Harnser Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 Had a look round the rape fields today ,which are all covered in fairly deep snow . On one field I saw about 50 pigeons feeding very close to the edge of the field close to the lane . I drove along the lane and stopped the truck on the lane opposite the birds feeding . They had their feathers all puffed up against the cold . I was very surprised that they didnt take to the wing when I stopped as I was only about 30 yards from them and under normal conditions they would have flown off . I then got out of the truck and walked onto the field ,remember these birds were only 30 yards away from me, and I started to walk towards them . I was able to get within 10 yards of these pigeons before they decided to fly off . They must have been absolutely desperate for a feed to have let me get that close and were proberbly on the verge of starvation . I think that this severe cold spell is going to kill off a large number of the local pigeon population . I think we will lose a lot of song birds as well . Keep feeding the birds in your garden, as they can do with a bit of help with this cold spell . Mrs Harnser is putting out fresh water every day untill it freezes over and then she replaces it . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 I think the small birds will be finding it really hard in the conditions as for pigeons they will always find something . Ihave seen loads today on alsorts from berries,rape that is showing a bit ,maize strips ,game feeders and even eating sugar beet leaves Out tomorrow after a call from a farmer so will go and have a look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 Some on here would have had the putt gun out wipe the little vermin beggers of the face of the earth. Dodo springs to mind cheers OTH From a very unsnowy oxfordshire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustem Dave Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 saw a sad sight today one dead pigeon and two others which were alive which i walked right up to they didn't have the strength to fly off was going to put them out of their misery but left them in the end hopefully they,ll survive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 Some on here would have had the putt gun out wipe the little vermin beggers of the face of the earth. Dodo springs to mind cheers OTH From a very unsnowy oxfordshire What's the difference between the huge bags you claim to shoot in late summer and the rest of us shooting a few now Why are we wiping them out and you aren't My total for the whole year will be about 350 and I only take sporting shots, am I overdoing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 What's the difference between the huge bags you claim to shoot in late summer and the rest of us shooting a few now Not claiming FACT Why are we wiping them out and you aren't Because its not the shooting of the birds its the puching them away from what maybe there only food souce . My total for the whole year will be about 350 and I only take sporting shots, am I overdoing it No your not overdoing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 No your not overdoing it Plenty of food around here for them still and they've only just started attacking the rape Yes I'm a happy chappy if I get a poachers pocketful without too much effort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retromlc Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 i remember all these conversations last time it snowed,people kill in huge bags in Summer and are well pleased with themselves ,then worry because they are hungry in Winter,it doesn't follow.You should be asking yourself, should you kill so many during Summer,I would imagine that there is never a good time in your breeding/life cycle to be shot from the pigeons view point,so Summer/Winter makes no difference to me,if they are on the crops ,and you have permission to control pigeons on said crop then you should be out there doing it.If you live in kent and don't fancy it give me your land i'll do it for you . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 Pigeons will find food in most cases, and they will become more brazen about it. I would be out looking now if the roads were safe but we have had a week of snow now and even the A roads are dodgy in some cases, and anything else forget about it unless you have a 4x4, which I don't. If they find a crop they will hit it hard because the food is scarce. You will only know when you shoot a few if they are in good condition. Nature always balances itself out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 i remember all these conversations last time it snowed,people kill in huge bags in Summer and are well pleased with themselves ,then worry because they are hungry in Winter,it doesn't follow.You should be asking yourself, should you kill so many during Summer,I would imagine that there is never a good time in your breeding/life cycle to be shot from the pigeons view point,so Summer/Winter makes no difference to me,if they are on the crops ,and you have permission to control pigeons on said crop then you should be out there doing it.If you live in kent and don't fancy it give me your land i'll do it for you . The difference is there is no snow in the summer and plenty of food to get at ,unlike now with over 2feet of snow and food being in short surply plus in the summer the birds are fat and in hard times pigeons lose condition quick so you cant sell them and not much on them to eat yourself . Back 20 years ago pigeons would only really breed in the summer months but now they breed all year round . I love pigeon shooting i do it as a job and a hobby but i hate shooting anything that is finding it hard to find food so if its for the sport i will not bother but if its for pest controll that is ok to a point but each to there own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 Probably depends where you are in the country. We haven't had it too bad here and what snow there is has started to melt. Don't think the birds will be suffering too bad, the woodies around my bird table look more like waddling turkeys right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 Probably depends where you are in the country. We haven't had it too bad here and what snow there is has started to melt. Don't think the birds will be suffering too bad, the woodies around my bird table look more like waddling turkeys right now Yes it will depend on where you are in the country thats true , the snow is deep round me and have found 3 dead birds over the last few days all young woodies and i shot i this morning and it was very thin so packed up . Alot of birds have moved on to the shooting estates and are feeding on game strips and from feeders so they should be in good condition ,at the moment we are getting through over 6 ton of wheat a day as every bird is feeding on it :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 (edited) Had a look round the rape fields today ,which are all covered in fairly deep snow . On one field I saw about 50 pigeons feeding very close to the edge of the field close to the lane . I drove along the lane and stopped the truck on the lane opposite the birds feeding . They had their feathers all puffed up against the cold . I was very surprised that they didnt take to the wing when I stopped as I was only about 30 yards from them and under normal conditions they would have flown off . I then got out of the truck and walked onto the field ,remember these birds were only 30 yards away from me, and I started to walk towards them . I was able to get within 10 yards of these pigeons before they decided to fly off . They must have been absolutely desperate for a feed to have let me get that close and were proberbly on the verge of starvation . I think that this severe cold spell is going to kill off a large number of the local pigeon population . I think we will lose a lot of song birds as well . Keep feeding the birds in your garden, as they can do with a bit of help with this cold spell . Mrs Harnser is putting out fresh water every day untill it freezes over and then she replaces it . Harnser . I don't know what the chill factor was yesterday in our county Mick but it was icey cold.Felt like Siberia not that i've been there, but you know what I mean. I have only ever witnessed pigeons that weren't flighty and bothered about my presence a couple of times. The first was a few year ago after a terrific gale it was in the 80's I think. The firs were down and the old english woods around Foxley took a hammering. The gales went on for a week or more. The week before we were shooting a lot of pigeon. When the wind eased we explored a stubble field. There were about 150 odd birds, I got out of the car and tried to walk them off. They sat and sat. I got to within 20-30 yards of them and they just lifted and drifted another few yards. They were in a poor old state, a lot with no tail feathers and they looked emancipated.I thought they were exhausted. If I had a gun and a bag full of shells I think I could have shot the lot, but I didn't. The second time I witnessed woodpigeon not paying one iota to man was on Blakeney point. They are normally very canny birds as you know and usually have no trouble coming in from europe on a tail wind. In November on year we were sea watching the long hills and had 20-30 exhausted birds drop in to the marrans. The tits and birds do well in my the garden. Keep on throshun'. Edited December 5, 2010 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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