Longchalk Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 (edited) Not many birds in this corner of Northants. It's practically all wall-to-wall mature rape and wheat here, for miles around. I haven't got a single field of peas or beans on any of my permissions, worse luck. So as an alternative, I've been out rabbiting in the evenings with an air-rifle. Now virtually every evening I've been there, (6pm - 8pm) in a cow pasture next to a warren I shoot, there have been hundreds of pigeons on the grass in amongst the cows. I can't shoot it for obvious reasons, but I'm puzzled what the attraction is for them? There's nothing obvious they are feeding on, just pastureland. Edited May 10, 2014 by Longchalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 clover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longchalk Posted May 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Yeah, possibly I suppose. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkertaylor Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 defo clover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Clover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitetail Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Is there no way you can shoot the fields safely ?i think you might be surprised how well they will decoy .I'm going this afternoon on grassland that's got chickweed and clover on , there's cattle on there but only twenty or so and they tend to leave me alone, famous last words. It's a super spot with a couple of sitty trees and one of those areas that always holds birds this time of year. I've shot some really good bags there over the years with my air rifle, I went out last evening and shot ten birds to start off with. I've been watching the field for a week or so and there's two hundred birds feeding there most afternoons, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 I would say it could be chickweed as we have a dairy Farmer who sprays cow poo back on his fields and they are usually covered with chickweed rather than clover . Sheep fields tend to have more clover. The problem is that this year he has sprayed the chickweed off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDRsniper Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 My farmer is quite happy for me to shoot over meadows even with cattle in, the first couple of shots and the cows will move to the other side out of your way. Had some nice bags on clover meadows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitetail Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 As side note be aware that farmers tend not want you shooting plaswads over grasing land, if your using a shotgun you would be as well to use fibre wads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Just shot over a grass field with chickweed in it today and managed a reasonable bag between the showers! Wind made it interesting with many never hearing the report from the 20 bore and coming in as their pals dropped. Fibre wads a must though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goober Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Just got back from a couple of hours on grass field,few pigeons finally on clover.took the 28g,only had three but got to try the ringers socks again,with no sun they worked ok with the few pigeons coming in well to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted May 10, 2014 Report Share Posted May 10, 2014 Archie Coats had his biggest ever bag on clover -500+ . The season for clover is short, pigeons prefer it when it has small leaves and the grass around it is short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longchalk Posted May 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2014 Thanks guys. In my case it's not the biggest field, even though it's fringed by sitty trees. Currently it has around 20 bullocks in it, and they are fascinated with anyone that goes near them. All the while I'm rabbiting they follow me around wherever I go. Haven't spoken to the farmer about it but can't imagine he'd be too keen on me decoying a field with stock in it. Would rather give it a miss till he moves the cattle rather risk the permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted May 11, 2014 Report Share Posted May 11, 2014 Good thinking Longchalk.........Better to lose shooting a few pigeons, than to lose the land you shot them on.......hopefully you will get them another day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 How would it work with gl conditions ? It's not really protection ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 How would it work with gl conditions ? It's not really protection ? Will you still be shooting on the stubbles this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Good costume hire shop in town, I will see if they can do one of them Panto Cow suits. If there is a bull in the field just be prepared to brace yerself ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 How would it work with gl conditions ? It's not really protection ? Clover is as much a crop as corn. I nurture the clover on my farm, not only does it have a good feed value, but it fixes nitrogen back into the soil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 Many of my Landowners wont have 21/2 kilograms of lead spread over pasture land let alone a plastic wad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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