Harnser Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Spent a couple of hours yesterday looking around the farms for pigeons . One field that looked promising , or perhaps I should say ,two fields that looked promising . An 80 acre field of barley stubble running along side a 60 acre field of rape stubble . Between these two fields running the length of both of them is a 2 foot high mound or bank separating the fields and is about 6 feet wide . About mid way along the bank is a large mature oak tree that has been a favourite sitty tree ever since I have shot the farms For over 40 years . The pigeons were flighting into the oak and then dropping onto the barley stubble one side and onto the rape the other side of the the tree . I watched them congregating for about an hour and estimated that at least 400 birds were interested in the two fields . This made my mind up to have a go at them the next day . Today I arrived at the field at about 10 -30 am to set up . I decided to set up about 30 yards from the oak tree . Having thought about it last evening I decided to set up so that I could shoot them flying Into the tree and on the barley stubble and the rape stubble . I set my hide along side the bank and put a dozen fuds on the barley and another dozen on the rape stubble . I set my magnet directly in front of my hide on the bank only 10 yards out from the hide. I was a good thirty yards from the tree and was shooting my beretta auto that I normally shoot with quarter choke over decoys . I choked the old girl up with half choke as I expected to be taking birds at 35 to 40 yards . I got into the hide and with in 5 minutes I had my first bird trying to get into the tree , raised the gun and killed it clean at about 40 yards . Then it started ,birds started to come from all points of the compass to get to the tree . I had one of the most enjoyable days pigeon shooting that I have had for a long time . Most of the birds I shot were birds that were going to the tree and a lot of them were very testing shots although some did decide to decoy straight onto the decoys . I finished up with 83 birds picked up ,2 magpies and 3 crows . I lost a few and missed a few . It pays to try different tactics to get amongst the birds . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Sound like an enjoyable day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 A great day and a good reward for your field craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Some of my more satisfying days sound similar to that which you've described. Good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul taylor Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Sounds like a well thought out set up and great result nice one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolphin Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 very good day mate well done atb dolphin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 well done mate sounds like a perfect day a single malt and curry with a good western to finish off and i think that would of been as good as it gets colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Well done Harnser that is the sort of situation I like , although I don't end up with that many but I know what enjoyment you had out of the day, far better than dropping in to decoys and more satisfying . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 sounds like you got the tactics just about right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 what is nice is when you go out not expecting a lot and then that happens.......i bet time flew ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted August 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 (edited) The thing that really pleased me was that I had got it right the first time . It happened because I had spent the time on a recce . I cannot emphasise how important it is for you novice shooters to try and do a recce before you shoot . I know how it is easy to go and set up when you see a number of birds on a field and after a couple of hours realise that you have got it wrong . We have all been there and done that . This particular set up would have been good experience for a novice shooter to learn a little about pigeons and their habits . Harnser Edited August 16, 2014 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Congratulations on a good day. I'm still a novice and continually set up without a good recce to then realise I am in the wrong place. But I hope to learn from my mistakes particularly as I spend such time learning where the flightlines are and where my hide should be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stugarford Posted August 16, 2014 Report Share Posted August 16, 2014 Sounds like you had a good day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Lovely old jorb Mick. I had nice day yestdee. A 68 from a bit further north. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted August 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Lovely old jorb Mick. I had nice day yestdee. A 68 from a bit further north. There's still plenty of birds on the rape stubble Nige . Andrew will be drilling rape as soon as they have finished the harvest . Looks like all saint faiths will be rape and Abby farm along the hard track to the left opposite the big field of rape that runs up to the pig sheds . Will let you and Ian know when it has been drilled Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Lovely old jorb Mick. I had nice day yestdee. A 68 from a bit further north. There's still plenty of birds on the rape stubble Nige . Andrew will be drilling rape as soon as they have finished the harvest . Looks like all saint faiths will be rape and Abby farm along the hard track to the left opposite the big field of rape that runs up to the pig sheds . Will let you and Ian know when it has been drilled Harnser Cheers for the head up. I've seen them working on the OSR stubble in the usual haunts but the wretched weather has only been fit for ducks when i've been about there. I'll let Ian know when he's back and perhaps we can have a look when then drilling starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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