The Duncan Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Perhaps there's a link to the unusually sharp winter we had? Maybe clover is more nutritious after a cold snap? Severe winter weather certainly alters the characteristics of some brassicas; brussels sprouts for example. Food for thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Interesting stuff. We’ve had problems decoying onto rape the last couple of months and looking around there’s not the usual damage been done. I’ve been putting it down to the (very) late beet harvest which in this area is still going on and looks likely to continue into April in some spots. That’s also had a knock on effect in that there’s a hell of a lot of spring drilling to do. There are plenty of birds about just not able to decoy them. I can’t agree with Cat though about the time scales with drillings. We find birds hitting the drill almost as the tractors leave the fields. The problem is that most of today’s farm equipment is so efficient there’s not much left on the surface for the birds to pick at; a couple of days and it’s all over. It’s a little better on the heavy land but on some of our light soils the pickings are poor. Unless the tractor driver is poor too and leaves a messy drill on the headlands! We were out mob handed (6 guns) on Friday on a large block (1500 acres) of rape and there were literally 100’s of pigeons about but in big flocks sitting in the trees or on sun baked ground just enjoying the day. Those that chose to feed did so intermittently and kept moving. No flightlines, no pattern, just drop out of the trees and have a quick snack. The guys sitting in the woods had the most birds, those decoying had to wait a long time between shots. Has anyone else noticed that spring is a bit delayed this year or are things just getting back to normal after so many warm winters? Normally we’d be seeing the flocks breaking up by now and the birds hitting the spring flush of rape hard but that’s a way off yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtelfo Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I have been strugling to get into double figures recently but I have started to notice that the flocks are breaking up now and that a bigger pattern is helping on my permission I think a magnet would reall help but I can't afford one at the mo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 the magnet or bouncers dont seem to have the attraction anymore, maybe its an essex thing, Im hoping the saying, LESS IS MORE is correct, as rather than dragging everything out to walk across fields, Ill pop out with the new invention http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/158660-mad-scientist-mk2-on-the-decoys/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren h Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I was out for two hours yesterday and about four today and got three from four carts, they have certainly disappeared near me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Had a few hours out this morning with another forum member and we shot 9 but there is loads of fields of rape in this very small area , saw a fox in a tree at the start of the day which is different :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 went for a quick recce this afternoon find out if any drilling had been done on a couple of perms and a lot of birds were on 2 rape fields i drove past but don;t shoot these fields. also not shot on any rape for over a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyB Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 On my permission there is a field of rape that isnot as far on as surrounding fields. The field has been fertilised this week and is just greening up. No birds on the field when I got there this morning but they decoyed in quite well. Ended with 14 for a couple of hors shooting. Not a massive bag but enough activity to keep it interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I was shooting over rape a couple of weeks ago when a load of farmers had organised all their shooters to be out on the same day. There were thousands of birds in the air. The same field a week later, one shot and they're all off. I wonder if the cost of diesel has prompted a lot more farmers to grow rape, hence the pigeons have loads more choice where to feed now and won't return to a field they think even slightly risky. When the rape has grown too tall for them to feed on the other crops could be under a lot of pressure, so hopefully we'll get some good sport then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudwalker Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I have never known a season like it. Over the last few weeks we have barely seen a pigeon. A few shots in the morning and they are never to be seen again. Haven't seen any really large flocks since January and fields that were getting hit then are barren of pigeon now. This is the worst winter/spring season I have known in 25 years pigeon shooting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 Similar experiences today in N Bucks - where are they all? The rape field we were on were largely hammered, but no birds in the sky (other than Buzzards, crows and seagulls). Definitely odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie Bass Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 went out looking for pigeons today all the one i saw r by the road side grass on chick weed or clover ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee-kinsman Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 (edited) Myself and a bloke went out today on the rape and he shot 2 out of the four birds that came to our decoys. After a few hours I got really frustrated since I spend a bit of time watching the birds feed on the rape during the week so we drove around to some other fields that neighbour my permission. As suspected the neighbouring rape field was FULL of pigeons and plenty just kept for the hour that we watched them, problem is the owner won't let us shoot them. I think he's into pigeon conservation. Obviously the birds are used to the routine of getting shot on the land that I go on and have decided to go on this large rape field where they are totally undisturbed...... no bird scarer or nothing. N'eh mind, I'll keep knocking his door till he gives me permission. The birds are definately feeding on rape they just ahve to many rape fields unprotected to choose from. I'm in South Derbyshire Edited March 6, 2011 by lee-kinsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Had bags of 47 and 36 on rape today for 2 Swedish hunters, big flocks with no signs of breaking up just now. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Had bags of 47 and 36 on rape today for 2 Swedish hunters, big flocks with no signs of breaking up just now. Mark. How do they get their kill back to sweden before it goes off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have never known a season like it. Over the last few weeks we have barely seen a pigeon. A few shots in the morning and they are never to be seen again. Haven't seen any really large flocks since January and fields that were getting hit then are barren of pigeon now. This is the worst winter/spring season I have known in 25 years pigeon shooting! Yes, got to agree, and I've been at it for about 35 years , it's pretty much the same in Herts, there's more pigeons currently feeding on my local football field than there are on the rape. The exceptionally cold weather we had around Christmas messed things up, the birds vanished and have since not returned in any numbers. So, come next October, when the newbies on here are saying "we need a good cold snap to get the birds onto the rape", you'll know they're talking complete tosh. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hi Cat, I don't think there's been much shooting over the rape fields during the winter hence us getting permission to shoot there. A problem is it's heavy clay soil and access onto the fields is very difficult because they're so wet even around the margins, just standing water in places. I did slog out onto one field and set up under an oak tree but by the time I'd reached it I'd grown several inches taller and could hardly lift my feet because of the clay stuck to my wellies Blackla and I have got stuck trying to get closer to one rape field, his write up of events is in the Offroad section entitled 'Oh, dear...' I've been doing recces and have tried to plot flight lines across them and the sitty trees on rough drawings. There's seven fields in three locations plus other farmer's rape fields in the vicinity so there's no need for the birds to return to where they were disturbed from. There's also several pairs of red kites floating around and it seems when they appear the pigeons depart. It's too wet at the moment for the farmer to start drilling but with luck he'll start later in the month or the beginning of April when he'll be putting in barley. Ever the optimist, I always make sure I've got a slab of ammo in the car and plenty with me as you never know what the day may bring Phil Phil when we meet tomorrow we can arrange coming to my new permission, plenty of space plenty of birds and drilling just started Terry Mines a pint bitter by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 How do they get their kill back to sweden before it goes off? Thay don't, the birds are all stored in my chiller and picked up by my game dealer twice a week. Cheers, Mark ps, plenty about today, shot 50+ already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Todays final bag, Image0065 by mj robson, on Flickr That makes 667 in 6 days all shot over rape and decoyed a dream. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Todays final bag, Image0065 by mj robson, on Flickr That makes 667 in 6 days all shot over rape and decoyed a dream. Mark. so your clients are not struggling then i take it 25 today better than a kick in the nuts 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.