Cosd Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Desperate to get out my shooting buddy was out at 04:30 this morning and drove round every permission to see if there was anything laid. Couldn't find a single patch. He popped in to see the farmer later in the morning to catch up and ask about harvest, and ours is around 3-4 weeks away. Whilst there the farmer told him about birds in the area and asked if we could shoot the wheat. Of course we obliged Driving round one of the big fields we could see loads of birds everywhere. We chose two spots to try and bounce the birds and off we went. My position seemed decent with birds feeding and what looked like a decent flight line, but was soon apparent that it wasn't. I drove round and eventually ended up in my buddies hide. I thought I'd got away with setting up to his left, that way he gets the cartridges thrown in his direction (we both use semi's), but he cottoned on and told me to do one . So I ended up on his right side dodging the flying carts. The birds decoyed well for a while and then became more hesitant. Mark started with two magnets but they wasn't keen so took one down which seemed to do the trick. The birds decoyed well for a while, it was never frantic but it was steady. As the birds became more decoy shy the shots became more challenging. Some good banter and decent sport was had finishing on 86. We picked 52 and my mate will return tomorrow with another friend and his dog to try and pick some more. Haven't shot for weeks, this was a great taster hopefully for what's looming. Loads of birds in the area and harvest is looking promisingly good. Cos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaunda Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 If you had that many down and picked 50 odd plus following days pick-up with two men and a dog plus the setting up of two magents and decoys,I'm rather surprised there is any wheat still standing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 If you had that many down and picked 50 odd plus following days pick-up with two men and a dog plus the setting up of two magents and decoys,I'm rather surprised there is any wheat still standing. You know what they say about presumption !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingmachine Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 you did what the farmer asked long as hes happy well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 If you had that many down and picked 50 odd plus following days pick-up with two men and a dog plus the setting up of two magents and decoys,I'm rather surprised there is any wheat still standing. You can walk, with care, through standing wheat and hardly even see a track left, let alone do any damage. As I said in another post, when I worked on a farm as a kid, we would walk through the crop to pull up wild oats plants and never leave a track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Well done Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 If you had that many down and picked 50 odd plus following days pick-up with two men and a dog plus the setting up of two magents and decoys,I'm rather surprised there is any wheat still standing. You really think the amount trampled down during a sessions pigeon shooting will affect the harvest that much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lg1 Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Dropping a bird in standing barly is like flicking a marble under the sofa as a kid.... They just seem to disapear! Done well to pick 52, It's a no brainer that crop will have been trampled but hey these modern machines don't miss a trick these days, I'm sure the farmer will get that lot scooped up. I think maybe people sometimes Overlook the ability of todays machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted July 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) Dropping a bird in standing barly is like flicking a marble under the sofa as a kid.... They just seem to disapear! Done well to pick 52, It's a no brainer that crop will have been trampled but hey these modern machines don't miss a trick these days, I'm sure the farmer will get that lot scooped up. I think maybe people sometimes Overlook the ability of todays machines.Some common sense at last!Thanks to others with a positive comment. This was a 250+acre field, we set up where the tractor turned. There was a wide enough patch to set both rotarys and decoys. Yes we walked through it at times, but you don't trample over it you work through it. I can't see the amount of damage we caused, ie crop which cannot be used, making a dent on that field. Most importantly, the farmer asked us to!! I can't remember the last post where a shooter walked away on moral grounds when their farmer asked them to do some crop protection. Edited July 9, 2015 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Happy days I had fifteen yesterday before hitting the rabbits, so no records, in a little corner where the sprayer turns, plenty of room to walk up the tramlines and put in bouncers, room for the whirlie and at the bunnies must have made some holes early on so room for the dog to have a look too. Happy couple of hours on standing wheat with very little damage! made the peas seem easy though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 10, 2015 Report Share Posted July 10, 2015 You really think the amount trampled down during a sessions pigeon shooting will affect the harvest that much? No I don't Dave , and all the laid fields of cereals I have shot in my time ( which must be in the low 100s ) I have yet to hear a farmer mention anything about any damaged caused where I have been shooting. Last year on some winter barley fields I go on , the wind and rain really knocked it down to the extent where there was more laid than standing , and just to add to the problem there was half a dozen Red Deer that more or less made it there home , but like one of the other posts said , once the combine went on it lifted the laid areas with very little problems . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted July 11, 2015 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 Sounds a great and productive session and you made the farmer happy . With regard to walking through crops this can be done it care is taken and the farmer was happy for you to be there. Great result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hifly Posted July 12, 2015 Report Share Posted July 12, 2015 the machines we have and use will pick up anything now a days, how do some people think we pick up laid barley that has been flattened by rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banger123 Posted July 12, 2015 Report Share Posted July 12, 2015 Had a couple of hours on the wheat yesterday some decoyed well but soon died off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Shot some standing wheat on Friday afternoon. Plenty of birds around but most did not return and few decoyed well (someone else had shot earlier in week). Finished with 11 picked from 12 shot. Left the dog to do the picking up and he left no tracks in the standing wheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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