The drought goes on

[ditchman]

I'm struggling for a good bag, too. Only half decent bags have been 27 and 46 this year. I'd normally have shot a ton from somewhere. I can't see where my next 100+ bag is coming from, but I hope it won't be too far away.

 

 

fer christs sake motty, if you are struggling what hope do we have................there are still large numbers of birds about, but they dont seem localised......its just been a weird few months.............it would be a very brave man to come out with a definitive answer.....you never no ..in the next few mths we might all be reporting good shootin everywhere

[islandgun]

Fisherman Mike , I'm sure birds learn by experience and quickly convey to each other when something is dangerous or not eg tractor or pedestrian , I'm constantly amazed by domestic fowl mostly by their stupidity but sometimes by their ability to suss out danger and clear off when they sense it.

This doesn't help to explain some birds suicidal flight toward an obvious gun though.

[fenboy]

But the fact still remains on any particular day the pigeon can seem to be the dumbest bird on the planet !

[The Essex Hunter]

Have we have two terrible wet years in a row......!! A massive amount of acorns only a few months ago has I my opinion kept them off the rape.

There are lots of birds around it is just they are not doing what we are used too.

All areas have different crops set in different ways, two farms have drilled all wheat over 400 acres so there is no draw for the birds in that spot.

A lot of rape has bolted so it tall and thin....I looked at a small field drilled with spring wheat, It was dry on top but when I pushed a stick it the ground was very wet, the farmer use's a small tractor to work the ground as that was his only option...

I shot 41 on Wednesday on a low rape patch with plenty of birds swirling around, I looked yesterday and not one as my shooting must have pushed them off.

So if a shooter went to look yesterday then he could turn around and say there were no birds on the rape....I saw lots of birds spread over some huge blocks of rape, making it impossible to decoy they as can drop in grab some food and nip off to the tree's.

Things are just different and we have not adjusted to it, so that is where the problem lies, the drillings will make a difference for a short while then it will be only crops like peas will give some shooting until the harvest....

 

TEH

[kitchrat]

I went out this morning..... Had 1 pigeon after about 2 hrs came home after another fruitless 45mins. When will things start to pick up? And why the lack of birds?

MY theory is that a nice warm winter in Europe hasn't encouraged many to make the trip to the UK. One area in Norfolk seems to have been lucky, I bet that's where a group DID cross over and found all the food they needed. Then, why move anywhere else??

[magyar viz]

First post ,here goes, last weekend Saturday 09.00 start hide already set up by farmer, 100 birds between us decoyed fantastic most straight in had to pack up at 14.00 was meant to be 12.00 carried on could not leave as they just kept coming, all on chopped maze cover,

had another 10 on rape on other fields just popping into cover on sunday , this friday another 25 on maze still coming in just a little shy,in my area they are moving around in gangs & move on of with a shot or sight of movement they have large choices off crops & drilling has started in earnest locally, the incidently the rape i shot the 10 on they were on the patches of chic weed rather than rape.was meant to going out early, but went to a party last night, hangover & guns don't mix going for a wander in a while.

on the way back from a mooch yesterday saw a farmer in the village cutting his grass, pulled up took a deep breath explained were i live( he knew that cannot mistake my mota ) gained some pees & beans. need to pay Cecil a visit for some more carts me thinks .

 

 

atb

Mag

[ditchman]

just push them down here please !!!!

[cocknee]

I must say this is a very unusual year I think it is the first I can remember when the birds have disappeared into the woods to feed on acorns etc and it seems are staying there to feed on buds. In a good acorn year the birds normally disappear for a while until all the acorns and berries are cleared up they then usually feed on rape for a while until spring drilings. Then once again back to the woods for the leaf buds etc this winter there seems to have been so much natural food about that most are staying in the woods throughout and probably most won't be seen until the leaf is fully out sometime in June if this is the case then hopefully as not many have been shot over the winter / spring there will be plenty about when they finally emerge.

[magyar viz]

I would not say the dumbest they are when it comes to feeding with their mates but avoiding predators & danger they seem to send in billy no mates for a bit of recon, i have learnt to leave the odd single bird to build confidence on slow days went with a mate he will blast away at all that passes, ok when im on the next field along, but very frustrating as ill be looking at the ones following along just turn away, they seem to be dotted about around here not feeding on any specific crop, mostly sitting on plowed fields or sitty trees in large numbers last year they held around fields sitting on the wires dropping in & and the wires were seriously bowed none of that this year so far .

 

Went for a mooch sat in a ditch for half an hour on a flight line birds were to high & the heavens opened pelted by hailstones so home to service some kit .

 

have just looked out the window 25 sitting on the wire in the rain to far & not my field (dam !!!!)

 

atb

Mag

[motty]

I would not say the dumbest they are when it comes to feeding with their mates but avoiding predators & danger they seem to send in billy no mates for a bit of recon, i have learnt to leave the odd single bird to build confidence on slow days went with a mate he will blast away at all that passes, ok when im on the next field along, but very frustrating as ill be looking at the ones following along just turn away, they seem to be dotted about around here not feeding on any specific crop, mostly sitting on plowed fields or sitty trees in large numbers last year they held around fields sitting on the wires dropping in & and the wires were seriously bowed none of that this year so far .

 

Went for a mooch sat in a ditch for half an hour on a flight line birds were to high & the heavens opened pelted by hailstones so home to service some kit .

 

have just looked out the window 25 sitting on the wire in the rain to far & not my field (dam !!!!)

 

atb

Mag

I'm not sure what you mean.

[kitchrat]

I must say this is a very unusual year I think it is the first I can remember when the birds have disappeared into the woods to feed on acorns etc and it seems are staying there to feed on buds. In a good acorn year the birds normally disappear for a while until all the acorns and berries are cleared up they then usually feed on rape for a while until spring drilings. Then once again back to the woods for the leaf buds etc this winter there seems to have been so much natural food about that most are staying in the woods throughout and probably most won't be seen until the leaf is fully out sometime in June if this is the case then hopefully as not many have been shot over the winter / spring there will be plenty about when they finally emerge.

You lot won't listen will you?This year I've been a beater on 25 days shooting, beat and stand on another 8 and a Gun on 3 occasions. I have been on these shoots for several years so know what to expect. When beating thru the woods and covers we were seeing almost NO birds (pigeons) feeding and almost NO pigeon poo. When standing as a Gun I saw almost NO birds (pigeons) coming out of the woods or covers.

I have driven several 1000's of miles searching for pigeons since the start of Novemeber and found very few.

As a keen pigeon shooter I only go on most of ny beating activities to see what is going on in the pigeon world, this year it was ALMOST NOTHING. I know some areas were less bad and some seem worse (it's not an extinct species here right now) 36 days out and about over a decent area plus all those miles can't be wrong?PIGEON NUMBERS ARE DOWN THIS WINTER IN THIS AREA - ask any farmer, they are teasing me rotten about "what a great winter it is"

PS It was only an average acorn year here.

[ayano3]

I think he means if a single bird drops in he leaves it so if others come by they see it and come to it, we'll that's how I read it. I wouldn't do that unless there was others following. I would shoot at those coming in and hope to bag the one already there on its way out. A single on its own I take...hopefully.

[fenboy]

I think he means if a single bird drops in he leaves it so if others come by they see it and come to it, we'll that's how I read it. I wouldn't do that unless there was others following. I would shoot at those coming in and hope to bag the one already there on its way out. A single on its own I take...hopefully.

I recon he is on about the scout theory , which to be honest I cannot believe for a minute.

 

I mean can you see all the pigeon sitting in the tree when they wake up from roost saying "well you go have a look first" " sod off there might be someone shooting , you go " " no I am not going I have a wife and two squabs to feed ".

 

I think they are given credit with far more intelligence than they deserve .

[colin lad]

You lot won't listen will you?This year I've been a beater on 25 days shooting, beat and stand on another 8 and a Gun on 3 occasions. I have been on these shoots for several years so know what to expect. When beating thru the woods and covers we were seeing almost NO birds (pigeons) feeding and almost NO pigeon poo. When standing as a Gun I saw almost NO birds (pigeons) coming out of the woods or covers.

I have driven several 1000's of miles searching for pigeons since the start of Novemeber and found very few.

As a keen pigeon shooter I only go on most of ny beating activities to see what is going on in the pigeon world, this year it was ALMOST NOTHING. I know some areas were less bad and some seem worse (it's not an extinct species here right now) 36 days out and about over a decent area plus all those miles can't be wrong? PIGEON NUMBERS ARE DOWN THIS WINTER IN THIS AREA - ask any farmer, they are teasing me rotten about "what a great winter it is"

PS It was only an average acorn year here.

plenty round this way

 

colin

[cocknee]

You lot won't listen will you?This year I've been a beater on 25 days shooting, beat and stand on another 8 and a Gun on 3 occasions. I have been on these shoots for several years so know what to expect. When beating thru the woods and covers we were seeing almost NO birds (pigeons) feeding and almost NO pigeon poo. When standing as a Gun I saw almost NO birds (pigeons) coming out of the woods or covers.

I have driven several 1000's of miles searching for pigeons since the start of Novemeber and found very few.

As a keen pigeon shooter I only go on most of ny beating activities to see what is going on in the pigeon world, this year it was ALMOST NOTHING. I know some areas were less bad and some seem worse (it's not an extinct species here right now) 36 days out and about over a decent area plus all those miles can't be wrong? PIGEON NUMBERS ARE DOWN THIS WINTER IN THIS AREA - ask any farmer, they are teasing me rotten about "what a great winter it is"

PS It was only an average acorn year here.

I hope you are wrong Kitchrat and it is just because your area has no acorns that you are not seeing the pigeons if you are right then I'll be the first to hold up my hands and say so but I guess we'll have to wait till harvest to find out definately.

 

As for magyar vis I neither can understand why you would leave a perfectly shootable bird. If you have done your homework and are in the right spot and the incoming pigeon sees what it expects to, a bunch of its mates happily feeding away then there is no reason for it not to come in. It sounds like you aren't shooting the field where they are feeding but are just getting the odd one coming to your decoys for a look.

[marsh man]

When I started shooting pigeons in the late 60s some of the books used to say about leaving the first one because he is the scout, what a load of rubbish , in my time I must have shot 100s of scouts, pigeons not boy scouts and quite a few search parties that have come to my pattern to look for him as well.

[krwigan]

When I started shooting pigeons in the late 60s some of the books used to say about leaving the first one because he is the scout, what a load of rubbish , in my time I must have shot 100s of scouts, pigeons not boy scouts and quite a few search parties that have come to my pattern to look for him as well.

Haha

[anser2]

I think there can be little doubt that pigeon numbers are on the decline this year. Following the posts on here over the past three months the number of shooters finding numbers of birds is far out numberd by those struggling to make a bag. I cannot talk for other areas of the country but in N Norfolk the acorn and beech mast was almost a complete failure ( I work in a 1000 acre oak woodland and each year I monitor the tree seed crop ). So doubtless many birds migrated to areas where acorns were in abundance. In 2013 we had a very long cold winter and spring and I suspect many birds delayed breeding until mid summer so the production of young was much lower last year. Also mortality may have been higher than normal in the arctic winter of 2012\13.

 

This late winter and spring the weather has been very mild so what birds remained in my county were not pushed for food. It was very noticeable when roost shooting there were few flocks , most of the birds came into the woods as singles and pairs.

 

Finaly its true that bird surveys show wood pigeons increasing , but remember its takes a spring and summer to collect the data and up to a year before its published, so its not up to date info. It reflects the pigeon population of 2 years ago.

[Uncle Albert]

The rape around our way has got off to a good start and a lot of it is flowering now. Field margins show little sign of pigeon attack. I think the main problem is that there is so much food around for the little blighters that the first sign of disturbance they are off to quieter climes. I have seen flocks on fields but they are off when you approach, never to be seen till next day/week. Most depressing but I'm sure it will get better. The amount of rape around here is significantly down this year so we are going to have to look more carefully for flappers.

[magyar viz]

Ok you have never sat watching your decoys & see birds on their way or in your direction one will do a loop around & back towards the rest & lead them away, either spooked by what they see or don't see, some times the rest follow or put the brakes on & sit nearby, then billy no mates comes by drops in bang !!! you get him, everybody leaves, ill leave billy as long as i dare on the floor let the others think its fine they move in ill have 2 or three & billy no mates as he lifts,

 

Went out 17.30 this evening with the intention of trying a small battery on my rotary (see how long it would last ) drove all the way round field got out went to the back of truck looked up birds fluttering in the wheeling s, they were not looking about as i had time to get gun out of slip load & sneak up, stopping every 15 paces, manage to get within 20 yards & Long tailed cock chicken put them up, another 3 in the bag, one of which was a lung shot flyer which my dog had a great hunt & retrieve, i had only been their 5 minuets if that.

rotary lasted 10 minuets heavens opened, soaked on the way back to mota dog enjoyed it as did I (not the soaking bit)

out again in the morning.

 

I have a theory blow it out of the water if you wish it has been said we have not had the migratory birds come in, in Lincolnshire we tend to notice how windy it is & all we have had is mainly southerly south west winds, so migrating birds would be burning up fuel against that wind, also if they hang about in the country they are coming from more would be shot their, when we had a north wind i saw a greater build up of birds still in gangs though , all the birds bar one i have shot this year have been in great condition

[kitchrat]

Ok you have never sat watching your decoys & see birds on their way or in your direction one will do a loop around & back towards the rest & lead them away, either spooked by what they see or don't see, some times the rest follow or put the brakes on & sit nearby, then billy no mates comes by drops in bang !!! you get him, everybody leaves, ill leave billy as long as i dare on the floor let the others think its fine they move in ill have 2 or three & billy no mates as he lifts,

 

Went out 17.30 this evening with the intention of trying a small battery on my rotary (see how long it would last ) drove all the way round field got out went to the back of truck looked up birds fluttering in the wheeling s, they were not looking about as i had time to get gun out of slip load & sneak up, stopping every 15 paces, manage to get within 20 yards & Long tailed cock chicken put them up, another 3 in the bag, one of which was a lung shot flyer which my dog had a great hunt & retrieve, i had only been their 5 minuets if that.

rotary lasted 10 minuets heavens opened, soaked on the way back to mota dog enjoyed it as did I (not the soaking bit)

out again in the morning.

 

I have a theory blow it out of the water if you wish it has been said we have not had the migratory birds come in, in Lincolnshire we tend to notice how windy it is & all we have had is mainly southerly south west winds, so migrating birds would be burning up fuel against that wind, also if they hang about in the country they are coming from more would be shot their, when we had a north wind i saw a greater build up of birds still in gangs though , all the birds bar one i have shot this year have been in great condition

His name is NOBBY-No-Mates!!

[krwigan]

Well I went out today full of optimism..... I didn't see NOBBY, bobby a scout or a search party. Might get the golf clubs out the attick....

[dead eye alan]

Well I went out today full of optimism..... I didn't see NOBBY, bobby a scout or a search party. Might get the golf clubs out the attick....

 

 

No don't do it, Nobby and the boy's will be back.

[krwigan]

 

 

No don't do it, Nobby and the boy's will be back.

No I won't really, the fishing tackle comes out way before the golf clubs ha

[JDog]

Fenboy, you should know that if you were closer, and if any days out pigeon shooting could be deemed 'dead certs' to make the journey worthwhile, I would happily take you out.

Edited March 24, 2014 by JDog