labstaff Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 Just wondering if this mild weather during the season has effected anyone elses bird numbers? There seemed to be a lot of wild food on the shoot I pick up on and the bird numbers have been lower. I was wondering that without the cold weather they are not stopping in the woods for warmth and with extra food about its been causing them to wander? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 For the first time in years and years our birds are wandering this year because it is so mild. The birds don't need to use the feeders. Bring on some hard frost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 We've had returns of 93, 92 and 92 for our first three shoots then today just 30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 yep a couple of hard frosts would be nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted November 27, 2011 Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 Alot of my birds are wandering off the estate every day to go to rough grass areas and bottomless woods- some of my best drives for holding birds are empty as they aren't looking for warmth yet. But still numbers have been rather good. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labstaff Posted November 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 I think our problem is two fold, we've not had the cold weather to get the birds in the woods for warmth, and as its a DIY shoot and i'm not sure how much "keepering" the guns are doing. I suspect no dogging in occurs and i'm not sure how often their feeding round. I think this is probably the ****** factor but it sounds like my suspicions have been confirmed about the weather. Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I think our problem is two fold, we've not had the cold weather to get the birds in the woods for warmth, and as its a DIY shoot and i'm not sure how much "keepering" the guns are doing. I suspect no dogging in occurs and i'm not sure how often their feeding round. I think this is probably the ****** factor but it sounds like my suspicions have been confirmed about the weather. Thanks all If you'll listern to the ramblings of an old man.If you are a DIY shoot then dont rely on anyone to do what they are surpost to.If you've got the time to do it yourself last least you know its been done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labstaff Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I'd love to keeper it myself unfortunately its a 60 mile round trip and it would cost me a fortune in fuel alone! Plus that work thing gets in the way of precious shooting time.....its an inconveniance P.S, not sure why one of my words was censored, I'm sure I didn't swear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 (edited) I'd love to keeper it myself unfortunately its a 60 mile round trip and it would cost me a fortune in fuel alone! Plus that work thing gets in the way of precious shooting time.....its an inconveniance P.S, not sure why one of my words was censored, I'm sure I didn't swear Yeah what is it they say "Work is the curse of the shooting classes" Edited November 29, 2011 by gamekeeper1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadge-it Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 Its the same in the northeast weve had two days and the and the birds just arent there we rely on the birds being in woods,not a good start to the year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 the first real day of being wet and wild here today and the birds weren't so happy about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labstaff Posted November 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 Everyone wants warm nice weather........except us lot :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_evil Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Soaking here today, I want snow though or floods at the least only semi waterlogged roads today :( I demand more than 6 inch deep puddles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBaz Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Starting to get cold around here but need to be cold and wet, it's just not the right weather for our season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlagUp Posted December 4, 2011 Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 We have had a poor show of birds for the same reason (I think). It's a DIY shoot with a couple of syndicate members doing the feeding. The numbers have been very disappointing. Yesterday was a disaster even though it has been frosty much of the week. Will the birds be gone for good or can the situation be rescued by some hard weather? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labstaff Posted December 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 My worry is that by now they've left there "home wood" and found a new place to roost. I think that on our shoot were going to have a poor season in general.......but you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalfordninja33 Posted January 16, 2012 Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 Our shoot's been the same. We've been averaging between 60 and 80 head a day, until our shoot on 31st December, then the last two have been in the 20's, there's just not the numbers on the farm and hardly any food is going. In fact we've used 2 tonnes less wheat this year with the amount of wild food about. We've cancelled our last official day on the 28th Jan and the guns are going to have a walk around the hedges instead. I think the combination of wild food and dry weather in the first three months after the birds came in caused them walk off. Our shoot sits in the middle of 1600 acres of rape, when its dry the pheastants seem to walk forever! We're a diy syndicate as well, we try to get out as much as we can dogging the birds back in, very often you dog them back in and an hour later they've gone straight back up the hedge you came down. We also have very little natural water on the shoot, nearly all the streams and all but two of the ponds dried up this year. All three release pens had water in them but I still wonder if they went off in search of water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollipop Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 We put a 1000 birds down and have shot just over 300 to date, with 2 shoot days to go. In my estimation we should have a return of about 35%. Is that the sort of returns members are seeing. The partridge population is fine, it's just the fezzies that seem to be down. 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.