How often does this happen?

[Mightymariner]

Well, how often does this happen - you end up shooting the first field you recce, albeit with a two hour drive round the countryside in between?

Answer, too often for me.

So Saturday, JDog declined my offer, so I was on my own.

Where to go I pondered, until the other shooter who has permission on some land I shoot phoned me, "pigeons on old bean stubble, drilled with wheat, would I like first refusal?" Very kind offer I thought, so off I went.

I spied the drilled field of wheat, which was beans, then decided a 20 mile trip inland was necessary. Nothing doing. Back towards the coast, former bean field....still little action, arrive near coast, lots of birds flighting across fields to drilled wheat....but up and away in flocks. So, drive back to first field, see birds feeding and decide to give it a go.

Short walk down the field to nice cosy hedge, with howling south westerly at my back.

Quickly set up, no dead birds, just shells.

Unusually for me I shot two in a row - perhaps less pressure as JDog wasn't watching.

Then on the birds came in dribs and drabs, speeding with the wind from my right and coming low across the field towards my decoys....some left, some right, some flicking away in the winds in a millisecond.

I was quite happy with my shooting, one for three, given the 40mph wind. I shot a dozen and packed up, trudging back up the hill to the truck and home.

This field will shoot again, some beans on the surface and some chitting too.

[Clodhopper]

We shot a similar field this afternoon, chitting beans on wheat drilling. Lots of birds about all afternoon, darting everywhere in the wind. They would not decoy until we took hide down and crouched in the hedge bottom.

 

Those birds took some hitting in that wind, sounds like you had some challenging and sporting bird too, great fun.

[JDog]

Sorry I couldn't join you and glad you had a successful time.

[pigeon controller]

Well done, good report.