FERAL SEASON ?

[Guerini Guy]

Had a really nice afternoon on some pea stubble. Out for just over four hours and picked up 37 Woodies plus 2 lost.

 

Also hit 6 Ferals, but there was a LOT of them about today. Unusual on my perms - probably only shot 2 or 3 throughout the whole year !

 

One group of approx 70 or so kept swooping around all afternoon, but a few came into the decoys which I took out (definitely no rings before anybody questions it). Never seen so many mixing with the wood pigeon.

 

Has anybody experienced this, or was it just a freak event?

 

Also, just out of interest, since these Ferals are obviously eating the same stuff as the woodies, are they ok to eat ?

[FalconFN]

I think sometimes 'feral' pigeon is used as an all-encompassing term for anything that isn't a wood pigeon, a large flock of 'ferals' could easily be stock doves so be very careful before shooting. Personally I'd stick to shooting feral pigeons around buildings - or if they are definitely in the area then on nearby fields, otherwise they could be migratory rock/stock doves passing through.

 

I get lots of stock doves on my permissions so I never shoot anything other than woodies. I wouldn't eat a feral pigeon myself, but in theory it could be fine to do so.

Edited September 10, 2015 by FalconFN

[Westley]

I have shot a lot of feral pigeons over the years, mainly with an air rifle (why waste a cartridge ?). Having shot a lot at roost and seen the mess that they are living in, that has been enough to end any thoughts of eating them. There used to be thousands of the things around the Liverpool docklands and a shortage of food would have massive flocks hitting the stubble fields on the urban fringe. Some of these would then take up residence in the barns and grain storage/drying areas at these farms, that is where the air rifle comes into it's own.

[Guerini Guy]

Take your point about Stock Doves, and I do get some of those around from time to time, but these were definitely feral pigeons and I let them swirl around for most of the day. To be honest I could have given myself a lot of sport with them flying by constantly, but only took out the ones committing to the decoys. Just never seen it quite like that before, so was wondering if anybody else had experienced it lately?

 

As for the eating of them . . . . . . . sounds like the jury is still out ?

[rimfire4969]

Shoot them if you are sure they are horrible things. As for eating no ******* way, I see them in towns eating puke and left over kebab from the night before

[fenboy]

If they are out in the fields feeding on the same stuff as wood pigeon they are perfectly fine to eat .

In answer to your question then no its not unusual to see that amount , I have a old peas stubble field at the moment that perhaps has 300 or so feeding on it.

[Redditch]

I think sometimes 'feral' pigeon is used as an all-encompassing term for anything that isn't a wood pigeon, a large flock of 'ferals' could easily be stock doves so be very careful before shooting. Personally I'd stick to shooting feral pigeons around buildings - or if they are definitely in the area then on nearby fields, otherwise they could be migratory rock/stock doves passing through.

 

I get lots of stock pigeons on my permissions so I never shoot anything other than woodies. I wouldn't eat a feral pigeon myself, but in theory it could be fine to do so.

No I won't eat any feral pigeons either (several stock doves and ring neck doves fly over when shooting, but aren't shot at). Ours always came directly from the farm yard straight to the field, about 200-250 metres away.

We let them circle and commit to land so as to identify them clearly.

Then you can't make a mistake

Edited September 11, 2015 by Redditch

[deny essex]

Had occasions over the years where there has been flocks of ferals on my Essex farms, I rarely waste a cartridge on them.

Edited September 11, 2015 by deny essex

[marsh man]

Had occasions over the years where there has been flocks of ferals on my Essex farms, I rarely waste a cartridge on them.

I am the same , I wouldn't waste cartridges on feral pigeons , mainly is because I cant sell them and also there are far less than we used to have come from the town . I think the council have a cull now and again, as at one time we had 100s come in on the pea fields nearest to the town .and me and my brother took sack fulls up to the game dealer who would pay you around 20p for small pigeons , which more than paid for the cartridges you used .

[Guerini Guy]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I can understand the reasons behind leaving 300 or so alone on stubble, and not wasting cartridges because you can't sell them etc.

 

BUT . . . . . . just so I understand it correctly, I am assuming that if those same birds were settling on new crops, is it not part of your "duty" to shoot them to protect the crops in your farmer's best interest?

 

After all, surely that's the main reason that most of us get our permissions in the first place isn't it?

 

Please understand - I'm not trying to be argumentative - just want to get a better understanding - thanks

[fenboy]

If I am out shooting woodpigeon then I shoot any Feral that comes to me , if they were damaging growing crops then I would shoot them if the farmer asked me to , though in over 30 years pigeon shooting I have never know them to affect crops by eating them , the damage they do is usually by fouling feed etc around farm buildings rather than out in the fields.

[FalconFN]

I suppose as they are not there year round, and particularly when crops are growing or just before harvest, then I don't see the point of shooting them. They may be town birds passing through that have taken the opportunity to get easy food and will disappear again soon.

[marsh man]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I can understand the reasons behind leaving 300 or so alone on stubble, and not wasting cartridges because you can't sell them etc.

 

BUT . . . . . . just so I understand it correctly, I am assuming that if those same birds were settling on new crops, is it not part of your "duty" to shoot them to protect the crops in your farmer's best interest?

 

After all, surely that's the main reason that most of us get our permissions in the first place isn't it?

 

Please understand - I'm not trying to be argumentative - just want to get a better understanding - thanks

Very rarely ( if ever ) have I came across any amount on other crops apart from pea stubble , you might get a few on barley or wheat stubble but not enough normally to worry about .

 

Things might be different in other areas depending on what crops are grown nearest to where the tame ones are coming from ,and what amount you have got there in the first place .

[Guerini Guy]

Oh ok - so sounds like it was just a coincidence they were there on that particular day. Just never encountered it before, but then I am just coming up to the end of my first year of this fantastic pastime, and the learning curve is still pretty steep.

 

Always keen to learn though as I am extremely fortunate to have secured three exclusive perms, all joined together and covering quite a large acreage, and want to do the best I can for those that put their trust in me.

 

Initially it was very much a case of "all the gear and no idea" as I went mad on the decoying equipment, but have learned that sometimes less is more, and that the situation is ever changing. Have kept a diary of it though so hopefully that will be useful in months to come.

 

This forum has been an endless source of info, and I thank those that have responded - much appreciated.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Guerini Guy

[deny essex]

Well done on gaining 3 farms so quickly, not an easy task in Essex.

Watch out for some old guy wobbling around the roads in his car looking for what seems to be the elusive Essex pigeon, it could be me

[Harnser]

In my experience ferals tend to be more prolific close to towns and villages particularly if there is an old church near by . I don't think that the street peckers we see in the towns or city's ever fly out into the country side .

You have to beware of stock doves and racing pigeons ,some times it is very hard to tell the difference between racers and ferals. I tend not to shoot the so called ferals in case they are a racing pigeon . An old friend of mine used to keep pigeons and told me that he had lost pigeons that had been out racing and to have them turn up at the loft weeks or even months later . Some racers do get lost but can return to the loft later. That's the main reason I am reluctant to shoot ferals .

 

Harnser

 

Harnser

Edited September 12, 2015 by Harnser

[Redditch]

e biggest problems with feral so, are they get in the animal feed, **** all over it, and then it has to be thrown.

They are easily identifiable here, as they come direct from the farms to the fields, then go back and wait for the feed store doors to be opened, where they go in "en masse"

So the more of them I shoot, and the happier the farmer is, and the more calls and permissions I get from their neighbouring farms

Edited September 12, 2015 by Redditch

[dad]

we get what we call here blue rocks probably rock doves (protected i think)nearly always see some while decoying, most often in pairs some times small groups with an odd young pigeon in with them quite often they land among your decoys, (leave them there adds some movement) saw a flock of about 200 this year on peas i nearly set up thinking they were pigeons. i have seen the odd 1 shot by novices by mistake and eaten and told no different to pigeon

[Penelope]

They will be Stock Doves, Rock Doves are a rare species in the UK and confined to rocky costal cliffs in the SW, NE and parts of Scotland.

 

Feral pigeons are a domesticated version of the Rock Dove.

 

we get what we call here blue rocks probably rock doves (protected i think)nearly always see some while decoying, most often in pairs some times small groups with an odd young pigeon in with them quite often they land among your decoys, (leave them there adds some movement) saw a flock of about 200 this year on peas i nearly set up thinking they were pigeons. i have seen the odd 1 shot by novices by mistake and eaten and told no different to pigeon

[Harnser]

Yes they are stock doves . But known locally as blue rocks and yes they are protected and you cannot shoot them .

 

Harnser