Fisherman Mike Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I dont know how you lot find it but I had a very frustrating day yesterday on rape. When I set up at first light there were at least 3 monster flocks hitting the various fields. But would they come to the gun ...........of course not I tried every conceivable sort of decoy pattern... floaters, springers, flappers, rotary, shell, full bodied ..... even a couple of lofted. They just sat in the sitty trees 1/2 mile away as if to say you got to be joking mate. I even drove around the land in a large circle firing of a volley here and there just to get the birds moving... but they just took off in one large flock and settled again after a couple of minutes circling. In desperation I did something I wouldnt normally do and that is move.. I packed up and moved 1/2 mile to where the birds were sitting and re set up on some ravaged bare rape under the sitty trees and the birds just got up and flew 1/2 a mile or so in the other direction. 7 hours and all I had was three meaningful shots, one crow and one rabbit that got careless. I just hope it gets colder in the next few weeks and the birds re-establish a liking for cabbage. At the moment there are loads and loads of birds around but im afraid even more food for them. They dont even appear top be in the local woods which is strange because last year at this time there were thousands around here but they left the rape alone. Yours frustrated. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 FM, in the circumstances you describe, which are very common with big rape fields and mild Winters, I find its better to get the birds leaving and returning to their roost. Thats when I get a few birds, the rest of the day I behave like a mobile bird scarer, just to keep the Farmer happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 The all important ingredient which we have lacked recently is a good wind IMHO. We've given up wasting diesel driving around after pigeons until conditions are right and have concentrated on the bunnies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabbitbosher Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I dont know how you lot find it but I had a very frustrating day yesterday on rape. When I set up at first light there were at least 3 monster flocks hitting the various fields. But would they come to the gun ...........of course not I tried every conceivable sort of decoy pattern... floaters, springers, flappers, rotary, shell, full bodied ..... even a couple of lofted. They just sat in the sitty trees 1/2 mile away as if to say you got to be joking mate. I even drove around the land in a large circle firing of a volley here and there just to get the birds moving... but they just took off in one large flock and settled again after a couple of minutes circling. In desperation I did something I wouldnt normally do and that is move.. I packed up and moved 1/2 mile to where the birds were sitting and re set up on some ravaged bare rape under the sitty trees and the birds just got up and flew 1/2 a mile or so in the other direction. 7 hours and all I had was three meaningful shots, one crow and one rabbit that got careless. I just hope it gets colder in the next few weeks and the birds re-establish a liking for cabbage. At the moment there are loads and loads of birds around but im afraid even more food for them. They dont even appear top be in the local woods which is strange because last year at this time there were thousands around here but they left the rape alone. Yours frustrated. FM. I think it must be the time of year ! We went out all day wednesday and had the same sort of reaction ******!! I thought the snow would bring them down , Well it did in the next field!!! Glad it isnt just happening to me :thumbs: :thumbs: I think OR hit it on the head WB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 The all important ingredient which we have lacked recently is a good wind IMHO. We've given up wasting diesel driving around after pigeons until conditions are right and have concentrated on the bunnies. you know the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 (edited) had that the other day they just would not come to decoys fly all around me but would not come in. Edited December 31, 2005 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Fisherman mike. I'd be happy to help out if you need another gun to keep the birds moving. I'm in gloucester quite a lot on the weekends. Abu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Why don`t you just sit in the shed and juggle soot?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabbitbosher Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Why don`t you just sit in the shed and juggle soot?? What a Great day , Soot juggling sipping Goldschlager with a family of Munt jack WB Not frustrating at all!! :thumbs: :thumbs: B) B) B) B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Welcome to pigeon ping-pong!! It`s muntjac or muntjak - one word. The unnecessary capital letters would be funny, if you didn`t know the real threat we face from outer space!! We sometimes see forum posts and mobile phone texts with every word in capitals. Occasionally people put a dot over a capital I. Text language is gobbledegook. This is all being organised to subvert the English language. Recent top secret government documents have revealed that Planet Cranfield is the base for this interference in our language. The Federation for the Development of Random Capitals, (FDRC) is the mastermind. Now if you take these letters away from the word Cranfield you get an anagram of the word ALIEN!!! :thumbs: BEWARE!! THEY ARE AMONG US!!! :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 :thumbs: Had the same problem but even more frustrating, i was on a field of rape, my mate on another there are 3 around this area where i can shoot, the fog was down and snow everywhere it was freezing, set up for early morning, only shot one all morning, me and my mate then found out that the one field which wasnt being shot over had pigeons piling into it, ah well Sh~T HAPPENS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 we all know the scene pigeons in huge flocks ,you think your in for a big day then one shot and they vanish.but if you breast any shot birds you find rape,berries,corn from feeders but most of all fat healthy birds. we dont have cold winters anymore ,i have a mate who only shots over rape after feb and his results are good.but if you are like me and shoot in less than ideal conditions then the birds winter does not kill we catch up with in spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeyoakey Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Hi all, I know how you all feel, I had a look around yesterday and found a nice few. the farmer told me they had been there all week. Stayed of the beer last night, but still didn't get up till 9-45am, still knew where i was going so no probs. Good few on the field and in the trees, so do nicely, didn't rush, sat in motor for a while sussed out the flightline. Set up nailed a crow straight away, about an hour or so later a nice group of woodies com my way, 1 comes in but the others give me a wide birth, then shot another crow, but not a single woody to be seen after that. 11-30am till 2-45pm I shot 1 woody + 2 crows good start to 2006 :< Just counted up the woodies in my 2005 diary 4,090 between 2 of us most of the time, so well pleased really. First day out last year nailed 9 woodies but I have always found january a bad month for good decoying. Look on the bright side IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER :thumbs: Smokey Oakey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 (edited) out ferreting today looked across where the rape field is loads of pigeon ferrting tomorrow but will have a go at pigeons wensday.i bet i shot and they will be gone. Edited January 1, 2006 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ears Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 I am having trouble getting at them too. shot 39 last week but we had some wind. I went out this morning at first light shot 7 gave it up after a couple of hours. All the pigeons were just sitting about in massive flocks watching me from places were i can not get at them yet due to pheasent woods still being shot. though i saw a lot on a maize strip and after the 6th of jan i will be able to shoot there. so i will return then. best of luck to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryhawk Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Took the bro-in-law out, walked 150 of the rape, set up and waited, waited a bit longer. 3hrs later we decided to call it a day. 4 pigeons 2 each, but hey at least we were out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heliman Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Went out this weekend to a group of rape fields and found a large number of pigeons down feeding, had a couple of shots and what a suprise they all cleared of to the other side of the block of fields and sat in the trees. I set up some decoys on the edge of a large patch of chomped rape and waited for about an hour untill a large group of birds came in on the decoys two shots fired and the flock was gone again not to return !! I wish there was some wind to break up these big flocks into more manageable groups. :o 3 woodies and a nice walk in the fresh air mustn't grumble some better weather is bound to come along soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Try to hold your fire when a big flock arrives. Bite your lip and let `em do what they want to, and hopefully most will clear off undisturbed, and some may come back. Better to wait than scare the **** out of lots of birds. The trick is to get them more interested in what they think are their mates tucking in than the sound of a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Even a good wind isn't helping at the moment. The weather is too mild for the birds to care too much about feeding anywhere in particular. You need to be in the right place, very visible (your deeks not you personally) for a long way around, lots of decoy movement and have one hell of a lot of patience. It's a good time to try out inventive ideas! Oh and if you wanna know the right crops to go for now...it'll cost u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roe doe Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 well i will be trying my luck after my last driven day with no acorns or beech mast this year up here in cumbria.been having a steady build up of pigeons since early december on my pheasant feed rides 300+ one this morning on one in front of the house but i am afraid its the crows that will get the biggest shock have not fired a shot at them since october you have to look after the pheasants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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