24230 Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 Saturday took a trip around some of the land I shoot, all in all not much about so I took a look at some rape I shoot over on one of the farms I sat and watched pigeon fighting and feeding on winter rape, over 30min I sat and watched around 200 to 300 birds flight in to feed, again after lunch I took another look only a few were there, so If it were to cool down and we get a frost or two we may get to shoot some numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caeser Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 I've been down to Hinckley for the weekend (partying). Needless to say, I scour the countryside, looking out for pigeon activity. Around the Hinckley area there seemed to be an awful lot of fields of rape. More than I've noticed for the last few years. Sadly there was hardly a pigeon in sight. Now, on way home, just coming out of the the M6 toll road going north, I saw a field of rape on the right,with a small wood by it, and the wood was crawling with hundreds of woodpigeon buzzing around and in the tree tops. A similar thing happened last week on my shoot. There are quite a few decent fields of rape, without a pigeon in sight. But, driving close by I came across a small field of rape, with a small wood nearby. That wood was crawling with hundreds of woodpigeon, flitting in and out of the rape field. Obviously, it's not a field where I have permission to shoot, and I have no idea who owns it. Typical. But my point is, if you're lucky, and the birds chose to feed on fields where you can shoot, there is still some great opportunities. Sadly it hasn't happened to me yet. The pigeon are about in some large flocks, but these flocks do seem few and far between. Bit of a strange winter so far, but I just think, ' Patience ' . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 pigeons are starting to dine on rape in some parts of east yorkshire. i was out yesterday on some rape and lifted 3-400 birds off it. The birds were moving around in big flocks of 50 or so and even with a good wind they were difficult to decoy. we also have the problem of large blocks of rape fields together so plenty for them to go at. i agree with caeser it's a strange mild winter and the pigeons don't seem to have the real hunger yet. i managed only 12 yesterday before packing up at 2pm. the shot birds had a few hawthorn berries and a lot of rape in there crops. worth mentioning we don't have a lot a acorns here and most of the beechmast has been mopped up. good to see some birds at last but it's not going to easy to make any good bags just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil3728 Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 Interesting Aga Man, roughly where are you in East Yorkshire. I'm also in east Yorkshire and not seen that much about, nothing worth setting up for. Any idea how wind farms effect the birds, we have a few suppose to be popping up around me in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 (edited) Hi neil, obviously can't be too specific but i am in the hull area and i shoot land within a ten mile radius of here. the birds have certainly started on the rape here and during the day can be seen in tree's and hedgerows close to the rape. other permissions i have near wetwang in east yorkshire has no birds showing on the rape yet but plenty of woodland there. as for the wind farms i think the birds get used to them fairly quickly and if there food source is near the them they will feed regardless. Edited December 9, 2013 by aga man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 9, 2013 Report Share Posted December 9, 2013 no pigeons on rape here at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil3728 Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 (edited) Thanks aga man, I'm a lot further west than you, still nothing around us. I plan to be out over the weekend to have a longer look around. it's annoying as this is my first permission I have managed to pick up and i wanted to show the farmer i could do a good job, but not a lot I can do if there is nothing about. Edited December 10, 2013 by neil3728 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lg1 Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 Thanks aga man, I'm a lot further west than you, still nothing around us. I plan to be out over the weekend to have a longer look around. it's annoying as this is my first permission I have managed to pick up and i wanted to show the farmer i could do a good job, but not a lot I can do if there is nothing about. Your time will come soon enough m8! Nice to see a bit of enthusiasm... You and the farmer should get on well :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 as above neil bide your time mate and keep an eye on things. shooting pigeons on winter rape is never a good one to impress i walked about 300 off on sunday and shot only 12 that's how it is at the minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted December 10, 2013 Report Share Posted December 10, 2013 my mate and i walked 100 off a field yesterday, we decoyed for 3 hours, he had three shots i had one shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24230 Posted December 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 Last night I sat and watched pigeon going to one of my roosts, from 14:45 until 16:10 I must have seen hundreds I will try to workout how to film them and post the video if anyone is interested, most of the birds 90% came from the direction of the town, so that tells me they are still feeding there need cold weather so they move out to the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 i dont think they will hit the rape,till january still to warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 i dont think they will hit the rape,till january still to warm.I think it's different in each county as mine have been on the rape for a week or so. Doubt we will have any decent dedicated decoying birds until the new year tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael170874 Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 I was walking in my local park yesterday and there were easily 100 birds in several rowan trees pulling the rowan berries off. .i also saw large numbers in the town center on the same berries they wont touch the rape well into the new year theres too much food about yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24230 Posted December 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 We all agree its been very mild this year and as we should be shooting on winter rape by now, I looked at the rape I shoot over and that's a few hundred acres yesterday there are some numbers feeding on one field waiting now for the right time to hit them, to soon and may get one or two but get it right wind and low cloud may get a good day or two, keep watching its all about timing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 i dont think they will hit the rape,till january still to warm. I think it has more to do with food availability than temperature why the pigeons are not on the rape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I think it has more to do with food availability than temperature why the pigeons are not on the rape. Yes, spot on Motty, air temperature has little to do with the feeding habits of the Woodie in Winter. In fact, if the weather turns seriously cold, with prolonged snow cover, these are the worst possible conditions for shooting over rape, because the birds simply sod off somewhere else in the UK where there is food a plenty....it's that simple..........those that wish for a cold snap obviously ain't been shooting that long..... Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lg1 Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 Yes, spot on Motty, air temperature has little to do with the feeding habits of the Woodie in Winter. In fact, if the weather turns seriously cold, with prolonged snow cover, these are the worst possible conditions for shooting over rape, because the birds simply sod off somewhere else in the UK where there is food a plenty....it's that simple..........those that wish for a cold snap obviously ain't been shooting that long..... Cat I think it's more to the fact that the cold snaps and bad weather help to finish off the natural available food on trees and bushes! Therefor it does assist in bringing the birds on to crops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 In my area cold and snow means rape! for now is only acorn and some stubble as the warm weather has kept seeds intact and still good to eat. I went out on Monday in a field of rape and they were untouched!! I shot 8 in one hour and they had wheat, barley, red berries and grass.....but not rape! so, against all odds....I hope the weather will turn cold and snowy any time soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadliestdecoy Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 was watching a big flock of birds hitting the rape round here for the last few days , there first thing and still there late afternoon, definitely starting to hit it round here now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24230 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 We got some sport at last, took my son at 07:45 started to shoot by 10:30 they stopped got 42 very windy and cloudy, have been looking around all week going to some more of my shoot tomorrow should get some more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzypigeon Posted December 22, 2013 Report Share Posted December 22, 2013 Just spoke to the farmer today he said that a few are starting to go on but not huge numbers, told me to set up if I wanted a couple for the pot as that's all he thinks I'd get for a day there at the minute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted December 22, 2013 Report Share Posted December 22, 2013 Starting to land on rape here too, not too sure if they going to the standing water to drink or to feed though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 I was in East Yorkshire (near Pocklington) last weekend (21st) and saw about 200 feeding on a rape field. They were flighting in and out of a small wood but when disturbed went off as one large flock. Not seen any feeding on rape on my permissions in Shropshire (neear Newport). Shot seven on a flight line on Tuesday (23rd) and crops contained acorns or were empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filzee Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Noticed around 100 pigeons hitting some rape on Tuesday here in Notts. They were not venturing far from the trees though. Might try and give them ago very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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