fifer Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 cranfield go to youre aol search enegine and type in www.talkingpointmc.demon.co.uk its about 4 down ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 fifer, I do not have AOL (thank God). I have typed the words you suggest into the search engines I do have; Freeserve Google Lycos Yahoo AltaVista None of them recognised the address. Please don,t help me look for it anymore. I don,t particularly want to find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 OK I know I'm thick but now I'm also totally confused - has Thames Valley Pigeon Shoot got a web site or not, if yes whats the address? Try P.A Beasley Tel: (01869) 277534 Box Farm Castle Street Stratton Audley OX27 0HJ OR http://www.talkingpointmc.demon.co.uk/ukhunting/index2.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 Gawd. All this talk about little old me. As for the guy who started this thread who commented about poor service and few pigeons please post your real name up here and when you came. I get very few guys who come on the £40 option who really have the proper equipment and skills needed to catch the pigeons here at this time of year. What you must bear in mind is that there is a mass of rape and a mass of pigeons. If you book in on the DIY option then its just that....DO IT YOURSELF. If i told you that most of the shooters that come here have a kills to cartridge ratio of 6:1 and shoot at nothing over 30meters. They turn up with 5 plastic decoys and a piece of netting the size of a postage stamp and they expect to kill big bags......who are they trying to kid! Reading about pigeon shooting and understanding what to do and when to do it are two totally different ball games. An example. Last Autumn we had a bean field that was absolutely blue with birds. I put 2 lads out on it who were on the £40 option. Out they go and they come back with 10 birds. Now my granny could have gone out on that field and started throwing her false teeth in the air and knocked down more than 10 birds. So why did they only get 10 birds....Well it was all down to them and their equipment. Quite a few of my clients dont actually realise that I sit back a long way with binoculars (where they cant see me) and watch what they get up to. Some of it is quite entertaining I may add. Anyway their failure was due to the fact that they had poor equipment, poor fieldcraft techniques and were absoluteley bloody useless all round. They'd had their head above the net all day so the pigeons could see them, they'd set up in the wrong place, and hade too few decoys. And thats all my fault. Knowing that those guys hadn't done the field justice and only 3 days after, I had a visit from a certain very well know "hot shot" who was passing through my area on his way up to a clay competition, who nailed 214 on the very same field. I think it goes to prove a point. Having spoken with Gary and Iain at GI countrysports I know they suffer from the same problem as I do. People with poor knowldge and poor equipment with big dreams in their heads that just because they've paid £40 to a guide then they're guaranteed to shoot a big bag.......how nieve can they be. The pigeon is the same on my patch of land as it is on their regular patch....a wild bird. Having said that I get some very good lads coming on the £40 option ( Hello Neale and Terry if yer watching ) who work their ******** off during a day and will move up to 4-5 times in a day and they get the results to prove it!! As the old saying goes "You make your own luck". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 Will, Got to say, I agree with you 100% mate, you can only give people advice, if they choose to ignore it, then so be it! Got to say the Italians are the very worst offenders in this respect, you really earn your money taking those fellers out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 They'd had their head above the net all day so the pigeons could see them, they'd set up in the wrong place, and hade too few decoys. And thats all my fault. Will, I agree with you that the days bag is dependent on the shooters own ability and equipment. I do not however agree with your comments about setting up in the wrong place. Surely as the guide, YOU should tell them were to place their hides and decoys. The shooter has still paid you £40 for access to land and your knowledge of pigeon traffic on that land. They have had no opportunity to recce the field and observe flightlines. You should provide this info as the guide. It sounds as If you are just a glorified taxi service to take the customer to the field gates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 Tony, in the particular instance I mentioned in the earlier post I HAD told them where to go, but unfortunately they were too plain lazy to bother to cart their stuff over there. And that was my fault too. The guys who go on the DIY option ALWAYS get advice and in most cases ( especially on winter rape ) I show them another field nearby where they can move to if they have difficulty getting sport in the first place. Sometimes when the ground is very wet I'll take a quad with me as well in the trailer if they have further than a couple of hundred yard walk so I can drive them and the 1000 cartridges some of them bring for a days sport =( (Its quite comical sometimes). At the end of the day they get that as a bonus...its supposed to be a DIY day (which means do it YOURSELF!!) but I'll still help them get there stuff set out quickly. Thats especially important again on winter rape when you need to be ready and set up in position quickly in readiness for when the flight gets going in the morning. If I know the person reasonably well ( i.e. I can trust them ) and they need a Magnet sometimes I'll give them one of mine to use. The reason? Well if they turn up with just deeks and no magnet and I'm planning on taking them to a big block of rape (where the birds are free to feed anywhere) they dont stand a chance. Ok onto the next one... If there's not enough guns to cover all the fields then before I leave them to get on with their day I will hang up a few strings of rope bangers to help move the birds about. Everyone knows that unless you're in exactly the right place, right time blah blah blah you cant set up on rape and expect pigeons to come to one place all day long...they quickly realise whats going on and **** off somewhere else en masse. Its down to me to know where they sneak off to when the shooting starts and its in those "sneaky offy" places that I'll hang bangers. So in reality they get a pretty good deal. There's always PLENTY of pigeons here but its unfortunate that some people can't see past the end of their rose coloured spectacles and realise that you have to work bloody hard, use top of the line equipment / techniques, and use your head to get the best out of the day, and that doesn't just apply to pigeon shooting but a lot of other things...fishing being a good example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 Got to say the Italians are the very worst offenders in this respect, you really earn your money taking those fellers out... Deako, their bad reputation is well deserved from what I've seen of them. They seem to go by the ethic of "if it flies...it dies" and that not what its all about. If there's any other guides reading this....steer well clear of "Paulo and Fabio". They're instantly recognisable by their greasy mullet hairdo's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 A lot of pigeon shooters simply lack shooting instinct and the will to think like a pigeon. Sounds daft thinking like a pigeon, but its essential when it comes to decoying. Whatever the sport or hobby you will always have muppets to laugh at, but it does make you wonder what the hell goes on in their heads. No matter how much help you offer your waisting your time if they lack instinct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 Its quite probable that a lot of the shooters that buy pigeon days, are not "pigeon shooters". They could be clay shots who have no alternative, if they want to shoot live game. The adverts and photos, do give the impression that you only need to turn up, pay your money and shoot 100 birds. Whenever I go to new land to shoot, I rarely have a good result in the first few visits (without any recces). It takes a while to build up a picture of flight lines, best times etc. Take my £40 and plonk me in a field, I might not do any better than some of Mr Beasley,s "muppets". I also can,t claim to think like a pigeon. Thank God. :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 So is Philip Beasley somebody else, or perhaps a relation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 or you could check deakos site at www.wildfowler.co.uk and if you want to find somewhere to stay the night! http://www.searchlineuk.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluky_poke Posted March 13, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 As for the guy who started this thread who commented about poor service and few pigeons please post your real name up here and when you came. I was over at your place about October last year. I may have been a little unfair about you, since you did not take me out, you were in bed with a hangover. Your dad took me out. I get very few guys who come on the £40 option who really have the proper equipment and skills needed to catch the pigeons here at this time of year. My understanding was, at the time, that equipment and all would be provided for £40. Clearly there was a misunderstanding. Anyway their failure was due to the fact that they had poor equipment, poor fieldcraft techniques and were absolutely bloody useless all round. Without entering into a discussion about it Will, the ploughed field I was put on, with a dozen dead birds would not have attracted, I don't know what! I had to move position, from where I was put, in order to get a shot. I did not have a single bird look at the 'coys but instead shot under a flight line - flying from one plantation of trees to another. I've been shooting pigeons for 20 years so I think I've enough craft to get me by. Having said all that, I'd NEVER complain about getting a shot. I just like to get out and whatever happens, happens. There are plenty of pigeons about your place and you've a good set and I'm sure I'll be back. I'll give you my name then when I meet you in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 Will, I appreciate that some of your customers may lack fieldcraft and equipment that goes towards them not having as successful a day as they might. Maybe you should ensure that the DIYers are aware when they book that they provide their own kit and it is down to them to make the most of the position in which you place them. It may help customer relations and avoid bad press! :o I can't imagine anyone paying for a days pigeon shooting and turning up with just half a dozen deeks and 1000 shells! Out of interest, do the £40 shooters get access to the same land as the £100+ shooters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 Cranfield have you seen the latest video by Peter Theobald on summer pigeon shooting. During the video there is an interview with John Batley. The interview will fill you in on how to think like a pigeon. Some of his points on the subject may help you increase your bag size, hope its some help to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted March 13, 2003 Report Share Posted March 13, 2003 I once tried thinking like a pigeon but got in trouble when I cr*pped on my neighbours car!! :laugh: :laugh: Was that a predictable post or what? Sorry, Just making light of a heavy thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 Maybe you should ensure that the DIYers are aware when they book that they provide their own kit and it is down to them to make the most of the position in which you place them. It may help customer relations and avoid bad press! :o I can't imagine anyone paying for a days pigeon shooting and turning up with just half a dozen deeks and 1000 shells! Out of interest, do the £40 shooters get access to the same land as the £100+ shooters? We've seen it all here beleive me. People who turn up with with yellow tracksuit bottoms and trainers looking like theyre going to the gym, people who think theyre invisible cos they just spent £200 on full realtree suit so they dont need a hide because realtree makes you invisible....I could carry on but I wont because you'll all be in tears. Crazy stuff. On the other hand I get some guys who know the crack and are VERY capable...and their results show it. The DIYers do get told that it is just that... a DIY day. I cant put it any more plainly than that to them. £40 shooters get same places as £100ers. I only really do the £40 option on rape. The price reflects in how much WORK I do for them not the place. The amount of work ( pushing the birds from other fields back to the guns, moving places if one place fails, use of my equipment and techniques etc) I do normally results in a better chance of success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 So is Philip Beasley somebody else, or perhaps a relation? Phil is my old man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 A lot of pigeon shooters simply lack shooting instinct and the will to think like a pigeon. Sounds daft thinking like a pigeon, but its essential when it comes to decoying.Whatever the sport or hobby you will always have muppets to laugh at, but it does make you wonder what the hell goes on in their heads. No matter how much help you offer your waisting your time if they lack instinct. You hit the nail smack on the head there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 As for the guy who started this thread who commented about poor service and few pigeons please post your real name up here and when you came.I was over at your place about October last year. I may have been a little unfair about you, since you did not take me out, you were in bed with a hangover. Your dad took me out. I get very few guys who come on the £40 option who really have the proper equipment and skills needed to catch the pigeons here at this time of year. My understanding was, at the time, that equipment and all would be provided for £40. Clearly there was a misunderstanding. Anyway their failure was due to the fact that they had poor equipment, poor fieldcraft techniques and were absolutely bloody useless all round. Without entering into a discussion about it Will, the ploughed field I was put on, with a dozen dead birds would not have attracted, I don't know what! I had to move position, from where I was put, in order to get a shot. I did not have a single bird look at the 'coys but instead shot under a flight line - flying from one plantation of trees to another. I've been shooting pigeons for 20 years so I think I've enough craft to get me by. Having said all that, I'd NEVER complain about getting a shot. I just like to get out and whatever happens, happens. There are plenty of pigeons about your place and you've a good set and I'm sure I'll be back. I'll give you my name then when I meet you in person. I know who you are now I dunno who told you we supplied kit and set you out for £40....my dad? Maybe the wires did get crossed somewhere. We're always very busy here, and sometimes we get pretty exhausted and perhaps thats where someone made a boo boo. If you had my literiture by email you will see it clearly stated what you get on each price option and there is no mistaking that the £40 option is a DIY day where "You (the shooter) supply all kit and equipment and use your filedcraft and kit. I supply a field with Pigeons feeding on it". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 One final, final point if I may: I find myself in the bizarre predicament of feeling slightly defensive of the foul-mouthed father and son at Thames Valley. I recently went out with them on the £110 "Full service with massage" option and had an amazing day. The weather looked diabolical and we didnt know whether to shoot drillings or rape until the very last moment. Will built me a hide, wrapped around a telegraph pole in the middle of a huge field of rape in gale conditions and the action started immediatley - with birds whizzing in from all angles, up, across and down the wind. It went quiet for a while around 2pm until I heard a series of shots in the distance and an ameoba of pigeons errupted from a distant field - this was Philip keeping the traffic moving for me. I fired around 180 cartridges and only managed to kill around 50 - but was seriously pleased with every single kill in those conditions. I'm not saying that everybody has this sort of day every time because these are unpredictable creatures (the pigeons and the Beasleys...). The point is that they do their best to optimise your sport by selecting the best ground for the conditions, then driving round all day, watching movement and firing shots to keep traffic moving. If it's not working - they do get over there and move you into the action. I am not rich enough to throw money at these things but I do work and do not have enough time for the time consuming aspects of pigeon shooting. If you don't have to pay to shoot pigeons - don't but I will put up with being sworn at by the Beasleys because this is value for money. Can I have my fiver now please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted March 19, 2003 Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 Wow 1005 views of this thread so far. I think I'll have to cancel my adverts in the press with all this publicity! And for "Tiger".........yes... £5 Thames Valley Pigeon Shooting gift voucher and signed photgraph, complete with a copy of our new book "Beasleys guide to expletives when Pigeon Shooting" is on its way down to you right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flightline Posted March 19, 2003 Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 Will, don`t you ever get fed up with the pasting you and your Dad take in the Forum? Am I alone in thinking it`s getting a bit out of hand? And no, this is not aimed at anyone in particular and I do not have any connection with the Beesleys or indeed in any commercial enterprise to do with pigeons or any other sort of shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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