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Essex birds, the sequel!


kitchrat
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Went to check the field on Monday, little action but by Tuesday, they are back, using different tactics. It was the old "sit in a tree and see if it's safe" game. I watch to see where they want to go, same end but further down, away from road and houses (good). However, I'm beating Friday, Saturday, Sunday is Xmas, then beating again. Can't shoot this field on Xmas, too near too many houses, so Today is the Day (Don't want to be accused of slacking on the job!)

Arrived early and there's fog on the middle and lower parts of the field but "my end" is only misty. Could be good, BUT they have learnt from last week. Birds are either flying right over my pattern and dropping through the fog onto mid-field or having a look from a long way out then seeking refuge in a tree (any tree of several but which do you choose to sit near?) A shot puts them up from the middle and some come my way, I get 1 from 2 shots. Nobby No Mates drops in, I miss him. After a while it's clear that my position is hopeless, they want to be in the middle and won't change their minds this time. They have learnt something so it's time for Plan B!!

I move a reduced set of kit several hundred yards and set up by the only tiny bit of cover out there. It means I have to have the cover behind me, that's where the road and houses are, but it's also where most birds come from so I can't see them coming. There is no wind. Still, that's all I can do.

Birds do decoy, over from behind me then flare away at the last minute, but I do Ok and get several. Then the fog clears and the sun comes out. Now, I can't see behind me because of the cover, to the right is fully into the sun and to birds coming from the left my tiny hide is illuminated like a lightbulb. I try to get up my own b***side to hide and get a few more birds down.

THEN, the sun moves round a bit, I'm no longer a lightbulb (or blinded) AND the breeze gets up, from behind me!! Perfect!! The birds come from behind, over the top, right shoulder or left shoulder and swing into the decoys!! The odds are now well in my favour and my confidence returns, as I have an idea of what is happening. They are only 25-30 yards out and I start to FOLD them up 12+ doubles and I pick up 56, plus 4 over the river and a few lost in the crop, for 80 shots!! 3 of them were scarers! Magic!!

Not all honey, I did kill one decoy when blasting a low bird swooping through the pattern and I did half fall into the river when getting a wounded bird out - but who cares??!! I was only half soaked and only filled 2 size 12 boots!

I'll give it a couple of weeks and see what happens........

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Sounds a bit like most of my year; or at least the first non productive bit of your report. I've only got a few fields to shoot on and I seemed to always be watching the ******* flocking down onto a field next to me that I did not have permission to shoot on, or driving from one to another, with a truck full of gear that barely gets used. I tried magnets, flappers, floaters, full bodied coys, FUDS, real birds when I got a couple, but nothing gave any more than a single figure day. I do how ever feel the Mossy Hushpower 20 gauge gives a little more flexibility with how close to roads and houses I can position myself and when birds are in the area, it does not scare other feeding birds unless they are under 100 yards away.

So ever hopeful and ever mindful of the generosity of the 3 farmers, I troll round to each of them with a Chrismas bottle of plonk and a bag of pigs ears for the dogs and one of them informs me that his farm is much bigger than I first realized (more recon work on my part needed I think) and that he has two large field of short rape! Hopes are high that the new year will bring the right weather conditions and just may be, I'll have a day with a good number of birds decoying in and I can come home with some empty cartridge boxes for a change. Anyone got some tips for the best weather conditions? Cheers

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Sounds a bit like most of my year; or at least the first non productive bit of your report. I've only got a few fields to shoot on and I seemed to always be watching the ******* flocking down onto a field next to me that I did not have permission to shoot on, or driving from one to another, with a truck full of gear that barely gets used. I tried magnets, flappers, floaters, full bodied coys, FUDS, real birds when I got a couple, but nothing gave any more than a single figure day. I do how ever feel the Mossy Hushpower 20 gauge gives a little more flexibility with how close to roads and houses I can position myself and when birds are in the area, it does not scare other feeding birds unless they are under 100 yards away.

So ever hopeful and ever mindful of the generosity of the 3 farmers, I troll round to each of them with a Chrismas bottle of plonk and a bag of pigs ears for the dogs and one of them informs me that his farm is much bigger than I first realized (more recon work on my part needed I think) and that he has two large field of short rape! Hopes are high that the new year will bring the right weather conditions and just may be, I'll have a day with a good number of birds decoying in and I can come home with some empty cartridge boxes for a change. Anyone got some tips for the best weather conditions? Cheers

 

The best weather conditions for shooting over decoys on rape are; overcast, with a moderate to strongish wind.

 

Air temperatures do not make much difference, don't believe the old saying often spouted on here that a cold spell will encourage them to feed harder, during the Winter months, they feed pretty much all day long from dawn to dusk, it makes little difference whether it's plus 10 degrees or minus 10 degrees.

 

If you've not had much success to date, it's probably due to lack of proper reconnaissance on your part..?

 

It's vitally important that you position yourself where the birds are feeding, and not where you want them to feed.

 

You need to get out to the field the day before and find where the birds are feeding, then plan your hide position accordingly.

 

Get yourself some banger ropes and try and put bangers on the upwind sides of nearby rape fields, it's very important to try and not let them settle on nearby rape fields as they will all make a bee line for that field.

 

Keep at it, you'll have a good day soon enough..!

 

Cat.

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