rape

[motty]

Yes I seen the vids, easy shooting in the summer., as I said talk a good game

I talk a good game. Care to elaborate?

[Actionpigeons]

I talk a good game. Care to elaborate?

talk a good game, says it all really.

Quote:

"Have I shot pigeons full to bursting point with rape/sugar beet/ maize/various berries lately? Yes!

Strangely enough, I was out on a rape field in freezing conditions a few weeks back. What did the pigeons do? Sit in the trees for an hour or two before feeding."

Strangely no pictures or post

"The last few months have been filled killing ducks and geese, while all the pigeons have been away in the woods."

Now it maybe me but you say in one post you where out shooting pigeons, and in the next you have not been out as you have been so busy shooting Duck and Geese

Care to elaborate?

as I said, talk a good game

Edited February 19, 2014 by Actionpigeons

[kitchrat]

I still won't have it that pigeons are not hungry. Pigeons are known for being very greedy.

It's like saying a fat bloke won't have a huge fried breakfast because he's got a good layer of fat on him.

By the way, on the way home from work I put at least 800 pigeons off a rape field. That was after 16.30. I'd have thought they'd have gone to roost already if they weren't hungry.

Norfolk must be a different world, perhaps you pick up tired, hungry immigrants who have just flown in from Scandinavia??

[Catamong]

The better bags i have shot on rape have been in milder weather but in the proper winter months december to then end of February, i think it makes no difference if its freezing or mild if there's nothing else to eat then i think they hit the rape hard if there is plenty of other food around like there is this year then they wont be so keen.

 

Yes, you clearly know a bit about the game,................ "it's all about the food supply stupid"............as for pigeons in Norfolk, I was up there late last year and there were so many birds about, there was literally no space on the branches....I kid you not....

 

 

The fact is that in my area, (South Herts), the number of birds has steadily declined over the last 4 or 5 years, I believe that's been due to the severe Winter weather we've had during that time.

 

When there is prolonged snow cover, they simply disappear, they sod off elsewhere, perhaps to Norfolk, and they don't come back...........fact.............

 

Cat.

[marsh man]

Hi guys I live in Norfolk and today I went from Yarmouth to Cromer on the bus and passed a huge amount of rape fields with nothing on them with only the odd pigeon sitting in the trees ,also the rape have already started to grow again and looking in good condition About 4 or 5 years ago three of the places I shot over none of them grew rape and one of them on the Norfolk ,Suffolk border was 5000 acres ,now they all grow large areas of the stuff which make it nigh on impossible to get a bag. In the 70s me and my brother hired a shoot in Alderby, not far from Yarmouth and the farmer grew for the first time 40 acres of rape down on the marshes ,he left us about a dozen bales of straw in the middle of the field so we could shoot in any wind direction ,my brother used to go one day during the week and I used to go at the weekend We never shot it till Christmas and finished mid March when the drilling started. Over that period we shot over 1400 pigeons you wouldn't do that now because as soon as a few shots are fired at them they move on to the next field or the next and so on ,that was a problem we never had to worry about. Last Saturday I shot 17 in the wood near mine and they had every thing in there crops bar rape and the pigeons were in lovely condition .We have got pigeons around here but not in the numbers Motty have in North Norfolk.

[Elby]

Is there really any need for all the **** posts accusing people of lying ect?

I have an 85 acre field of rape in Bletchley.

I have put 50 flags out to try and keep the pigeons off and I go down there at least twice a day to put them off with the gun.

There is plenty of rape on the neighbours fields so they go there when I scare them.

It's been like this for ages so I have no doubt pigeons are about.

Also at every visit I put off between 100 & 300 pigeon.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Elby

[mossy835]

nice for you having lots of pigeons about, they must be all in bletchley then.

[Elby]

Yes mossy cos the whole of the UK pigeon population amounts to 300 pigeon

[Catamong]

Yes mossy cos the whole of the UK pigeon population amounts to 300 pigeon

 

Hmmm....many a true word spoke in jest.......??

 

I'm hoping to get out on Sunday on a field that only I have permission to shoot over, in past years I would have been guaranteed around the ton, particularly at this time of year, but I reckon, (unless the birds move back down in numbers from Norfolk), I'll be lucky to break 30...

 

Hardly worth getting out of bed for..

 

Cat.

 

 

 

Cat.

[The Sipe-ist]

I cannot believe these arguments still rumble on.

I don't want to take sides or disagree with anyone but here are a few of my views on the subjects.

Pigeons are called wood pigeons for good reason. It is their natural habitat and therefore they are very capable of getting a good living from there. This year though 'mother nature' has been ultra kind and supplied copious amounts of acorns and beech-mast (most of which has long since gone)

Another natural food are ivy berries, they are in my opinion an odd subject. I believe in some years they are full of protein and therefore pigeons love them, and other years they contain much less 'goodness' and are less attractive in consequence, and are only eaten in hard times when other food sources are not available such as following significant snowfall. The reason they vary in their nutritional value I think is probably due to the weather in much the same way as wheat will vary it's protein content largely because of conditions, despite farmers providing what should be sufficient nitrogen to achieve high protein levels every year.

Rape is the most controversial and frustrating crop, and some of the varied opinions probably arise from a multitude of year to year differences. Again I think the green stage of the crop varies from season to season because of many factors. There are varietal differences without doubt but also other things such as agrochemical usage ( which can alter a fields attractiveness overnight ) will all have an influence.It is a fact that modern varieties of OSR are not toxic to the 'woody' anymore as the nasties have been removed, making them more palatable to both pigeons and humans ( hence all of the rapeseed oil you can buy from Tescos now-a-days ).

I also know that sometimes pigeons not only seem to like rape but even prefer it to peas before they pod-up!! They even continue to feed on the lower leaves when the plants are over a meter high, dropping into the tramlines to continue to feed on it.

There are many other comments I could make but I think that is enough from me.

I speak as a farm manager of a big farm and as a former semi-professional pigeon guide and a life-long pigeon shooting fanatic.

I sincerely hope this post doesn't trigger lots of personal snipes as these are just my personal honest opinions and are in no way intended to be inflammatory.

 

The Sipe-ist

[matone]

Yes mossy cos the whole of the UK pigeon population amounts to 300 pigeon

Can`t be right,saw 4-500 on some rape today and I`m a long way from you !

[yickdaz]

the bitching on here is laughable at times

 

they are on the rape in a few areas we shoot upt north, well Cheshire to be exact, but thats 20 miles from where I live to the fields, had average bags last 3 weekends 20 odd each weekend, but they have had clover, ivy berries, acorns, and rape in them there not on it in huge numbers 2 to 4 hundred, but they are on it, and a bag can be made

 

and for the guys who are knocking motty have a look at his signature, and I have seen plenty bag pics from him over last 4 years he dosn't lie, I,m not sticking up for him either just annoys me when people knock genuine shooters on here who know what they are doing

Edited February 19, 2014 by yickdaz

[motty]

talk a good game, says it all really.

Quote:

"Have I shot pigeons full to bursting point with rape/sugar beet/ maize/various berries lately? Yes!

Strangely enough, I was out on a rape field in freezing conditions a few weeks back. What did the pigeons do? Sit in the trees for an hour or two before feeding."

Strangely no pictures or post

"The last few months have been filled killing ducks and geese, while all the pigeons have been away in the woods."

Now it maybe me but you say in one post you where out shooting pigeons, and in the next you have not been out as you have been so busy shooting Duck and Geese

Care to elaborate?

as I said, talk a good game

I haven't said I've shot lots of pigeons this year, far from it. I've had little success from the few outings I've had. I don't bother to post about small bags.

When the wildfowling season finishes, I turn my attentions fully back to pigeon shooting. The season ends tomorrow. I've had a successful wildfowling season, now hopefully it's time to get amongst the pigeons again.

 

The pigeons I have shot roosting lately have been full of food.

There are a lot of pigeons in the area at the moment, some on land I can shoot, but also plenty that I can't.

Edited February 19, 2014 by motty

[kitchrat]

 

Hmmm....many a true word spoke in jest.......??

 

I'm hoping to get out on Sunday on a field that only I have permission to shoot over, in past years I would have been guaranteed around the ton, particularly at this time of year, but I reckon, (unless the birds move back down in numbers from Norfolk), I'll be lucky to break 30...

 

Hardly worth getting out of bed for..

 

Cat.

 

 

 

Cat.

30 is a great bag just now up here. Let us know how it goes....

[kitchrat]

I cannot believe these arguments still rumble on.

I don't want to take sides or disagree with anyone but here are a few of my views on the subjects.

Pigeons are called wood pigeons for good reason. It is their natural habitat and therefore they are very capable of getting a good living from there. This year though 'mother nature' has been ultra kind and supplied copious amounts of acorns and beech-mast (most of which has long since gone)

Another natural food are ivy berries, they are in my opinion an odd subject. I believe in some years they are full of protein and therefore pigeons love them, and other years they contain much less 'goodness' and are less attractive in consequence, and are only eaten in hard times when other food sources are not available such as following significant snowfall. The reason they vary in their nutritional value I think is probably due to the weather in much the same way as wheat will vary it's protein content largely because of conditions, despite farmers providing what should be sufficient nitrogen to achieve high protein levels every year.

Rape is the most controversial and frustrating crop, and some of the varied opinions probably arise from a multitude of year to year differences. Again I think the green stage of the crop varies from season to season because of many factors. There are varietal differences without doubt but also other things such as agrochemical usage ( which can alter a fields attractiveness overnight ) will all have an influence.It is a fact that modern varieties of OSR are not toxic to the 'woody' anymore as the nasties have been removed, making them more palatable to both pigeons and humans ( hence all of the rapeseed oil you can buy from Tescos now-a-days ).

I also know that sometimes pigeons not only seem to like rape but even prefer it to peas before they pod-up!! They even continue to feed on the lower leaves when the plants are over a meter high, dropping into the tramlines to continue to feed on it.

There are many other comments I could make but I think that is enough from me.

I speak as a farm manager of a big farm and as a former semi-professional pigeon guide and a life-long pigeon shooting fanatic.

I sincerely hope this post doesn't trigger lots of personal snipes as these are just my personal honest opinions and are in no way intended to be inflammatory.

 

The Sipe-ist

Good post, thanks for keeping things on an even keel. I only disagree about the copious natural food, this year in my area acorns etc have only been average. What is different is that there are less birds, so the supply of acorns and berries lasts longer.

As you say, the personal snipes are becoming unpleasant, I'm sure we're only spending time typing posts because we can't find pigeons to shoot and are getting bored and frustrated.

[JDog]

Motty is a pigeon shooter not a pigeon scarer and I have long recognised that he does not post every time he goes out pigeon shooting. Whilst he would not wish to be inducted into the 'Hall of Fame' nor be seen in the bright lights I would rate him in the top two or three on this forum for knowledge and achievement. I also know that he can defend himself from those doubters on the forum should he need to.

[kitchrat]

Motty is a pigeon shooter not a pigeon scarer and I have long recognised that he does not post every time he goes out pigeon shooting. Whilst he would not wish to be inducted into the 'Hall of Fame' nor be seen in the bright lights I would rate him in the top two or three on this forum for knowledge and achievement. I also know that he can defend himself from those doubters on the forum should he need to.

I agree and think it's time to respect the closed season on snipe!

I think most of us that have got mixed up in this are pretty knowledgable but the unusual season has resulted in such wildly varied local bird behavoirs that some of us find other's experiences difficiult to believe.

For example: I know there are less birds near me and they are not hungry - Motty has plenty and they are stuffing themslves. Different world, could his be immigrants from Europe that have just flown across the N Sea and are therefore hungry? Arriving in the UK, they find loads of rape etc, why would they move inland?

My birds are not hungry so I pray for snow, Cat doesn't want snow because he (rightly) says they are difficult to decoy in snow. I want snow because it will make them feed more and at least you have a chance. (difficult though it may be)

In some areas they are diving onto maize, not here.

 

So, let's put away the knives and accept that conditions vary so much, it's these challenges that make pigeon shooting so much more interesting than clays, clays are predicable and boring by comparison. I know trap shooting is a "discipline" but I try to avoid discipline!!