Decoy Shy Pigeons

[bunny_blaster]

The problem this time of the year, around this area is the amount of summer stubble shooters that appear out of know where when the shooting is easier. I've mentioned before we never see them during the winter months on the rape. This means the birds are constantly been shot at over decoys and become wary.

 

Saturday morning Gaz and myself headed out looking for birds. We covered every farm and pieces of ground I shoot and found very little. We came across a field of barley stubble with a few birds down and a slow line flighting up the road next to it. We decided to give it a go but after an hour we only had 4 birds down so packed up and carried on looking. We found a field of old rape stubble that had been cultivated with about 50 birds feeding and the odd one joining from a distance, again we set up and after an hour we only had a handful of birds down, a large rain cloud was heading our way and the thunder and lightning put an end to that patch so we quickly threw the gear into the disco and took shelter until it passed. After several more miles we came to a field of wheat stubble with about 100 birds down. This farm is shot very hard and the resident flock of birds know the score. It has been shot every weekend both days since the rape got combined. With the time getting on we set up again, a brolly hide was made due to the rain and the few dead birds we had were placed out. There was a good line out of the local town but they showed little interest know matter what we tried. On picking up I found another hide position with a pile of empty cartridges so the birds had been shot during the week aswell. We ended the day with 39 pigeon 2 crows and a jay. On the way out we followed the line to a field of peas the other side of the farm.

 

 

Sunday I was out on my own, again I checked every where and found very little, just small flocks dotted here and there. I eventually came across a field of standing beans with a wheat stubble field next to it, both covered in birds with 2 strong lines in. I knocked on the door only to be told another shooter is going to have a go at them over the weekend. I headed back to the same farm we shot Saturday and pushed about 300 birds off the peas. I decided to give it a go but the birds where very wary of the decoys. I tried everything but the birds just went having any of it. At 17.30 I'd had enough so packed up and on the way to the car the heavens open up and soaked everything, I quickly loaded the disco up and headed home. I ended the afternoon with only 32 pigeon. I didn't take a picture due to the rain.

 

Today I headed out with my novice female friend who came out with me a few weeks ago. I nearly cancelled due to the lack of birds but on the phone she was eager to get out so we met up and headed off looking for birds. After 3 hours of driving we found a few birds on some fields of wheat stubble so got set up and a few birds started to return. Some decoyed perfectly and others kept their distance. We had a nice few hours shooting and finished with 57 pigeon 2 crows and another jay. The shot of the day for me was a large carrion crow which dropped stone dead at a retrieved 94 paces. My friend shot much better today and killed some excellent crossing birds which veered away from the decoys in the wind.

 

I'd covered over 200 miles the last 3 days looking for pigeon.

 

Cheers

Ben

 

Edited August 29, 2016 by bunny_blaster

[JDog]

You did better than most this weekend. Stubbles seem to have gone off the boil.

 

As for the pile of cartridges, take a picture and show it to the farmer.

[motty]

You still had some fine sport, and your perseverance paid off.

[Adge Cutler]

You did better than most this weekend. Stubbles seem to have gone off the boil.

 

As for the pile of cartridges, take a picture and show it to the farmer.

Yes I agree ...littering is disgusting..

 

100 % of the Landowners I know would boot a shooter off for leaving cartridges behind.

 

I don't think its a question of over shooting or birds becoming wary to be honest. In 50 years pigeon shooting stubbles have always been unpredictable. If there are birds in the area they will feed at least once a day, especially during the peak breeding times. Problem is as you know they wont feed on the fields you want them too.

 

Even if you find a flight line more often than not birds with full crops will sail on by.

 

Although Pigeon numbers have increased a 100 fold in my lifetime cultivated food source has similarly.

 

There are thousands of pigeons around here at the moment but they seem disinterested in the stubble and haven't flocked up as such. Seem to have made a start on the beech mast already which is well forward this year.

[pigeon controller]

Well done Ben , you stuck at it and had some shooting.