Crow scarer?

[kitchrat]

I have a perm with a 7-800 acre block of rape and a decent number (few hundred) pigeons feeding on it. Up til now they have just been "flock-stringing" to any group of trees, then all dropping down for a quick feed before jumping up into another group of trees and repeating some time later. If you scared them, they wing off somewhere else before stringing back an hour later. NO pattern, just any group of trees on the farm.

Like picking up mercury with chopsticks!!

Last week, however, the rape has really shot up, some is knee high, so a lot of the area is not any use to them. So, I'm watching with the bins to see if I can find a pattern to exploit. There is 1 long hedge, with suitable trees, where they have kept the crop short, and this is becoming a favorite. They never feed midday but sure enough, about 2.00 pm, they start flock-stringing into the trees, then drop onto the crop, until maybe 200 birds are on the field, in a long line near the hedge. They get up into the trees for 20 minutes, then drop down again. I'm working on a plan, when, out of the blue, a single crow starts a 1-bird mission to clear the field. He dive-bombs the feeding pigeons, even drops into the crop as if he was an eagle. This was only 400 yards away, sun behind me, with bins, so no mistake. Fellow shooter agrees.

Mr Crow (not Bob, RIP) soon gets all birds off the field into the trees and retires. 10 mins later birds return to feed. Attack resumes and he gets all pigeons right off the farm.

I set up, scare the crow off and eventually shoot a dozen or so as the pigeons try to return. Most didn't decoy INTO the pattern, but had a look and made to land in nearby trees. Nobby-No-Mates, does decoy, of course.

After they realized my game, they went to another group of trees, where they had also kept the crop short. There was a gas gun in that corner, and for the 1st time this year, it had very little effect. They got up into the trees OK but even my shots, only 300yds? away didn't move them out. Had to walk over time and again.

So,

A) Was the crow being paid by the farm manager?

B) Anyone else ever see a crow-scarer?

C) Is the growing rape concentrating the pigeons attention?

D) Are they getting gas-gun blase?

 

NB No Motty, it does NOT mean they are more hungry, they just spent more time in the trees, thereby using less energy in flying. All birds shot had near-empty crops

[kitchrat]

No-one interested in my crow scaring pigeons off?? "*** orf my land!" he said.

[motty]

I have never really thought that gas guns work. I do think, however, that they are useful for getting pigeons used to loud bangs, therefore being scared less when shooting commences.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Perhaps you should have shot the crow!

[kitchrat]

I have never really thought that gas guns work. I do think, however, that they are useful for getting pigeons used to loud bangs, therefore being scared less when shooting commences.

Agreed. THIS year, they have worked quite well round here but normally you are spot on. For that reason I often try to avoid quick double-shots when there are many birds coming in, I'm sure that scares them more. Many gas guns work at 10 second intervals but a quick L-R seems to scare them right off. If you shoot the 1st bird in, often you get a chance to get a Tail-End-Charlie as well and not over-spook the survivors.

Any comments??

[motty]

Agreed. THIS year, they have worked quite well round here but normally you are spot on. For that reason I often try to avoid quick double-shots when there are many birds coming in, I'm sure that scares them more. Many gas guns work at 10 second intervals but a quick L-R seems to scare them right off. If you shoot the 1st bird in, often you get a chance to get a Tail-End-Charlie as well and not over-spook the survivors.

Any comments??

I certainly agree that a double bang works better than three bangs at intervals. I don't worry about the way I shoot them, though, i'll kill what I can as quickly as possible.

[shootnfish]

Got a box of those double bang banger ropes a couple of weeks ago . You get a double bang then a single bang 30mins later then a double bang again. From a distance the double defiantly stirs them up more. What you said about the crows chasing pigeons i have seen this happen quite often, chasing them off the field then out of the trees. Think its bit of a territory thing.