ShropshireSam Posted August 3, 2015 Report Share Posted August 3, 2015 (edited) Been out regular watching to see which fields have been cut. Most have started on rape last week or weekend. Most promising field had been cut on Thursday and had about 150 on it yesterday so took day off and set up by 9AM....and only saw a small flight line passing me by. Packed up after 4 birds in about 30 mins and had a drive round....nothing better and ended back in same field but on top of hill so I could see where the birds were. Shot a few more but could see many birds passing by to a neighbours field...then saw a flock of 100s lift of another field a field further away. Popped over to see two farm labourers to see whose land it was. Turned out the land is farmed by a big farm I have shot on other land previously. Thankfully I had previously shot some rape over winter and spring and kept an eye on their gas guns ... so hoped they would let me on this other farm. Made a call to the guy responsible for pigeon control....he said OK to go but he had shot that farm yesterday. Had two fields to choose....watched both from a vantage point and quickly choose one. Drove round the field and it was full of pigeons....over a 1000 I reckon. Struggled to get them off the field as they just moved round to another side of the field. Put a couple of shots in the air but still had 300 in one corner of the field. Set up against a telegraph pole with some rape around it in the middle of the field. Desert camo blended in really well. Had a magnet and about 4 dead birds either side. Birds came whizzing in mainly from behind me. Had a good breeze and birds swung round in front of hide. Made for some good sport. Set up by 1pm and slowed by 7 pm backed up at 7:30. First two hours were very busy with birds coming in about every 15 seconds. Built pattern upto about 10 dead birds either side of magnet. Repeatedly had to go and collect dead birds as routinely 2 or 3 on their backs and birds flaring off. Finished with 219 picked (a PB) on my first outing on stubble this year. Both me and the dog are knackered but well worth it. So went from a morning when I thought I had wasted a day off to a day to remember. Hopefully may be able to get this land as a regular permission if I offer to help control pigeons year round. the bag from back of hide...used camo nets to keep the pigeons hidden Edited August 3, 2015 by ShropshireSam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbw1shrops Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Well done Sam an exceptionally brilliant bag of pigeons mate i should be out in the morn (tues) let you know how I get on there's a few on the rape stubble but don't think I will achieve that kinda bag lol the dog looks wacked 👍 FairPlay mate pleased for you Atvb Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Well done, a excellent bag . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty* Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Well done mate a brilliant bag, it all came good in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveyg Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 quality result,nice one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Well done. I enjoy your reports. You have well and truly shaken off your novice tag now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Well done. I enjoy your reports. You have well and truly shaken off your novice tag now. Thanks JDog - but still a novice mistake to set up quickly instead of watching to see what activity was going on. I would have been better sitting in the truck and just watching the flightlines from the hilltop. I would have probably been on the neighbours field an hour or two earlier....may have had 300?? (although would have had to go home for more carts as finished with 60 cartridges spare....only took 400 - another novice mistake??). But most satisfying is that I think I got access to shoot this field based on helping out the guy previously. They had two remote rape fields next to my permission 2 years ago and I offered to shoot pigeons and keep an eye on gas guns....even charged gas gun battery up overnight for him. Fields were hit hard and I had some good sport in spring and after harvest but it was doing him a favour. Unfortunately this land is now rented to a dairy farmer and has had grass and maize on since and not seen many pigeon on it since. Will see if I can "help" on the farm I shot yesterday...busiest flightline I have ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingmachine Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 brilliant days shooting once again well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 I thought dairy farmers were struggling with the price of milk ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 I thought dairy farmers were struggling with the price of milk ? He maybe now but not 2 years ago when this land came up for rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Sounds like you deserved the sport you had. You've beaten my personal best of 202 in a hide on my own. Great stuff! One thing to remember, at 9 o'clock in the morning at this time of year, chances are that it may be very quiet on an otherwise promising field. I hope to be out at around 9 tomorrow morning. I won't worry if there isn't much on my field at that time. Have you look back at your original field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dad Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 well done one you will allways rember. interested in your hide set up i never venture into middle of fields worry about standing out, probably why my pb is so low, were you standing all day dont look like you had much room how many hide poles did you use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Well done that man, some mighty fine shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) well done one you will allways rember. interested in your hide set up i never venture into middle of fields worry about standing out, probably why my pb is so low, were you standing all day dont look like you had much room how many hide poles did you use With a good wind behind me (15 mph with 25 mph gusts) I had little shelter from the electric pole so had a very narrow hide with two canes at back strapped to the electric pole and two hide poles either side and one out in front. Used two stealth nets covered with desert camo. The desert camo really blended well with the rape left round the pole. I was sat on a high seat with back of hide high up and front of hide below head height...shot mainly from seated position. Prefer to watch above netting and make sure head is in shade and wear a face mask...and try to keep still! Photo from front. Edited August 5, 2015 by ShropshireSam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Sounds like you deserved the sport you had. You've beaten my personal best of 202 in a hide on my own. Great stuff! One thing to remember, at 9 o'clock in the morning at this time of year, chances are that it may be very quiet on an otherwise promising field. I hope to be out at around 9 tomorrow morning. I won't worry if there isn't much on my field at that time. Have you look back at your original field? No not yet Motty. I had another day off and a quick look round this morning at 8 AM. Field I shot on Monday had about 300 on so asked and got permission to return there. I had to be dropped off and picked up again as wife needed the truck so had to commit to a field and stay there. Set up by 10AM and traffic steady all day. Many birds high on flight line and not drawn to pattern and saw another flightline in the distance with a lot of traffic ....will check where they were going tomorrow....I think it will be another recently cut rape field on another permission. Had a steady day and packed up at 5PM with 60 picked. It was nice not to be so hectic as Monday and have time to tinker with the pattern and generally relax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Great bag and report Sam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Great report and result , well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dad Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 thanks for the pics sam how do you post pictures if you have the time to explain. sorry to be a div but not sure what you meant about the canes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningB525 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I thought dairy farmers were struggling with the price of milk ? They still need land for their cows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dad Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 would you have set up without the pole there sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wacker Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Nice shooting!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 thanks for the pics sam how do you post pictures if you have the time to explain. sorry to be a div but not sure what you meant about the canes Just learnt to insert pictures...not easy as the file size needs to be reduced. I inserted photos into powerpoint, compressed the images (picture tools, format, compress pictures) and then save as pictures....not easy if not computer savvy. Sure there are other ways to reduce the file size as well. Then need to select message editor that allows you to attach files. I use 8 ft bamboo canes for back of hide to give it plenty of height if I need a back. would you have set up without the pole there sam No....only set up once with no cover in middle of field and not successful....I think you need a lot of netting to get yourself well hidden and not much fun in 25 mph gusts. Three poles in field had patches of rape left around them so the hide blended in really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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