sitsinhedges Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 (edited) Finished work early today so bombed up the farm for a bit of roost shooting. The four I shot were all chocked full of rape but I can't see how they would get it in this weather. Any ideas Edited January 14, 2013 by sitsinhedges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Had some on rape yesterday, I think they must know where they are! They were landing on the higher ones and just brush off fresh snow as they land (I think it's easier for them), they made clean patches I could see from my hide. I've seen one hundred or more roaming about a couple of acres of rape in my permission and I must say GOD BLESS SNOW!!! that's the first time I saw them hitting rape this year. if the weather keeps up, I'm gonna try next week end, bu this time I'll be prepared B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrikirkby Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 I am gonna try on the rape tomorrow, covered in snow at the minute but will brush a patch clear and see what happens ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckytrigger Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 I had a quick roost shoot this evening in a wood between a couple of fields of rape i only shot 8 but most had bulging crops full of rape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrikirkby Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 I went today and a couple of hundred birds were in the field covered with snow ! So I set up in the hedge row cleared a patch and stuck some decoys out and nothing !! Still hundreds of birds dropping into the middle of the field from a wood in the far corner. So I packed up just after dinner and walked over to the wood and theywere still in the middle of the field even after scaring them off they just dropped back down again. About an hour later a montjack ran through the field and all the birds took off and headed straight at me in the wood, managed one but missed loads !! Didn't know where to ******* shoot birds everywhere !! Anyway a few more returned to the middle and was to cold to stay any longer but wish I had as when I got back to the truck and looked back at the wood it was swarming with pigeons probably coming to roost ! Point is they badly wanted that rape snow or no snow ................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamefarm Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Loads on our Rape today, despite a good covering of snow,and foggy all day. 200 yards visibility at best untill 3p.m Still shot a half dozen by walking round and catching them as they came through the fog towards sitty trees. No good putting them up off the rape.... they just vanished - didn't even circle round like they sometimes do in fog. All those shot had crops full of rape, but all seemed a little light in bodyweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 More snow = less birds, no experienced pigeon shooter would welcome a big dump of snow, fact. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 I went today and a couple of hundred birds were in the field covered with snow ! So I set up in the hedge row cleared a patch and stuck some decoys out and nothing !! Still hundreds of birds dropping into the middle of the field from a wood in the far corner. So I packed up just after dinner and walked over to the wood and theywere still in the middle of the field even after scaring them off they just dropped back down again. About an hour later a montjack ran through the field and all the birds took off and headed straight at me in the wood, managed one but missed loads !! Didn't know where to ******* shoot birds everywhere !! Anyway a few more returned to the middle and was to cold to stay any longer but wish I had as when I got back to the truck and looked back at the wood it was swarming with pigeons probably coming to roost ! Point is they badly wanted that rape snow or no snow ................. I don't think it's a great idea to be firing into big flocks of birds. It just makes the pigeons more wary, making it harder still to decoy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamefarm Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 More snow = less birds, Cat. Just enough patches of green showing through to concentrate them in the few snow-free areas today - big heaps of pigeon all trying to feed, and I had no time to go and play -. Just watching them whenever I drove by! Tomorrow , I got time, but betcha we have Cats big dump of snow in time to spoil it! Looks likely to spoil our penultimate day on the Pheasants on Saturday, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ91 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 They seem to be gathering on the muck heaps that didn't get spread after harvest. See it every year when the ground is white over and frozen solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berretta77 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Yeah my dads garden is littered with pigeons swooping down out of the nearby woods after all the bird food my dad puts out for the garden birds Think i might sit out in his garden tomorrow weather permitting!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ears Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Actually over the years hard snow aint been all bad for me shooting pigeons. I know they wither and thin out quickly and waste,but i have shot some big bags of pigeon on rape when the snow has been falling. On one ocassion blizzerding and windy i shot 190. back in the 1980s i cleared a patch of rape in deep snow with a friend of mine and shot 120. So as for no pigeon shooter wants to see snow,think again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
here iam Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Actually over the years hard snow aint been all bad for me shooting pigeons. I know they wither and thin out quickly and waste,but i have shot some big bags of pigeon on rape when the snow has been falling. On one ocassion blizzerding and windy i shot 190. back in the 1980s i cleared a patch of rape in deep snow with a friend of mine and shot 120. So as for no pigeon shooter wants to see snow,think again. yes last year me and Leslie shots loads by clearing the snow off with a stiff sweeping brush they see the green from above then its bang, bang time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Actually over the years hard snow aint been all bad for me shooting pigeons. I know they wither and thin out quickly and waste,but i have shot some big bags of pigeon on rape when the snow has been falling. On one ocassion blizzerding and windy i shot 190. back in the 1980s i cleared a patch of rape in deep snow with a friend of mine and shot 120. So as for no pigeon shooter wants to see snow,think again. Well, do you remember the bad Winter of 1963, 'cos I do, there was a fair bit of snow then for weeks on end and the pigeons were hitting the Kale big time, put the poor devils were literally keeling over from starvation, they were simply too weak to fly, it was dreadful. The problem I find with snow is that the birds appear to be "snow blind", in that they can't seem to see the deeks, which is amazing seeing how well they stick out, I've never understood it..?? I too have had decent bags in the snow, but more often than not, they don't want to know. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woofer Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 I too have had some descent bags in snow..Ive found the trick is to decoy the field next to the roosting wood...they hate traveling far in snow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millieminx Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 im gona try my luck tomoz for the 1st time in the snow, more to keep the farmer happy than anything as i havent had a chance since chrimbo eve....there has been alot of action on the ground the past few weeks but not been able to have a look since the snow has fallen.......seems like its 50 50 on opinions...so heres hopeing!!! will take on board all the tips you fellas have given in this topic and report back tomoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy medalist Posted January 20, 2013 Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 Sitting watching about 200 birds land in the field in front of my front room. Field has been left to wild flowers for a year. The farmer has just mown a few runs in it. They seem to be preoccupied with the chopped up clover, grass etc. oh and it's snowing like mad! On my permission but has a foot path running though it. Very busy on weekends quite during week. hope they are still on it tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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