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They didn't want this field, either!


motty
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It has been an interesting week. I had a nice bag of pigeons on Monday (despite being in the wrong place) over rape stubble. I had a terrible day on Wednesday. I spotted some great looking fields on Tuesday, only for the birds to inexplicably disappear overnight. I shot just 15 pigeons, but at least got to christen my new .410 o/u,

Yesterday I was invited to shoot with Muncher (Jules) on a rape stubble that had already been disced in. Fenboy was invited but couldn't make it.

The flight line running through this field is immense. During the day I saw a few thousand pigeons.

We arrived to set up at around 9am. A few birds on the field were moved on. We put out a decent spread of decoys and a magnet. The hide was a simple net construction.

We didn't expect much at the start and it was a while before the flight line started to flow through. A steady stream of 4s, 6s, 10s and 20s flew through the field - just an odd one stopping to look at the decoys, and paying the price. We also took some very nice flighted pigeons, which helped to build the bag nicely.

Just before noon, a tractor turned up to further tear up the field. This wasn't ideal, but at least the worker offered to work his way across the field and away from us.

We plodded on, and as the day wore on more pigeons were tempted to join the ever growing decoy pattern.

As an aside, Jules was using 32gm steel 5s. I used 28gm 7.5 velocity. Those shells did the job admirably.

Jules' brother Gerard joined us later. He mainly shot the birds that were drifting wide of our hide.

We later found out the pigeons were heading for various dining tables. An inspection of dead bird crops revealed that barley and peas were on the menu.

Late in the afternoon, the flight slowed and we set the dogs to work. They made short work of the birds dropped into the wheat, behind.

Another thanks to Jules and Gerard for a very enjoyable day out.

We picked exactly 150 pigeons and a crow.Hopes%20christening%20113_zpsyw3ubyei.jpHopes%20christening%20112_zpstpa81a87.jp

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A good report on your days shooting with your regular shooting partners in what looks like a bit of disturbance from a tractor. I had the same problem during the week with a tractor coming on the field to sub soil it , nowadays it is a small window of time from cutting , baling to pulling the field about .

 

I was wondering why you have your decoys so close to your hide , is it because you use a 4.10 now and again ?

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  On 08/08/2015 at 05:45, marsh man said:

A good report on your days shooting with your regular shooting partners in what looks like a bit of disturbance from a tractor. I had the same problem during the week with a tractor coming on the field to sub soil it , nowadays it is a small window of time from cutting , baling to pulling the field about .

 

I was wondering why you have your decoys so close to your hide , is it because you use a 4.10 now and again ?

I usually have my decoys fairly close.

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  On 08/08/2015 at 06:45, JDog said:

Lucky boy having Jules spotting for you. Didn't you tell Shropshire Sam that 9am was too early to set up at this time of year?

 

I am sending you a cheque for some new trousers.

No, I told him I wouldn't necessarily expect to see lots of birds at that time.

Thanks, I am much poorer than your good self.

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