markyboy Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 While on my nightmare we met a few friendly locals, in certain areas! Some had things to say that others didn't agree with or vice versa! My guide chose rape fields over any other, but a local in the pub says when a pigeons crop is full of rape seeds it won't return to that field that day! And that it takes alot more work to fill a crop of rape than a crop of wheat, our guide wasn't interested in fresh cut barley or wheat, don't get me wrong there were black rape seeds in the fields but u had to look hard mostly on the tram lines! Another we got speaking to said pigeon won't feed on barley unless it's just under ripe? Still pulpy? But I shot my biggest bag of 106 last year on a field of laid barley! Obviously the birds are adaptable and will have different habits but our guide wasn't interested in anything but rape ! Some of the fields were cut that long ago the leafs were coming through from the spilt seed! And he said it was clover? Would they even feed on a clover field with so many open laid patches on wheat and apparent fresh cut rape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joknob Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 this time of year they want seeds,they,ve fed on rape leaves first,then clover,then milky barley and now rape seeds.when thats gone it will be wheat and then acorns.rape seed might be small but its well worth the effort to feed on it due to the high fat content. craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 It does seem with pigeon shooting, there is no "right" answer. There are definitely a lot of regional differences in their behaviour, which is evidenced by reports on here. All the rape stubbles have gone in my area and the birds are predominantly on wheat stubbles, but when the rape stubble was there, they preferred it over everything else. Pigeons and rooks really hammered a field of "my" winter barley, but the spring barley in an adjacent field has almost been ignored. Reconnaissance is the real answer and being able to get on the fields as soon as the birds are there. I have seen 100's on a field on Monday and nothing on the same field from Wednesday onward. They can be a very frustrating quarry. If it was that easy to predict what they are going to do, there wouldn't be any left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted August 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Very true.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon pete Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 like i said in my post about, were are all the pigeons gone, none on barley only on rape and just rape and clover in the crop bags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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