Harnser Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 On my last 6 or so outings I have noticed a shortage of young birds shot . I dont think that I have shot more than a dozen squabs this stubble season . Normally I would be shooting lots of imature birds that will plonk down onto the decoys with little bother . I am now thinking that there is a shortage of young birds fledging this year and I dont have a clue why . Did the bad winter last year have an effect ,? have the squirrels been over active ? or am I worrying about nothing . Any body else notice a lack of young birds coming to the coys . On the farms the game birds have done well and there are plenty of deer around so the conditions seem to be ok for the breeding season . Please tell me that I am a silly old fool and there is nothing to worry about . Incidently I shoot in the north Norfolk area of Norfolk in real pigeon country . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRamsay Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Maybe its just the area you are in,theres lots of young birds around my area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Have to say im seeing more young birds than normal , would say over 75% of mine and my clients bags over the last month have been young birds ,so no such thing around me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted September 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Would be interesting to hear from Anser 2 as he is over in the next parish . Harnser . Have to say im seeing more young birds than normal , would say over 75% of mine and my clients bags over the last month have been young birds ,so no such thing around me Your not far away Tom , perhaps they have all crossed the border . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 On my last 6 or so outings I have noticed a shortage of young birds shot . I dont think that I have shot more than a dozen squabs this stubble season . Normally I would be shooting lots of imature birds that will plonk down onto the decoys with little bother . I am now thinking that there is a shortage of young birds fledging this year and I dont have a clue why . Did the bad winter last year have an effect ,? have the squirrels been over active ? or am I worrying about nothing . Any body else notice a lack of young birds coming to the coys . On the farms the game birds have done well and there are plenty of deer around so the conditions seem to be ok for the breeding season . Please tell me that I am a silly old fool and there is nothing to worry about . Incidently I shoot in the north Norfolk area of Norfolk in real pigeon country . Harnser . (I am a silly old fool and there is nothing to worry about) http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=CoPwZWkt7TuL3CczC0AXDxK3kCb3c6PkBvYbh1yPZqoY0CAAQAVDAw-FNYLu-roPQCqABmbHX7APIAQGpArKKjTJI5bk-qgQcT9DBhLrghtDxKZd5rB3VN82ikCK08kYxrZsU4PoFCQgDELXarUAYBA&ctype=4&sig=AOD64_3zo5seGUvU-ng9i5zk7IJmYf-AOA&ved=0CAsQwgUoAw&adurl=http://track.searchignite.com/si/cm/tracking/clickredirect.aspx%3Fsicontent%3D0%26sicreative%3D9483690181%26sitrackingid%3D277801966 Lots of them around..... Oh and back from your short break on here..... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR1960 Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Not had a young bird for a while now Mick, the new missus is dead set against it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 loads of young birds here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted September 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 (I am a silly old fool and there is nothing to worry about) http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=CoPwZWkt7TuL3CczC0AXDxK3kCb3c6PkBvYbh1yPZqoY0CAAQAVDAw-FNYLu-roPQCqABmbHX7APIAQGpArKKjTJI5bk-qgQcT9DBhLrghtDxKZd5rB3VN82ikCK08kYxrZsU4PoFCQgDELXarUAYBA&ctype=4&sig=AOD64_3zo5seGUvU-ng9i5zk7IJmYf-AOA&ved=0CAsQwgUoAw&adurl=http://track.searchignite.com/si/cm/tracking/clickredirect.aspx%3Fsicontent%3D0%26sicreative%3D9483690181%26sitrackingid%3D277801966 Lots of them around..... Oh and back from your short break on here..... TEH Yes ,you are proberbly right with that link . Thank you I will pay them a visit . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bull Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 i think i've got all your young'ens and you've got all my oldies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unapalomablanca Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Ive seen quite a lot of young birds at the decoys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Have to say im seeing more young birds than normal , would say over 75% of mine and my clients bags over the last month have been young birds ,so no such thing around me Me too, last few outings I have shot loads of young birds, more than half I would say. And there are loads of birds around these parts full stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semiautolee Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 a good number up here aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotgun12g Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 loads down here to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 My client yesterday shot 92 birds over drilled wheat of which 71 were this years birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 At the start of August we had a bag of 216 on rape stubble.Most of the time there was young birds coming in in lots of 6 or 7 which we didn't bother shooting. On wednesday i shot 103 on barley stubble. Around half of the birds were this years. Plenty of young 'uns in Norfolk, Harnser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 in recent weeks i,ve seen a lot of young birds, few weeks ago out of a 38 bag 30 were young birds, and about 12 out of 25 last week were young birds also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 My client yesterday shot 92 birds over drilled wheat of which 71 were this years birds What you finding birds on at the moment? I am struggling to pin them down, seem to be scattered all over. Some on old stubbles, some on drillings and surprisingly few on a bean stubble that was cut last week and covered with spilled beans. I just made double figures, you would have thought they would be mad for them the amount there was on the ground but I reckon more were heading for wheat stubbles. Then on way home spotted some on some newly sprouted rape! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR1960 Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 What you finding birds on at the moment? I am struggling to pin them down, seem to be scattered all over. Some on old stubbles, some on drillings and surprisingly few on a bean stubble that was cut last week and covered with spilled beans. I just made double figures, you would have thought they would be mad for them the amount there was on the ground but I reckon more were heading for wheat stubbles. Then on way home spotted some on some newly sprouted rape! Out with Harnser today for a recce, few on stubbles, (wheat and rape) few on new rape, more gritting up on the side of the road than anywhere, so assume they'd been on the wheat earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 What you finding birds on at the moment? I am struggling to pin them down, seem to be scattered all over. Some on old stubbles, some on drillings and surprisingly few on a bean stubble that was cut last week and covered with spilled beans. I just made double figures, you would have thought they would be mad for them the amount there was on the ground but I reckon more were heading for wheat stubbles. Then on way home spotted some on some newly sprouted rape! There is lots around for them at the moment so many stubbles fresh drillings of wheat ,barley and rape plus now in my area beet tops . Finding good numbers is taking more time but drilling is showing the most after a few days ,client tomorrow but will have a day on sunday . Watched 2 guys shooting on drilling where i had good bags over rape stubble spoke to farmer this eve and between them they shot 538 woodies and 121 ferals but both ran out of carts at 5pm with still thousands around No where i will be mid week if still there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 It will be intersteing to see the results of this years BTO breeding bird surveys from around the country later this year. They are usually a good indicator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 (edited) What you finding birds on at the moment? I am struggling to pin them down, seem to be scattered all over. Some on old stubbles, some on drillings and surprisingly few on a bean stubble that was cut last week and covered with spilled beans. I just made double figures, you would have thought they would be mad for them the amount there was on the ground but I reckon more were heading for wheat stubbles. Then on way home spotted some on some newly sprouted rape! Keep your eyes on that bean stubble. Two years ago (almost to the day) i was watching one that didn't have a bird on it for around 10 days after harvest. Then pigeons were all over it. The result was 246 pigeons. Edited September 25, 2011 by motty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 Keep your eyes on that bean stubble. Two years ago (almost to the day) i was watching one that didn't have a bird on it for around 10 days after harvest. Then pigeons were all over it. The result was 246 pigeons. Unfortunately the farmer has drilled the stubble this weekend, mind you he did say he was direct drilling in the stubble so maybe the beans will still be there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 (edited) Hi Hanser , I have not done any pigeon shooting since mid August as there have not been enough birds about to make it worth while setting up. However back in early August I did a number of days , though no good bags were made. Like you I shot very few young birds then. My pigeon shooting has gone from being brilliant to very bad over the past three years. I cover 7000 acres of mixed arable , grain , rape , beet , some beans , and often cant find enough pigeons to think about setting up for and on most of the ground I am the only gun to shoot , so its not a case of them being over shot. Last winter 3-6 was a good roost shooting bag where as 3 years ago I would expect 30-50 a night. My best bag over rape was just 37. Three years ago 100 bags were frequent and even the odd 200 bag. Mates jokingly say i have shot them all , but I cant beleve thats the case, there are just nolonger the numbers of pigeons about that we used to have on my ground. The birds seemed to disapear in the cold winter \ spring of 2008\9 and have never come back in any numbers since. Going to have a go this week to see whats about as the Farm shop phoned up begging for some birds. Edited September 25, 2011 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.I.A Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 I shot over 100 last week and they were mainly old birds, a few young ones but more oldies than anything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted September 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Hi Hanser , I have not done any pigeon shooting since mid August as there have not been enough birds about to make it worth while setting up. However back in early August I did a number of days , though no good bags were made. Like you I shot very few young birds then. My pigeon shooting has gone from being brilliant to very bad over the past three years. I cover 7000 acres of mixed arable , grain , rape , beet , some beans , and often cant find enough pigeons to think about setting up for and on most of the ground I am the only gun to shoot , so its not a case of them being over shot. Last winter 3-6 was a good roost shooting bag where as 3 years ago I would expect 30-50 a night. My best bag over rape was just 37. Three years ago 100 bags were frequent and even the odd 200 bag. Mates jokingly say i have shot them all , but I cant beleve thats the case, there are just nolonger the numbers of pigeons about that we used to have on my ground. The birds seemed to disapear in the cold winter \ spring of 2008\9 and have never come back in any numbers since. Going to have a go this week to see whats about as the Farm shop phoned up begging for some birds. Anser 2 , That is exactly how it is happening in my part of the parish . Perhaps we have been to efficient . The best bag I have had for a long time was I picked up 145 off an over winter stubble field last year that had lots of chic weed on it. Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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