JDog Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 There are a lot of posts posing the question where all of the pigeons have gone recently? Those acute observers of pigeon behaviour over the years and over the seasons will have noted that for a period in April and May every year pigeons seem to disappear offering very few chances of making decent bags. John Humphreys said that in April they desert rape for hawthorn buds (this I feel is a mistake as beech and ash buds are their favourite) but the principle is the same. John Batley acknowledges that it is a quiet period, Archie Coats said that he normally takes a holiday to coincide with this period, I go to the Balearic Islands for a spot of bird watching and Pigeon Controller goes to some exotic place too. The message is...do not despair, the birds will return in due course. Clover, spring rape and poor winter rape and possibly peas will be the next targets in general along with other less widespread crops like linseed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ91 Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 It's the same every year...where's all the pigeons Then a month or 2 later...where have all the pigeons come from There are bags to be had, albeit mainly smaller ones. I find this time of year is great for air rifle work. Peel back eyelids and look deep into your permissions. I have had a few doublw figure bags on warm afternoons in small woods and dense hedgerows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigman Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) I hope so mate this is my first full year pigeon shooting I started at the very end of summer last year, Iv been thou the winter and had blue bits in the hide, now the weather is starting to improve I was under the impression so would the pigeon shooting so fingers crossed for the next few months , I'm really looking foward to harvest also . Cheers Edited May 23, 2013 by bigman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning n spaniel Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 shot lot more in april and may this year mate then prev,years due to late spring drilling , things looking up tho, large estate [10,000]acres, manager phoned an hr ago saying could I have look on some of there rape as lot of birds on where the plant is behind, just hope weather inproves tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 I usually get decent bags in April and May , yes tree buds are a draw , but bald spots in rape have always shot well. Its not a case that the birds have disappeared around here , there are plenty , its just that they cannot be pinned down to any particular field. Strangely for the time of year the birds still seem to be flocked up, a field can have several hundreds on one day and next day there is not a bird to be seen . I know farmers are prone to exaggeration but I have had a number of messages saying to look at a particular field as its got a lot on only to turn up the next day or even later the same day to find none . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongaanie Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 I have noticed that latley around my perm in licolnshire they are starting to form large no's on the newly planted cabages well they have been the last week or two and no's are getting bigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colc08 Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 Would it be safe to say that at this time of year all the hen birds will be sitting on nests and cock birds milling around hedge rows feeding on buds? Col Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) Would it be safe to say that at this time of year all the hen birds will be sitting on nests and cock birds milling around hedge rows feeding on buds? Col Pigeons will breed pretty much from Feb to Nov weather permitting and the pigeons will be sharing nest sitting duties both leaving the nest at sometime . So I doubt that is the reason. Edited May 23, 2013 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 i think you are pretty much spot on JDog. i do feel however that this year has been different in so much as the weather/seeason change which has had an affect on plant growth. i know it differs from region to region but up here in east yorks the pigeons have had a lot of choice in food this year with slow groing rape, clover,peas and budding trees all available at the same time. my fear is more spring barley than ever before has been sown up here and will all be ripening at the same time along with the rape and peas so they could be spoilt for choice at harvest too. as a side note around here the pigeons are busy nesting/rearing young if there not doing any harm i'm happy to leave them alone for now. pheasants and partridges are on there nests too so vermin control is top priority and rabbit control keeps the farmer happy and ensures some good pigeon sport later in the year {hopefully}. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 had a good march april this year on drillings better than I can remember,but always the same for us in may- june get a few days on clover in june buts that's it then end of june up to end of November it kicks off big time well it normally does on laid crops and stubbles, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tod Posted May 23, 2013 Report Share Posted May 23, 2013 best month last year was june for me shooting over peas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted May 24, 2013 Report Share Posted May 24, 2013 There are a lot of posts posing the question where all of the pigeons have gone recently? Those acute observers of pigeon behaviour over the years and over the seasons will have noted that for a period in April and May every year pigeons seem to disappear offering very few chances of making decent bags. John Humphreys said that in April they desert rape for hawthorn buds (this I feel is a mistake as beech and ash buds are their favourite) but the principle is the same. John Batley acknowledges that it is a quiet period, Archie Coats said that he normally takes a holiday to coincide with this period, I go to the Balearic Islands for a spot of bird watching and Pigeon Controller goes to some exotic place too. The message is...do not despair, the birds will return in due course. Clover, spring rape and poor winter rape and possibly peas will be the next targets in general along with other less widespread crops like linseed. I must admit, i've never noticed this disappearance. I've just checked back through my diaries and i usually shoot good bags in April and May. May 24th last year i shot 202 on rape after a 110 bag on rape the week before. I've also usually had a few good days on peas by now, too, including an odd ton here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynny Posted May 24, 2013 Report Share Posted May 24, 2013 (edited) Those acute observers of pigeon behaviour over the years and over the seasons will have noted that for a period in April and May every year pigeons seem to disappear offering very few chances of making decent bags. John Humphreys said that in April they desert rape for hawthorn buds (this I feel is a mistake as beech and ash buds are their favourite) but the principle is the same. John Batley acknowledges that it is a quiet period, Archie Coats said that he normally takes a holiday to coincide with this period, I go to the Balearic Islands for a spot of bird watching and Pigeon Controller goes to some exotic place too. Toatally agree, Ive been on the crows recently on the late drillings, the crops are well on by now(OSR etc)but you just wait till harvest time !!!!!!. I fish for pike this time of year in the lull and thin any fox out with lamp and rifle, Roll on harvest time!!!!!!!!! There will still be bags of pigeon to had in various areas depending on whats in the ground etc, but yes usually there is a lull this time of year, ATB Flynny Edited May 24, 2013 by flynny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) Well been waiting all spring for a decent day, which seemed imminent as the best wood on my best farm for pigeons sits in the middle of a pea field sown two weeks ago. A modest ten the first weekend after sowing but there was little or no spilt seed across the field - not even on the end rigs. Still anticipation was high but four hours saw only four pigeon and a jackdaw in the bag for 14 shots. Crop contents seemed a mixture of ash buds and rape leaves. Only a modest 6 fuds were placed out , sick of lugging loads of gear around, yet the four birds killed were coming straight at them. Wont have another chance alas as off to the Western Isles for a week tomorrow morning. Blackpowder Edited May 30, 2013 by Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 Iv been shooting all my life but this is my first proper year at decoying. I'm very frustrated waiting I must admit . I had a bash with a friend and ow member on peas last week and hoping for another this Sunday . But iv not even got a rabbit population to hit !! Crows and rooks arnt about in numbers yet here , or I would happily hammer into them ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocknee Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 spot on JDog and if you do find a feed that looks promising this time of year 9 times out of ten after a couple of shots the ******* don't come back at least not in my neck of the woods, so get all that DIY done and earn a few brownie points with the mrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 Had about 20 decoy within 90 mintues today after 14:30 (just a couple of deeks, pretty much ran out of work). Died at about 16:00It's not much, but it's the most I've seen on the peas so far this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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