Wind Swept Pigeons

[bunny_blaster]

I headed out Friday on the the search for pigeons and found a number of birds on both rape and drillings although nothing worth setting up for. Eventually I came to single field of drilled beans which had about 30 birds feeding but with the odd bird joining. As time was getting on I lugged my gear across the field to a single oak tree in the middle and got set up, I had to really anchor the hide down as the wind was so strong. I started with 6 dead birds on spikes and the birds soon started to come back but didn't want to know the pattern. I decided to add 15 half shells which did the trick and the birds started to decoy nicely. I added a magnet which really helped and had a steady trickle of birds fight there way against the wind to the decoys. I started at 12.00 and finished at 5.30 with 101 picked and a single crow.

 

 

I left the house at 8.00 Saturday morning with the threat of heavy rain, back on the search for more pigeons and like Friday I found nothing worth setting up for. I did my usual route and then did it again to check if any flight lines had started up but nothing. It was on my third trip round I found roughly 300 feeding hard on some different bean drillings to Friday so a call to the farmer to let him know I was there and I was set up with 6 dead birds and the magnet. The wind was even stronger than the day before and again I had to rope the hide down. It was now 13.00 and the birds came straight in. I had some good shooting and then at 16.00 the heavens opened and stopped everything. I was soaked along with the dog and all the kit. I picked 64 birds but if the rain had held off i reckon another 100+ would have been on the cards.

 

 

Today I headed out a bit later as I had drove about Sunday afternoon and found birds everywhere. I went to all the places that had birds down yesterday and not one area had birds feeding. I can only assume that with the nights heavy rain the birds didn't was to be on the muddy drilled fields. As a last resort I went and looked at the bean drillings I shot Friday and found about 150 birds feeding. I don't normally shoot the same ground twice in such a short space of time but it was the only place that had birds down. I quickly set up but it was obvious I'd made a mistake as the birds just lifted and didn't return. I sat there for 2 hours for 4 birds. Not wanting to waste the day I packed up and headed to some barley drillings on a piece of ground that is an afternoon shoot. I got there to find 100 birds feeding so I set up but like before they just upped and left. An hour went with not a single shot so with time getting on I packed up again and went back to the bean field which was devoid of birds. It was now 17.00 and on the way home I spotted a single pigeon drop in to a field of clover. I pulled up and ran to the top of the hill to find about 60 birds feeding at the far end of the field. I went back to the disco and drove to the end of the field and set up with nothing to lose. The birds came back and decoyed great. I shot from 17.30 and packed up at 18.30 and picked 32 birds for the day's total of 36. Only a small bag but after lots of miles and disappointment with the lack of birds elsewhere I was pleased with the end result.

 

 

 

Cheers

Ben

Edited March 28, 2016 by bunny_blaster

[Underdog]

That's commitment for you. Well done.

[JDog]

Three great days. Well done you.

[pigeon controller]

Well done Ben, you stuck at it and reaped the rewards, your presentation is improving and by shooting more birds in the future will enable you to practice. Your comment about birds being everywhere and then nothing has been the pattern for this year it seems. Well done again and it shows that if you keep looking you will find them.

[aga man]

A great weekend for you, well shot.

[marsh man]

That is sheer dedication for you , well done you on one of the roughest weekends this year .

[maxwell]

Well done, a fantastic effort

[kenholland]

all you need now is a fisherman's umbrella ? well done.

[butchdickason]

Well done,

 

Butch

[sitsinhedges]

Superb. Good write up too.

[shootingmachine]

brilliant session great shooting

[WelshMike]

Well done mate, a cracking few outings

[FOXHUNTER1]

Would love 3 days like that ....well done.

[Passionforangling]

Those moves on the third day are admirable. They resulted in a good bag that otherwise might have been well, just er, pants!

Sounds like a good few days, well done!

[la bala]

That is one great session, well done .

[dawntredder]

The boy did good....very good,hats off to you fella!!