Fair weather decoyers.

[yickdaz]

its hard work on winter rape as we all know, but you go out on the off chance that they will play ball if they don,t you go home simple as that your not going to shoot any pigeons sat at home that's for sure

[Passionforangling]

I have found this debate very interesting. I am in my first season of pigeon shooting having started last Christmas time. I don't have any permissions of my own but I am very fortunate that I have met a fella down the road who has taken me under his wing ( excuse the pun) and taken me out on many Saturdays. He goes out all year and protects the crops for his farmers and they are obviously grateful for that. I too have noticed that over the last few weeks we have bumped into more shooters on his permissions and he has told me that there are, as JDog suggests, some shooters who really only turn up when the pickings are likely to be high.

 

Maybe I'm naive but I actually preferred the winter and early spring sessions we had. I like cold frosty mornings, I like wrapping up warm and taking a flask and being out when others are watching Sky. I don't need or have the desire to shoot bags in the 100's...I'm happy with half a dozen for the pot and these last few weeks when the weather has been hotter I've actually found shooting not so pleasurable because I'm not so keen on the heat and the shot birds are more difficult to keep in good condition for the pot.

 

I guess if I ever get my own permissions I would have to shoot more in summer to protect some crops but at the moment I'm happy with a weekly outing and.....roll on the winter again!

[The Essex Hunter]

We shot all winter with some very poor days, learnt a lot more on what not to do! However it was noted by one farmer resulting in access to loads more land, I have not bumped in to any pigeon shooters this season so far!

With these big blocks we often split up to cover the area so if a shooter was set up then I or we would move up to a second spot with out a problem.

I shoot a far bit so in-truth going home would not be the end of the world, if I had a mate with me who had saved up a day off then I would work out something.

At the rate the farmers are ripping up the ground we will all be back to walking very shortly resulting in lower bags because getting too where the pigeons are feeding is next to impossible when walking.

There is more damage to crops from pigeons due to the lack of access and fields a half mile long plus….but we will leave that debate for the winter rape shooting….

 

 

TEH

[kitchrat]

There are an increasing number of posts with the theme that there are pigeon shooters out in every harvested field at the moment. We all know that when crops are taken off the spilt grain is a major draw for pigeons and importantly for some that getting to the chosen hide position is much easier.

 

Where are these people in the winter months protecting the winter rape crops? Surely if someone has a strong interest in pigeon shooting they should be out decoying at all times of year not just in the late summer when the weather and the bags are likely to be better?

 

Last winter I had consecutive bags of 0, 0 and 3 on a new piece of land but I was out doing my bit to keep the farmer happy and the pigeons off his fields. He knew I was there in all weathers. In the late spring I shot over 1,000 birds on the same estate.

What spilt grain?? I have taken to crawling about on my hands and knees in stubble fields (If you see me, buy me a beer to cheer me up) and although my eyesight is not as good as a pigeon's I can see why they are not building up. Whilst there's enough spilt to support the local birds, any build up would soon clean it out. Plus, why fly more than 2 minutes when you are OK locally, unless there is a really special draw??

[Penelope]

There are certainly some huge fields on the peninsula.

 

We shot all winter with some very poor days, learnt a lot more on what not to do! However it was noted by one farmer resulting in access to loads more land, I have not bumped in to any pigeon shooters this season so far!

With these big blocks we often split up to cover the area so if a shooter was set up then I or we would move up to a second spot with out a problem.

I shoot a far bit so in-truth going home would not be the end of the world, if I had a mate with me who had saved up a day off then I would work out something.

At the rate the farmers are ripping up the ground we will all be back to walking very shortly resulting in lower bags because getting too where the pigeons are feeding is next to impossible when walking.

There is more damage to crops from pigeons due to the lack of access and fields a half mile long plus….but we will leave that debate for the winter rape shooting….

 

 

TEH

[turbo33]

I totally agree with your post Jdog.

I had a bad day yesterday and avoided posting as it just draws out the knuckle draggers,!!

I have been "looking after" 2500 odd acres over the cold wet months, rarely see a soul. Like you, my results have been more zero's than anything on return for an hours driving per time and sitting it out in the hope of doing the right thing.

My best bag on the pigeon this year has been around 15 :o Like everyone, I have been waiting, waiting and waiting some more for the good times. Finally, the keeper rang and said there were pigeon on some self sown wheat. Well you probably read my post about being beaten to it the following day by some local lads. They shot and left dead pigeons everywhere.

 

No matter, farm two. I've been been backwards and forwards driving an hour at a time keeping tabs on things. The last 8 visits for a total bag of around 10!! They cut the Barley last week and I thought it would finally be payback time. I took my son out for our first trip in 8 months. A few birds about so we set up. They were really spooky, and eventually despite everything we'd had enough by 4pm with 8 in the bag. It becomes apparent why shortly. No matte,r the combine was busy on the adjacent field, baler booked for the next day. So I booked a day off and went up there yesterday when all the machine work was done. Nothing about which was strange. By 4.30, I had had it. Two birds in the bag. As I was packing up, a chap turned up. He beemed about the great shooting he'd enjoyed over the last 3 days. 58 on the field we shot 8 on, 80 the next day on the new field and 90 the day after. He asked why I was leaving and I replied that it was shot out and pointless being there. There was a flicker of guilt, but it will be short lived.

 

I can't remember feeling so despondent as I was yesterday. I am aware most of us have to share our shooting with others and we bump into them from time to time. Bit of a chat, exchange info. However, it amazes me when the pigeon greed kicks in. How about a phone call. " Hi Mate, its me. Loads of birds on the river field. I've had a couple of great days up there. I don't want to spoil it for you by going up again if your planning a day out" In our dreams

Edited August 16, 2013 by turbo33

[kyska]

its hard work on winter rape as we all know, but you go out on the off chance that they will play ball if they don,t you go home simple as that your not going to shoot any pigeons sat at home that's for sure

This is exactly my attitude, I like being out all year round, it's manic in the cold weather even if the shooting isn't as good as I'd like.

 

Me and shooting buddy sit in warm clothes, the odd snifter and ask '*** are we doing sat here?' To each other.

 

The pub trip afterwards is marvellous. I love the winter.

[ditchman]

do the winter shooting bit...........also look forward to sitting in the landy with dogs and my mate, stuffing ourselves with hot chips curry sauce rolls and battered bangers and pop on the way back................

[leadbreakfast]

I had the same to me last few years over fields of peas, would go all year round keeping them off traveling 2hour round trip then when the pigeons came in big numbers some one would be there.

 

Would Evan use my hide that I spent a day making and my decoys that I left in there.

 

So this year I've not been back

[bullet1747]

Beginning of this year I was out shooting them as the snow was falling. Mainly crows as theres not many pigeon where I live.

so was I out three times a week not a sole shooting ,went on holls last week come home to find the fields cut, there in two fields were a couple shooting ,took the dog out across the fields, to get a gob full for walking across the shooting paths ,can't you see we are shooting here yes I replied that's why I'm here ,I was wondering why you weren't out in the winter like I was, have you let the farmer know your here if not I'll ring him for you , would you believe it they had gone with in the 15 mins

[hotshot2me]

I shoot for a company who grow Vegies and arable crops they supply the big Supermarkets with Veg, we have to shoot all through the winter to keep the shooting. We go out 2 or 3 times a week in winter maybe only get 20-30 birds between us some days but the main point is they are kept off the fields, and the Farms manager appreciates this then we get the good shooting come Harvest time. But at present we are not seeing the large flocks of Pigeons we were seeing this time last year, but to be fare the best fields have not been harvested checked on one of the fields today that's not cut yet and saw pigeons about but are not accessible yet roll on when its cut. we have no trouble with other shooters encroaching on the fields as there are 7 shooters all together shooting a wide area and we tend to stick to our area's unless a place is getting hit bad then we will all muck in together and split up the fields to keep them off, works for us: Dave