dad Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 our rape was cut wed night my mate went for a look thursday early afternoon phoned me at work said birds coming from all directions about a 1000 feeding over 3 small fields said i wont shoot it i will wait for you friday we arrived 10am and watched for 1 1/2 hours only saw a dozen then started raining heavy all day went back at 5pm still raining about 150 birds there came back saturday 10.30 watched for an hour just a dozen local birds came back in afternoon 150 again same thing sunday poured with rain again no birds. back to work monday my mate shot 77 said they were every where he got another 50 tuesday typical i had a 3 day pass from the wife too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 Or you could ask...where do they all come from, as many folks only see low numbers leading up to harvest and then a swarm hitting one field. Last year I saw at least 500 feeding on one rape field after it had been disced, decided to go the next day and never bothered setting up as hardly a bird in sight...and they never did return. Found similar number a couple of days later on another field but they moved on again within a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 That's part of the beauty of pigeon shooting. Being in the right place at the right time is extremely satisfying. I'm sure I've had many a good day, when if i'd been there a day either side the result would have been nowhere near as good. On the flip side of this, i'm sure I've missed out on good opportunities by being a day late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 Yes, 'where do they all come from?' would be the question not the converse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 Yes, 'where do they all come from?' would be the question not the converse. they come from eggs donecha-know...!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 It often only takes another field to be cut nearer to the roosting woods or a change in wind direction for birds to end up elsewhere If that particular field is left undisturbed then even more the chance they will stay there until it is expended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lg1 Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 My observations over harvest or right at the start as it my be has shown me that the birds don't disapear in woods etc they simply thin out into smaller pockets spread across several feeding areas! Smaller groups of 50/100 are easily hidden among standing crops just out of sight.. Also at times, lucky for them they find a feild that's not easy to reccy, this I think creates the biggest illusion of all! Fields that are inbetween feild's so to speak, several fields back from any roads and well out of sight.. I'v found this lots of times and when you do the place is generally blue over, thing is without grabbing the dog and been super inquisitive you just don't see them.. They make there way to these fields from all the other little feeding spots in twos and threes so at times it's not easy to spot. When they disappear round my area I'll see a couple of birds and actually chase them in the motor! I go as far as I can with that then wait for the next 2... So on and so forth! At times you get lucky when close enough if the flock spooks and mills around in the air for a few moments giving away there position before quickly dropping back in, all I can see is there defo there! You just have to put the extra mile in sometimes... Thankfully I love this part so it's no real chor lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dad Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 It often only takes another field to be cut nearer to the roosting woods or a change in wind direction for birds to end up elsewhere If that particular field is left undisturbed then even more the chance they will stay there until it is expended. i think you might be right on both counts there was another field cut very close to one of the roost woods on the thursday afternoon but i thought because they had already found ours only 3/4 mile away they would return, as for the wind we went to another farm eventually saturday afternoon about 150 acres of cut rape with loads of birds coming to it and we shot 55 between us couldnt really get in the right places wind n/west went back again sunday wind s/west and raining the birds didnt show. should have set up in the middle been shooting for years never done it ,lack of confidance got any tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 i think you might be right on both counts there was another field cut very close to one of the roost woods on the thursday afternoon but i thought because they had already found ours only 3/4 mile away they would return, as for the wind we went to another farm eventually saturday afternoon about 150 acres of cut rape with loads of birds coming to it and we shot 55 between us couldnt really get in the right places wind n/west went back again sunday wind s/west and raining the birds didnt show. should have set up in the middle been shooting for years never done it ,lack of confidance got any tips. Set up any where the bird's are if in the middle try a roll of reed screen round the hide makes it look like a bale. works well light to carry cheap to buy, been yousing mine now for 2 seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longstrider Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 I know where they all go. Straight onto the first field over the permission boundary where they can feed at leisure and taunt you all ruddy day long by sitting in full view but completely untouchable. (Or is that just for me ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) That's part of the beauty of pigeon shooting. Being in the right place at the right time is extremely satisfying. I'm sure I've had many a good day, when if i'd been there a day either side the result would have been nowhere near as good. On the flip side of this, i'm sure I've missed out on good opportunities by being a day late. the number of times that has happened to me....and very recently too..............i never learn.. EDIT..............(and a bloody day too early... ) EDIT..............aaannd the wrong damn day........ just about sums my life up !! Edited July 31, 2015 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 don't you fret ditchman we are all in the same boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 i think you might be right on both counts there was another field cut very close to one of the roost woods on the thursday afternoon but i thought because they had already found ours only 3/4 mile away they would return, as for the wind we went to another farm eventually saturday afternoon about 150 acres of cut rape with loads of birds coming to it and we shot 55 between us couldnt really get in the right places wind n/west went back again sunday wind s/west and raining the birds didnt show. should have set up in the middle been shooting for years never done it ,lack of confidance got any tips. It is very simple to set up in the middle of a field. Just set your hide up to surround you, and put out your decoys as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Or you could ask...where do they all come from, as many folks only see low numbers leading up to harvest and then a swarm hitting one field. Last year I saw at least 500 feeding on one rape field after it had been disced, decided to go the next day and never bothered setting up as hardly a bird in sight...and they never did return. Found similar number a couple of days later on another field but they moved on again within a day. Or you could ask where do all the pigeons shooters come from? Only seen one other all year and now the rape is harvested seen 4 others in 2 days!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dad Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Or you could ask where do all the pigeons shooters come from? Only seen one other all year and now the rape is harvested seen 4 others in 2 days!! funny you should say that, i have sat on rape all winter for 10 or 15 alone wishing there was others about to keep em on the move then come the bean drilling and rape cutting and you have to go out first light to make sure your not beaten to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dad Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 by the way sam thanks for the time spent explaining about posting pictures i think its beyond my skill level only just mastered texting.. stopped in shropshire on way back from n/wales couple years ago to make a cuppa with missus by a part cut rape field with woods every where it looked great pigeon country thiis was early september all our rape was finished 3 weeks before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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