could sit in a field letting off cartridges for a day and it would have the same effect of keeping pigeons off the field.
Waiting to be called ananti (again
)I find shooting them the best way to stop them destroying crops! Dead pigeons don't move to another field or come back when we are not there! As beautiful and fascinating they may be! Isn't pest control exactly that!? Having to control the population of a common destructive agricultural pest.
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I hope you feel better having got taken out your frustration on the keyboard.
JDog has been very restrained about a little incident we had last week, suffice to say it wasn't on your scale but equally annoying.
I have a couple of retired chaps on land I shoot, and they can be out any day they like. No problem with that, I wish I was able to do that, but sadly they lack the nous to judge the situations where pigeons are and when to shoot. If they find some, they will visit the same spot every few days and shoot a few, but never very many. Obviously great for the farmer but not great for anyone else as the pigeons are jumpy to say the least.
I have tried to get them onside and we do get on fairly well, however, they won't refrain if they find a few pigeons feeding and can't resist setting up, whether or not they have been there a couple of days before.
There are a couple of pea fields on the edge of town that I know could provide some great shooting, but I can almost predict now that their truck will be parked up there every other day in the weeks to come.
The real kiss of death for me recently, was when I took JDog to a couple of hidden pea fields that I thought I was the only one who knew about them, only to meet their truck coming out of the track!
The only positive is that they will only set up where they can drive to, and they won't venture more than 20 mins from home.
Not really frustration MM. Just replying to OP and got bit carried away. Lol. Those Charactors sound exactly like the ones my way. They know best, ### the rest! NB
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How far away from you was he
200 yrds up wind on the flight line.
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you have to be diplomatic as best as you can in any situation , just take a deep breath ,clear your mind and just get on with it.
Very true Sir!! Keep calm and carry on! Farmers want pigeons shot!`we do our best to shoot em!
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I could feel the pain in your post, as I've stated before I'm a firm believer in Karma and you will have your day as a reward and they will get there comeuppance.
Not so much pain PC. I thought this kinda thing just happens to most of us? Up shot/good Karma was. i have farm that has lots of pigeon, great habitat and wildlife rich, that grows a lot of rape mainly to myself. Get invited on shoot days and given cartridges to. It's a shame as i believe in helping sharing and learning from others. I have met some great characters that have become friends through shooting. It's pest control!! We wouldn't get to shoot the places we do if we weren't useful.
ATB NB
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I thought it was a good write up... Shame there were no pictures
Thanks sitsinhedges. Not bothered taken pics of my bags for a while now. NB
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Nature Boy, they must really have got to you to make you post like that.
Of course none of these miscreants are on PW.
Not really Jdog. Has been going on last few years we have been sharing same perms. got used to it and almost expect it as they been on those farms lot longer than me. Dont like new keen face. Used to be the same in fishing. Like i said try to avoid clashing with them over fields and have learnt to use where they shooting to my advantage on other fields and farms. Sorry if i went on a bit. Lol!
Don't think they on PW. And haven't said anything i haven't already said to them if they are. Didn't let it spoil my day. NB
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Similar thing happened to me Saturday, and has been for some time! 2 local shooters " who know every thing" shoot on some of same perms as me. Bragg to farmers how great they are, and how carp they think i am. Yet when they have seen me set up and doing OK will never leave me to it! From standing visibly watching me for ages. Setting up in same field. Leaving truck in same field in bright sun under flight line or to reflect over field and going off in another to shoot near by. Leaving lit bangers. Even putting up a rocket one time. "didn't realise you were on that field bor". Parking in entrances to fields and tracks. Hinting to farmers that i shoot birds of prey/game. One farmer found it very amusing for a while. As before he gave me permission he would only see them about twice a year. After he had they almost followed me into that farm yard or fields most weekends. To the point he and his workers called them my shadow! Lol! Came to a head one day after that farmer put down some pheasants and red legs to make better rough shoot. Was in farm yard chanting, he saying he going to cut down on on shooters now (thought it would be me. Last in first out) when they turned up. they butted into conversation all bolshey like. farmer told them what he had just told me and politely that there services no longer required.This led to talk of luring his pheasants on to next farm and shooting them. Farmer walks off! I then get told i ######up "there shooting, what they thought of the farmer and that there mates and family have got other perms we SHARE! covered that day. Lead to us not speaking and avoiding each other for a while.
I had already been going out bit later to avoid clashing over fields with them and others. This often leads to me trying to use them to my advantage. Especially on large blocks of rape through the winter. Knowing/hearing where they are and where the pigeons might move to/form. Have had some good bags this way.
Saturday, after looking round all perms finally late morning i find some birds down and others joining on 2 fields where the rape was knocked back. Decide to set up in a ditch beneath the only small tree at the far end of a thin hedge dividing the two fields. Even better can drive to position as times getting on. Not ideal for wind. Quartering left to right, but not to strong and that's where most birds wanted to be. Plus ditch and hedge finish 80 yrds before the end of the field. This was where the birds were flighting into and between the 2 fields. Hide sorted with birds try to return to field. Things were looking promising. Decided to try something a little different and put a magnet and floater in the field behind me as well. As i was doing this i caught a glimpse of a truck entering and stopping in the far end of the field i was setting up in .My shadows return! This is another of the farms i share with them. I continue setting up! They are watching! They a good 380 yrds plus from me so i am not to bothered. 12 flocked shells. 6 close in at end of hedge. 6 out in field with flapper, gap through middle. Other magnet 15 yrds out and well up wind to the left .Another bouncer out down wind out in the field. Real breasted birds on magnet flapper and bouncer. Then! They start driving up the field!. Now i am bothered! They stop about halfway,. I think, here we go again, but nowt i can do about it. Then they continue coming! I go to meet them carrying my 2 real crow decs to edge of my patten near to where crows had been emptying a pheasant nest of eggs. i place them on track. They stop! Short greeting. There excuse is they thought i was packing up. Obvious i wasn't, and not happy! They had bin elsewhere and done carp! Shrugged and said i wanted to get started just as a group of pigeons piled straight in the patten. After seeing this and others they said they going to set up.Must of sensed i not to happy as then added, in the adjoining field. Gestured to get past me and my truck. stood my ground. they turned round and went wheel spinnig down track/margin after mumbling something about me wasting carts on crows.That way they had to go back through farm to get into other field. Had a hard week at work so didn't need that hassle.Truck tucked away and in to hide at 12 oc. Just got the maxus loaded when 1st bird came straight in over end of hedge. Bang! It wasn't leaving. others followed. I was liking this! Half hour and 10 birds down. Magnet and floater behind helped in pulling birds from long way off. Then bang! Bang!t They Started And my birds stopped! Sounded close to. Had a look.
They set up in taller rape out in middle of other field about 200yrds away behind me and under strongest flight line. Things went quiet for a while before birds started coming in again from in front of me this time before curling into the patten or magnet. Said they wanted this bit of the field. Ones and twos and small groups. Tided up regularly as they flared from birds on there backs. Added the fallen to the patten. Some not 5ms from the hide. this seemed to bring the birds right in with confidence. 3 crows paid the price for being nosey to. Odd birds came in to the tree above my head. being low in a ditch made them hard to get on to. Had been a while since i shot from a ditch so took a while to get used to the perspective. By 3.30 i had 28 pigeons and 3 crows. As the others shot more my birds slowed or would not decoy so well. This lead to some challenging shooting at high crossers or flaring birds coming from behind at hedge height after others had shot. I was determined to make the best of the situation as i could and managed to drop some high and fast birds from all angles. Birds turned off about 6.30. Picked 46 pigeons 3 crows and got a rabbit as i was picking up. A few birds lost in the taller rape despite my best efforts to find em for 121 carts. Not as good a ratio as the good and the great on pigeon watch. But i was well pleased. would it of been even better if i had em to myself? hard to say. i think so!
Met the other shooters again waiting as i left the farm. They had 31 for 42 carts. So they must be better than me!! Lol!
After them moaning that i had my magnet in "there field" we went our separate ways. until next time!
Farmer happy! His dogs had bit of practice finding 9 lost birds that evening that he gave me today.
ATG NB
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Reckon your right. Bumped in to another couple of pigeon lads when out chasing pigeons on perms yesterday. They said another of the local parks have and tag fallow and had several escape after tree came down on boundary fence. They farm boys and reckon serial numbers were herd ID numbers. Hope not drugs as i kept and ate liver kidney and heart of both beasts myself. Looked OK and tasted great. Out both days on the rape blocks again this weekend. Hard going! Soggy fields and so cold in the wind! Only 2 degrees yesterday. managed 23 though.Sun, sleet, hale and rain today. Had 14 and 2 crows. Anything in double figures been good round here lately. A lot of big over shot blocks of rape and big spooky flocks reluctant to decoy on wet heavy clay.Think they getting frisky and starting to brake up though. Roll on spring and dryer fields.Plenty of drilling to be done on my perms.
ATB NB
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Lmao! Testicles intact and fully functional! Ta.
NB
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Tag Worn greasy and scratched. So reckon been on a while. Have suffered no side effects!Very little damage. Broken neck and fore leg on one. Other cracked skull and broken fore leg. that why i picked them up. Kept one for myself and swapped other for some lovely salt marsh lamb. Mate was surprised as it's usually pigeon rabbit or squirrels i have to barter with. Incident made story in local paper warning of deer in road at night. Family had stopped that night to watch small heard that was in the road. Another car came along and barrelled into them( audi still have bid name badge). Killing two and injuring a third. Saw injured doe with broken fore leg on one of my perms nearby later that week. couldn't get near it.Heard someone's dog took it down later. Other incident peps reckon they were sitting in the road. Not to bright in both cases so maybe recent escapees. Released?
NB
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I am still here to tell the tail n tasted great! Not far from helmingham park in Mid Suffolk. But they don't tag deer. Is yellow tag with numbers, UK 222097 and 1151 if make any sense to anyone? Has anyone else picked up shot any with tags?
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Picked up 2 fresh road kill fallow does with very little damage last month. Largest one had yellow ear tag with 2 serial numbers. Local estate/park doesn't tag.Wondering if fallow are farmed or a tagging program in suffolk ? Also strange as don't see many fallow in my area and heard 2 more were picked up off road that week not 6 miles away.
Your thoughts?
NB
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I am a east Suffolkian. to and have the same gun in similar condition handed down to me. Was my granddads and helped feed the family through 2 world wars.
Done bit of research and dated mine to 1905/6. If only that gun could talk.
Leave as is! Patina looks great and in keeping with age! Lovely piece of family history. Very light, full choked and kicks hard!
Use mine as walk about gun on same farms my dad and granddad shot over for many years.
Great buzz and sense of attachment to that land and gun.My late dad tought me to shoot with it as a boy. First pigeon at 14.In his excitement and praise him getting 2 wellies full of water wading through
flooded stream to get it. My next shot missing the bird but bringing a branch down on our heads and him cursing me. Still shoot pigeons from that spot now and on the anniversary of his death fire a
single shot from a box of old eley grand Prix paper carts he had many years ago.
Told it's worth very little! But in memories it's priceless! Never to be sold!
NB
strangely lucky
in Off Topic
Posted
Doe's this count? Luck or Karma?
When i was out on the woodies Saturday i lost a silver neck less/pendant that really means a lot to me. Wore it every day for years. was gutted! Went to work today and without mentioning it to the customer she gave me her late husbands metal detector. Random like!
Took it up the field tonight and found my neckless. Well chuffed!
It's a Garrett treasure ace 300, crossfire 2 supreme deep seeker. Hardly used. They any good? Know nowt about Them. Feel another hobby coming on though.