woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Have you ever got to the place you have been watching pigeons feeding for weeks. To find the day you arrive to shoot it someone else with their hide up banging away and you felling sick as a pig . I can tell you I have not nice. woodfordpigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) you have been watching pigeons feeding for weeks?? is that on the crops the farmer is letting you on his land to protect?? colin edit to say then that's your fault for not getting on there earlier Edited January 31, 2014 by colin lad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Spotted some birds last week late on got there the next day , set 4 rope bangers in neighboring fields i have permission on , get decoys and magnet set up only to hear a gas gun going off 40 yrds from my hide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) you have been watching pigeons feeding for weeks?? is that on the crops the farmer is letting you on his land to protect?? colin edit to say then that's your fault for not getting on there earlier Yes I have thousands of acres to shoot over and don't go till its right that's how I get the big bags .But if the farmer calls I am there next day or so. Cheers Edited January 31, 2014 by woodfordpigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Bottoms Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Yes I have thousands of acres to shoot over and don't go till its right that's how I get the big bags .But if the farmer calls I am there next or so. Cheers I understand you go out after big bags as we all do, but, I do hope you don't only go out purely when the opportunity arises for these big bag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 i work on a 1000 acre farm and just putting over the point that we adopt on our farm if someone is sitting back watching the pigeons eat the crops and not doing anything about it for weeks because he wants a big bag then the farmer will just get someone in who will get out there and get them off the crops how much food will thousands of pigeon eat in the weeks you are watching them colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 i work on a 1000 acre farm and just putting over the point that we adopt on our farm if someone is sitting back watching the pigeons eat the crops and not doing anything about it for weeks because he wants a big bag then the farmer will just get someone in who will get out there and get them off the crops how much food will thousands of pigeon eat in the weeks you are watching them colin Well all I can say is that some of the farms that I look after I have had for forty years and I have about 30000 acres to shoot over. im a full time pest controller and deer manager and get calls from farmers all the time because as you say some don't do the job for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpentermark Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Have you ever got to the place you have been watching pigeons feeding for weeks. To find the day you arrive to shoot it someone else with their hide up banging away and you felling sick as a pig . I can tell you I have not nice. woodfordpigeon No real sympathy there mate, your own fault if you ask me! The way i look at it is: i go pigeon shooting because i enjoy it and see it as a sport. I don't pretend I'm doing it to protect the crops or because I'm a part time pest controller because I'm not! Its a hobby plain and simple. The way the farmer looks at it is: he has me there not because he likes me, not because he enjoys me walking over his land with a firearm, not because he likes my dog ******** on his verges, not because he's a good samaritan and is enabling me to do the sport i enjoy................ Im there to protect his livelihood job done! And if I'm not doing it well enough he will find someone else! I want to keep my permission so I'm there every weekend rain or shine even if its just to walk round with the dog and I'm the only one he lets on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Bottoms Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I know it has been said before but even if we may not shoot huge bags every time we are out we are still keeping the birds moving and off the crop, as much as I enjoy days out with the big bags I also enjoy days out without shooting anything as I'm still out in the fresh air. I just think that leaving a field for several weeks before shooting it gives the pigeons too long o start to deplete the crop and also then moaning that someone else is out, should have gone earlier then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayDT10 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Yes I have thousands of acres to shoot over and don't go till its right that's how I get the big bags .But if the farmer calls I am there next day or so. Cheers nothing wrong with that mate , it's your permission and if the farmer is happy with your services all the best to ya, some people on here just like to bitch and think they are professional pest controllers. Lol. I'm the same as yourself I can please myself as far as when I go shooting and the farmers I shoot for are more than happy with that ,but they also know I will do my best to get on a field for pigeons or sort out any rabbits or foxes that are causing any problems as soon as they call, works for them and suits me to the ground. Sod what anyone else thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 No real sympathy there mate, your own fault if you ask me! The way i look at it is: i go pigeon shooting because i enjoy it and see it as a sport. I don't pretend I'm doing it to protect the crops or because I'm a part time pest controller because I'm not! Its a hobby plain and simple. The way the farmer looks at it is: he has me there not because he likes me, not because he enjoys me walking over his land with a firearm, not because he likes my dog ******** on his verges, not because he's a good samaritan and is enabling me to do the sport i enjoy................ Im there to protect his livelihood job done! And if I'm not doing it well enough he will find someone else! I want to keep my permission so I'm there every weekend rain or shine even if its just to walk round with the dog and I'm the only one he lets on. I shoot 5 o6 days a week if I get chance but I do have to share some ground with others. sometimes they get there first. If that happens I get in the truck drive down the road and set up again. Not nice but no sour grapes. Or get the rifle out and go stalking I had a nice Fallow Doe two nights ago . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 nothing wrong with that mate , it's your permission and if the farmer is happy with your services all the best to ya, some people on here just like to bitch and think they are professional pest controllers. Lol. I'm the same as yourself I can please myself as far as when I go shooting and the farmers I shoot for are more than happy with that ,but they also know I will do my best to get on a field for pigeons or sort out any rabbits or foxes that are causing any problems as soon as they call, works for them and suits me to the ground. Sod what anyone else thinks. Yes I know what you mean my farmers are very happy but jealousy is a terrible thing. One lease I have I went to pay for he said keep it you have saved me so much this year, woodfordpigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 No real sympathy there mate, your own fault if you ask me! The way i look at it is: i go pigeon shooting because i enjoy it and see it as a sport. I don't pretend I'm doing it to protect the crops or because I'm a part time pest controller because I'm not! Its a hobby plain and simple. The way the farmer looks at it is: he has me there not because he likes me, not because he enjoys me walking over his land with a firearm, not because he likes my dog ******** on his verges, not because he's a good samaritan and is enabling me to do the sport i enjoy................ Im there to protect his livelihood job done! And if I'm not doing it well enough he will find someone else! I want to keep my permission so I'm there every weekend rain or shine even if its just to walk round with the dog and I'm the only one he lets on. One the farmer has me there because he likes me. Two I don't walk around the farm lost with a weapon. I do a good job. I don't use the land to walk my dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I have watched people shooting fields that I've been keeping an eye on. It's a pain, but I've probably done it to other people more. Nothing wrong with letting numbers build so as to stand a better chance of a good bag. I think too many decoyers are happy to shoot half a dozen a week, rather than wait and shoot a hundred or more. I have good relationships with some farmers, and they realise it's a waste of time sometimes, trying to bag a few and not really making a difference to the amount of birds in the area, all the while making the pigeons ever more decoy shy. I shoot on four farms in one area, and I don't visit them all the time. I added up (from looking at diary entries) all the pigeons i'd killed from those farms over the last four years. I informed one of the farmers that the total was over 2600. That isn't a bad dent in the population there (although still plenty to shoot), and I doubt I would have shot too many more if I had visited all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Bottoms Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I have watched people shooting fields that I've been keeping an eye on. It's a pain, but I've probably done it to other people more. Nothing wrong with letting numbers build so as to stand a better chance of a good bag. I think too many decoyers are happy to shoot half a dozen a week, rather than wait and shoot a hundred or more. I have good relationships with some farmers, and they realise it's a waste of time sometimes, trying to bag a few and not really making a difference to the amount of birds in the area, all the while making the pigeons ever more decoy shy. I shoot on four farms in one area, and I don't visit them all the time. I added up (from looking at diary entries) all the pigeons i'd killed from those farms over the last four years. I informed one of the farmers that the total was over 2600. That isn't a bad dent in the population there (although still plenty to shoot), and I doubt I would have shot too many more if I had visited all the time. I completely disagree with you on the subject of letting numbers rise! Letting the pigeon number build only allows them to feed on more of the crop consequently leading to higher loss for the farmer. half a dozen a week is fine, why is it not? You will still be moving them and crucially KEEPING THEM OFF OF THE CROP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I completely disagree with you on the subject of letting numbers rise! Letting the pigeon number build only allows them to feed on more of the crop consequently leading to higher loss for the farmer. half a dozen a week is fine, why is it not? You will still be moving them and crucially KEEPING THEM OFF OF THE CROP! Its not quite as simple as that . Only dead pigeons do not eat , by letting numbers build and shooting a bigger bag you are preventing more future damage than you will shooting a handful here and there . Yes going out often will perhaps keep the birds off , but when I ask for permission its to shoot pigeons , I do not ask for permission to be a human scarecrow , I have infact given up permissions in the past when a farmer expected me to be there every time he saw a half dozen pigeon on his crops. If you are happy being a scarecrow crack on , I am happy shooting pigeons , letting birds build up does not have to be on a crop , it could be on a stubble or beet tops , game cover etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodfordpigeon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I completely disagree with you on the subject of letting numbers rise! Letting the pigeon number build only allows them to feed on more of the crop consequently leading to higher loss for the farmer. half a dozen a week is fine, why is it not? You will still be moving them and crucially KEEPING THEM OFF OF THE CROP! Half a dozen a week good sport and crop protection. ok I could shoot that in my front garden and protect the bird feeder. Lets face it we shoot pigeons because we want to shoot pigeons consequently it does a good job for the farmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Spotted some birds last week late on got there the next day , set 4 rope bangers in neighboring fields i have permission on , get decoys and magnet set up only to hear a gas gun going off 40 yrds from my hide did you turn it off ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Its not quite as simple as that . Only dead pigeons do not eat , by letting numbers build and shooting a bigger bag you are preventing more future damage than you will shooting a handful here and there . Yes going out often will perhaps keep the birds off , but when I ask for permission its to shoot pigeons , I do not ask for permission to be a human scarecrow , I have infact given up permissions in the past when a farmer expected me to be there every time he saw a half dozen pigeon on his crops. If you are happy being a scarecrow crack on , I am happy shooting pigeons , letting birds build up does not have to be on a crop , it could be on a stubble or beet tops , game cover etc. Cheers, you have basically replied for me. The farmers I shoot for don't expect me to go out all the time for little reward. I personally wouldn't want to go out pigeon shooting if I thought I would only get half a dozen, with maybe the exception of roost shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I completely disagree with you on the subject of letting numbers rise! Letting the pigeon number build only allows them to feed on more of the crop consequently leading to higher loss for the farmer. half a dozen a week is fine, why is it not? You will still be moving them and crucially KEEPING THEM OFF OF THE CROP! it depends on how far you have travel it could cost £30 in fuel for example to shoot half a dozen birds the farmer might be happy with you keeping them off twice a week but your down £60 for a dozen birds that week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 I completely disagree with you on the subject of letting numbers rise! Letting the pigeon number build only allows them to feed on more of the crop consequently leading to higher loss for the farmer. half a dozen a week is fine, why is it not? You will still be moving them and crucially KEEPING THEM OFF OF THE CROP! I and many others do our best and we all mean well, however none of us are professional pigeon shooters ( some our close) but 99.9 % have jobs, lives and wives!! If you kill a large number of birds then that amount will never feed again until more are hatched in the season. You can chase pigeons till the cows come home and nothing wrong with shooting a few if that is what you want. The problems are most people can only shoot weekends with the permission of there wives and trade that day for decorating /house jobs etc this will only give you a short window for recon and to set up the day. Team work is also key not only with other shooters but with the farmers ( and with shoots/game keepers/ wild bird schemes no access) setting up a day is near to impossible. As you mentioned keeping birds moving is good but having guns placed where they move to is far better as if you don't then those birds will move to the end of the field you are shooting and get a feed... So from my point of view letting a number of birds settle, then killing a good number can make one/two man team very effective. I was talking to a guy the other day and he shot 87 birds off the back of a 257 bird day we shot, he heard the shooting, went to his land set up and had a great day as the birds which slipped passed us wanted to feed so he took advantage of that. Each to there own, but I know which works for me. TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdfish Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 For my twopenneth, I shoot all that I see when I see it, bit then I always unwrap my presents before Christmas Day What I am seeing at the moment on pigeonwatch is an increasing propensity for vitriolic replies to posts that may be naive or conflicting with the prescribed norm. There does seem to be a schoolyard mentality that on occasion is tantamount to bullying. If it works for wood ford lad and the farmer is happy so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 nothing wrong with that mate , it's your permission and if the farmer is happy with your services all the best to ya, some people on here just like to bitch and think they are professional pest controllers. Lol. I'm the same as yourself I can please myself as far as when I go shooting and the farmers I shoot for are more than happy with that ,but they also know I will do my best to get on a field for pigeons or sort out any rabbits or foxes that are causing any problems as soon as they call, works for them and suits me to the ground. Sod what anyone else thinks. who is bitching just putting over a farmers point of view that's if it's ok with you Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungolee Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 If I told my local farmer that I was waiting for the pigeon numbers to build up on his fields before going out after them he would get somebody else to carry out the job . I thought the whole idea of crop protection was to move the birds on and shoot what you could. I doesn't matter if there is 15 birds or 500 , they still do the damage . Ml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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