pigeon controller Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 We set out on Friday at 12.00 looking for fresh wheat stubble fields only to find other shooters set up or birds on standing wheat. Where do these shooters come from in the summer we never see them in the winter when we are protecting crops?? We covered about twenty miles of our local farms and then decided to look at the standing beans we shot last week and straight away you could see flightlines heading to it from three directions so it was a " No Brainer" . The wind was from the north west so we had a different hide position fram last week and we decide to set up on the edge of a corner in the field so that the beans were to rear of us on one side. Normal set up , ten on cradles and two on the magnet. The first birds in did not like the magnet so we moved it behind us round the corner from the hide. If you look at the picture you will see that the hide is not equal this is so DB can twist round and shoot the dog leg . We set up at14.00 and shot till 18.00 and managed to pick up one hundred and thirty eight birds but lost a few in the standing beans. so it was well worth the effort . Today I picked up DB at 11.00 from his work and we set out in a different direction , the situation was similar to the previous day with shooters set up on stubbles. We watched two guys on ajoining fields setting up back to back on the same hedge, so one set of decoys was wrong way to wind and as we watched them for ten minutes no birds passed the field at all . I wonder if they had any birds at the end of the day. We had a phone call from a farmer not far from our location so drove down to his farm . He asked us to scan his standing wheat and we could see approx two hundred birds dropping in a laid section not far from the edge of the field . He asked if we could shoot the birds but not lay any of the wheat down in the process?.or leave any shot birds in the standing wheat. Now this is a good farm to us on the stubbles and we agreed to shoot but only drop the birds in the laid section which is a very frustrating way of shooting as I have described before as " Tin Can Shooting" . You have to hold off the shot till the bird is above the hole or will fall into the hole the subsquent spooked birds which present themselves as great going away shots you have to leave!!!! We set up at 14.30 and the birds decoyed well to the ten birds on cradles and two on the magnet but it was frustrating shooting at times we only lost two which fell out of the hole into the standing wheat. At 18.30 DB had a phone call informing him that he was expected home ten minutes ago as the famiy were waiting for him to take them to a surprise party. So we threw all the gear into the Disco and drove home and I had to take a picture of the bag as they were laid out waiting for collection. I phoned the farmer and I told him of the numbers and he was very pleased he said he had been watching us through his bins from from the farm and was pleased we had not made any further damage to the crop . It was a frustrating days shooting but a great result at the end of the day and a very happy farmer as we had picked up ninetysix pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbw1shrops Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Well done PC for another great weekends sport, you did well on the wheat I bet there was potential for a bigger bag there with a fair few birds going away unscathed ? Atvb Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 2 cracking days again, I hate it when you have to restrain yourself from shooting birds but I bet you double your account on that field when its harvested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Standing wheat and beans seem to be the big attraction at the moment. Looking after your farmers is paying dividends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Nice one, how do you like shooting up a gradient as it looks in your second photo? I hate it by the way, shooting up hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darno Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Funny isn't it, you probably had no idea that the farmer was watching you, but it just goes to show how important it is to respect his wishes. It would have been very easy to upset him that day and loose what you say is a great permission. Good shooting as always guys. Darno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Nice one. Very well managed on the standing wheat. Soon winter will be here and the crowds will disperse. It always feels more appropriate to me on a cold winters day anyhow. All the birds in full plumage etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveyg Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Your experience and shooting ability kept another farmer happy...two cracking sessions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 A good report as always. Do you ever not use decoys when shooting over a patch of laid wheat or similar? I have shot before over small patches and not bothered with decoys (only if I have seen birds on the patch) as I consider they're not needed in such a small area and could even put the birds off. Would be interested in your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Standing wheat and beans seem to be the big attraction at the moment. Looking after your farmers is paying dividends. as i write this on sunday morning...we have 3 fields of wheat around here that i have been keeping an eye on......NOT A SINGLE BIRD ON IT........we have birds about and they are starting to form small groups 5-10......but they are not interested in the standing wheat....or the chitted rape or the germinated mustard....god only knows what they are feeding on !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted September 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Well done PC for another great weekends sport, you did well on the wheat I bet there was potential for a bigger bag there with a fair few birds going away unscathed ? Atvb Dave Yes, we had multiple birds comming in and you would shoot one. Nice one, how do you like shooting up a gradient as it looks in your second photo? I hate it by the way, shooting up hill. I don't have a concern with up hill shooting it's just frustrating to restrict your swing to drop in the hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted September 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 A good report as always. Do you ever not use decoys when shooting over a patch of laid wheat or similar? I have shot before over small patches and not bothered with decoys (only if I have seen birds on the patch) as I consider they're not needed in such a small area and could even put the birds off. Would be interested in your thoughts. Always use decoys but restrict the number to the size of the hole and place them all round the edge and pick up shot birds . Not normally use magnet but put flyers on long bambo canes and place in tramlines in all directions facing the hole . No flyers in the hole as the incoming birds would flare as they think the birds are taking off and could collide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Great as always, a good read and very good bags given the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Well done pc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghosthunter Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Fantastic result and patience shown! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbw1shrops Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Good tip there PC that's good knowledge of years and years pigeon shooting, I've been out today after a 12 hour shift on a month old rape stubble (they weren't feeding on this field but an ok flight line going over it so I set up underneath and they decoyed great for about 1 hour u shape facing me just flock coated decoys adding the fallen as I went then they started to go wide to the right so I put the magnet out and worked well for about 30mins then staying wide again so I moved the magnet to the left side and started coming close enough for a shot again,the wind had changed coming across the field instead of behind so had a reshuffle but by then they were on a mission elsewhere had I been quicker to change the pattern I could of had a great bag but I ended the day at 5 with 36 picked and feeling the sleep deprivation kicking in plus carrying all my gear back to the car, I will say one thing since I've bought the idle back chair my shooting has improved being able to turn on the chair and keep seated whilst shooting. Atvb Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted September 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Good tip there PC that's good knowledge of years and years pigeon shooting, I've been out today after a 12 hour shift on a month old rape stubble (they weren't feeding on this field but an ok flight line going over it so I set up underneath and they decoyed great for about 1 hour u shape facing me just flock coated decoys adding the fallen as I went then they started to go wide to the right so I put the magnet out and worked well for about 30mins then staying wide again so I moved the magnet to the left side and started coming close enough for a shot again,the wind had changed coming across the field instead of behind so had a reshuffle but by then they were on a mission elsewhere had I been quicker to change the pattern I could of had a great bag but I ended the day at 5 with 36 picked and feeling the sleep deprivation kicking in plus carrying all my gear back to the car, I will say one thing since I've bought the idle back chair my shooting has improved being able to turn on the chair and keep seated whilst shooting. Atvb Dave Well done , I'm glad that you felt that the info was of use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Well done that man, cracking shooting and a great write up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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