woody swacker Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 been watching pigeons on land i dont have permission on and pigeons hae been feeding on rape in there hundreds for 3wks now, earliest i,ve known for years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitey10765666 Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Go and see the land owner, tell him there are a lot of pigeons eating his rape he can only say yes or no, worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) Yup, same happening round here. I agree, it seems very early, so I can only guess its lack of acorns and beech mast etc. Interestingly, I was chatting to a gamekeeper a short while ago and we both thought this might happen Mind you, seeing them is one thing, getting them another. The most frustrating crop/time of the year IMHO Edited October 19, 2012 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 If you shot one you might find that they do not have rape in them but the gleanings from the previous seasons wheat crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody swacker Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 i did think that, but i think they have been on it too long, also one of the fields was kale last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 If you shot one you might find that they do not have rape in them but the gleanings from the previous seasons wheat crop. I shot one last Saturday lunchtime, it had this years rape in it's crop, in the past I have had some good days in late October when the acorn crop is poor, the only downside is that there seems to be even more rape around this year, in blocks of about 500 acres, agreed it's going to be tough making good bags, only the smartest shooters will do well. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 they were dropping well onto rape here this morning while I was walking the dog and when moved dropping back in. That was despite fresh drilling the other side of the road that was mostly covered in rooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I shot one last Saturday lunchtime, it had this years rape in it's crop, in the past I have had some good days in late October when the acorn crop is poor, the only downside is that there seems to be even more rape around this year, in blocks of about 500 acres, agreed it's going to be tough making good bags, only the smartest shooters will do well. Cat. That counts me out then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Was to late to get most the rape in round here. Expecting em to hit it hard this winter also. For the minute there still happy on stubble it seems. Pretty sure pigeon numbers are being topped up from the continent too. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Just had a phone call to say there are hundreds of pigeons on the rape fields I cover, not only that but geese all over too........................................................ARGHHHHHHHHH...............................................My damned truck went in for MOT last tuesday and its still there for major repairs.............Bowlarks....and numerous other sweary type words that the filter wont let me post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 no pigeons on rape down here yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 We saw about twenty on rape just south of Brum this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsowatts Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Just had a phone call to say there are hundreds of pigeons on the rape fields I cover, not only that but geese all over too........................................................ARGHHHHHHHHH...............................................My damned truck went in for MOT last tuesday and its still there for major repairs.............Bowlarks....and numerous other sweary type words that the filter wont let me post. I know the feeling, not about the birds, but lack of a truck. Got new L200 on order and did not expect to sell the Disco so quickly, but it went within a week of advertising. Feels somewhat odd carting the two dogs around in the back of a Honda Civic. Wont be after the pigeon until December, unless I can park up on a road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEADLY PLUMBER Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Yep seen birds on rape this week. Flocks up to 50-60 in the south Herts area. No acorns about and the berries are not ready yet. 90% of the stubble gone. I guess they may be on it very early this year. If they are then it could be a good year on the rape un-like last year when they only hit it for a few weeks. And when they finaly did it was real high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 I shot 101 yesterday on a wheat drilling, I didn't start until 11.00am, I checked the crop contents of a few birds, a mixture of rape and hawthorn berries, not a single acorn, there are simply none around. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 I shot 101 yesterday on a wheat drilling, I didn't start until 11.00am, I checked the crop contents of a few birds, a mixture of rape and hawthorn berries, not a single acorn, there are simply none around. Cat. Regarding the rape in my area, some is very well developed and the birds are leaving that alone. The direct drilled rape on wheat has little flocks of 20/30 bird’s picking at the rape and any remaining wheat seeds. Of course the farmer is hopping up and down in his 12 plate range rover and sent his mate out for 4 hrs and shot 0…..! There is still a lot of wheat to go in which I think with this week’s dry spell the tractors will be on over time…. The shot birds I have opened up have a mix of drilled wheat and rape. Quite difficult to make a plan given only small numbers moving around, so I will cut a few hedge hides and go light weight with the flapper and some shells. To keep the man in the 12 plate wagon happy!! TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Tom Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 there are more than normal pigeons, geese and jays around these parts must be 400+ pigeons on a 40 acre part of land that is rape. all rape is in here and looking good so fingers crossed for this winter but like others there is alot of it must be 800 acres on my permisson and more than that on other farms around here. shot a few pigeons with acorns in and rape yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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