Highlander Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 OK lets have your input on this...4 fields approx 100 acres of peas just showing and looking so good I very nearly (only very nearly) got down on my knees to have a nibble BUT not a Woody in sight So for all you smart ***** out there why not??? All the posts on here about peas tell a different story so common guys lets hear it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 OK lets have your input on this...4 fields approx 100 acres of peas just showing and looking so good I very nearly (only very nearly) got down on my knees to have a nibble BUT not a Woody in sight So for all you smart ***** out there why not??? All the posts on here about peas tell a different story so common guys lets hear it. This doesn't surprise me. We all know that pigeons like peas but don't make the mistake of thinking that they are some magical crop that will make pigeons just appear. Remember that at this time of year they will have so much variety to choose from i.e rape, set aside etc. I went to look at a field of peas today myself,hoping that there would be some pigeons about. Three got off the field! But i have seen this so many times before. My guess is that when the peas come into pod the pigeons will go crazy for them. Of course you may find the next time you look at these fields that they are blue with birds. A field with no birds on today could be heaving in a few days. I'm sure it'll come good in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 a few years back, and still have 800 acres of peas and the pigeons come in well to them, but not many pigeons about here at the moment so the peas are safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 If they ain't feeding on the peas Highlander they have a better/easier source of food or they have not yet discovered them. I hope this doesn't help you LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Highlander, You could say the same thing about OSR, but the pigeons preferred acorns and beechmast last autumn. A law unto themselves, pigeons, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 I have a pea field pulling a good number of birds, but my last recce i seen more going into the tram lines on a rape field. Then there is a field of spring rape nearby getting hammered ( not my permission). At this time of year you can recce a pea field at mid day and think its a dead loss , go back at 6pm and it could be covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted May 29, 2007 Report Share Posted May 29, 2007 Have a few on the fields of peas on my shoot, like small groups but not many.... i too have seen more in the rape tramlines than on the peas. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl h Posted May 29, 2007 Report Share Posted May 29, 2007 same her got up at first light sun mon morning sat on the edge of the field with binos sat there for an hour and half and saw three woddies and they just floated over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topgunners Posted June 2, 2007 Report Share Posted June 2, 2007 went out today on the peas and set up on one field which was shorter than the other and we ended up with 42 shot by 2.00pm and then it went dead as a dodo. (and I honestly didn't shoot it) the dodo . packed up went home and sat in the garden with a nice gammon salad with some red wine and french bread. Nice Dave k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted June 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 Well I thought I might get some scientifically based answers but guess I should have known better from you lot. However on this particular patch the birds were gathering on Thursday/Friday so Friday afternoon I shot it and for a little over two hours it was none stop pigeons then it went dead. I left at about 17.30 and about 18.30 farmer rang to say they were back in big numbers. Saturday recced the field again and not a bird for over an hour so went and shot a field of harvested potatoes that Woody seemed to be favouring. Another good day. My theory about the peas is this...two flightlines into this area and both have (other) pea fields along the routes that the birds seemed to favour so they left this area alone. When they did (eventually) find it it was almost too late as the crop was getting up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavman Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 42 shot by 2.00pm and then it went dead as a dodo. (and I honestly didn't shoot it) the dodo . packed up went home and sat in the garden with a nice gammon salad with some red wine and french bread. Nice Dave k ARRR the Yum Yum Option sounds great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sussexboy Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 They have all obviously been too busy eating all MY peas in MY flamin garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 Well I thought I might get some scientifically based answers but guess I should have known better from you lot. However on this particular patch the birds were gathering on Thursday/Friday so Friday afternoon I shot it and for a little over two hours it was none stop pigeons then it went dead. I left at about 17.30 and about 18.30 farmer rang to say they were back in big numbers. Saturday recced the field again and not a bird for over an hour so went and shot a field of harvested potatoes that Woody seemed to be favouring. Another good day. My theory about the peas is this...two flightlines into this area and both have (other) pea fields along the routes that the birds seemed to favour so they left this area alone. When they did (eventually) find it it was almost too late as the crop was getting up there. Maybe you shot them all Highlander? There seem to be a lot more pea crop this year in Norfolk anyway. In years gone by i've had some cracking shooting in May, June, this year it's been crep. I was talking about this in the pub the another night and an old boy had a simple theory that had me thinking. He reckons the pigeon will hit peas harder when there is a drought. This makes some sort of sense to me as the pea shoots, leaves and pods are full of moisture, more so than other crops. This year we have had loads of wet weather and the birds can find water almost anywhere. Pigeons also hate getting their feet wet and covered in clingy soil, this can be another reason why they stay off a particular crop. Anyway, what you don't get now you'll get at harvest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Boy Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Not many pea fields this year around Selby York Malton Northallerton, but on the ones we have we're making some v.good bags :blink: :blink: Out tomorrow with a Pest Rid guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby t Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 we had smae problem with peas up till about a week ago now there only feeding when its cooler in the day but they arrive in force, my guess is that they will hit em sooner or later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Highlander, I have been watching and waiting on fields round our way, and like you mentioned i believe that the birds are flying over other fields on their way and stopping so its being inthe right place at the right time along the particular flightline. The other thing is that due to the rather hot weather over the weekend just gone, I have noticed that the birds are out and about really early feeding on Dewed Grass and then moving on to Rape, then on to a few flattened barley/rape areas and then back onto Rape before they go back to roost. in between all of that they seem to be just sitting there in the heat, not doing much trying to digestt what they have already fed on. I think in the hot weather the trick is to find a field of crops (Barley, OSR, Peas) near to a water source, and then you will be almost (I did say almost) guarenteed sport all day as even if not feeding directly where you set up they will flight over on their way to the water. Combine this with good Sitty trees/powerlines in the immediate vicinity and you have it made. I know of one place that I unfortunately don't have permission on, where there is all of this (Dependant on exact crop grown in the field) plus there is also a heap of Rock Salt which the pigeons fly to after drinking and they seem quite content. I have to say I agree with others though, they does seem to be a lot of pigeons feeding in the OSR tramlines everywhere. Question, is there any other reason other than the Rape that these birds might be there feeding on, as surely the rape having grown and the seeds not being quite ready, doesn't equal a good food source, or have I got this wrong? SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 dfsssss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 No problem on the peas i've been shooting on for last 2 days. Got permission for 9 new fields this week(well chuffed), and they're only 3 inches tall at the mo. Got 59 yesterday morn with old man before we got rained off. Turned up this morn on same field on my own(9am) and shot 111 in the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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