JDog Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) Well I did find the destination of the hundreds of pigeons which I saw yesterday. The bad news was that they were going into beech woods on a shooting estate, the good news was that they were using a flight line over a wood and then a strip of woodland on the adjacent estate which I can shoot anytime. Sometimes even some of the buffoons who post on pigeon watch get lucky and have a really good day. Most of us have to work at it and not many succeed on a regular basis. I had a day in September when birds flighted very late in the afternoon and without decoys or a hide I shot over the magical three figures. That to me was almost the pinnacle of my pigeon shooting career. Today was on a smaller scale but it was right up there with the best outings I have had. The pigeons had left their roosting woods between 7:15 and 8:30 this morning and had headed off to the beech mast. By 11:30 some were returning and I could see decent numbers as I drove past. I was back in the wood over which they were flighting at some height by 12:45. These were really testing pigeons. None were below 30m and many were 90 to 100m up heading into the distance. I had to pick and choose my shots, the first five of which were misses. It was not possible to use my tried and tested system of 'up, mount bang' as advocated by PC but I had to give the birds a lot of lead, and by a lot I mean three to six metres at times. In an hour and a quarter I used all of the cartridges in my bag and I have no shame in admitting that I used fifty cartridges for ten birds. I would have liked to have seen some of the hot shots on PW, especially those who can regularly shoot 'sixty yarders' have a go at these birds. I doubt that they would have done any better. Edit. A word about Jasper who sat rock steady whilst I was shooting. If a bird fell within sight I made him stay for up to five minutes before asking him to retrieve it. If a bird fell too far away to see and I knew that he had marked it by the sound of it crashing through the trees I sent him slightly quicker. I have been very lucky indeed with my first spaniel. All of the crops were full of beech mast. This one had a tiny bit of clover in it too. Edited November 19, 2014 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveyg Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 quality session,they must have been challenging shots for you to have that ratio. Great pic and as usual...quality right up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 thank god there is someone else...who is cartridge rich and bird poor on occasion !!..............i have never shot a feeding frenzy on beech mast..........got no damn beech trees greedy whatsits anrnt they...............it must be the "crack cocain" of the pigeon world............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Great write up JD, good to here you are getting on them. There is nothing worse than seeing them head off to ground you cannot shoot. I have seen a couple of rape fields today that are starting to build up with birds, the problem is we have to many rape fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I am sure they must have been very sporting birds for you to end up on that sort of ratio , I cannot afford to waste so many cartridges so would have gone home after three misses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I walked through a beech wood near me the other morning stalking. I am used to seeing pigeons about in their hundreds the area is renowned for it, but I have never seen numbers like this, literally thousands lifting off the woodland floor. If I hadn't been stood there gobsmacked I would have tried the video it, if it happens again i'll give it a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Nice write up JD.....only the odd beach tree this end so I won't get any of that type of shooting.... Jasper has the edge on steadiness over Chip.....lol TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat bloke Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Enjoyed reading that one. Top work and a treat to hear about Jasper. Regards. Fatty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Great result , good job and well done Jasper . The ones you missed did they fly north bye any chance????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Many others will be paying good money to shoot similar shot/kill ratios on driven gamebirds at the minute. I know which i would rather be shooting Pigeons hard on mast here too at present and hawthorn berrys and ivy berries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Well I did find the destination of the hundreds of pigeons which I saw yesterday. The bad news was that they were going into beech woods on a shooting estate, the good news was that they were using a flight line over a wood and then a strip of woodland on the adjacent estate which I can shoot anytime. Sometimes even some of the buffoons who post on pigeon watch get lucky and have a really good day. Most of us have to work at it and not many succeed on a regular basis. I had a day in September when birds flighted very late in the afternoon and without decoys or a hide I shot over the magical three figures. That to me was almost the pinnacle of my pigeon shooting career. Today was on a smaller scale but it was right up there with the best outings I have had. The pigeons had left their roosting woods between 7:15 and 8:30 this morning and had headed off to the beech mast. By 11:30 some were returning and I could see decent numbers as I drove past. I was back in the wood over which they were flighting at some height by 12:45. These were really testing pigeons. None were below 30m and many were 90 to 100m up heading into the distance. I had to pick and choose my shots, the first five of which were misses. It was not possible to use my tried and tested system of 'up, mount bang' as advocated by PC but I had to give the birds a lot of lead, and by a lot I mean three to six metres at times. In an hour and a quarter I used all of the cartridges in my bag and I have no shame in admitting that I used fifty cartridges for ten birds. I would have liked to have seen some of the hot shots on PW, especially those who can regularly shoot 'sixty yarders' have a go at these birds. I doubt that they would have done any better. Edit. A word about Jasper who sat rock steady whilst I was shooting. If a bird fell within sight I made him stay for up to five minutes before asking him to retrieve it. If a bird fell too far away to see and I knew that he had marked it by the sound of it crashing through the trees I sent him slightly quicker. I have been very lucky indeed with my first spaniel. All of the crops were full of beech mast. This one had a tiny bit of clover in it too. sounds like a quality session but I,m going to be honest I wouldn,t be too sure about that there will a few who will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 nice write up jd wish I could av been with you,am sure I would have missed that many as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Cartridge count is often over rated, an ego thing very often. You had fun man, used the time wisely with your dog, in the woods, at peace and getting an aching neck probably, you crack on :-) U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 That sounds like the finest of shooting sport,certainly the most testing there is imho. I bet you were over the moon with your spaniels work too ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 The best of sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b325 Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 As you already know JDog that session flighline shooting pigeons was worth a hundred times more than any day decoying.Fair play for telling us your cartridge to kill ratio that shows to me you had some quality sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pestcontrol1 Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Great right up jdog i can shoot along side anyone in the hide or duck goose or driven but i would sooner rather shoot high sporting birds and have a shot ratio of 5 or 6 -1 than be shooting 2-1 or less over decoys its always them high ones that stick in your mind and make the day even more memorble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 (edited) Cart ratios are great if your tight or can't spend much on your sport and need the birds to help fund it.For me it's the pleasure I get from shooting that counts. Know a fair few who only take a shot knowing they will hit it nine times out of ten. I've been out with my mate and both of us shot around fifty carts for ten or so high flighted birds. Had a great time and some fantastic shots. I regularly shoot long birds be it game or clays and sod the carts, you get a big smile when you connect. We both had a laugh at the pockets stuffed with empties back at the motors. Well done and good honest write up. Figgy Edited November 25, 2014 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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