What goes around

[Highlander]

Bear with me on this as the following is somewhat long winded but worth the read if only to prove the point ‘there’s nothing new under the sun’. It's copied word for word from the authors letter. Read it through and check out at the end who the author was and the date, then reflect!

 

Are Pigeons Being Over-Shot?

 

If anyone had suggested a year or two ago that the woodpigeon might become a rara avis, I would have considered him mildly dotty. But, if he had gone further, and suggested that we might do to the ‘woody’ what Americans did to the passenger pigeon, I would have thought him due to be certified! I am not saying that either of the above is happening, but I am saying that they could happen, though this is my own opinion and I would be only too delighted to be proved wrong.

 

In the last 20 years I have given many lectures on pigeon shooting. Lately, these lectures have been considerably stepped up (so have the sales of my book). This has coincided with the advent of an export market for pigeons, which has completely revolutionised pigeon shooting. It now pays to shoot pigeons provided that you are even reasonably accurate. Further, there has been a terrific upsurge in the numbers of people shooting clay pigeons, some of whom also shoot ‘woodies’. So, all in all, with more ‘know-how’ allied to a seller’s market, the woody may be taking a bit of a beating.

 

Our problem in Hampshire and the parts of Berkshire in which I operate could well be local, and things may improve another year. But I still think there must be some fire behind all the smoke signals I have been getting.

 

It might be helpful to do some arithmetic, based on a few facts. Fact one is that my ‘kill’ figures, as well as those of the very knowledgeable chaps in this area from whom I buy pigeons, are more than 50 per cent down. Fact two is that I talked to about 150 people at the Scottish Game Fair, on the Eley Cartridge Division Stand, who all told the same story. They came from all over the country, including countries like Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire which surprised me no end, as I thought that these were ‘grass roots’ country as far as pigeon population was concerned. Even some enthusiasts in Scotland, which I had thought a relatively un-tapped source, were unhappy. A lot of them blamed me, which I suppose is fair enough! Fact three, being figures, may not be fact, but there are at least two million pigeons being exported annually, with a growing demand. It is far more difficult to assess the annual consumption in the UK. Apart from the big chain stores, markets in many towns do quite a trade, particularly where there are large immigrant populations, as in London and the Midlands. There is certainly a growing private demand for pigeons in this country.

 

Perhaps I can digress here for a moment. There would not be an export market unless the Europeans liked pigeons. This means that they haven’t got them, which in turn, I trust, finally puts the kybosh on the ‘grey migrant hordes coming in over the sea’ fantasy!

 

Anyway let us pretend that a million birds are shot each year in the UK. (here I think the author meant ‘consumed’ otherwise the comment doesn’t make sense). This, added to the export estimate equals a three million ‘cull’ per annum. How amny7 pigeons, or pairs of pigeons, are required to produce enough offspring to support such a ‘cull’? I do not know, but that is why I am writing this paper. It is indeed the nub of the matter. Doctor Murton can, perhaps, help here, but his estimate of a ten million pigeon population was made before the 62/63 winter. I don’t think they ever really recovered, and my figures support this, despite the undoubted fact that we have had pretty mild winters ever since then. I think another such hard winter could prove disastrous.

 

If I am right in thinking that we may be faced with a pigeon shortage, what do we do? Advocate a short close season? Can you hear the NFU squawk? To salve my conscience, I already shoot only one bird of a pair coming in to decoys in July or August. Mr C. J. Frost of Frost Game, who has been most helpful with the figures, says I am far too gloomy. He thinks my problem is local and will sort itself out in due course. Pigeons are getting more educated, he thinks, and this would certainly account for all the moans I get about ‘they are not coming back’.

 

But he has made one very interesting observation which I hope everyone will bear in mind and report on. He said: ‘You know, if we don’t see the flocks of young birds moving about the country as we usually do, then you may well be right’. I agree, because if we don’t see them then it means that the resident population can’t compete with the ‘cull’ and we are in a fair way to do to the woody what the Americans did to their passenger pigeons. They thought they had 30 million left when, at last, they felt they ought to start letting up. They were wrong, it was too late.

 

Author: Major Archie Coats

Dummer Hampshire October 1973.

[Cookiemonsterandmerlin.]

I can confirm as I have reported since I have joined a steady decline of bird numbers in oxfordshire wiltshire and glouscesteshire.

For the last two years and real drop since this winter know once again I think it could be a local thing and time will tell .

 

Now if in sept oct we dont get the massive bird movment of young gleaning stubbles around the country then I will be concerned.

Still archie made this statement nearly 40 years ago and I think and I no sure if it holds much weight in 2010.

 

As for sure in the 1990s some huge bags where shoot and they was a massive rise in numbers .

I pesonnally shot some very large numbers between 1990 to 1995 .

 

Once again time will tell ,but my statements I made in january 2010 in show some compassion thread,that we could have a very big decline in bird numbers if we dont show some compassion and common sense .

When shooting birds in hard weather has for me in over 30000 acres of prime pigeon country has come true eg very low birds numbers compared to the normal local bird population.

 

Cheers OTH

[anser2]

I suspect the hard winter knocked the local pigeon population in North Norfolk badly . Numbers seem to be rising steadly through the summer and while not up to previous numbers we do seem to have a healthy population again. I stop pigeon shooting in April and will not lift a gun to them again until after the harvest. This will give them time to breed and rase some young before they start getting shot again.

[Highlander]

anser2 I agree about current numbers...looking good BUT not about the winter weather knocking them back. We noticed a decline this time last year at harvest, there just were not the numbers about we'd normally see in July, August, September and that carried through until now.

 

IMO Archie Coates had a point and remember his letter was written in 1973; the numbers being shot (possibly well into, maybe in excess of 2-3 million a year now as then) takes a huge population to maintain. If we take the most optimistic of figures, say 20 million birds in total not all of whom are breeders by a long way, to take 2-3 million year on year would require a steady number to keep the population level let alone on the rise. Don't you think?

[Jim Sarakun]

I and five others shoot the South Side of Cambridge and have not noticed a decline in the population. On the contrary, we have noticed an increase. Between us, our history of shooting this area, goes back 50 years.

 

We have in fact all noticed that they are much harder to shoot, so the point made by Mr. Frost I will go along with, they do seem to be evolving and recognising potential threats, ie. gunmen and decoys.

 

Interesting post.

[Harnser]

Going back to my therory that the pigeons are getting smarter . I am convinced that we are getting a smarter pigeon because of the shooting over the years . I think that natural selection is being speeded up by the constant shooting of the woody . The stupid ones get shot and the clever ones survive to breed clever pigeons .

 

Harnser .

[sako751sg]

I and five others shoot the South Side of Cambridge and have not noticed a decline in the population. On the contrary, we have noticed an increase. Between us, our history of shooting this area, goes back 50 years.

 

We have in fact all noticed that they are much harder to shoot, so the point made by Mr. Frost I will go along with, they do seem to be evolving and recognising potential threats, ie. gunmen and decoys.

 

Interesting post.

 

 

Going back to my therory that the pigeons are getting smarter . I am convinced that we are getting a smarter pigeon because of the shooting over the years . I think that natural selection is being speeded up by the constant shooting of the woody . The stupid ones get shot and the clever ones survive to breed clever pigeons .

 

Harnser .

 

 

Imo these two have hit the nail on the heed.I see a huge difference in the pigeon in the last 25 years.Way more harder to shoot although we still get the days when they can be suicidal.

[Highlander]

Going back to my therory that the pigeons are getting smarter . I am convinced that we are getting a smarter pigeon because of the shooting over the years . I think that natural selection is being speeded up by the constant shooting of the woody . The stupid ones get shot and the clever ones survive to breed clever pigeons .

 

Harnser .

 

Like Norfolk people you mean!

[Ozzy Fudd]

Going back to my therory that the pigeons are getting smarter . I am convinced that we are getting a smarter pigeon because of the shooting over the years . I think that natural selection is being speeded up by the constant shooting of the woody . The stupid ones get shot and the clever ones survive to breed clever pigeons .

 

Harnser .

 

 

i remember reading about a valley somewhere with grouse in it. the article said that when disturbed the grouse no longer fly straight up, they keep close to the ground and drop over the edge of the valley, reason being the ones that flew straight up were shot, and the ones that had a bit of sense and kept low werent shot, so they then bred smarter young who didnt fly up

 

if you think about it we all see the same thing happening, i know i certainly do - how often do you hit a new permission, clear out a lot of rabbits, etc, then find after a few visits the rabbits have changed their feeding times / places, or theyre very skittish and will run if they see you at 100 yards+, etc

[Dunkield]

From beating you can see that pheasants aren't all that clever, but partridges seem to wise up very quickly.

All that means is a change of tactics is required, the same applies to most quarry.

[wymberley]

Hi, Just back from a quick recce to see how the barley, etc, is standing up to the rain. Look at a map and it's easy to see why we don't get too many pigeon around Exmouth: They don't cross the English Channel, the mouth of the river Exe, nor an area to the north called Woodbury Commons. So we've got what we've got plus any flighting down a narrow corridor from Budleigh Salterton. For years my record stood at 54 until about 5 years back I shot 65 twice. Since then it's all been downhill and last year it just wasn't worth going out. A few weeks back I shot 37 on clover and last week 100 on the same crop but a different field. There wasn't too many squabs amongst them. However, they're hitting the same field again now with many more squabs in evidence. Although it doesn't mean too much being a small area and with relatively small numbers, it seems that those numbers are definitely on the up in this neck of the woods.

Right, where's my gun!?

Cheers.

[rigwallet]

Me and my mates shoot north derbyshire and over winter not much about and at moment our four farms we shoot on look barron of pigeons