Close season for pigeon

[anser2]

I suspect that there are odd honeypots for pigeons in Norfolk , the coastal strip along the North coast for one , but I no longer see the huge flocks of a decade ago. On my ground ( 7000 acres in mid north Norfolk ) I used to see a stream of flocks comming out of some of the larger areas of woods for 3-4 hours in the morning totaling 6-8000 pigeons morning after morning from November to late March. For the past few years its been in the hundreds and this year even hundreds would be an exceptional number. However on Sunday I was on the coast and did see several thousand all heading west with no sign of stopping to feed.

 

There may be something in the comment above about red kites taking pigeon squabs , I have seen the number of buzzards rocket in my area and they will take squabs too. However this needs to be looked at in context as the Norfolk population of buzzards is under a thousand and squabs are but a small part of their varied diet .

Edited March 3, 2015 by anser2

[aga man]

Personally i am not sure if pigeon numbers are up or down, there's always going to be regional variations in numbers due agricultural cropping and pigeon available food source.

I think it's fair to say that most people here who shoot woodpigeons regularly are also sportsmen and conservationists, and if ever pigeon numbers became under threat many would happily refrain from shooting them.

After all the world would be a miserable place without the woodpigeon.

 

One key thing we can all do to preserve local populations in the coming months is take out magpies and Carrion crows where ever possible.

[fenboy]

I would think that a great deal of the pigeons are getting sucked into the empty void that is left in the Birmingham area each weekend !

[Dunkield]

 

Numbers are definitely on the decline over the last 10 years or so, one of my farmer friends agrees and reckons it's due to the vast numbers of Red kites we now have in the area, taking the young birds.

 

Doubt it. We have one of the largest populations of kites down here, over 250 breeding pairs in one long valley, and thousands if not tens of thousands of wood pigeons.

From what I see kites are more interested in road kill than anything else.

[Catamong]

 

Doubt it. We have one of the largest populations of kites down here, over 250 breeding pairs in one long valley, and thousands if not tens of thousands of wood pigeons.

From what I see kites are more interested in road kill than anything else.

 

Yes, they're ten a penny around the High Wycombe / Watlington area of course, but unlike you I've got an open mind as to whether or not they are taking any young birds.

 

I haven't seen it personally, but that doesn't mean to say it's not happening.

 

I listen closely to what my Farmers friends say, they tend to know their own patch very well.

 

Cat.

[JDog]

I am sorry lakeside1000 but I have to disagree with you that pigeons are like 'rats with wings'. This statement does the wood pigeon a serious injustice.

[dougall]

I am sorry lakeside1000 but I have to disagree with you that pigeons are like 'rats with wings'. This statement does the wood pigeon a serious injustice.

+1

[motty]

An interesting topic.

I am seeing pigeons in large numbers in the areas I shoot. Last harvest there was a large percentage of birds in my bag that were youngsters, giving the impression of an extraordinary breeding year for pigeons. Obviously most of those youngsters will have not been shot, and that may be why I am seeing the numbers I am currently seeing. I predict that I will start shooting some good bags fairly soon.

[muncher]

An interesting topic.

I am seeing pigeons in large numbers in the areas I shoot. Last harvest there was a large percentage of birds in my bag that were youngsters, giving the impression of an extraordinary breeding year for pigeons. Obviously most of those youngsters will have not been shot, and that may be why I am seeing the numbers I am currently seeing. I predict that I will start shooting some good bags fairly soon.

And me I hope Edited March 3, 2015 by muncher

[pull2007]

I must confess that I have a self imposed close season for wood pigeons. It runs from midnight on 24th December to midnight on 25th December.

nice one mate

[smokeyoakey]

I must confess that I have a self imposed close season for wood pigeons. It runs from midnight on 24th December to midnight on 25th December.

+1

[Harnser]

I have been trying to out wit wood pigeons for the past 50 years or so . They are the most sporting birds of all the birds that you can shoot in this country ,bar non . To hear them reffered to as flying rats is a great travesty of injustice to a bird that has given me and many others many years of sport .

Harnser

[crowbuster1]

There a agricultural pest and there to be shot all year round. I don't stop shooting for nesting because they nest pretty much all year round. Flying rats. What's that about there clean nice birds

[Dunkield]

 

Yes, they're ten a penny around the High Wycombe / Watlington area of course, but unlike you I've got an open mind as to whether or not they are taking any young birds.

 

 

I spend hours and hours watching fields stalking with kites buzzing about all the while stalking I have never seen any evidence of them taking anything other than carrion.

The population here is such that they need to compete for all food, they can be seen fighting with crows regularly, but if game keepers on commercial shoots (who know their ground and spend just about every waking hour in the field) aren't bothered by them then its extremely unlikely they are taking young birds.

[Zapp]

Given that the birds are a serious agricultural pest, I wouldnt be an advocate of an official closed season, but by the same token I have no problem with people easing off at certain times of year - that is a matter for the farmer and the shooter. As long as both are happy then it really isnt for anyone else to thump their chests about it.

 

I do take issue though with the "winged rats" stuff. I absolutely hate it firstly because it is incorrect, secondly because it does a fine bird no justice at all and lastly because it's the sort of thing certain organisations love to hear from us as it hands them a negative stereotype of us as shooters on a silver platter.

[Catamong]

Given that the birds are a serious agricultural pest, I wouldnt be an advocate of an official closed season, but by the same token I have no problem with people easing off at certain times of year - that is a matter for the farmer and the shooter. As long as both are happy then it really isnt for anyone else to thump their chests about it.

 

I do take issue though with the "winged rats" stuff. I absolutely hate it firstly because it is incorrect, secondly because it does a fine bird no justice at all and lastly because it's the sort of thing certain organisations love to hear from us as it hands them a negative stereotype of us as shooters on a silver platter.

Well said Zapp

 

Cat

[Columba Grey]

Given that the birds are a serious agricultural pest, I wouldnt be an advocate of an official closed season, but by the same token I have no problem with people easing off at certain times of year - that is a matter for the farmer and the shooter. As long as both are happy then it really isnt for anyone else to thump their chests about it.

 

I do take issue though with the "winged rats" stuff. I absolutely hate it firstly because it is incorrect, secondly because it does a fine bird no justice at all and lastly because it's the sort of thing certain organisations love to hear from us as it hands them a negative stereotype of us as shooters on a silver platter.

Well put. I started this topic with a view to getting some solid opinion....I think I got what I was looking for! Edited March 4, 2015 by Columba Grey

[stuy]

I am sorry lakeside1000 but I have to disagree with you that pigeons are like 'rats with wings'. This statement does the wood pigeon a serious injustice.

to me also the woodpigeon is the ultimate sporting bird and deserves respect, as for closed season if they are doing damage and you get the call peas etc... if you dont turn up you can bet someone else will

[pigeon controller]

to me also the woodpigeon is the ultimate sporting bird and deserves respect, as for closed season if they are doing damage and you get the call peas etc... if you dont turn up you can bet someone else will

+1

[lakeside1000]

I seem to have set a 'rat ' among the pigeons, I withdraw my insensitive comment ,I think it was born out of frustration at having no birds to shoot at, last four outings has resulted in 1 down, I think they have all abandoned my sinking ship, now I have that sinking feeling myself, Im not used to being on the receiving end of so much disdain, so I make a tactical withdrawal ,abiento mes amis

[Fisherman Mike]

 

What a load of tosh..?

 

Are they seriously suggesting that a flock of 500 birds feeding on a field 10 years ago would now number around 850..?

 

Are they also seriously suggesting that more Autumn drillings lead to more pigeons being born, during the Autumn period when natural food on stubbles etc is at it's most abundant..?

 

Do they seriously believe that Oil Seed rape has only had an influence on pigeon feeding patterns for the last 10 years...?.um hello.??.where have you been..?? the birds around here have been feeding on it since the early 70's..?

 

The only bit they've got right is that more birds are being recorded in peoples back gardens, that's a definite change in their behaviour.

 

The fact is that in these parts, numbers have been in steady decline, I base my opinion on over 40 years experience of shooting pigeons, not numbers recorded in suburbia via a dubious BTO survey by schoolboy twitchers gazing out of their bedroom windows, who couldn't tell the difference between a Wood Pigeon and a Racer.

 

We've had a couple of hard Winters over the last 10 years, with prolonged snow cover, birds numbers dropped significantly on both occasions, they left for God knows where, and a lot never came back, fact.

 

Cat.

Beg to differ in fact..... that information is compiled from the BTO BBS from a nationally surveyed database of over 3600 squares surveyed by expert amateurs in the field ( not the bedroom) like myself who can tell a jack Snipe from a Snipe and a Stock Dove from a Wood Pigeon. It is extremely accurate. Undoubtedly OSR is the major factor in the burgeoning wood pigeon population.

 

I suggest you get out more and have a look around I saw a field near Potters Bar only a week ago that had 7- 800,s of Pigeons flighting into it from a near by copse. Another farmer friend from near Ware rings me every month and says "when you going to come down and shoot some of these pigeons"

 

Red Kites pose no threat to Wood Pigeons...they are scavengers and incapable of taking down an adult WP. Might rob the odd nest but no more so than your average grey squirrel, magpie, jackdaw or crow.

 

I hate to contradict Blunderbuss also but peak breeding season is generally Harvest time July/August/September.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Fisherman Mike

[Penelope]

I'd be more than willing to help your farmer friend at Ware out FM. Not far from me at all.

 

Written partly in jest.

 

Beg to differ in fact..... that information is compiled from the BTO BBS from a nationally surveyed database of over 3600 squares surveyed by expert amateurs in the field ( not the bedroom) like myself who can tell a jack Snipe from a Snipe and a Stock Dove from a Wood Pigeon. It is extremely accurate. Undoubtedly OSR is the major factor in the burgeoning wood pigeon population.

 

I suggest you get out more and have a look around I saw a field near Potters Bar only a week ago that had 7- 800,s of Pigeons flighting into it from a near by copse. Another farmer friend from near Ware rings me every month and says "when you going to come down and shoot some of these pigeons"

 

Red Kites pose no threat to Wood Pigeons...they are scavengers and incapable of taking down an adult WP. Might rob the odd nest but no more so than your average grey squirrel, magpie, jackdaw or crow.

 

I hate to contradict Blunderbuss also but peak breeding season is generally Harvest time July/August/September.

[steve w]

I stop shooting after the last drilling has finished and start again on the first laid barley normally but one year we had some spring sown rape and I had a two or three days on that .but last Aug. I started a 7 on 7 off shift at work so we will have to see what this year holds in store I could easy get bored with DIY and gardening and go shooting .

[Catamong]

Beg to differ in fact..... that information is compiled from the BTO BBS from a nationally surveyed database of over 3600 squares surveyed by expert amateurs in the field ( not the bedroom) like myself who can tell a jack Snipe from a Snipe and a Stock Dove from a Wood Pigeon. It is extremely accurate. Undoubtedly OSR is the major factor in the burgeoning wood pigeon population.

 

I suggest you get out more and have a look around I saw a field near Potters Bar only a week ago that had 7- 800,s of Pigeons flighting into it from a near by copse. Another farmer friend from near Ware rings me every month and says "when you going to come down and shoot some of these pigeons"

 

Red Kites pose no threat to Wood Pigeons...they are scavengers and incapable of taking down an adult WP. Might rob the odd nest but no more so than your average grey squirrel, magpie, jackdaw or crow.

 

I hate to contradict Blunderbuss also but peak breeding season is generally Harvest time July/August/September.

Pity you didn't read my post, I never said that Kites will take adult Woodies, but they may be taking chicks off nests, who knows..?

 

As for getting out more, I spend many hours doing recce's for pigeons, there may be plenty of birds around Potters Bar, fortunately I have more than enough land and don't need to travel that far.

 

Cat.

[kitchrat]

I'd be more than willing to help your farmer friend at Ware out FM. Not far from me at all.

 

Written partly in jest.

 

Me too, 5 miles away -not in jest!!