Catamong Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Had some good sport today over rape with fellow forum member Stealth Stalker, we met up at 8am, had a very big field to cover so I set out downwind with a rotary and 20 Double H deeks, SS took the upwind spot, inside and old hedgerow with a number of small dead elm "sitty trees" in it. I knew the field would produce, as I'd been watching it for some days, and had worked out the likely flightlines and hide positions. From the moment I switched the rotary on, they started to pile in, the weather being somewhat "better" than forecast, in that there was plenty of cloud cover and a moderate Northerly breeze, (the forecast was for no wind and no cloud..!!). They also came in pretty small numbers, 3's 4's & 5's, which made it that much more interesting. There were still plenty of young birds about, some of whom landed right behind the rotary...........(Invector eat your heart out..!!). The highlight of the day was to see SS get a superb right and left..!! During one of the slack moments when i'd "bounced" the birds down his direction, I looked through the bino's to see about a dozen birds making straight for his pattern....they jinxed a bit when they saw his rotary, but he kept his cool and as they turned on the wind to head back towards me at about 90 mph, I saw one drop like a stone, then another was poleaxed a second later in a cloud of white feathers..!! This guy can shoot..!! We packed up at 1pm, and both struggled to pick up in the rape, which was literally knee high in places, and I do know that a number of birds were unfortunately lost, (food for charlie..!!), however our combined total was exactly 100 birds, so all in all , not a bad day, considering how difficult it is to get a decent bag over rape at this time of year...anybody else doing any good over rape..:thumbs: Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy17 Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Nice one Double H glad you made a good bag, not much about on my fields atm had better bags roost shooting. yis andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 If some of your rape is knee high, then its a lot further advanced than our local stuff. The pigeons hereabouts seem to be flitting from rape, to clover and then back in the woods and hedgerows, at the first sign of rain. We need a few frosts to get them focused. :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Cranners, I spoke to the farmer yesterday, we both agreed that in the 20 odd years that he'd been growing rape, it's never been this high, this early in the season. Most of the woodies are dropping in the tramlines and nibbling the plants from the side..!! Double H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 im shooting on rape and its not knee high but thick went out sat and shot 11 not that good but got some we had a frost today but i was working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Well done HH, good bag on rape at any time of year !!!!. Rape has got away really well in some places here as well (not that far from you anyway I guess) but pigeon activity on it has been sporadic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P03 Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Well done DH, I'm glad someones getting some sport, I ain't seen a pigeon for over a week now I think they may be on the acorns or beechmast P03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 PO3, They're normally on the acorns and beechmast in this area at this time of the year, but this year there's none about, so they're on the rape early - in fact i've never seen so many on it so early in the year, and i've been shooting over rape since they first started growing it, (back in the late 70's). As a matter of interest, I shot a few flighting late afternoon last Saturday, I looked at the crop contents, all of the young birds were full of rape and nothing else, the adult birds had a mixture of Hawthorn berries, Barley stubble gleanings, bits of chickweed, and rape. Not a single acorn or beechmast in any of them. Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Double H, I bought a rotary today!! :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 i have recentley recieved permission for shooting a few fields of rape I beat for a local farmer who has told me after his one and only driven shoot i am welcome on the rape fields :thumbs: which is good news . I beat every week end though i aint going to get out as often as i would like . the rape around here is knee height lost quite a few birds the other day in the rape pigeons and pheasents. Once i get on the fields any suggestions as to how and where is best to set up if its still quite high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Double H, I bought a rotary today!! :thumbs: I was going to let the cat out of the bag about your purchase but I thought it best if they heard it from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beater Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Good bag Double H. Likewise where i shoot in Cheshire most of the rape is knee high but bit shorter on headlands. Do you have a gundog to find those lost birds ? after a few sessions like that 2yrs ago i finally got myself a black lab. George is 16 months old & shaping well, dont know how i managed without 1 for so long, plus they're good company when out on your own all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Beater, I don't have a dog, unfortunately, however a dog is very useful when shooting over tall crops, as humans can do as much damage as the pigeons trampling down the crops. Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Will, thought I`d come clean and face the music I`m not against magic roundabouts, and have done quite well without them so far, but I`m prepared to be amazed!! Thanks again for a first class service at UK Shoot Warehouse, it was painless spending money with you, and thanks for the 10% discount. I`m out tomorrow to put your handiwork to the test. :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Double H Thanks again for inviting me out on Sunday. As you've already said we had some good testing sport. Made all the better from your recconaisance of the field. You seemed to know exactly where the birds were coming from, and more importantly where they wanted to go. I am still daydreaming of the great right and left I pulled off Thanks for not mentioning the ones I missed that seemed to be just hovering motionless above the decoys :*) Me and the dog had a fantastic and if you need me to help bounce the birds around you,ve got my number. Cheers S.S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2005 Invector, Good luck with your new toy - let us know how you get on. Double H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted November 15, 2005 Report Share Posted November 15, 2005 Made all the better from your recconaisance of the field. You seemed to know exactly where the birds were coming from, and more importantly where they wanted to go. I am still daydreaming of the great right and left I pulled off Thanks for not mentioning the ones I missed that seemed to be just hovering motionless above the decoys :*) Me and the dog had a fantastic and if you need me to help bounce the birds around you,ve got my number. Cheers S.S Made all the better from your recconaisance of the field. (Big part of the success with any pigeon shooting) Thanks for not mentioning the ones I missed that seemed to be just hovering motionless above the decoys :*) (Often the hardest ones to hit IMHO) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted November 15, 2005 Report Share Posted November 15, 2005 Old Rooster I,m glad its not just me, these hoverers seem so easy hanging in the air. I,m certain I aim and stop moving the gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2005 In my experience most people end up shooting over the top of the bird in this situation, I always aim for the feet and let the 32g Express Clear Pigeon do the rest..!! Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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