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Pre harvest predictions


aga man
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I think it is fair to say most of us get a bit too optimistic about the numbers of pigeons we may shoot over harvest, only to be dissapointed in one way or another.

 

I can't help thinking this year could be different. Since April the bags of pigeons i have shot have contained young birds even more so recently with upto a third of the bag being this years squabs.

 

I saw possibly a thousand pigeons today sitting on power lines above barley on two farmes less than 1 mile apart. Through the binoculars it was clear to see a lot of young pigeons in groups amongst them. Although it is not too unusal i would not expect to see so many young until September.

 

So do all of these young birds about suggest some bumper bags to come in August /September?

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I have high(ish) hopes for harvest this year. I have managed to acquire permission to shoot on 4 new farms this year - all in good pigeon areas. I'm looking forward to shooting the rape stubbles on these farms in particular. I plan to do even more scouting this harvest, too, which hopefully means I can keep abreast of any opportunities to shoot good bags, and not miss out on any.

I plan to do even more recording of dangerous antics in the hide.

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The woodie population up here actually seems to have dipped a fair bit this year, I was out on Sunday and had limited success...I think I actually get a bigger bag with the car than I do with the gun!

 

Not sure where in North Yorks you are ben but i was around Wykeham near Scarborough at easter time and there was good numbers of pigeons there on early peas and rape. Not many shooters to be seen though.

 

 

You saw a thousand pigeons? Have the rest migrated?

That was only 2 farms within a mile of each other. It was the high number of young uns that suprised me.

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Not sure where in North Yorks you are ben but i was around Wykeham near Scarborough at easter time and there was good numbers of pigeons there on early peas and rape. Not many shooters to be seen though.

 

I'm the bottom end of Wensleydale, during spring drilling their was hardly a woodie to be seen and I spent most of the time Corvid decoying. As the months have passed we have had a steady flow of numbers on the clover but nothing compared to previous years.

We have large area of Kale coming through for winter fodder and its sporadic threes and fours hitting it on odd days. My theory is that other farms have a fair bit of winter crop planted which is bent over and that's where the woodies have headed too, also probably why my bag count is bigger in the car lol!

 

Ps: wykeham is a nice site, hope you paid the local gun shop a visit he's in the village and a good chap!

Edited by ben0850
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Don't jest! Last year my biggest bag was 15, including the 14 frozen deeks

:lol:

Not really seen any numbers around here since last harvest. I've not got great hope as there are a lot of peas around that I haven't got permission on :unhappy:. Will be working on that if the birds turn up.

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I have high(ish) hopes for harvest this year. I have managed to acquire permission to shoot on 4 new farms this year - all in good pigeon areas. I'm looking forward to shooting the rape stubbles on these farms in particular. I plan to do even more scouting this harvest, too, which hopefully means I can keep abreast of any opportunities to shoot good bags, and not miss out on any.

I plan to do even more recording of dangerous antics in the hide.

 

 

as long as it is nuthin sexual with Muncher ...we shall look forward to it................we have regular flights of birds here now,...it is looking similar to that of 5-6 years ago when i was shooting 3 times/week and coming back with anything from 15-30 for an after noon..........

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I was optimistic about this years drilling season and it was a disaster, so I am cautious about the harvest time.

Talking to the Farmers who had to leave so much unsown ground over the winter last year, due to late harvesting and wet weather, I think the ploughs will be following the combines even quicker this year.

So it might be a shorter stubble season than usual, unless the wet weather returns.

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I cover a area up to about 15 miles from mine , North , South and West and If all the pigeons I have seen lately amassed into one big flock we would have a bunch of several thousand , as it is , we have got decent numbers of pigeons but they are well and truly spaced out all over the place .

 

The 20 odd I got Monday afternoon before the rain stopped play were mainly made up of old birds but that might change in around three weeks time when we start shooting the rape stubbles .

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just on a "by"..........quick run out to the shops this morning...........that rain yesterday has flatterened vast swaths of barley....hasnt touched the wheat.....i think if the barley is still fairly green it will come up again.......

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Rape on a couple of my farms sprayed off last week. Several pigeons on there today. Getting excited now.

With more rain falling today I recon it will be well into next week before they make a start on the barley and a good two to three weeks before they have a go at the rape . one way or the other , it wont be long now before we can drive to our chosen position to set up :yahoo:

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Ps: wykeham is a nice site, hope you paid the local gun shop a visit he's in the village and a good chap!

Yes mate i always visit the shop and buy something. Nearly bought a shotgun off him but someone beat me too it!

 

 

 

just on a "by"..........quick run out to the shops this morning...........that rain yesterday has flatterened vast swaths of barley....hasnt touched the wheat.....i think if the barley is still fairly green it will come up again.......

 

 

Many of the pigeons i saw over the barley on Tuesday are now trying to get into very green wheat. None of our barley has gone down so perhaps the wheat is easier to eat?

 

There seems to be pigeons floating around everywhere here at the minute!

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Have you lost my number Agaman?

 

Only kidding. In any event I may be off back to Norfolk (had to return home yesterday after a very sad event) on Saturday to shoot 400 with Muncher and Motty.

I would never lose your number fella, i have it in my phone under 'old fossil' :lol:

I can't figure what to do with these pigeons at present so not ready to shoot and besides i can't compete with the likes of motty and muncher! hope they take care of you and you shoot a bag full!

Edited by aga man
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I would never lose your number fella, i have it in my phone under 'old fossil' :lol:

I can't figure what to do with these pigeons at present so not ready to shoot and besides i can't compete with the likes of motty and muncher! hope they take care of you and you shoot a bag full!

 

 

given half a chance he will be off down there like a flash with his empty sac in his hand.........

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cautiously hopeful. Not the best area for pigeon numbers here, but the usual fields of rape where I can't shoot and are are preferred to the wheat/barley stubble where I can, have not been sown this year and have been left to recover after a problem with the soil.

Numbers now way up which I've not seen in years - just had to put a banger out and might have to put another on the other side of the farm. Unless there's a disaster I can see my personal best taking a hammering.

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