Opinions on Enforcer decoys

[dead eye alan]

Do we?

 

No don't believe it i think there on the increase.

[ironhorse]

I have seen the decline of pigeon numbers across West Sussex and Hampshire over the past 25 years, there is absolutely no discussion to be had on that it is fact, save for the odd pocket here and there, that is my experience shooting across two counties. Also speaking to other shooters across the southern region they are asking where have all the pigeons gone, now it maybe the type of crop being grown in the southern counties and also the fact that today’s machines are so much more efficient and nothing is left for pigeons to eat, so they have simply move off elsewhere I am a where that further up country they have more pigeons than they can cope with at times, which brings me back to the type of crop being grown.

[motty]

I have seen the decline of pigeon numbers across West Sussex and Hampshire over the past 25 years, there is absolutely no discussion to be had on that it is fact, save for the odd pocket here and there, that is my experience shooting across two counties. Also speaking to other shooters across the southern region they are asking where have all the pigeons gone, now it maybe the type of crop being grown in the southern counties and also the fact that today’s machines are so much more efficient and nothing is left for pigeons to eat, so they have simply move off elsewhere I am a where that further up country they have more pigeons than they can cope with at times, which brings me back to the type of crop being grown.

I can't see how the crops will be much different to that grown around here. As far as the machinery goes, I agree that they are efficient, but not so efficient that they won't leave grain/seed on the surface of stubbles. I regularly look on stubbles to see what has been left behind. I have found plenty of grains left on barley and wheat stubbles, even on the farms that use the most modern combines.

[mudpatten]

The British Trust for Ornithology seem to think that woodpigeon numbers have increased steadily over the last 25 years and that there are now more about than there has probably ever been.

 

So there might be a discussion to be had over Ironhorses assertion which would seem to be a fact at odds with the scientific evidence.

 

From my own experience of shooting across Hampshire and West Sussex I`d be the first to agree that my bags have decreased over the last forty years but I don`t believe that there are fewer pigeons.

 

I wonder if Ironhorse means that the distribution of woodpigeon has changed, rather than that there are fewer of them.

 

The latter a dangerous idea to bandy about at the best of times.

Edited August 12, 2017 by mudpatten

[pinfireman]

I have seen the decline of pigeon numbers across West Sussex and Hampshire over the past 25 years, there is absolutely no discussion to be had on that it is fact, save for the odd pocket here and there, that is my experience shooting across two counties. Also speaking to other shooters across the southern region they are asking where have all the pigeons gone, now it maybe the type of crop being grown in the southern counties and also the fact that today’s machines are so much more efficient and nothing is left for pigeons to eat, so they have simply move off elsewhere I am a where that further up country they have more pigeons than they can cope with at times, which brings me back to the type of crop being grown.

It,s not only in the South where the birds are in less numbers .........here in the East Midlands / South Yorkshire area we are not seeing the numbers of birds, particularly in the October to March months. Years ago, we regularly had bags of a couple of hundred, now a good day is 40 ! RSPB state that the Woody is becoming a more common sight in gardens, and towns etc, but the large winter flocks seem to be disappearing. After 45 years of shooting them, I do tend to notice these things!

[mossy835]

i agree there is a lot more round towns and in the gardens,i only shot one yesterday and loads of cut fields,i have not shot a young pigeon yet, this time last year i shot lots on cut fields,where are they all gone.