pigeons on peas

[motty]

 

Of course there is , its the crop that the pigeon are pouring into from all directions on the day you go shooting !

I had quite a few pea fields last year , but I would say I shot more on beans and rape all told.

Precisely.

Some years I had up to 1500 acres of peas to shoot over. Some fields were totally ignored and others would show just a few birds. There were occasions when big bags could be had (and were), but I have had no better success on peas than some other crops.

[stoxs]

I guess the increase in rape in the last 15 years is more local than i thought then. Yes rape has been grown for years but Oil seed became more popular when set aside was introduced in the early 90`s it was one of a handful of crops that could be grown on set aside but had to be used for bio fuel. since then the area has held steady due to plant breeders creating shorter varieties and also greater yields.

 

vining Peas were quiet a specialist crop in this area around 20 years ago so we were fortunate enough to have 2 or 3 fields every year and always produced consistant shooting. Few other farms grew marrow fat peas but these never seam to be quiet as popular to a pigeon as the viners.

 

Spring rape can be very intesting as well , nearly lost a whole field many years ago. just couldn`t keep them off.

 

Its the one occasion that i know of that 100+ had been shot form the same hide in following days. Luckly i can claim one of those days!

[camojohn]

Peas are showing, but no pigeons, and on the rape fields they dont want to be decoyed. I think my best days last year were on bean stubble.