Found'em, Can't Hunt'em

[20citori20]

I can never find my replies or questions to you folks, so I decided to start my own topic.  Do you folks ever have the problem of finding birds in fields within urban areas that can't be safely hunted? Probably not, but I figured I would ask.  We found a field today with about 200 birds in it.  As fast as they were leaving they were being replaced by birds coming from the city.  Too tight to shoot and an elderly woman told us they were beautiful to hear and have around.  We told her we enjoyed hunting them and helping the city and farmer folk by controling their numbers.  She said they were gods creatures too!  I knew I was barking up the wrong tree.  I thought to myself, yep, and he couldn't have created a better target!    Can somebody tell me how many American dollars it would cost me to buy and ship a dozen pigeon decoys over here to the States (Ohio)?  Had problems finding the question and response the last time I asked. Sorry.  Good luck with your birds gentlemen.

[Cranfield]

20citori20, welcome to the site.

 

There are some questions and answers on decoys for the US on  "Tips & Tricks", its the 13th topic down started by arpad.

You will find some websites and approx prices there.

If you need anything more specific , ask again.

 

The problem of shooting in semi-urban areas is quite common over here.

Our wild woodpigeon is quite happy living (and feeding) very close to human habitation.

The easy answer is that you don,t/can,t shoot close to peoples houses.

Its anti-social and can scare people of a nervous disposition, such as the elderly and children.

We may have the "right" to shoot there, but common-sense should prevail.

 

I tend to think of these areas as "Nurseries" supplying pigeons for me to shoot on my "shooting grounds".

That makes me feel better..............not a lot !

[Cranfield]

I have never heard of woodpigeons roosting in/on buildings, but that doesn,t mean that they don,t.

Even the biggest cities have some trees and parkland somewhere.

 

Pigeons coming in to a field first thing in the morning, tend to come from their roosting woods. This makes judging the flight lines and hide placement easier.

 

During the day they can come from various directions, but these will be influenced by the weather, wind and general topography of the area.

However,they will normally follow prescribed flight lines.

Being familiar with your shooting grounds is very important.

Its why you will see people on here stressing the need for reconaissance.

 

In the Winter months they move around usually, in large flocks. This can make shooting them harder,as one bang and an awful lot of birds dissapear.

The rest of the year they are in smaller groups and as such, the shooter can be trickle fed birds most of the day (in an ideal situation).

So many factors affect pigeon shooting that you cannot be dogmatic about any situation. Be prepared to change things if necessary and "go with the flow".

[20citori20]

It sounds a little different than what I'm used to but the work involved to put a good shoot together is the same.  What gauge and types of guns are prefered?  We shoot 20 ga. o/u 2 3/4" shells 7 1/2 size shot.  Reloading is a must since we don't have money trees in these parts.  

The semi-auto 20 would certainly beat the o/u in the overall numbers of birds  downed, but picking up 200 empty hulls scattered over the landscape makes it less than desireable in my opinion.  Not to mention, an empty hull on the ground is the equivilent of a fumbled football on the field with the guys I hunt with.  

How many decoys would your average spread contain?  Are there seasons or limits?

[Cranfield]

The easy ones first.

 

There are no seasons or limits for wood pigeon shooting.

The crop seasons tend to dictate the best and worst months of the year for shooting.

These can vary from area to area in the Country.

 

I use a 12 gauge u/o or sbs and No6 shot in 30gramm loads.

 

The number of decoys I use in a layout varies with the crop, season and shooting area.

With short or open crops (first sprouting peas, rape or seed drillings) where incoming birds have a good "view" of the field, I use no more than 10 decoys plus a rotary device.

 

Where the crop is higher or the "view" is nor so good, I use up to 25 decoys plus a rotary device. This is to ensure that any incoming pigeons will see at least some decoys.

 

I hope other Forum members will give you their answers to your questions on equipment and decoy layouts.

 

I was quite suprised that UK cartridge prices are cheaper than US prices.

What would you expect to pay for 250 or 500 cartridges ?

[20citori20]

That's interesting information!  As many people (or at least it seems) that hunt Wood Pigeons, I am surprised people would hunt the birds during peak nesting period.  I would think this would have a negitive impact on populations.  Maybe the harvest dictates when you primarily hunt and the nesting season doesn't coincide with good shooting?  By the way, what is rape?

I haven't purchased a flat (250) or a case (500) of 20 gauge shells for a long time.  We trade pigeons for components and can reload for about half the price of a store bought box of AA Winchester Shells ($4.99/box).  I think a good price for 250 rounds of 12 gauge Winchester AA would cost about $46.99 plus $.06% sales tax.  I am fortunate to live about 5 minutes from the International Grand Trap Shooting Championship facility.  I  am able to get some great deals on components the last day of competition because dealers don't want to take back what they brought to sell. I just bought 500 rounds of .410 shells for about $113.00.  Add about $7.00 for tax.  The small bores are more expensive.

[Cranfield]

There are not as many people actively shooting woodpigeons as you would imagine and there is a tremendous population of woodpigeon in the UK.

Also, there are areas where the birds breed, feed and live, that cannot be shot.

Birds from these areas will populate shot areas.

"Nature abhors a vacuum", is a very true statement.

 

If 25 cartridges costs you $5 (£3.50), then 500 would cost around $100 (£70.00).

I buy State Express felt wads for £50.00 for 500.

Accepting that these comparisons are very approximate, you are paying significantly more for your cartridges.

Small bore cartridges are generally more expensive in the UK, also.

 

Rape is a crop that is grown for its seed.

It produces a green leaf that the pigeons eat.

During the Winter months it is one of the few "green" crops available for pigeons to eat.

Its rising popularity as a crop over the last 15/20 years ,has been given as one reason for the increase in woodpigeon numbers.

In the past many birds died from starvation/cold weather during the Winter period.

It was common to walk through woods after particularly cold nights and find lots of pigeons lying on the ground.

If you do a "Google Image"  search you will find pictures of its distinct yellow flower.

Fly over the UK or Europe in the Spring and you pass over what seems to be a yellow country.

 

I don,t know if any other Forum members load their own cartridges, I tried it once and it was too much like hard work.

Its also fair to say that the financial incentive was not there to make it worthwhile.

[20citori20]

I can't believe shells are that cheap over there!  If I could buy them over here for that price I wouldn't reload either!  The absolute cheapest deal I can find over here is $15.98 for 100 rounds.  And the hulls can not be reloaded without a big headache.  I can reload a 100 rounds for about $10.00, maybe a little cheaper.  I think it's a conspiracy. Tell that manufacturer to build a plant over here.  

I can tell you have some politician in you by the way you handled the question concerning spring shooting   .  I took one on the chin about using a crippled bird to attract other pigeons into gun range.  We just seen our first commercial battery operated decoys a few years ago.  That one bird has made a diffence between an 80 bird shoot and a 280 bird shoot on many occasions.  I do not know the life history of a Wood Pigeon, but question what happens to the young of a female Wood Pigeon who is shot over rape in the early spring.  Please don't take this the wrong way, I think your a good stick and appreciate our discussions tremendously.  But aren't we comparing apples to apples here?  It seems Wood Pigeons have the same respect over there as our Eastern Wild Turkeys do over here.  Most cities and farmers would like to see pigeon eggs smashed and chicks pushed out of the nest in the states.  A few of us find them fascinating, including schools of higher education.  There has probably been as much research on the pigeon here in the states (flight, homing, anatomy) than any other bird, but they still haven't earned any respect from the general public.  They are usually a nuisance.  Quote: It's a strange world of language in which skating on thin ice can get you in hot water.

-Franklin P. Jones

[20citori20]

P.S. How did I get the a.k.a. of "Newbie Pigeon Shooter." :what:

[Deako]

Citori, that relates to the number of postings you have sent.

[Cranfield]

The cartridge price differential has been there for many years and my American friends continually moan about it, especially the clay shooters.

 

Cartridges were "expensive" in the UK many years ago when  there were only one or two manufacturers.

Eley being the biggest, they also made cartridges for other  companies, so even if you didn,t buy the Eley brand, you did in reality.

Cartridges then started coming in from Europe, the early ones from Russia (Baikal) and Czechoslovakia (Sellier Bellot) were considered cheap and nasty.

Rumours also circulated that they were prone to misfire, not sized properly for autos, could damage "good" guns, etc.

Eventually shooters realised they wern,t that bad and bought them.

 

That seemed to open the gates for a rush of imports and the start-up in the UK of a few smaller manufacturers (with foreign investment).

The result was "competition" and the price benefit and consistent quality, that we enjoy today.

 

I wasn,t sidestepping the Spring/Breeding shooting question.

We have to remember that we are shooting a bird that is classified as "vermin".

It feeds all the year round and therefore can cause crop damage all the year round.

The farmers and landowners that give us permission to shoot on their land would not be impressed if we stopped protecting their crops, whilst the "vermin" bred in peace.

I should also add that research suggests that one pigeon from a pair can raise the young (1 or 2 usually) successfully and both parents rarely go to feed together when they have chicks.

The young also mature quite quickly, as is common with a lot of wild creatures.

 

The only people who "respect" pigeons over here are shooters.

Everyone else has similar views to the ones you mention.

 

You didn,t realise that to move from a "Newbie Pigeon Shooter" to a "Dead Eye Pigeon Shooter", all you have to do is ramble on and on and on and on..........................?  

[Cranfield]

One way of increasing your "status", is to ensure you are logged in when posting.

"unregistered" visits don,t count in Williams Honours List.

 

An addition to the "breeding season shooting" comment, is that, woodpigeons nest 2 to 3 times a year.

Therefore, they are unlikely to become extinct.

 

Up to about 20 years ago, pigeon shooting was the province of the farm labourer, country dweller and certainly at the "working class" end of the shooting spectrum.

It is only because game shooting has become priced out of the range of most shooters, that it has become popular.

I still believe that there are very few people  that shoot pigeons 50 days in a year.

More people shoot clay pigeons than the real thing.  

 

Many long time pigeon shooters will tell you that pigeon shooting is more interesting than game shooting.

The targets are more variable and you are require to use fieldcrafts to ensure a good day.

 

The only "statistics" available (to my knowledge ) are from 35 years ago.

At that time the UK pigeon population was estimated at 10 million birds.

It was estimated they ate 833 tons of crops per day (300,000 tons per annum).

Farmings biggest "pest", long may it remain so, for "selfish" reasons.

There is litle doubt that there are more pigeons now than 35 years ago, it is difficult to imagine the amount of damage they must be doing.  

 

Eley is still a respected name in the UK and many of my friends will only use their cartridges. Its much the same as only buying BP or Shell petrol, there are cheaper brands, just as good, but its a question of confidence in a "big" companys quality control.

 

The US duck hunting is a much bigger, regulated, organised activity than our pigeon shooting.

We have no organisations, federations or anything similar.

Your turkey hunting is also on a more official level with similar seasons, limits, permits etc.

 

Its easiest to shoot pigeons when they are feeding and that could be early or late, mostly depending on the weather and the crops.

Thats why "fieldcraft" is so important.

Shooting the birds as they come to roost, in the Winter months, is another option.

Short days, no leaves on the trees and windy weather  can make it very testing, but great fun.

 

As I have said before, these are my opinions and others will have different ones.

 

Are you being successful in your pigeon shooting ?

[20citori20]

It sounds like you folks have some great opportunities that will be there for a long time to come.  It's good to know there will be something for youngsters interested in shooting sports that doesn't require a bunch of money to enjoy.  

You have certainly enlightened me about your hunting opportunities.  Thanks a million.  Hope to learn more.

I have not had a hard time finding birds.  As a matter of fact I found a good field today.  Unfortunately, they are using another soybean field.  Soybeans are about 6 inches high right now.  Too high to hunt in because once stepped on they stay down.  Wheat is coming off as we speak.  Usually the birds are utilizing it heavily by now.  For some reason they are still in the beans, so we will have to wait until patterns change.  It's hard to watch 150 birds working a field, flocks coming and going continuously and not be able to hunt.  How about your birds?

[Cranfield]

The fortunate thing with the control of wood pigeons is that the most effective method is shooting.

There have been suggestions over the years of using "bait", that would make the birds that eat it sterile. The problem here is that other birds/animals could eat the "bait".

I also suspect that as shooting does not cost the Government or the Farmer/Landowner any money ( in fact those parties can and do make money from pigeon shooting ) it is a very attractive option.

 

What are the pigeons eating in the soya bean fields ?

This is a crop I am not familiar with in my area.

I know the plant has leaves, flowers and the actual bean, grows in a pod. Usually harvested with a combine harvester.

Isn,t it possible to "ambush" the birds on their way to and from the field ?

 

When you say that the wheat "is coming off", I assume you mean that it is being cut.

Straight after the harvest, is a very good time for pigeon shooting over here.

One field I shoot over is close to a largish pond. This field is always full of pigeons feeding on the wheat stubble, due to the close proximity of the water. It seems pigeons that eat grain need to drink lots of water.

 

In my area the rape is being sprayed or "swathed", prior to being harvested, this turns the pigeons on to the crop right up to and after the actual gathering in process.

Next will be ripened wheat that has been blown down by the winds and then the stubble shooting after the harvest.

 

Then drilled rape and it all starts over again.

 

Have you noticed that there are very few alternative words to "harvest" to denote collecting-in a crop.    

[20citori20]

Your right on the money reference soybeans.  We have looked for adjacent fields or one directly under thier flight paths for possible sets but haven't found anything but more corn and beans . So, here we sit waiting for change in patterns.  We know every opportunity that they could take advantage of within 2 miles of their current location.  Oddly enough, these birds will fly over 10 fields prepared and harvested exactly the same way to get to one that looks less than ideal for feeding.  They know something we don't!  

The usual rotation of crops here is corn to beans and then wheat.  If we look in the bean fields now we find little of nothing for food.  Beans are usually drilled in harvested corn the following spring.  Left over corn seems an unlikely food source since it has been subject to the elements for so long.  Weed seeds possibly.  I guess I need to shoot one over beans and check its crop.

The wheat seed itself is harvested by combine and the stems are left standing.  The stems are then cut, raked and bailed for livestock bedding.  This exposes the left over grain from...............let's see, a better word.....proceeds, no...yield, no.......reap, no......glean, no........your right harvest is the best....harvest.  If the wheat comes off early enough there is actually time for farmers to drill beans directly into the wheat stubble for harvest in the fall.  If nothing is drilled in the stubble it is left idle and begins to green from existing weeds and germinating wheat that fell to the ground during harvest.  Narrow window of opportunity, at least for concentrated birds   .

Tomorrow morning I will check another cities fruits (Pigeons) for shooting possibilities.  My other hunting partner will do the same.  If we find something and are able to secure permission we could shoot in the afternoon.  If not, we pull out the .410's and head to a cattle lot to burn 200 rounds a piece on nuisance blackbirds.  Economically speaking, this one is extremely difficult to justify to the wife.  She can't figure out how one box lasts all year for rabbits and 8 boxes disappear in two hours for blackbirds   .

We did shoot pigeons at a pond located between a food source and roost last year.  The edge of the pond had a gradual gravel edge clear of weeds and grass.  It was a perfect spot for a quick sip before heading back to roost.  I noticed the pattern and placed three dove decoys in one inch of water along the bank and we shot 80 birds over water.  What a hunt to remember!    Where do you stand for your next shoot?

[Cranfield]

The first thing to do is to clarify what a "blackbird" is.

For the benefit of UK members, it is not, nor related to, our blackbird.

Its a small vermin bird, similar to a starling.

 

It can be very perplexing when birds pass seemingly "good" fields to go to a specific field.

The only time I think I found the answer, was when the favoured field was more sheltered from the wind.

This has not always been the case though.

 

When you mention "corn", I assume you mean sweetcorn or maize.

This is another crop that is not widely grown in my part of the UK.

I have no experience of whether pigeons are attracted to it or, if so, at what stage of the crops development.

 

Its strange how pigeons will keep visiting old wheat stubbles, even when they start sprouting again. Sometimes in preference to newer ,fresher food alternatives nearby.

This "non-typical" behaviour is one of the things that makes pigeon shooting different.

Some masochists even enjoy the frustration.

 

I had a very wet days shooting today on swathed rape.

The birds were not at all interested in the crops and I only shot 4 birds that were passing.

I had to leave the field about 4pm, just as the skies cleared and the sun began to shine.

Such is life.

[20citori20]

This is the second response, the first I somehow lost by backing up to make sure I didn't forget anything you may have asked.  This will be a shorter version of the first, it's late.

Most of the "blackbirds" we shoot are starlings, some grackles and few red-winged.  All are legal when a nuisance or causing damage.  It's aggravating when one flies within gun range of me.  Aggrevation is a nuisance so therefore they are always legal.   .  Seriously, we hunt a true nuicance problem.  I couldn't explain it.  You would have to see it.  It's quite disgusting.

Hunted beans again today.  We weren't in the best field and it showed.  We weren't able to pull many flocks into the decoys by sitting in the flyway. We figured we only had one other option, pass shoot.  We were able to put about 70 on the ground, which is very poor considering the numbers of birds.  If we would have been in a wheat field with decoying birds- I can't imagine the shoot we could of had.  We certaintly had a good time though. Maybe next week.  I hope your next hunt is more productive.  I hope mine is too   .  I need to hit the hay, more later.  Good hunting.

[Cranfield]

My clarification of the US term "blackbird" was necessary as in the UK we have a blackbird, which is a protected bird with a very nice song.

I didn,t want anyone getting the wrong idea.

 

I would consider 70 birds shot in a day, very acceptable.

 

How many guns were there ?

What was the bird/cartridge ratio ?

What cartridge loads were you using ?

What do you do with the birds ?

Can I come and shoot with you ?

[Deako]

Cranfield,

I have a blackbird that sits atop my chimney at 0430 each morning and demonstrates its "nice song".

It has learned to imitate a car alarm.......wee woo, wee woo, wee woo........

I intend to throttle it.  

[20citori20]

Throttle it?  That's a new one to me, but I'm figuring it doesn't mean getting up at 4:15 in the morning and delicately spreading birdseed on your lawn for it to feed upon!

I didn't get the response with our battery-operated decoys that I expected.  What are you able to accomplish with yours? Do they ever get shy of it?  We were able to keep birds off the top of a silo and continue in our direction for a look-see, but they weren't settled on landing in 10-inch wheat stubble.  I didn't blame them though.  

Seen birds today landing in 10 inch beans   This is not normal.  It's like they are picking grit.  I don't know what to think.  Beans certainly went in late this year and should be quite a bit taller, but why they haven't switched to the newly harvested wheat is a mystery.  

I also consider 70 birds a good day just about anyway you slice it- except averages from previous years.  I'll never complain about a hunt.  I just get upset with myself if I think we didn't do as well as we should have on the account of missing some slight detail.  I like every aspect of pigeon hunting.  I even enjoy following flocks of birds as they fly the same routes as previous flocks, dipping and turning using the same landmarks to follow to the food.  When you finally reach the field it's like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow   .

We usually have three guns in the field.  Bird/Cartridge ratio is beyond me!?  I'm certain it wasn't as good as our decoying bird hunts.  It was tough shooting.  I was finding myself shooting behind birds frequently.  In the afternoon, when the winds were the highest, I was typically leading birds 5 to 6 feet (sustained lead) at 25 yards.  This wasn't enough on many occasions.  Two of us were using 20 gauge 7/8oz. loads of 7 1/2's.  For the first time pigeon hunting, I can honestly say I would have preferred a 12 gauge with 6 shot.  When there is a demand, we trade pigeons for reloading components with a retriever club.  We also use them for our own training purposes.  My hunting partner said he has tried to eat a few and they aren't bad but nothing to come running for!  

Come on over, bring me a few cases of that cheap ammo and some Wood Pigeon meat and oh yeah, a dozen decoys, I'll pay you when you get here       .  Be patient with customs.  They are little touchy about guns and knifes.

[Cranfield]

Don,t mis-understand Deako, he meant to say that he would lovingly stroke its neck if he could persuade it to come close enough.

 

If the birds are "decoyable",I have found a moving decoy, of any sort ,to be most effective.

I always have some shell decoys out on a breezy day, their rocking motion is most realistic.  

It also pays to give ideas and equipment a fair trial over a longish time, in different circumstances.

 

I am not sure that I have ever had pigeons "put off" by decoys.

If things are slow for no apparent reason, then I will sometimes increase or decrease the number of birds I have out ,or change the pattern slightly.

I have heard that they get spooked on the rotary pigeon decoy device eventually, but that is not my experience.

 

The most common reason I have seen for pigeons acting spooky over decoys is a previously shot (not picked up) bird laying upside down. That really puts them off.

It also pays to get out of the hide and look around.

I have found a big fertilizer bag that had blown in to the hedgerow near my hide, that was frightening them.Sometimes an aspect of your hide is not quite right and may want repairing.

 

Also, if I shoot a field regularly, I will vary my hide position as much as possible.

I am sure if you stayed in the same place day after day, you would certainly condition the birds to your presence.

I have heard that this is a problem on some commercial US dove shoots, where they feed fields and shoot from fixed positions.

 

Its strange how long it sometimes takes pigeons to "discover" a good feed.

Other times I have seen them following the seed planters and combines.

A farmer locally planted beans by "broadcasting" them( spreading the beans on the surface and then rolling then in).

He had to sow the field twice as the pigeons were picking the beans up as they hit the ground.

 

To add even more spice to my pigeon shooting , I have become very interested in my cartridge/kill ratio. Not just for economic reasons, but it stops me taking silly shots and is a measure of how well I am shooting.

 

I am suprised you are down at 7 1/2 size shot, I don,t go below 7 and normally 6.

You know the conditions you are shooting in and must make your choice accordingly.

 

As a frequent visitor to the US, I have had plenty of experience of your Customs officials, I find the longest queue is at Immigration.

In May at Atlanta airport, the tannoy asked for a Korean interpretor at Booth 3.

About 800 people sank to their knees and prayed that they were not in the queue for Booth 3.

It normally takes us about an hour to clear Immigration, prior to collecting our luggage.

 

We may be going back to the Panhandle in October for some Reds and Specks fishing, also the chance at some Georgia doves and some sun for my wife, we don,t have any of that here either. 8)

 

We should start another topic heading, "Letter from America".

[20citori20]

             

Sorry I haven't responded in a while.  I'm getting ready to transfer to another county and had to do some traveling.  We shot that bean field today that I've been talking about in the past.  Found out why they were in this particular field.  The farmer had corn planted last year and it sustained some wind damage.  The combine was unable to pick it all up off the ground and there is a ton of waste grain in amongst the beans.  We had a super hunt.  Believe it or not, our total was 265 birds.  We shot steady for 4 hours.  At times it was hard to keep the guns loaded and the barrels were too hot to touch.  We had three guns and shot a little better than 50%.  Averages go up significantly with two guns but numbers suffer.  This is primarily because of the confusion after the first shot into a group of 15 birds.  They scatter quick sometimes leaving one or more of the shooters taking bead on the same bird or with a marginal shot.  Pulling three doubles is difficult but I hunt with some good shooters and we manage it quite often.  The county I am moving to does not have near the pigeons as the area I am in now.  I'll do my best to find opportunities though.  The toughest job was carrying them all out of the field .  The other two guys I was shooting with ran out of shells.  Unfortunately my shell box became a public attraction .  I was nice and let them continue shooting.  We figured we had about 2200 to 2500 pigeons in front of us today.  We will try shooting the same field Friday.  Can't wait.  Time to start reloading .

[lazza]

What a superb few hours. I know what you mean about having multiple guns, we take it in turns to fire first, or let the birds fly past the first gun & then fire together.But there's been many a time when 2 shots have been fired at the same bird. Also it seems uncanny that 2 shots are fired at exactly the same time. The picking up is a pain in the butt,but it's nice to see your work laid out in front of you........did you take any photo's?

[20citori20]

No, we didn't take a photo.  I have only ever taken one photograph of a pigeon hunt.  It was a 180 bird shoot with me and one other friend.  It was his idea.  We would have taken a snap shot yesterday, but my partner left his camera at home because the LCD screen (or something like that) was broke.  I think the reason we haven't taken many pictures is the simple fact of not wanting to advertise this type of hunting.  We basically have three separate populations of pigeons within one city.  We are able to follow each of these groups to different fields and hunt them at our convenience.  It would only take a couple groups of guys to start following birds to create a "race to hunt" atmosphere   .  We have never tried taking turns with the first shot. Maybe we will give that a try! We usually are all able to pluck one bird from the flock.  Once the birds flare they determine their own fate.  One or all of us may have a good second shot.  We have had some high ratio hunts when we were able to put a strong quartering tail wind from the right through the decoys.  The first shot is a give-me and the second flaring shot is usually toward the blind from left to right.  The second shot has to be quick before the bird is able to catch a tail wind.  Once the tail wind is caught the bird is rising from right to left at mock three.  I hate those shots and usualy miss by this much  .

[Cranfield]

CRUMBS !!!

 

After a days shooting like that, you are seriously considering leaving the area ?

Sounds like a good case for a divorce, or two homes.

 

I am not keen on pigeon shooting from a hide, when other guns are within 200 yards or so.

If there are no alternatives, then its often best to share a hide and take turns shooting.

However, I have never experienced that volume of birds trying to feed on one field.

In those circumstances I suppose normal "rules/ideas" don,t apply.

 

I can understand not wishing to advertise the shooting by taking photographs, but I would have thought the noise of the shooting activity, would draw the attention of other guns to the area.

When I "shared" a farm with another chap (who lived next to it), he use to tell me how many pigeons I had shot each time I went on a weekday (while he was at work).

It seems his wife use to be at home counting my shots and reporting to him.

Jealousy is a terrible thing.