lakeside1000 Posted November 17, 2017 Report Share Posted November 17, 2017 I did the rounds on Tuesday morning but only found a few pigeons , there was a decent bunch on a big hawthorn hedge on the top edge of some rape fields, but they were preoccupied with eating the berries off the bushes, I set up under the bushes with a few decoys out on the edge of the rape, had 7 in about 3 hours,some decoyed ok but most simply went along the hedge over my head and unshootable due to all the thorns above my head, that night I sat watching youtube videos and realised I was doing it the wrong way around, instead of sitting in the bushes shooting out over the rape, I should sit out in the rape and shoot back over the hedge. So yesterday I went down about 10, picked a spot where most of the pigeons had been sitting up in the bushes, I paced out into the field 35 yards and set up a hide using my fishing brolly and all my nets, I laid the decoys along the edge of the rape where the most damage was, I also took 3 lofters and my lofting pole, putting the 3 up on top of the thorns where they would be seen best by passing birds, I hid the car and got back into the hide just in time as 3 birds landed together next to one of the lofters in the hedge, I took the shot and all 3 dropped , too good to believe, I went over to the hedge and found two, but as I peered up into the branches the third which had only been lightly pricked shot out the back of the bush and disappeared up the field, still 2 was ok. From then on they came steady, skirting along the hedge and occasionally dropping into the decoys, I took 13 picked and one more which I saw go down but could not find it in the brambles, There was a lot more birds than I had thought ,they are beginning to get together in larger groups, some of them were around 30 or 40 strong, its definitely going to be a good spot once the frosts turn them onto the rape, It started raining around 2.00 so I packed up. it was very muddy along the track as they have been lifting sugar beet in the next field and carting it along the track by the hedge so this morning I spent a couple of hours cleaning and drying all my gear, then took the car down to the local car wash so they could pressure wash the mud from under the wheel arches, cost me £6 but well worth it. The local landowner took me to see another lot of rape the other day, the trees were blue with birds, hundreds of them along the edge of the woods, but sadly its a game shoot and although the keeper only rents the land and woods he is very anti pigeon shooters while the pheasants are there, which I totally understand but the landowner is having a melt down over the pigeons in his rape, although at the moment the pigeons are not showing a lot of interest in the rape I think its going to get very busy after Christmas but I dont really want to shoot it before Feb 1st, so its quite a dilemma, I dont want to lose the permission by not keeping them off, but I dont want to upset the keeper as he is just trying to run a decent shoot, the proverbial devil and the deep blue sea. What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted November 17, 2017 Report Share Posted November 17, 2017 A good report. You are always getting wet. At the first signs of rain I get the hell out of there. As for shooting on the game shoot I would keep well clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmytree Posted November 17, 2017 Report Share Posted November 17, 2017 Have a word with the keeper, try the same set up with a sub 12 air rifle. You might be surprised how effective that can be. Much less disturbance for his birds but you can still take a reasonable number of pigeons while your landowner can at least see you are trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted November 18, 2017 Report Share Posted November 18, 2017 Borrow, beg or steal a 410 hushpower, the pheasants will ignore it and return to their wood as long as you pack up 2 hours before sunset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted November 18, 2017 Report Share Posted November 18, 2017 9 hours ago, Stonepark said: Borrow, beg or steal a 410 hushpower, the pheasants will ignore it and return to their wood as long as you pack up 2 hours before sunset. I'm with you on this one, same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 I would take all the foregoing advice about an air rifle, or borrow a Hushpower, but I would not approach the Gamekeeper, let the Farmer/Landowner sort that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 Don’t know why he’s having a melt down, he can claim from the shoot for any crop damage/loss, but the way I would approach this is, go see the farmer/land owner and explain your concerns about you not wanting to upset the keeper and ask him if he would approach the keeper on your behalf and work something out with him, once he as spoken to the keeper you will more than likely get one of two things happen, 1/ the keeper will flatly refuse to have you shooting anywhere near his pheasants, or 2/ he will ask to meet you and discuss where he does not want you to shoot, whatever the outcome the farmer can always put gas guns on the fields you cannot shoot. I will add that some keepers and farmers are always at odds with one another and if the farmer is one of those who almost demand you go and shoot that field and tells you to take no notice of what the keeper says, this as you say can put you in a bit of a dilemma (been there myself) and its not nice having the keeper grit his teeth at you every time he sees you. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside1000 Posted November 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 Thanks for all replies, I just sold my .410 hushpower as I never had occasion to use it, **** law, I do however have a lot more areas of rape well away from the pheasants and belonging to the same estate, so I just keep telling the farm manager that I cant be in two places at once, and I am busy keeping the birds off the other sites, It is a pity I cant get in there as the woods are literally full of pigeons but I will get on to them once the game season is finished, cannot wait, I think it will be one of the best areas I have . On 17/11/2017 at 17:54, JDog said: A good report. You are always getting wet. At the first signs of rain I get the hell out of there. As for shooting on the game shoot I would keep well clear. Thanks JDog, your probably right about getting wet, I just cant seem to pack up in time, I cant bear the thought of missing out on just one more bird, I have even purchased a huge army poncho and a pair of waxed cotton chaps so if I get caught out again I can at least stay dry while I pack up, you would think at nearly 70 years old I would know better but I just cant help myself, those pigeons just keep taunting me .as for the pheasants I think you are right there as well, no point in asking for trouble, I think the birds will still be there in February and its something to look forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureBoy Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 Think they have flocked up and flocked off from my part of Suffolk!. Very quiet! Very few last week. Managed to flight line a few Saturday. Looked on all farms yesterday. Hardly a bird to be seen. Down or flighting. lovely bright crisp still morning. Weirdly silent! Not a gas gun to be heard. Says it all. Loads of lush green rape 18in tall in places. nice to see plenty of skylarks, thrushes, finches and buntings about tho. High light was seeing a small flock of bramblings on some stubble. NB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 (edited) they have flocked up here, and on the rape but soon as they see you there gone and not come back. Edited November 20, 2017 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazb1967 Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 2 hours ago, mossy835 said: they have flocked up here, and on the rape but soon as they see you there gone and not come back. Exactly the same here, I don't even need to fire a shot, I went out today just to clear a hide in the hedge and they were gone, when I had finished I went back to the car and waited and nothing came back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted November 20, 2017 Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 i think they are on to us, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted November 21, 2017 Report Share Posted November 21, 2017 11 hours ago, mossy835 said: i think they are on to us, You better believe it my mate Tom has a sign on his spare wheel cover, picture of a pigeon and pigeon tom in sign writing. It's the best scarer ever!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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