adam120uk Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 has anyone got and tips for decoying over the rape while its up high . and when roughly will it be cut . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Harvest time varies with the region, its usually late July /August. When the rape is tall look for shorter areas around the edges of the field , or any "bald" bits , or even the tractor tracks. You have to keep out of the crop as much as possible, to avoid damage, which makes retrieving shot birds difficult. If your fields have grass headlands, the birds can be decoyed on to them, or even into adjacent meadowland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenBhoy Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 (edited) yeah like cranfield says, be careful not to go rampaging through the very crop your supposed to be protecting. once it gets to a certain height i tend to leave alone, try to decoy onto grasslands as plenty of birds will be feeding on clover. as for harvest, depends mainly on region and weather,also on what kinda farmer he is, but most common month i'd say is august. Edited June 12, 2012 by BenBhoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CropSafari Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 Local to me, in mid Beds, the rape is usually the first to come off. We start cutting in the last week of July usually. I've seen a few birds dropping into ours from nearby trees over the last week or so. Will trying a few lofted decoys this weekend if the weather comes good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2244tone Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 if there is a pigeon problem there should be plenty of areas of short stuff to shoot over.If any fall in the good crop leave them.Plenty of vermin will find then maybe save a poult or to.Happy hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CropSafari Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 if there is a pigeon problem there should be plenty of areas of short stuff to shoot over.If any fall in the good crop leave them.Plenty of vermin will find then maybe save a poult or to.Happy hunting. I'd argue that if you don't intend picking a shot bird, you shouldn't shoot it. Encouraging vermin by leaving dead in tall crop is surely no way to keep farmers and keepers sweet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboro shot Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 the way i look at it if the crops are standing and doing well odd bird is nothing to worry about so dont shoot over the crop, if its getting cained get shooting asap pick up wot you can but dont go marching trough crop you will do more harm then the pigeons your trying to keep of if you set up correctly you can almost drop birds where you want them 9 times out of 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'd argue that if you don't intend picking a shot bird, you shouldn't shoot it. Encouraging vermin by leaving dead in tall crop is surely no way to keep farmers and keepers sweet? depends are vermin that eat dead pigeons doing any harm to his crops, round here that is what they are worried about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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