How early ?

[Cranfield]

What is your experience of early morning starts on rape, in the Winter ?

Is it best to be there at first light or wait until later in the morning ?

[ernyha]

Have tried early morning starts but have found them to be no more productive than mid morning ones.I think starting at the crack of dawn soon puts them off your field and they settle on another one,whereas  if they are left alone on a field for a while, they like to keep to it.As with all shooting over rape there don,t seem to be any firm rules and what works one day,will often not work the next. :thumbs:

[number 1]

i personally think it does not matter i usally try a couple of hours after first light.but last year when the birds where hitting the rape VERY HARD i went out and set up when it was still dark.i found that the birds didnt start to decoy till 10 and the first 2hs i spent shooting at birds flughting down the woods and not shooting them in the decoys

[daviddjlloyd]

Hi no. 1Have just read about early start ,I think that an early start is better in the spring  when the birds are just on the move. I have found them to be not quite awake first thing for about a couple of hours then they seem to meet up and then feed in earnest.Then sport tails off till about 2 o clock when they come in for another feed. Then when you hear the first pheasent call its time to pack up.

 

I must say at this point i am all for an early start any day,much to ernyha`s dissaproval

:laugh:  :laugh:                                    :laugh:  :laugh: