Jakey Boy

Hi Guys, More of an understanding rather than a moan ...... Pigeons have been very few and far between in my area of late, so a friend and I decided to pay for a DIY day in Leicestershire. We turned up at the agreed time for the guide to say he was busy with other things ? However, his directions were great and we found the fields with no problem. As we drove in about 100 or so birds got up and disappeared, hoping this would give us a window to set up and get comfy for the onslaught. An hour had past with not a thing in the sky, I heard a motor thinking this was him and he could find another spot. It wasn't, it was another shooter ? The field was far too small for another shooter, and when we chatted he thought the same too but we knuckled down to make the most of it. Another hour later we had one shot and the other guy had two or three. The guide turned up took our money and said it will pick up lunchtime. One p.m. came and went and so did the other guy. I phoned the guide who said to move 5 miles down the road where he has seen a steady stream of birds. Got there, and not a bird to be seen so called him again for him to say well they were here last week ? Gave it a hour and saw one crow, we gave it up as a bad day and drove home. I understand that that's pigeon shooting, but do you find his efforts acceptable or "is this the Norm" ?

I have moaned about the lack of pigeons before in my area, and after reading this string, I have to agree with most of the comments made. Falling numbers : My area definitely, but as others have pointed out, their areas are still abundant. (Stats .... personally don't believe it's possible)) Turning City Birds : Returning from a day fly fishing (just before dusk), I was heading into Northampton when I saw a flight line which was quite busy. I decided to follow to see where they were heading, and ended up on the outskirts of Town ! (Aga Man made a good point) Good thread though Chaps

Hi Steve, People like this disgust me, and there is no excuse for the ages of the persons either. Stealing from a sacred ground is unforgivable and I hope you find them and "point out the error of their ways" p.s. Sorry for your loss mate.

Exactly what I am experiencing. Have you noticed this in the past, then they are bountiful ? Sorry Aga man, meant PC aha

Yeah, every year the pickings seam to be less and less no matter what time of year. Travel to the surrounding counties and they are everywhere aha.

Hi All, As I was sat in my motor reccying and hardly a pigeon to be found, I started thinking how in my neck of the woods how many pigeon used to be about, and why have they all gone. One could go out every weekend and find birds feeding, and get bags of 50 - 400 + .... Not no more. Have any of you found this is the case, or was your area once lean but now bountiful ? Why do the pigeons move around en mass ? is this a cycle ? And can I expect them back one day ? Will Aga man one day lose all his pigeons, and he can read my stories of regular big bags. Food For Thought ...

As long as his other half don't blame me when he gets the bug, buys all the gadgets, and can't spend her birthday with her cause he's going pigeon shooting ..... oh, that's me

Hi Alvin, I'm from South Northants and only too happy to help. Will email you before my next outing and arrange a trip.

Cheers for the nod jdog, a lovely write up with some majestic sport. I must put some time aside to write about my adventures fly fishing and shooting in Dunkeld on the river Cam.

Everyone will soon be saying .... Who's J R Hartley ? Don't you mean JDOG

ahaha ..... I wouldn't have been able to stop myself showing the grumpy old sod the bag Have you ever thought about writing a book ? I always have a chortle when I read your blogs

Nice shooting PC. a friend and I had a bag of 456 in the late 80's in Northants, but nothing like that around here anymore. Keep up the good shooting mate

I live in a village five miles from Northampton, and a few years ago a mate of mine had his dog stolen from outside of the local newsagents. He was gone no more than a minute, and saw a white van drive off down the road. He put the word out, and a couple of weeks later had a phone call from an anonymous caller saying he knew where it was and could retrieve it from a travelers site for £500. The police told him not to do it, but he wanted his best friend back, so duly paid the money and got his dog back. Don't know if it was travelers, or someone trying it on. Either way, they all need stringing up from the nearest lamppost.

All very helpful tips above ..... What I did many moons ago, was to get myself an ordnance survey map which you can get online, and choose just the area you want that includes your perms. I highlighted all the land I have, then mapped out the flight lines I found, and points of the compass. This enabled me to know which fields were best to reccy / shoot once I saw the forecast for the week, i.e. wind direction.

Thanks jdog, my first post and really don't understand why people like Gordon make ridiculous comments ?

The shaking with anger was after he left, and I had time to think how bad things could have been. As for the wee, I really didn't look if he had, it was tongue in cheek trying to make light of a bad thing.

Luckily I saw him before I fired, as I think more than wee would have come out

Have been watching a field on one of my perms for a few days now, and even though no birds were feeding on the said field, there was a very busy flight line which I could use to my benefit. The field has a dual carriage way 200 yards to my right, a footpath at the bottom a good 1000 yards away, and a neighboring field 200 yards to my left which is not my perm. The wind was straight in my face, but I new any shot I took would be 100% safe. I set up a small pocket of decoys about 30 yards out to my right, a gap of about 15 yards, then another pocket of decoys past that but straight in front of me. I was hoping this gave the birds enough time and space to enter the pattern. Before the gun was loaded, pigeons came from every direction fighting for space to land. To say I was surprised would have been an understatement. I made the rooky mistake of picking my bird then changing my mind as others came in and ended up shooting nothing After a good talking to myself I bucked up my ideas and started dropping them from all angles. This was the best fun pigeon shooting for some time, and after two hours I had picked 38 birds for many shots I was watching a bird heading straight my my pattern from my right, and as I stood up swung my gun through the bird which as dead in the middle of the pattern, I was halted by some idiot not five foot from me on his phone and oblivious i was there. I quickly unload my gun, and as he walked past I shouted at him at which time I think a little bit of wee came out of him. I asked him what the hell he thought he was doing, knowing no one else has permission on this land. He answered what the **** is it to do with me and he can go where ever he wants. I took no time in getting my phone out and took his picture and said that I was calling the farmer and the police. He did speed up and left very quickly. This isn't so much about the many idiots out there who think they can go and do whatever they think, but how easy it would have been to seriously hurt or kill these morons. I had to pack up as I was shacking with anger.

Hi Chaps, Been reading the site for a year or two, and really enjoyed the advice and banter, so decided to join. Like Jdog, damn horse flies love me, and I'm alergic to them . Her indoors brought me some Avon Skin So Soft, and I thought just what you are thinking, but the stuff has an insect repellent which works better then any other spray I've used before