Pigeons in Barley Tramelines

[Bobba]

There is standing barley on one of my permissions. It is borders a small wood and telegraph lines at right angles to the wood are at one end the wood and passing over the field. The pigeons are sitting on the telegraph lines (not pylons but telegraph poles) and in a few trees then dropping into the tramlines and out of sight.

 

I can't use a rotary ( crop too high) and obviously must avoid crop damage. My thoughts are to put up a few hyperlap floaters in the tramlines and bunch a few head of barley with string and mount shell decoys on them. Other than that I'm clean out of ideas.

 

So, ideas welcomed. Thanks

Edited June 24, 2014 by Bobba

[Penelope]

Can you not extend the whirly and have the arms at a more acute angle to give you the extra height and smaller diameter turning circle to clear the crop?

 

There is standing barley on one of my permissions. It is borders a small wood and telegraph lines at right angles to the wood are at one end the wood and passing over the field. The pigeons are sitting on the telegraph lines (not pylons but telegraph poles) and in a few trees then dropping into the tramlines and out of sight.

I can't use a rotary ( crop too high) and obviously must avoid crop damage. My thoughts are to put up a few hyperlap floaters in the tramlines and bunch a few head of barley with string and mount shell decoys on them. Other than that I'm clean out of ideas.

So, ideas welcomed. Thanks

[AlistairB]

If the ground is soft enough, use lengths of 7mm heating pipe cut to about .7m long, stick those in the ground and then sits the pegs for the decoys in them. That way the decoys are above the crop and they can turn in the wind if they need to.

 

AB

[lakeside1000]

I use 3 foot garden canes, take a good screwdriver to make a hole in the hard clay, then use gaffa tape to attach the shell pegs, with just a few out in the lines and a couple of flappers or floaters set up the same way you should get some action, if you can get to it without damaging the crop set up your hide against one of the poles, but watch you don't shoot out the telephone lines, could be an expensive mistake, otherwise pick a tram line near to some cover and set your hide in the hedge, the birds will come to see what the decoys are up to , even if they cant land they will want to have a look, great if you have a dog but not so good without, many birds fall out in the crop and its not good to trample all over the barley to recover a few birds. another alternative to shells is fix a wire cradle to the top of the canes and mount some dead birds, much better than plastic and with wing spreaders you can turn them into floaters. they work great for me.

[fenboy]

So if you only have the tramlines to drop birds in how are you going to manage that ?, how are you going to pick what you shoot without causing damage to the crop ?

 

Can you shoot them as they come over another field to the barley ?

[malkiserow]

So if you only have the tramlines to drop birds in how are you going to manage that ?, how are you going to pick what you shoot without causing damage to the crop ?

 

Can you shoot them as they come over another field to the barley ?

 

I've crouched in the tram lines on various crops to good effect. You are unlikely to take many (if any) birds home sadly..

[Bobba]

So if you only have the tramlines to drop birds in how are you going to manage that ?, how are you going to pick what you shoot without causing damage to the crop ?

 

Can you shoot them as they come over another field to the barley ?

As far as my permission goes he wants the birds shot and they die where they fall and there's no recovery if it causes crop damage. That's the foxes gain and there are quite a few of those.

 

However, once decoys are set up in the tramlines nearest and parallel to the woods the flight line crosses the tram line to the woods. So I will set the hide up in the edge of the wood and, essentially, be shooting at incoming birds.

 

Thanks of those for their tips about extending the height of birds. Sounds a lot more effective than my idea so will give it a try.

[fenboy]

As far as my permission goes he wants the birds shot and they die where they fall and there's no recovery if it causes crop damage. That's the foxes gain and there are quite a few of those.

 

However, once decoys are set up in the tramlines nearest and parallel to the woods the flight line crosses the tram line to the woods. So I will set the hide up in the edge of the wood and, essentially, be shooting at incoming birds.

 

Thanks of those for their tips about extending the height of birds. Sounds a lot more effective than my idea so will give it a try.

That kind of attitude makes me sick to be honest , perfectly good food being wasted, remember there is also a legal obligation to prevent unnecessary suffering , so do you just leave winged birds to die without attempting to pick up ?

[motty]

That kind of attitude makes me sick to be honest , perfectly good food being wasted, remember there is also a legal obligation to prevent unnecessary suffering , so do you just leave winged birds to die without attempting to pick up ?

Totally agree with you. Every effort must be made to pick the pigeons shot. I wouldn't even entertain shooting the field, unless the farmer didn't mind me having a bit of a trample about to look for birds. In my opinion, it simply isn't right to shoot the birds and leave them.

[FalconFN]

I've seen a fair few pigeons in tramlines and landing slowly into standing barley recently but I set up today in adjoining wheat field and only saw about 20 all day - only two of which I bagged. Both had empty crops so not sure what they are feeding on at the mo.

 

I used plastic tent poles to get the decoys above the crop. They are the ones that are sectional with a bit of elastic holding the bits together - very light and they fold up small too.

[cocknee]

Totally agree with you. Every effort must be made to pick the pigeons shot. I wouldn't even entertain shooting the field, unless the farmer didn't mind me having a bit of a trample about to look for birds. In my opinion, it simply isn't right to shoot the birds and leave them.

 

So if you only have the tramlines to drop birds in how are you going to manage that ?, how are you going to pick what you shoot without causing damage to the crop ?

 

Can you shoot them as they come over another field to the barley ?

 

That kind of attitude makes me sick to be honest , perfectly good food being wasted, remember there is also a legal obligation to prevent unnecessary suffering , so do you just leave winged birds to die without attempting to pick up ?

Agree 100%

[Penelope]

Likewise.

 

 

 

Agree 100%

[JDog]

Bobba, you may need to re think your approach to shooting over standing crops.

[kaunda]

I can see the argument with woodpigeons,perfetly good food source going to waste etc , but what is the attitude as regards crows,which do as much damage if not more to lodged corn and are not viewed in quite the same light as pigeons.Would we tramp about in standing crops to recover them ? Personally,despite the moralistic views expressed above, I doubt it.

[Bobba]

Bobba, you may need to re think your approach to shooting over standing crops.

Hi JDog.

 

Take your point entirely and not picking a fight. BUT. And it's a big BUT. Th issue is this. At the end of the day, if you do not do what your permission asks of you, you lose your permission ( he has four farms) So, do you fall on your sword as a matter of conscience and Lose your shoot? Or, do you recognise the downside and grin and bear it.

 

There were a number of PW posters more critical than your good self. so I ask them to step up to the plate and say honestly that in my position they would rather give up their shoot than do what is asked of them. Gentlemen, please step forward.

[pigeonblasterian]

As far as my permission goes he wants the birds shot and they die where they fall and there's no recovery if it causes crop damage. That's the foxes gain and there are quite a few of those.

 

However, once decoys are set up in the tramlines nearest and parallel to the woods the flight line crosses the tram line to the woods. So I will set the hide up in the edge of the wood and, essentially, be shooting at incoming birds.

 

Thanks of those for their tips about extending the height of birds. Sounds a lot more effective than my idea so will give it a try.

 

If that is what your farmer wants you to do crack on and get it done.

After all you are the one on the permission with the goodwill of the farmer.

You might soon lose that if he asks you to do something and you decide not to do it.

You are there to kill stuff for him i take it.

Otherwise why would you be there.

[fenboy]

Hi JDog.

 

Take your point entirely and not picking a fight. BUT. And it's a big BUT. Th issue is this. At the end of the day, if you do not do what your permission asks of you, you lose your permission ( he has four farms) So, do you fall on your sword as a matter of conscience and Lose your shoot? Or, do you recognise the downside and grin and bear it.

 

There were a number of PW posters more critical than your good self. so I ask them to step up to the plate and say honestly that in my position they would rather give up their shoot than do what is asked of them. Gentlemen, please step forward.

Not a issue for me as my farmers would not expect me to shoot pigeon to leave to rot , if they did then I would give my reasons for not doing so , if that did not satisfy them , then yes I would decline to do so and the ball would be in their court as to if I continue to shoot their land or not .

Sometimes principles are more important than shooting a few pigeon.

[Bobba]

Not a issue for me as my farmers would not expect me to shoot pigeon to leave to rot , if they did then I would give my reasons for not doing so , if that did not satisfy them , then yes I would decline to do so and the ball would be in their court as to if I continue to shoot their land or not .

Sometimes principles are more important than shooting a few pigeon.

A very honest response. Thank you, and good shooting.

[Penelope]

I have currently stopped shooting pigeons as I cannot get rid of them. The game dealer that I took them to is not taking any until harvest. Admittedly, the farm I shoot on has a syndicate of which I am a member, so we lease the shooting rights, but the principal is the same.

 

Hopefully I shall find out about a new outlet soon.

 

Hi JDog.

Take your point entirely and not picking a fight. BUT. And it's a big BUT. Th issue is this. At the end of the day, if you do not do what your permission asks of you, you lose your permission ( he has four farms) So, do you fall on your sword as a matter of conscience and Lose your shoot? Or, do you recognise the downside and grin and bear it.

There were a number of PW posters more critical than your good self. so I ask them to step up to the plate and say honestly that in my position they would rather give up their shoot than do what is asked of them. Gentlemen, please step forward.

[Bazooka]

As far as my permission goes he wants the birds shot and they die where they fall and there's no recovery if it causes crop damage. That's the foxes gain and there are quite a few of those.

 

However, once decoys are set up in the tramlines nearest and parallel to the woods the flight line crosses the tram line to the woods. So I will set the hide up in the edge of the wood and, essentially, be shooting at incoming birds.

 

Thanks of those for their tips about extending the height of birds. Sounds a lot more effective than my idea so will give it a try.

Is it any wonder?

 

What's the difference between a good dog going out to recover them or many foxes going out to eat them or carry and return back time after time. They will return time and time again on the days there's nothing there? A good dog will go out, pick and return live and dead to the bag.

Edited June 25, 2014 by Bazooka

[Whitetail]

I was put in the same position as you a year or two back. The peas were well up and the pigeons were hitting one end hard and I was told to shoot them and leave them . My clicker said I had shot 140 but the only ones I picked fell on or round the magnet. The farmer is a family friend but I didn't then and don't now feel it's the way things should be done, how do you retrieve wounded birds ? This weekend past I shot 38 pigeons out of a sitty tree with my air rifle all picked, the birds were feeding on milky wheat . At the end of the day it's down to you , but if it was me I would be trying to shoot them in the trees or coming to the trees at least you will pick them and all you will be trampling down will be nettles and cleavers.it can be frustrating this time of year ,there will be rape stubble in a few weeks that's what I'm looking forward to

[pigeon controller]

I ve been in the same position a couple of times, the first time I shot the birds going to a sitty tree and picked up what I could. I explained to the farmer that if you leave them in the crop they rot and get picked up with the bales( sharp bones) the second time I shot as they came to the field and dropped them on a grass field the ones that dropped in the crop were left the following week the farmer called us back as the corner had been laid flat by foxes/ badgers and told us to shoot the laid area.

 

You've had some good advice from others it's decision time for yourself, I would try to shoot the edge by a tree to keep the farmer happy and wait for the stubble or for the field to lay

[Bobba]

You've had some good advice from others it's decision time for yourself, I would try to shoot the edge by a tree to keep the farmer happy and wait for the stubble or for the field to lay

Thanks for the understanding. I agree with the tree option. My post #7 implies this, i.e. that the tramlines run parallell to the woods and I would be setting up on the edge of the woods so most incoming birds will, hopefully, drop in the woods or field borders.