Columba Grey

Any other views on the ban. Surely this if true will seriously jeopardise our sport

Hi gents I have a new permission. About 60 acres of rape. Birds tend to be feeding in the centre of the field in the well cropped Rape. Have you ever had success setting up in the middle in the wide open space..

Great day well done and well told!

Again agreement. I love outwitting the woddies with the pattern. But honestly 30+ sitters would break my heart. I couldn't do it. Certainly the occasional bird that gets in but if they ain't in the air I generally won't shoot. Mind you a few sitters my help my kill average!

Haven't seen any birds on beechmast in my areas of Ireland. Birds seem to be on rape or increasingly now Ivy berries.

That was a regular thing in NI! Great story.

This is just my opinion and I suspect it's not going to be popular but shooting sitters is not something I consider sporting. I understand and empathise with some of the rationale particularly the farmers expectations but I go out to shoot because I enjoy the challenge.

Never shot pink but I can well imagine the excitement. A good story and given that you were probably up at an unearthly hour 14 from 30 ain't bad!

Without the majority posting then surely the stats will have little significance if any?

A good post. How frustrating. Nothing like the buzz from seeing a huge number of birds not that it's very common in NI.

I see a locked post from Dunleld which shows the annual totals of birds shot by PW members. Problem is it runs to 2011. Any chance of having this updated? I appreciate that the info is probably only as good as the number of members posting but it would be nice to see it updated annually. Do we sense that there are fewer birds being shot or is it simply a case that members are not posting their bag tallies?

Thank you gents!

20 today on OSR. 11972

Despite the injury to my left shoulder from a fall over Christmas I set off for OSR on a permission I have some 100 miles from home. The forecast was for a freshening breeze from SSW, dry up to 3.00 with gales accompanying the rain later. PP couldn't join me as he was at retriever trials in Glenarm. My shoulder was my biggest concern. As I was shooting with the alloy Franchi the lighter weight was going to aid manoeuvrability but recoil might be an issue. So the scene was set with expectations unusually low...I really shouldn't be out! It took two trips with the gear to my chosen spot with a nice wind over my left shoulder and decent visibility for the pattern some 100 yards from the "sitty" trees along the river bank to my right. My guess is there were about 100 or so birds milling around and feeding on the OSR. Once set up I left Willow to settle into the hide as I walked the birds up. I was ready to shoot by 11.30 but only had 8 shell statics and nothing for the bouncers or Magnet. As expected it was hard to pull the birds in and I thought I was never going to have a chance to get the whirly in action. Not unexpectedly I missed the first half chance then shot two tall crows to lift my confidence. This was closely followed by a lovely high Woodie dropped dead in the grass field behind. I finally got the whirly and bouncer in action with two birds in quick succession. As morning flicked to afternoon my fortunes took a turn for the better and the Magnet simply drew in the birds. Pigeons crossing from right to left were a problem .....I just couldn't move the gun quickly due to the pain and restricted movement. I missed more than I hit; some normally easy birds. Interspersed with these glaring misses I had some fine kills enough to keep Willow active and by 2.30 when the action died I had 20 pigeon and 2 crows for considerably more cartridges! All said a great day despite the fact that it undoubtedly exacerbated my shoulder injury and didn't help my facial bruising. I probably shouldn't have been shooting but hell it beats Cabin Fever!!!

Two sessions 38 in one decoying over rape and 23 in another mixed decoying and flight line 11667

Plenty of birds on rape here in contrast to last year. Lots of rape this year in certain parts

It's the same where I shoot. Within 5 mile radius I found five separate fields of rape each with a good 200+ birds on rape. Last year to was well in January/February before they hit the OSR

A fantastic day. Well done

I note from recents posts that there were varying reports on whether the birds were feeding on beechmast/acorns or rape. I had not expected to see many birds where I usually shoot so when asked to do a little roost shooting followed by a few toasts from a high stool I didn't even bother to bring the hide or decoys. The roost was a disappointment but the trip to the pub didn't let me down. Complete with sore head this morning I checked five rape fields within a five mile radius. Each had a good couple hundred birds feeding. Without the hide and gear I opted to intercept birds coming into a 100 acre crop of OSR. I had some great sport in high winds and bagged 13 from 19. My little springer had some fun with the retrieves and at 1.00 I packed up to catch up on my sleep. Delighted to see the birds on the rape so early. Last season it was January before they started on it.

15 last weekend on stubble. 13 today in a gale flighting around and over rape 10069

In NI some farmers have decided not to go for rape this year. One I spoke to cited the Reason as the late harvest and the cold weather in September. He needs a good growth spurt to carry it through the winter and feared that this year he wasn't going to have that growth.

It's not easy and I empathise with the 9-5 guy. Birds can be located however but you need a little luck. I just keep pestering my farmers for a text message if the birds are on the rape then I turn up nice and early in the hope that I best others to the field.

34 today on barley stubble in two hours. Great sporting birds misting high approaching. 9549

14 on or adjacent to beans. Farmer decided to finish the harvest and burn off the stalks just as we settled in. Shot most afterwards on flight line. 9302

Small bags these last few outings 4 today and 11 from 2 recent forays. 8241