JDog Posted December 24, 2012 Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 This has been a strange year for pigeon shooting with pigeon numbers down in some areas and up in others and some crops attacked more than usual and others less so. The lack of acorns and beech mast this winter is noticeable resulting I am sure in better shooting over winter oil seed rape. The great disappointment for me was the lack of interest in peas. Last year I had 600 from drilling to harvesting on one farm. This year I barely shot 100 over the same period. The bonus this year was the amount of stubble left down and I have been shooting stubble from July until now. My last day on stubble will be boxing day. Clover was also an attractant. Unless I have a very good day on Boxing Day I will not quite make 2000 in the bag in this calendar year. Every day out was enjoyable except one in August when I got myself and my kit very wet indeed and shot very few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted December 24, 2012 Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 Interesting thread , in my area i had a very poor start on OSR , then things picked up on drillings. The peas on my permissions failed to attract pigeons as did any laid wheat. Because of work commitments i have been shooting less, but have always been looking for pigeons , and noticed a decline in numbers from previous years. I shot a few more on stubbles before the wet weather moved in. Numbers are increasing on OSR on my patch as the year draws to a close with the with the hope of some dry weather and heavy bags to be had, Hitman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendo Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 Happy christmas to all. I had a good start to 2012 with lots of birds on rape. A dry march saw alot of spring drilling sown early followed by a few late sown fields in may. August and september were about the usual and I probably missed the best bit with a holiday in Canada in september. Had a few good days on wheat stubble in october and then the shooting season started and I have been busy picking up ever since. Roll on 2013. All the best Hendo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caeser Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 It has been a strange year. Pigeon numbers for me have been substantially down all year really. Even this winter on the rape. Previous winters I have seen flocks of thousands, but this winter it seems more like hundreds or less. The strange weather must have had a lot to do with it I suppose. Merry christmas everyone, and all the best for 2013. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 For me the rape stubble was ripped up very fast so a good few opportunity’s were lost to the cultivator! The laid barley and wheat was quite good but that shooting is the misfortune of the farmer, an invite on the beans made the bag of the year for me 378 with the wheat stubble coming in second at 271. This year’s oil seed rape has highlighted the many problems with the way large farms are set up but I doubt very much the farming community will look at what they are. Peas are being drilled in March also a number of rape fields will be re-drilled and they have to fit the spring wheat in at some point. TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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