TDRsniper Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Whilst driving north along the M40 around the Gaydon area north of Banbury a huge flock of our amazing nemesis lifted above the treeline on my right, I couldn't see the field they were on as the embankment is high in that area and is also lined with trees. I would estimate in excess of 200 birds and it's a long time since I saw a flock of anywhere near that size. if anyone has the perms around that area I hope you enjoy the pest control opportunity that you have, and I only hope that I am lucky enough to see as many pigeons next time I'm out. Good luck. TDR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpentermark Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Probably not even on the field, just lifted out of the trees mate. And some would say that 200 is not a "huge" flock! Last year (before spring) a Farmer rang me and said there were hundreds of pigeons and could i come over, so i did. When i got there, there were at least 2000 pigeons covering two fields and lots of traffic. I didn't bother watching them just walked them off and set up. Sat there for 6 hours and shot 12! Lesson learned.... Just cause they're there don't mean they'll stay there! I think they were just flocking up prior to breeding, had no chance of decoying them. Last week drove past a wood i shoot on thursday, had plenty of pigeons in it. Got there saturday 3pm, stayed till 6pm and never saw a single bird. Strange times, still not hitting the rape in numbers around here. Edited February 19, 2014 by carpentermark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Probably not even on the field, just lifted out of the trees mate. And some would say that 200 is not a "huge" flock! Last year (before spring) a Farmer rang me and said there were hundreds of pigeons and could i come over, so i did. When i got there, there were at least 2000 pigeons covering two fields and lots of traffic. I didn't bother watching them just walked them off and set up. Sat there for 6 hours and shot 12! Lesson learned.... Just cause they're there don't mean they'll stay there! I think they were just flocking up prior to breeding, had no chance of decoying them. Last week drove past a wood i shoot on thursday, had plenty of pigeons in it. Got there saturday 3pm, stayed till 6pm and never saw a single bird. Strange times, still not hitting the rape in numbers around here. Dead right!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDRsniper Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Don't think they lifted from the trees as they were in a ball (like starlings ) and it was how I've seen them lift from the ground in previous years. The flock was huge in comparison to those that I've seen THIS year. Note to myself....control my enthusiasm and kill off my optimism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delburt0 Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 One shot and never to be seen again :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Well perhaps you can send some down to my part of Norfolk. I spent 4 hours searching a number of rape and clover fields in the 7,000 acres of pigeon shooting I have . Result one flock of 20 pigeons in a roadside tree and half a dozen flying oner the road. not one bird on the rape. Edited February 19, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpaulc Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I saw the same flock, just north of the Gaydon junction. It looked like they lifted from a field just to the west of the motorway. That was around 3pn ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDRsniper Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I saw the same flock, just north of the Gaydon junction. It looked like they lifted from a field just to the west of the motorway. That was around 3pn ish. Yeah was about that time, maybe the same flock. Was great to see and made the 3hour journey ahead go quicker as it was all I thought about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Well perhaps you can send some down to my part of Norfolk. I spent 4 hours searching a number of rape and clover fields in the 7,000 acres of pigeon shooting I have . Reslut one flock of 20 pigeons in a roadside tree and half a dozen flying oner the road. not one bird on the rape. Yet "Motty" is in Norfolk and keeps telling me that loads of shooters are getting100+ bags!! I'm seeing the same scenario as you, so unless Motty is in a "pigeon pocket", I'll believe that there are less birds about than usual and that they are not hungry. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Yet "Motty" is in Norfolk and keeps telling me that loads of shooters are getting100+ bags!! I'm seeing the same scenario as you, so unless Motty is in a "pigeon pocket", I'll believe that there are less birds about than usual and that they are not hungry. Cheers, I don't have to drive very far to see pigeons in their thousands. They are all over rape, maize and some sugar beet round here. It shouldn't be long before i'm shooting a few. A pest controller on a local farm recently had 148 and 128 on maize. Surprising, considering they don't need to eat at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400_racer Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Whilst driving north along the M40 around the Gaydon area north of Banbury a huge flock of our amazing nemesis lifted above the treeline on my right, I couldn't see the field they were on as the embankment is high in that area and is also lined with trees. I would estimate in excess of 200 birds and it's a long time since I saw a flock of anywhere near that size. if anyone has the perms around that area I hope you enjoy the pest control opportunity that you have, and I only hope that I am lucky enough to see as many pigeons next time I'm out. Good luck. TDR One of my permissions is near to where you describe and this may even be part of the same flock that have been on this permissions rape recently. I shot it the weekend before last when they were on there in good numbers, dropping in one after the other from the surrounding trees. It wasn't quite as bad as delburt says, but those that did come back we're not decoying that well or were still in biggish flocks making it difficult to get any number. At least they're about now and offering the chance of a good day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I don't have to drive very far to see pigeons in their thousands. They are all over rape, maize and some sugar beet round here. It shouldn't be long before i'm shooting a few. A pest controller on a local farm recently had 148 and 128 on maize. Surprising, considering they don't need to eat at the moment. Not just a different world, a different UNIVERSE!! Lucky you lot in the right parts of Norfolk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I don't have to drive very far to see pigeons in their thousands. They are all over rape, maize and some sugar beet round here. It shouldn't be long before i'm shooting a few. A pest controller on a local farm recently had 148 and 128 on maize. Surprising, considering they don't need to eat at the moment. A pest controller, not you then, ah thats why there no pictures with you shooting all the 1,00000000000000000000000000 then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 A pest controller, not you then, ah thats why there no pictures with you shooting all the 1,00000000000000000000000000 then Correct. It's difficult to take pictures of pigeons that someone else shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Out today .. hundreds in the air .. watched smaller flocks joining up to make a really massive flock ..was out 4 hours ... my final total, after a recount! ... was 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) Watched 2 guys at the rear of my house last Tuesday. Over 200 on rape field. The usual story, walked them off, set up and then wait and wait and wait. I reckon they had no more than 10, but they sat it out all day, nothing short of diligent. Oh, and that superb lightweight cammo netting does not seem too good. From 350 yards I could see the guy as clear as anything straight through the net, every movement could be clearly seen. I would be tempted to use a second net over the first or use some elder to cover the front. Edited February 20, 2014 by Westley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fendrover90 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 A pest controller, not you then, ah thats why there no pictures with you shooting all the 1,00000000000000000000000000 then . I can vouch for motty on the amount of pigeons about at the moment I have permissions in Norfolk cambs and lincs all with pigeons on rape and greens not the most shootable at the moment though I've set up a couple of times on fields where I've Walked a couple of hundred off and ended up with 21 and 12 so It isn't a case of 200 on the field we shot 199. Generally they flocked off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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