JDog Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I watched two farms last weekend, and all three days so far this week. One has a good acreage of rape on it where possibly 400 birds have feeding regularly and the other has five fields of stubble still down where the flight lines have been busy and the numbers have been building. With rain yesterday and torrential rain today the feeding habits have changed somewhat and as far as I could see most of the birds on both farms were sitting up in the surrounding woods moping about and definately not feeding at the same times as on previous days. From my observations I would say that the pigeons could not possibly be consuming the same amount of food on the wet days as on the dry days and that they must be hungry. My plan is to go decoying tomorrow, weather permitting. Am I likely to find the flocks reverting to their usual feeding patterns at this time of year of first light and lunch time forays when I would normally be set up by 10, or should I change the habits of a life time and get out early to intercept them if they are keen and eager to fill their crops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Its the old rape story. They will start feeding really early, prob first light for an hour or so, then sit stuffed to bursting for pretty much the rest of the day, as you have observed. Then they will have another go an hour before sunset. Up to you which one you take. I prefer to go early afternoon to catch the last feed, for two reasons. Firstly I find it harder to get up early these days And secondly, if they have had a go on a certain field in the morning, they are more likely to return to the same field in the afternoon. Just my findings, hope it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 quite agree regards their feeding habits...this is the same weather we had a fortnight ago ......rain for 2 days then clear and mild, we shot that day and had a cracking day, its been raining here and the birds are just taking in enough to survive, then hanging around in trees, tomorrow it is set to be clear on our side of the country so im hoping the birds will go on the feed again seriously...( take an extra slab !!)...will let you know how we got on tomorrow (thurs)...see if they do go on the feed again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Its the old rape story. They will start feeding really early, prob first light for an hour or so, then sit stuffed to bursting for pretty much the rest of the day, as you have observed. Then they will have another go an hour before sunset. Up to you which one you take. I prefer to go early afternoon to catch the last feed, for two reasons. Firstly I find it harder to get up early these days And secondly, if they have had a go on a certain field in the morning, they are more likely to return to the same field in the afternoon. Just my findings, hope it helps just one thing i find different is they seem to switch off at 2pm everytime i shoot them on rape in mid winter no matter what time i set up on them never had a good last hour before sunset say 2.30pm to 3.30pm, the pattern around here seems to be if you set up say 10am they trickle in for 3 or 4 hours if your lucky then dry up completely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 (edited) Get your self under a sitter tree if you can with the wind on your back and with your decoys in front of you. That way any passing birds even if they have fed may come in for a look. Edited November 22, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 update......went out today we both took a 100 cartridges....and shot out in 3 hours,,,,the birds just kept on coming round, the wind was very strong and im not going to tell you what our ratio was....i was going to shoot myself...but then i would proberly miss, but we did alright and had some real cracking shots...the birds are on the feed again.. result !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 update......went out today we both took a 100 cartridges....and shot out in 3 hours,,,,the birds just kept on coming round, the wind was very strong and im not going to tell you what our ratio was....i was going to shoot myself...but then i would proberly miss, but we did alright and had some real cracking shots...the birds are on the feed again.. result !! I had an almost identical experience today. See my other post entitled...'A very fine day's sport'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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