wildfowler.250 Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) So I wanted to pick a few brains on here to see what everyone else did. Recently I was shooting a few birds over flattened crop and making a point to only drop them in the damaged areas,(I don't like not retrieving anything and don't want to make the crop any worse). Where I shoot, big numbers don't really happen but I was managing 10 an hour which was good going,(had to pack up After 2 hours and head off for travel vaccinations which wasn't very well planned). I was shooting 3-4 birds at a go and then leaving the hide and picking them up. If something was "winged" I'd just go get it as it's not fair to leave something injured in my opinion. All birds shot were picked so no issues there. Now as I was picking my birds, more were trying to fly into the pattern and obviously that's chances missed. I'm all for a bird in the bag attitude and dispatch anything that needs it at the time but was curious how other folk go about it? Obviously on stubble it's no issue and I use a dog. But for the times of the year where the cover is thicker what's your protocol? Not passing any judgment or anything like that. Just interested to see how other folk operate? Many thanks! Edited July 31, 2017 by wildfowler.250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) if the shooting is busy....i shoot and leave them to lay there.....if the shooting is slow i go out and position them and remove a plastic................ At the end of the day the farmer asks me to keep ontop of the birds and push em on or kill them.....if i lightly shoot a bird and it goes down then starts to walk about again...i give them another barrel....i dont have dogs anymore so i dont have the luxury of picking pricked birds anymore...so i do the best i can and shoot as many as i can...and if they are still well alive they get a 2nd shot on the ground...............ok its not very sporting...but im there to do a job.........not everybody will agree with those sentiments...but there you go.... Edited July 31, 2017 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Shuter Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 You must be a pretty good shot Wildfowler, anticipating the spot where your killed birds will drop that is skill mate, but what if they fly on a bit as happens in most cases or if they are just pricked ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 if the shooting is busy....i shoot and leave them to lay there.....if the shooting is slow i go out and position them and remove a plastic................ At the end of the day the farmer asks me to keep ontop of the birds and push em on or kill them.....if i lightly shoot a bird and it goes down then starts to walk about again...i give them another barrel....i dont have dogs anymore so i dont have the luxury of picking pricked birds anymore...so i do the best i can and shoot as many as i can...and if they are still well alive they get a 2nd shot on the ground...............ok its not very sporting...but im there to do a job.........not everybody will agree with those sentiments...but there you go.... Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) You must be a pretty good shot Wildfowler, anticipating the spot where your killed birds will drop that is skill mate, but what if they fly on a bit as happens in most cases or if they are just pricked ??It does limit the bag quite notably but I only shoot them just over the pattern and really won't look at shooting the crop itself unless there's a large, large patch to drop them in. It's quite frustrating at times but it still keeps the birds off the field. Pricked birds I'll go and get straight away and I'll always have a look if possible if any fly on and perches into some trees. Had one last week that did that and the dog eventually picked it with me in some woodland 2-300 yards away which was great. Just wonder how folk that shoot 1-200 bird days go about it really. I'm guessing a lot just pick up at the end? Cheers for the reply! Edited July 31, 2017 by wildfowler.250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 I also pick up what I can during lulls. Its quite amazing sometimes how a stone dead bird can completely disappear in a laid cereal crop, if they get through the "canopy", they can be gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me matt Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 If they are for the pot I pick up every two/three shot. If they are for freezer/decoys I leave them there, go out once every couple of hours. When shooting over an established crop I find it inevitable some will drop outside the area I can collect from. Walkers/pricked birds I go staright out for and break their necks, not that I have many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Cheers guys. Nice to hear I'm not the only one then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Depends on the day really, I will normally leave dead birds during a busy session and pick up during a lull in the action. I find birds laid belly up doesn't bother incoming birds during a busy spell, but often birds will decoy to a dead bird outside my pattern which can prompt a tidy up. It is good practice to pick runners asap I think but there is no harm in shooting a runner on the deck if you are wealthy like ditch man and can afford the cartridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me matt Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Cheers guys. Nice to hear I'm not the only one then Theres probably lots of people doing things differently, what ever works for you works is what I say. Personally - if what im shooting on the day is being eaten that evening or following day I will even go so far as to pick up every bird/pair as its shot, more so on a hot day where flies are massing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Depends on the day really, I will normally leave dead birds during a busy session and pick up during a lull in the action. I find birds laid belly up doesn't bother incoming birds during a busy spell, but often birds will decoy to a dead bird outside my pattern which can prompt a tidy up. It is good practice to pick runners asap I think but there is no harm in shooting a runner on the deck if you are wealthy like ditch man and can afford the cartridges. Theres probably lots of people doing things differently, what ever works for you works is what I say. Personally - if what im shooting on the day is being eaten that evening or following day I will even go so far as to pick up every bird/pair as its shot, more so on a hot day where flies are massing. I did actually take one of these fly proof game safes with me recently. Nothing worse than them crawling over birds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me matt Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 I did actually take one of these fly proof game safes with me recently. Nothing worse than them crawling over birds! Yeah I bought onen of them laundry net bags off Amazon.... forgot to take ot with me last week ☹ but then the problem wasn't flies coming onto the birds, it was the nasty pigeon flies already on them that got me- I dont mind an insect but those pigeon flies are disgusting, freaked me right out as hide was full of them by time I realised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningB525 Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 You must be a pretty good shot Wildfowler, anticipating the spot where your killed birds will drop that is skill mate, but what if they fly on a bit as happens in most cases or if they are just pricked ?? Shoot them when they're 6' off the flattened spot. Said semi jokingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Seemingly dead birds but which in fact are badly wounded (no such thing as pricked) and unable to do a 'runner' are very good at playing dead. It is impossible to tell which it is from 20 to 40+ yards - you'll only find out when you get within a couple of feet of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphead Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 I send the dog for every bird as soon as it drops. Anything still alive is necked immediately and once it slows a bit I put them back out where I want them in cradles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 For me, sending the dog for each pigeon killed would result in a very stop-start day. I don't think I would enjoy that at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Interesting all the comments. Appreciate the feedback. Totally agree picking birds made it very stop start. At the same time, im not overly comfortable leaving things,(with the possibility of something being wounded as wymberly said). Also anything fractionally off the flattened crop,(there's always one or two) could easyily be lost/forgotten by the end of the day. I've come to the conclusion that these big days probably pick up at the end of the day to maximize the bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 I would tidy the pattern each quiet period until I have fifty down, then bring in and store in Carp sacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted August 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 I would tidy the pattern each quiet period until I have fifty down, then bring in and store in Carp sacks. I can see how folk need a clicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 Just to clarify; I pick wounded pigeons as and when they are shot, but I don't pick every bird as it is shot. I usually have a pick up/pattern tidy every so often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphead Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) For me, sending the dog for each pigeon killed would result in a very stop-start day. I don't think I would enjoy that at all. I do it to give the dog something to do while she is still learning... makes a good training aid. I enjoy working the dog as as much as shooting so its win win for me plus in Yorkshire I never seem to land on hundreds of them at a time. 20 is a good bag for me up there lol Edited August 1, 2017 by slaphead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted August 1, 2017 Report Share Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) i pick up soon as i can,if birds are on there backs puts off in coming birds. Edited August 1, 2017 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgey Posted August 8, 2017 Report Share Posted August 8, 2017 i dont like leaving any bird thats wounded and not dead and try my best to find it which can be a nightmare in standing crop , especially with out a dog. but how far do you go before make a mess of the crop you are ment to be protecting. even finding the best place where u want to drop them doesnt always go to plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry2016 Posted August 18, 2017 Report Share Posted August 18, 2017 I use a clicker and only pick up if the pattern becomes untidy and causing birds to flare off due to pigeons laying on their back etc. runners are picked straight away.. by the dog ... or my son :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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