Stunted wheat

[caeser]

Where I shoot, in Yorkshire, there has hardly been any rain. I struggle to get the hide poles in the ground and the decoy spikes, its like concrete.

Consequently the crops have suffered. The wheat especially. Talking to the farmer last week, he said it going to be a really bad yield this year. The wheat is about a foot shorter than it should be, and with it being shorter there isn't any flattened bits due to the lack of weight.

Normally at this time of year I'm getting decent bags on flattened wheat, but that isn't going to happen.

The barley doesn't look too bad, and the rape is a good few weeks behind also.

Still seems to be plenty of pigeons dotted about, but they're so hard to decoy because they're not feeding on anything specifically.

So lets see what the harvesting brings in a few weeks.

[Paul T]

On the plus side if the wheater is shorter it is easier to get the combine through it . I know the Brother-in-law doesn't like the wheat getting too long for this reason. No flat spots for pigeons though, that's the problem for us shooters.

[proTOM1]

Ive a few fields of very stunted wheat with the crop being only a foot high but its still got ears of wheat this should give me some great shooting as the birds can feed on it from the ground ,should start seeing birds on them with in the next week or so

[Highlander]

Modern wheats are generallly grown on short stems, it doesn't affect the yields. On the other hand given the dry weather many areas are experiencing yields are bound to be well down this year. On the plus side prices are going to be higher than ever unless the rest of the world harvest comes in over par. OK if you're just arable but if you have livestock of any sort feed costs are going through the roof.

[Cranfield]

As ProTOM1 says, its well worth a look with the shorter stems.

We are seeing quite a lot of rook, crow and pigeon damage with full or part ears missing from the wheat.

[kyska]

Modern wheats are generallly grown on short stems, it doesn't affect the yields. On the other hand given the dry weather many areas are experiencing yields are bound to be well down this year. On the plus side prices are going to be higher than ever unless the rest of the world harvest comes in over par. OK if you're just arable but if you have livestock of any sort feed costs are going through the roof.

 

And the use of growth inhibitors are ever more popular.

[UKPoacher]

As ProTOM1 says, its well worth a look with the shorter stems.

We are seeing quite a lot of rook, crow and pigeon damage with full or part ears missing from the wheat.

 

Worth mentioning that where fields adjoin woodland, as the wheat ripens it also attracts squirrels.

[Zaiyn]

Worth mentioning that where fields adjoin woodland, as the wheat ripens it also attracts squirrels.

I've seen this myself locally too. There are little piles of chaff dotted periodically along the edge of the wheat fields where there are trees nearby. I've seen them scarper from their dining spots too.

 

regards

 

Zaiyn.

[caeser]

I may go tomorrow and have a look whats going on. I know that last week they weren't interested in the wheat at all which is unusual. But proTOM1 is probably right about them being able to feed on it being so short.

If I have a bad day ,then I can always say "well it wasn't my idea !"

[caeser]

On the plus side if the wheater is shorter it is easier to get the combine through it . I know the Brother-in-law doesn't like the wheat getting too long for this reason. No flat spots for pigeons though, that's the problem for us shooters.

I suppose you're right about it being easier to combine. To my untrained eye, it looks really healthy, but just shorter. Whether the ears are smaller or the seeds not as fat,I don't know, but I do know that the farmer wasn't too happy about it. He definately said his yield would be down, and I'm sure he knows what he's talking about. He is a very wealthy farmer, so he must be doing something right.

[yickdaz]

I may go tomorrow and have a look whats going on. I know that last week they weren't interested in the wheat at all which is unusual. But proTOM1 is probably right about them being able to feed on it being so short.

If I have a bad day ,then I can always say "well it wasn't my idea !"

you will lose nothing having a look i have seen birds piling into 2 standing wheat fields,no laid on it just short and birds simply landing in tram lines or on it and having a peck. trouble is its not on our perms its estate land they were going on.

Edited June 22, 2011 by yickdaz

[stace1g]

had a good look yesterday and no sign of any on my wheat fields. Crop down on size but still no action

 

gaz

[Zaiyn]

I have seen many woodpigeon heading onto wheatfields into the tractor tracks. I thought they were going there to where they could easily land and reach the ears of wheat.

I see no point shooting them there though as even a dog would cause damage to the still-green crops and without a dog the fallen birds would be very difficult or impossible to find.

 

Z.

[BenBhoy]

same here, wheat very short still, even though been having heavy rain lately even that not knocked it down at all. just waiting on harvest now whenever it comes.

[bagup-sam]

I suppose you're right about it being easier to combine. To my untrained eye, it looks really healthy, but just shorter. Whether the ears are smaller or the seeds not as fat,I don't know, but I do know that the farmer wasn't too happy about it. He definately said his yield would be down, and I'm sure he knows what he's talking about. He is a very wealthy farmer, so he must be doing something right.

 

Its very short around me, due to the drought, and obviously, there is fewer seeds in each ear and each ear is shorter too as a result. However, the pigeons seem very keen on dropping in the wheat where it is only a foot or so high on the sandy soils. I'm tempted to give it a go soon: but being in the middle of a field, I'm not sure how to tackle it. Do you think just setting up a normal hide in the middle of the field on a hill will work?

[caeser]

Do you think just setting up a normal hide in the middle of the field on a hill will work?

I've used tactics similar to that in the past with success, as long as you're where the pigeon want to feed.

What are the tramlines like? can you decoy them from the edge of the field ?

The pigeon are now diving into the tram lines in the wheat for fun, on the farms that I shoot on, .