kevin15 Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 This topic might get a bit of intrerest and a few thoeries. Why when you have a good pigeon shooting ground ( ie rape stubble ) do you get a lot of pigeons one day then another hardly any at all then the following days there might be hundreds again. I have looked at weather conditions which i personally think is the main reason especially the wind, other havested crops may also be another reason but why then do they return? and lastly how far do you think a pigeon will travel from its place of roost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead-eye-dick Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 I'm going to be nasty and answer your question, a guy in a local pub...(see earler postings under "answer to our problems") ...let me into the secret... The pigeons can't read the compose, moreover they often have the map upside down. It has something to do with there feet, no opposing thumb you know, As they look down at the compose and check the map grid referance they lose their bearing, this is why the never fly in straight lines........ I asked the guy if he'd shot a pigeon still holding the map but he'd gone to sleep and was vomiting down his shirt and onto the bar..........I made my escape...... Hope this answers your questions Kevin15 and sorry again for not letting anyone else post with their madcap theories.. Best regards dead-eye-**** 8) 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 kevin, I think there are so many reasons , that to find the accurate combination, would be a bit like discovering the meaning of life. Alternative food sources, how much choice is there in the area ? Distance from roost, I don,t think pigeons travel any further than is necessary. Weather, rough,wet weather keeps them near shelter. Dry, calm days they could be/go anywhere. Shooting pressure, you can,t have a good shoot on a field and expect the birds to come back immediately. I think out of all the factors, probably weather is number one, but its a difficult choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 Have you ever watched kids on a treasure hunt or easter egg hunt? Well, I think pigeons act act a bit like kids when they're hunting for food. (Yes, I am crazy.) For instance, they set off to look for food. They fly around and land on a likely looking field. Not much food, then they continue hunting other areas. If even one or two pigeons stay to feed on a field when another passes by, then the third will most likely join them, hence how we decoy. If pigeons flying around see other pigeons heading in a certain direction or dropping into a field, then they join them, hence how rotary devices work without decoys. They must have reasonable memory because they will often return to the same field several days running. When the food in a particular field runs out, then they hunt around again, and so the process goes full circle. The process can be interrupted by weather, birdscarers, pigeons shooters, etc and this might put them off for a period of time. Now, kids will hunt around all over the garden for easter eggs, if they find one in a particular area they will stay for a while and be joined by all the other kids present for the same reasons as pigeons. ( I really am crazy.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 Sounds reasonable Malc, not crazy at all. One bit I didn,t quite understand. Do we shoot the kids before, or after they find the Easter eggs ? Ere, leave my tiger alone. :0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 Archie coats says they look for the best food around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazza Posted August 12, 2002 Report Share Posted August 12, 2002 I believe they are attracted by pigeons already feeding. How many times have you seen a pigeon flying above a field that you have set up on & totally ignore your decoy's. Usually, if you can watch where it goes , & follow it, you will find birds already feeding, or sitting in trees, ready to feed. I've lost count of the times that I've seen a field surrounded by birds sitting in trees. One drops down to feed, & within minutes, their all down! The only crop that I can be sure of, with the weather is peas. If it's been really hot for a while, I think the birds eat the pea leaves, for the moisture. I think the thing that attracts pigeon more than anything else, is another pigeon, coming in to land. With the wind in the right direction, you can shoot a pigeon, another one 2 fields away will see it drop, & come in straight away. Those are my theories.............& probably totally wrong!......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead-eye-dick Posted August 13, 2002 Report Share Posted August 13, 2002 :(.........What about the map idea....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Agree with the weather haveing a considerable affect on the pigeon . Another little theory I saw on tv years ago was a program on how homeing pigeons find their way back to their lofts from what could be 100's of miles away. The theory was alongside their in-built compase that many birds and animals have is that th pigeon can see thermal images. Their compase guides them in the home direction and their thermal imaging recognises the local layout, as hedges , poles , buildings etc give off their thermal signature ( was shown realy well with imaging on a helicopter) , back to the pigeon map now its in thermal ! I have often wonderd how when sitting mid winter on a rape field freezing my bits off that pigeon will come over and land in the most unknown shelterd spot from the wind therefore possibly the warmest even if its mid field , I've check on a few occasions and to me it seems a milder spot, so the question is how do the pigeon know straight off ? (less its marked on their map) If thermal imaging were to be the case would that answer why birds fly past cold winter decoys more often than warm summer decoys ? DOH! my brain hurts now too much for the old grey matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Agree with the weather haveing a considerable affect on the pigeon . Another little theory I saw on tv years ago was a program on how homeing pigeons find their way back to their lofts from what could be 100's of miles away. The theory was alongside their in-built compase that many birds and animals have is that th pigeon can see thermal images. Their compase guides them in the home direction and their thermal imaging recognises the local layout, as hedges , poles , buildings etc give off their thermal signature ( was shown realy well with imaging on a helicopter) , back to the pigeon map now its in thermal ! I have often wonderd how when sitting mid winter on a rape field freezing my bits off that pigeon will come over and land in the most unknown shelterd spot from the wind therefore possibly the warmest even if its mid field , I've check on a few occasions and to me it seems a milder spot, so the question is how do the pigeon know straight off ? (less its marked on their map) If thermal imaging were to be the case would that answer why birds fly past cold winter decoys more often than warm summer decoys ? DOH! my brain hurts now too much for the old grey matter Can't agree with that one. If that were the case, pigeons would be able to see you in the hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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