JohnnyB Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Met with the farmer yesterday who told me that he has 2 rape fields one of which was getting hammered, the other not really touched. I went out today and was all set up by 7:30. Only a slight wind when I got there but it picked up well as the morning went on. Plenty of pigeons about and were coming into my pattern from all directions. I haven't been out in over 20 years and had forgotten how fast they can come in on a good wind. At 9.30 the local school had a couple of football matches start. That killed the action dead. Until then I had had 27 shots but my kill ratio was a bit low and I only ended up with 6. Farmer happy though and I'll be back on the same field next week. Have to say, I had heard a lot of negative reports about magnets but bought one anyway. What a buy!!! It helped to turn them in from 400 yards away. Brilliant!! Pattern also included 20 half shells, three bouncers and a couple of hypaflaps. Very pleased with my first outing and the birds are still on the rape on my permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 You are lucky. The pigeons in my part of Norfolk are nolonger interested in rape. Changes in the methods of harvesting sugar beet mean its available to the pigeons all winter now and they do not want to know rape until it starts to grow next month.While they are on the beet the farmers like to see them left alone rather than shooting them over the beet and driving them back onto the rape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 You are lucky. The pigeons in my part of Norfolk are nolonger interested in rape. Changes in the methods of harvesting sugar beet mean its available to the pigeons all winter now and they do not want to know rape until it starts to grow next month.While they are on the beet the farmers like to see them left alone rather than shooting them over the beet and driving them back onto the rape. Is it changes in methods of harvesting sugar beet or it's rotted in the ground and been left? Most sugar beet farmers have been mullered with the exceptionally cold winter weather this year and have nothing to harvest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadliestdecoy Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 same here all the beet ruined by the cold winter,snow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Its probably a mixture of both Whitebridges. This is the second year the shooting over rape has been very poor during the winter. Until a few years ago all the beet was harvested by christmas and the fields gleened by early January. But over the past few years they are still harvesting beet in March and this gives the birds fresh food supplies right through the winter. I was amaze at the size of beet lumps in the crops of some pigeons I shot roost shooting the other week. Ofcourse rotting beet is much more easy for the pigeons to eat. What are you finding in your area of Norfolk Whitebridges , birds on rape or beet tops, or maybe clover by now ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldypurple Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 seem to be on clover round the lakenheath area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldypurple Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 seem to be on clover round the lakenheath area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 (edited) Its probably a mixture of both Whitebridges. This is the second year the shooting over rape has been very poor during the winter. Until a few years ago all the beet was harvested by christmas and the fields gleened by early January. But over the past few years they are still harvesting beet in March and this gives the birds fresh food supplies right through the winter. I was amaze at the size of beet lumps in the crops of some pigeons I shot roost shooting the other week. Ofcourse rotting beet is much more easy for the pigeons to eat. What are you finding in your area of Norfolk Whitebridges , birds on rape or beet tops, or maybe clover by now ? Yes a bit of both.Some of the beet turned to mush and was left in the fields, hasn't turned the birds off the tops though. We had temps to -18oc in some parts mid county and they really caught it. All the beet was lost on our shoot mid Suffolk. It went to a white pulp and the pigeons never touched it. They would normally have gorged the stuff, maybe there was a surplus and only certain parts got hit? Agreed, shooting over rape has been really poor the last couple of years. The few birds i've got have been stuffed with wheat/barley, whether they are picking up loose feed in the rides and woods i don't know? Interesting you managed a few with beet in their crop.Presumably some of the farms in the north have got away with a crop. Makes a huge difference being closer to the salt and the warmth of the sea. I daresay it didn't feel like that but you had it warm comparatively. I've got a bit of rape out near Bodham that is stalks so they have been having a go. It isn't a lost cause and will shoot once we get a bit of warmth. Confident I can nail a few on it if I can catch it right. Edited February 15, 2011 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrikirkby Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 Beet tops for me in north norfolk and old cover crops, farmer is still pulling beet ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoughton Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Met with the farmer yesterday who told me that he has 2 rape fields one of which was getting hammered, the other not really touched. I went out today and was all set up by 7:30. Only a slight wind when I got there but it picked up well as the morning went on. Plenty of pigeons about and were coming into my pattern from all directions. I haven't been out in over 20 years and had forgotten how fast they can come in on a good wind. At 9.30 the local school had a couple of football matches start. That killed the action dead. Until then I had had 27 shots but my kill ratio was a bit low and I only ended up with 6. Farmer happy though and I'll be back on the same field next week. Have to say, I had heard a lot of negative reports about magnets but bought one anyway. What a buy!!! It helped to turn them in from 400 yards away. Brilliant!! Pattern also included 20 half shells, three bouncers and a couple of hypaflaps. Very pleased with my first outing and the birds are still on the rape on my permission. Well done - enjoy whilst the rest of us are struggling! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad vick Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Well done - enjoy whilst the rest of us are struggling! Steve HI I HAVE BEEN SHOOTING PIGEON FOR SOME 20 YEARS IT SEEMS TO GET HARDER EVERY TIME I GO OUT WHEN STARTED I HAD DAYS AND SHOT 200 PLUS WHENT OUT LARST SUNDAY FOR 6HRS HAD 4 PIGEONS GOING OUT FRIDAY. I NO THE BIRDS ARE THERE IHAVE SEEN THEM . ABOUT 500 TO 800. IM A NEW BOY TO PIGEON WATCH . ALL THE BEST MAD VICK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.