ShropshireSam Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 Watching the weather this week and decided to take a day off yesterday as some good windy conditions (ca. 20 mph). Have been watching several rape fields but numbers not looking too good. Most rape is growing quickly in height, and much of most fields is too high for the pigeons now. Then happened to see a strong flightline disappearing over a hedge into a rape field on Tuesday. I have watched this field when passing but not seen any activity. What I had not seen is that one headland of the field not visible from the road has been hit by pigeons and is notable stunted. With a strong side-on wind I found a holly bush in a bend in the hedge to give me some shelter. Set up the pattern about 20 yards out and about 10 yards to my right (wind right to left). Set up by 8 am with a magnet and 20 half-shelled decoys and no pigeons for first 15 minutes. Put a shot in air and still nothing. Considered moving to another field but then had a single bird come in and then soon had a steady stream of pigeons. Once I had a few pigeons put one on a flapper and another 5 as angels with wing spreaders so they wer visible above the rape and moved well in the wind. But a bouncer out but this appeared to distract some incoming birds so pulled that back in. Traffic was a bit stop start but enough to want to stay. Probably busiest 9-11, then slowed with a bit more traffic about 2pm, slowed to a trickle and packed up at 4 pm. Lots of pigeons moving as singles, twos or threes. Had a couple of flocks of about 20. Most birds decoyed really well, came along hedge to left and as they came over the bend in the hedge they followed a straight flightline into the decoys. Those coming from the right whizzed overhead in the wind then curled tight into the pattern. Great to see...and great when they decoy as you planned and you can take the shot as planned. Plenty of easy shots but plenty of good sport with the second shot of a double. Shot 79 (from 145 cartridges) and picked 80 including one that was found below a tree out of sight behind me. Dog did an excellent job to find so many that would be lost otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 A good day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prem1234 Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 Sounds like a good day.....well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 Sound like a brilliant day, and a better bag than i shot over rape yesterday. That wind was a chilly one! Well done on picking the shot birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 Isn't it wonderful when birds decoy that well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted April 2, 2015 Report Share Posted April 2, 2015 An excellent result. I've found some birds have gone back on the rape fields, after a brief departure on the fresh drillings. I have a good (hopefully) situation lined up for Saturday. The flocks have now noticeably broken up, so there should be more reports like yours in the coming weeks, Sam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 Great result after some good Intel , you had confidence that they would return and they did. Good write up, well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barley Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 well done mate good result sounds like a great day. better than mine yesterday 3 hours over rape for 4 pigeons and 1 big crow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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