Balotelli

For some time I have wondered whether Shotgun Licences are too easily granted. The whole process could be initiated by a theory test focussing on public safety and the law concerning shotgun ownership etc. Coupled with this, a background check, a rigorous interview in assessing the applicant's mental state and aptitude. Should these stages be successfully navigated the applicant should be granted a provisional shotgun licence. Before a full licence is granted, the applicant would be required to complete a log comprising a number of supervised outings, demonstrating competency. Parts of the above process are not unlike acquiring a BSAC qualification and/or obtaining a driving licence. An organisation such as BASC in conjunction with the Police authority could organise much of this. Yes, it would come at a price but it would weed out those not fit to be in possession of a shotgun.

That's encouraging. Apart from rape, anything much else in their crops?

That photo has life in it - I really like it.

Too true, but if the birds aren't there then there ain't much to hone your shooting. Nor will binoculars help in panning empty fields. There's shed loads of members on this Forum - why don't they please post their experiences on the numbers of pigeons seen and more importantly, numbers that they have shot. I sometimes think that we get a distorted opinion resulting from a very small band of hard-core posters who are lucky enough to live in pigeon rich areas. It would be good to see a greater variety of views.

Many times I have posted that there are just not the pigeons about in my area of Leicester****e sic. I probably went out at least a couple of times a week for most of the year. For the whole year I shot about 150 pigeons (one 50ish, a forty something and a 30 something) coupled with a couple of days of ten and a few handfuls. If the pigeons aren't there, they are not there to be shot irrespective how great a shot one might be. It seems that many shooters aren't prepared to own up to the numbers of pigeons they have actually shot. It would appear that in some cases small numbers reflects their hunting prowess and indirectly their masculinity. In the past I've posted about exaggerated bags. I know for a fact a number of acquaintances of mine who have claimed to have shot huge bags of birds in the 80s, 100s etc - it's rot - the birds were not there to be shot. It reminds me of a well respected figure in the fishing World who would return claiming great success in numbers caught and far more than ordinary mortals. As the fishery's manager would wryly say " not witnessed". So, maybe some of those members of the Forum who do not put their heads above the parapet should report their experience of numbers shot. I hardly believe that I'm the only one to have had a rotten year

I think that it was George Digweed who said that he wouldn't take the shot unless he could see the vital bits of a bird and at the time was referring to pigeons and in my experience crows are a tougher proposition. Incidentally on dogs' retrieving crows apart from the beaks the talons are pretty unpleasant too. I fashioned a crow neck breaker using a modified professional litter picker. Works well. If anyone goes down that route don't use a £1 shop version.

That's great news. I appreciate that you are in a prime pigeon area but all I can go on is what is happening in Leicestershire and there is no doubt that there has been a significant decline in the pigeon population

Well, from the gist of reports on here there doesn't seem to have been a great deal shot this year. If your experience is to the contrary then I'm very pleased for you.

A quite remarkable video and from 2016. I've never seen birds coming in like it, in those numbers and frequency. I was talking to a farmer a couple of weeks ago and he said that in the past, he and a friend would easily shoot 50 or so in a wood on a Saturday and not uncommon to shoot a number with one shot. He is not seeing those numbers any longer. I'm starting to wonder if there are just not the numbers about anymore with the pigeon population in decline. Some of you guys may have seen the best of it. It will be interesting to log the numbers shot in 2021.

Hence the expression "Turkey shoot"

Good man! Let's hope that some of the more doubting Forum members get onboard.

The manual flapper is fine for traditionalists or as a labour of love but there are so many better options out there. Treat yourself to a Xmas present.

Spot on. A couple of roost shoots that I did yielded a couple of squirrelys. There were reasonable sized flocks of pigeons which was encouraging but not heading in my direction. In response to old'un's post, pigeons will breed any time of year if the conditions are right. I literally haven't nailed a pigeon for months. And well done JDog, I've seen no pigeons on either drillings or rape.

Yeah, I'd like to see that and even better to see it in the flesh. Depends on how many guns and over how many days

A most enjoyable video. Not a criticism but I wouldn't allow my dog to go anywhere the corvids - nasty old things.

Good luck to the guy. But the arithmetic is mind boggling. Over 8 hours of shooting, 500 birds, equates to roughly a bird per minute. No slack periods, no tidying up, no sustenance, constant re-loading and no misses. Wow, some stamina to keep that up. That takes a very special and extremely fit person to manage that. If I were lucky enough to get to a hundred (and I never have) I'd consider it a red letter day. Seeing is believing and if you have witnessed these mega bags then all well and good.

Much the same as the others, a most enjoyable video. As a matter of interest what gun, ammo, scope were you using? I guess you'll be back to nail the elusive ratty.

I don't envy you. Are there ever any conditions, apart from thunderstorms, when the drive would be cancelled? As it so happens I watched a shoot yesterday for half an hour or so. There was some pretty impressive shooting. Hot toddies all round in those conditions.

Enjoyed your post. Clearly, you have a much wider range of shooting activities than me so you can chop and change which is great. The wild fowling appeals to me as for some reason (geese excepted) they seem irritatingly stupid and fit for eating only. It's that I never had the opportunity. I used to rough shoot but with the demise in the rabbit population, hares much too pretty to shoot and pheasants not much of a challenge when bursting out from under your feet, I don't bother anymore. That's why I like the challenge of pigeon and corvid shooting and from my perspective a more testing quarry which is just as well as my permissions are based on crop protection. From my point of view I have many interests outside of shooting so my eggs aren't all in one basket but if I think that there are any pigeons about, I'll be out there to give them a warm welcome.

I consider any blank day a waste - I like to see something for my time. If it looks like a blank day I won't bother to set up. As for nature there's nothing much out there to surprise me. For example, I went roost shooting today. On approaching the wood there were pigeons milling around over the trees, way out of range. I sat and wandered around the wood for an hour or so and fired not a single shot. The cloud of pigeons never settled and just hopped it. I saw a woodpecker, a hen pheasant, a hare and some rat runs. None of this is terribly exciting. I won't bother "shooting" this wood again as I'm convinced that it will never be any good, the trees being too tall and bare. It's the same with the fields, if there's nothing on them then go home and have a cappuccino. To answer your question on sorties I probably go out a couple of times a week. Unless there is some change in pattern, weather, new drillings etc. I can see little point in "flogging a dead horse". This is my personal experience in Leicestershire over the last few months. No doubt someone will pipe up that they are regularly shooting decent bags - if so, I just don't believe them. Or if they are, not in Leicestershire.

No, I don't think your question is the least bit flippant. I really like pigeon shooting. But I haven't the patience for blank days - I see them as boring and a waste of time. So I try to "target" my forays when there is a real possibility of shooting pigeons. I'm happy to do the reconnaissance but if there are no pigeons then just move on and wait for better times. It's no good wishing the pigeons to be present. What I really do enjoy are the technical aspects and constantly come up with new takes on decoying kit, hides and generally new ideas. You might have struck a chord, I get a buzz out of trying out my new ideas to see if they work in the field - the problem is at the moment there is nothing much to practise on. I've never been on a pheasant shoot, stag hunt, shooting foxes, hare coursing etc. Pheasant shooting looks ok but I doubt that I could get hooked on it but who knows. In my mind, the analogy with driven bird shooting and pigeon shooting is comparable to fishing for trout in a stocked lake and fishing in a river for wild fish. In their own way, both can be enjoyable. With pigeon shooting you can see there is nothing in the "swim", pack up and go home. If you include fishing in the context of fieldsports, love it. What is important is that no one should be a one trick pony. If something is not happening then switch to whichever is the most productive at the time. But I digress from your original question.

I suspect that it dates back to Feudal times. It seems that we are still immersed in that system to some degree. I would have thought that education and new money would have put paid to much of that. Somehow, I very much doubt that I'll run into a beater again to be "Educated" into shoot politics. I'd had and seen enough on my sole beating session.

Being "out of place" on both counts doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But I bow to your superior judgement as you clearly have more experience on these matters.

I might have to question the "toff" thing. My only beating foray meant that I mixed with both the "guns" and the beaters. I found that the "toffs" that I met were a pleasant and generous bunch sharing their vittles. On the reverse side of the coin some of the beaters were bordering on the unpleasant. I wouldn't judge someone either by their accent or style of dress. Possibly the "toffs" have done alright and have no reason to be angry with the World. Something to think about.

Well put and on the second point and in all seriousness, possibly. I know that some of the good friends that I have made on the Forum would put in a good word in helping me find permissions.