Best time of day

[born_2_kill]

Going to have a walk round a few hundred acres Sunday and hopefully shoot some pigeons, no hide or decoys just good old fashioned walk point and shoot.

However Ive been trying this before, same bit of land at 8am in the morning and just today around 2pm in the afternoon, and whole time I spent out there apart from 3 monkjacks jumping out and scaring the **** out of me I was the only thing that moved.

 

Ive pritty much got the flight lines pegged from previous walk arounds but im always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

Whats the best time of day to get maximum results in these summers weeks?

 

Many thanks for your help.

[Lg1]

Hi mate,

 

often there can be several flight lines that the birds may use from one feeding place to another, this probably will be dictated by what feild's are offering what food source at that given time! My feeling here is the birds you once saw were using a smaller subsidgery line which took them to or over your permission for a time, now there feeding area has changed so there just taking a differnt route..

 

If you take time to study the area you will have a good chance of finding the main flight line they are using wich will give you a better idea of what they are doing and were they are heading, these main lines are better sighted at first light or just before dusk when the birds are going to home to roost! I don't think your simply going at the wrong time as even if you are not catching them coming in to your fields its obvious that field isn't holding them either, that's because they have found a better table than yours.

 

Unfortunately without been rood I don't think you have things pegged down as much as you think you did, try looking around to see were else there heading and then that will be another Flightline you will no, over time you can piece the jigsaw together with these smaller lines and also find the main flight lines! From that point on it makes life much easier to pin them down and hopefully get a good chance on them...

 

Good luck👍

[born_2_kill]

Thanks for the reply, they probably are going easy where, the field I shoot currently has corn which isn't doing so well, the other field is grassed both with big woodlands at each end, the neighbouring fields are all wheat one of which was being cut the other day when I was down there. Probably didn't stand much of a chance. Wish my field where more interesting to them :-(

[Lg1]

You know the answer don't you lol!

 

More Permission More Chances👍

 

It will swing your way soon enough

[born_2_kill]

Made 20 phone calls to local farms the other day and didn't even come close, really need more permissions, local pigeon watch members aren't interested in sharing either :-(

[Lg1]

Shooting can be a funny thing mate, maybe it's not that people don't want to help but there's only so Much space on any field and so many birds that are there to shoot...

 

I'm sure I can help you get more permistion though,, firstly ditch the phone approach! It's the worst possible start, think about it... Your cold calling a farmer who dose not know you and asking to roam his land with a gun! Hell your not even giving the guy chance to look you in the face... When you think about it logically would you entertain this ?

 

You need to start working a bit smarter mate,, this means knocking them farm doors! Before you do this make sure your well turned out and looking smart pal, first impressions kill. Another good tip in gaining permission is do you homework, find the fields were the birds are visible and hitting the field! Pointing this out to the farmer will increase your chances twice fold..

 

Be polite and let the guy know you have been observing the birds hitting his crop for days and you were hoping he would be kind enough to let you have the afternoon to move a few on and box some up for your tea, often asking for just a day or an afternoon shooting is a good start and better than asking for outright permission. When you get the nod, go and do a good job and make sure at the end of the shoot you go back and thank the farmer! Let him know how much you have enjoyed your afternoon and offer some pigeon to him, they never take them for some reason lol.. That's your little rapport going with the guy and I'll bet he will let you back next time...

 

Right... So let's look at things from a differnt angle! You done all the above but never got the nod to shoot.. There's one thing you need to do here, make sure before you leave you get his name... Make sure you do this!!!!!!!

 

Ok so you never got the permission this time but you did get one great thing,,, his name! It's time for a bit of toung and cheek lol! Go to the next farm and talk with that farmer, let him know you have just been next door having an ald chin wag with Bob Smith next farm down about the amount of birds pestering his farm! Also that you have noticed them crossing this new guys land a getting at his crops also... You talk like you know Bob very well lol, at this point you just ask the new farmer that while your out and about thining the birds out can you keep an eye on his field aswell ?

 

Honest this works a treat... The guy thinks you know Bob well and are keeping the birds down for him which gives him confidence to let you do the same for him 😂😂

 

Now look! You haven't told any lies, you never said you actually shot for Bob or new him well! You simply give the impression that you did... No harm done really lol.. This approach will get you land to shoot I'll gauntee it👍

 

Set aside a day and repeate this until it works, you will get land that day I'll bet you... It's easy!!! Go get it done and let me know when you have picked up your new patch of fun lol...

[born_2_kill]

Although you make it sound simple it's very good advice, will try it out to the letter in a couple of weekends time, I'll report back to how I've got on!

 

Thanks again for your post.

[ShropshireSam]

It really helps if you are local and get to know the local farmers. Drinking as a regular in a good country pub with a good landlord will help you get to know some local farmers.

 

I wouldn't ask during harvest as may well be working long hours and stressed and pigeons not doing any damage (and your asking if you can go and have some fun whilst he's running round trying to get the harvest in!).

 

Best time to ask is when you see pigeons doing damage to a standing crop. Once you get a permission build up a relationship with the farmer by showing willing to shoot all year round, offer to do some other pest control....crows, rats , ferals, and not just pigeon shooting after harvest, and then you can ask his neighbours the following year, mentioning you shoot on his land. I asked a farmer if I could shoot pigeons that were hitting his rape in early spring and mentioned I shot on his neighbours. He told me to wait while he made a call, came back out and said no problem, he'd called his neighbour who had verified I was "a sound bloke". I have spread out from one original permission to seven of about 3000 acres, all neighbouring one another and all within about 3 miles of home....makes life a lot easier as I can do a quick reccy over all the permissions in a couple of hours.