Cranfield Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Most of the Rape and Barley harvested around here. Whats next ? The pigeons seemed to get fed up with the stubble very quickly. Either not much seed/grain spilled, or too many other food options. Still some on the peas and dropping into the tractor lines on the wheat fields. But, no concentrated numbers, or steady feeding patterns. One or two shots and they are off somewhere else. Whats happening ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJ Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Had a quick look at the rape stubble today, and it was blue with pigeon, and that was in the rain! Everything is packed up and ready for an early start in the morning. The weather forecast isn't too bad, so I'm hopeful of some sport. The barley stubble has been very un-productive, and I can't think why. Perhaps as you suggest the modern harvesting techniques are so efficient that little grain is spilt. Hopefully I will post a good report tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.I. countrysports U.K. GARY Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 SPORT WILL NOT COME ON SONG UNTIL MANY OF THE STUBBLES HAVE BEEN WORKED DOWN... THE BIRDS ARE WIDELY DISPERSED FEEDING ON PRETTY MUCH WHICH FIELD THEY CHOOSE TO... BEING CLOSER TO MAJOR WOODS CAN NARROW DOWN DOING HOURS OF UN-PRODUCTIVE RECCE... MANY OF THE RAPE STUBBLES WILL HAVE BEEN SPOILT AS THE RECENT RAIN QUICKLY GERMINATES ANY LOOSE SEED, THE BIRDS LEAVE THE GERMINATED SEED WELL ALONE CHOOSING BETTER PICKINGS ELSEWHERE... WHILE THE WEATHER IS WET THE PLOUGHS AND DISCS ARE OUT, I DO NOT MIND THIS AS THE BIRDS SOON CONCENTRATE ON FEWER FIELDS. MID AUGUST NORMALLY SEES THE BETTER BAGS COMING IN. RAPE STUBBLE WILL BE FAVORED, CHECK THE CHOPPED ROWS FOR GOOD SEED, IF THE SEED HAS GERMINATED LOOK ELSEWHERE... SEPTEMBER IS THE BEST MONTH IN THE YEAR, YOUNG BIRDS ARE OUT IN FORCE, FEWER STUBBLES AND A NIP IN THE AIR BY EVENING INFORMING ALL CREATURES THAT WINTER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. WHEAT AND SPRING BARLEY STUBBLE WILL SEE MOST OF THE SHOOTING BUT THE BIG BAGS WILL COME FROM BEAN STUBBLE... A NOTE FOR BEAN STUBBLE..... GET THERE BEFORE THE BIRDS (FIRST LIGHT) THE BIRDS CAN FILL UP IN 5 MINS AND THEY CAN TAKE SEVERAL HOURS TO FLIGHT BACK, IF THEY CAN BE BOTHERED. KEEP THEM HUNGRY FOR THE BEST SPORT... GOOD SHOOTING TO YOU ALL... ALL THE VERY BEST... GARY... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzer Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 The rain has come down here so Im out today ( nice to get out of the combine for a day !) Pigeon are on the rape stubble here....a lot of birds coming in on one field. I never saw a vast number on the barley stubble this year. All the best Buzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highdowns hunter Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJ Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 Here's the good report I was hoping to post. Got to the field at 10-00 a.m, shot till 4-30 p.m, and have just counted out 108 birds (and a squirrel). This was on rape stubble that had been chopped off low after combining, I know little about farming so somebody else will have to explain why this was done. The birds just did not stop, coming in ones and twos, and I don't think I went more than five minutes without a shot. My first "ton-up" for a long time. Out of interest, three of the bag were fully fledged juveniles, the first youngsters I've shot this year. Looking forward to the next foray, although by the time I get back off my hols all the stubble will have been ploughed in. Still, I've got the bean harvest to come. Good hunting Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flightline Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Well done Maj. Round here all the rape`s been cut but not yet ploughed in and there`s oodles of fields for the pigeons to choose from. Yesterday after a recce I spotted a field they were using with several flightlines converging on it. Started at 1:30.The wind was quite brisk and things went quite well at first but then tailed off quickly as I guess the birds got a bit leary with the shooting (plus there was the most superb echo from a ridge about 1/2 ml away) and it all died down completely from 5:00pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Nice result MAJ, with ernyah and Buzzer also getting among the big bags, this seems to be the time of year to put a dent in the pigeon population. Unfortunately, my experiences have been similar to flightlines. Lots of pigeons, but lots of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 Not a lot to report from my area ( Lancs ). Not bad numbers of bird. But there is just to much choice and we are just getting a few birds on each field. Managed to have a do last thursday on a barley stubble during late afternoon. Finished up with 35 very decoy shy birds. I put this down to them mainly feeding on other fields, they were just passing birds that showed a bit of interest in the magnet before continuing to there prefered field, still it provided some very testing shooting and I'm glad i took some heavy loads and 3/4 and full choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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