pigeon controller

I was invited out by Ben AKA Bunny_Blaster this morning. During the dark/ day break down the motorway all I could see was pigeons feeding on the roadside berries . On arrival to the fields of rape birds were sitting in the trees not attempting to feed on the rape, using my Carp Barrow across the field it was difficult to find any dry areas and the barrow was sinking into the wet areas. The birds wanted to feed but would hover over the field looking for a dry section which was difficult.

They are looking for food that will not get their feet covered in mud.

Well done JDog for making the effort and avoiding the temptations. I had a similar concern with the sun on my last outing with Ben, the birds would insist on coming to the decoys out of the sun. My hide was under a tree in the centre of the field but the birds wanted the edge that the decoys were. Thanks for posting.

We have a good number around us at present on the rape, we also have a good number of hawthorn berries, Ivy, etc. Rape is part of the cabbage family and not a substantial food , thirty years ago cabbage and sprouts were the mainstay of winter food for pigeons along with berries. I’m not sure what the effect of me eating brassicas would be for the ozone layer.. Observing the pigeons on our rape they do tend to land on the drier surfaces and eat the rape confirming the theory that they want to stay clean.

Well done Ben on both occasions, I did accompany you on the last session and managed a further 18 for 44 shots. Which just goes to prove I’m a normal shooter who can have a bad day. Again Ben, thank you for inviting me out in the last few months and well done in your results. May I wish all on Pigeon Watch a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year.

I inquired at a local fireworks shop just to buy the bangers to make some specialist rope bangers and was informed that they had been banned in the UK, still available in Europe. The storage of fireworks ( rope bangers) has also been tightened and a lot of retailers are not prepared to upgrade security so demand has dropped.

Well done JDog for an interesting report, the wind was a major hazard yesterday and to hit anything was a success.

My dad was PC 254 Warwickshire!!!

We have lots of electric bikes running along the canal tow path at night from the city to the posh estates in the countryside. When walking the dog late along the canal we have queues under the bridges, I spoke to a local Bobby and he said they were aware but it’s small fry.

Certainly does.

Yes, two 12v batteries . Fully loaded it drives at walking pace.

I had a call on Tuesday from Ben informing me that he intended to shoot a shared permission on Friday. I had planned to do my bottle run on Wednesday so I could have a look at the rape for Friday. I told Ben I would join him on Friday. During my bottle run I had a look at the three fields of rape and could not see a bird on it but just then the farm manager drove across the field on his quad so I left. Friday morning I arrived at the fields at approx 9.20 and Ben at 9.25. I could not see any birds down but Ben glassed the field and the local woods and could see birds in the trees . They then started to drop in at the far end of the field we had driven into, the field layout is as such. Two fields east to west side by side with the third field north to south adjoining both. The birds were dropping in at the intersection of all three. As I’ve said before you have to set up where the birds want to be, so it was going to be a long walk. So we loaded the trolley and Ben steered it down the field, when we arrived the birds were coming in with the wind and then turning into it at the last moment. So the hide position was under an Oak tree with the wind in our faces slightly from the left. The Oak tree gave us cover from birds coming to the pattern over our heads. We set up the decoys in the tram lines in front of the hide, two on the magnet and nine on cradles in the taller rape on the edge of the tram lines. We had birds coming to us from in front and turning in an arc across us and birds from the back coming over our heads. It was a slow day and we finished at 15.00 and picked up 51 pigeons and one high corvid. It was nice to be out and the banter was interesting.

You could ask the farmer if you can put flags on the other rape to keep the birds returning to the field that you are shooting.White bin liners work well or paper overalls. Good luck.

Well done to you both, it sounds a successful day and a good report.

Yes, if successful there will be at least one of me in every county!!!

My Disco last year £850 this year £1980 with 40% no claim bonus. Legalised Blackmail !!!!!

Thanks for your kind words and the great report.

Thanks to you Both.

I was called out last Wednesday as the farmers agrologist had informed him that the pigeons were destroying his rape. So I headed out to the field with the thought of shooting loads of pigeons. When I arrived the field was devoid of any birds so I set up in my favourite place under a giant Ash tree, which gives me plenty of protection from the wind and sun. During the time I was setting up six pigeons flew over me seeing the decoys. Once I was set up and in the hide nothing for thirty minutes. Then I heard the familiar cry of a Canada goose as the flock flew over me to land in the field, they were too high to shoot so I put up a warning shot and they landed on the lake on the next farm. After three hours no pigeons arrived and I packed up. Stopping at the farm on the way back home I had a talk with the farmer and he will put a gas gun on the edge of the field close to the lake!! On Thursday night I had a missed call from Bunny­­_Blaster he sent me a text on Friday saying he was going out looking and would I be interested to shoot on Saturday. It was a YES obviously. I had been out looking but not seen a bird on my permissions. He rang me to say he had found a good number on one of his rape fields so we arranged to meet up at 09.00. As I set out in the morning it was minus 3 degrees and foggy , they predicted that it would clear for two hours then freeze again. I met up with BB and we drove around the estate in the fog disturbing nothing out of the trees and decided to set up in the hope that the fog would clear and give us some shooting. I had eleven thawed birds as decoys put two on the magnet and the others on cradles above the rape. Not sure of the time but could have been 10.30. We had various gas guns around us and they sent us birds, the first in BB dropped two and I had a third. I went downhill after that missing bird after bird ( I had not shot since August) The fog thinned a bit but did not clear as predicted. We shot till 15.00 and picked up 46 pigeons. I must thank BB for the invite and the banter it was refreshing. I must also thank Yickdaz and our other Northern Shooters for sending down the pigeons south as part of the “Levelling up Process”!! Just a quick update on my current condition. I have concluded eleven months of four weekly infusions and daily steroids which has brought my Myeloma under control. In a few weeks I will have a plasma extracted from my blood cleansed ready for a Stem Cell transplant in January. I have built up my fitness to walking on average 5.5 miles a day, which has allowed me to be put forward for the treatment

Well done nice report and day.

I had a review yesterday prior to my stem cell harvest and they recommended that I take all my medication in the evening to allow it to be absorbed.

Well done JDog, he will remember that bird for a long time.

Well done , thanks for posting.

Well done , keeping your eye in for the game season. Flighting birds are fantastic and very difficult to decoy, so you don’t. Not been out myself just looking and not finding much. Thanks for posting.

Isn’t it purely “ the minority controlling the silent majority” otherwise if people want to come to this country surely they should respect the law and the will of the people. They enjoy freedom of speech not allowed in their own country and they influence young people who do not appear to remember the sacrifices made in warfare in the past. I despair at times.