choices choices

[GingerCat]

This morning I made my way to Jdogs' for 930 am. I quite like the short drive through the Wolds, as although only a diesel I manage to work the engine up and down the hills and along the twisty lanes. Today was totally clear with patches of frost still in places the sun hadn't reached. I saw 2 cars in the 9 miles. 

I got there  at 0929 and by 0931 we were on our way to the first of 4 potential sites Jdog had earmarked.  

The game strips that the dog had been watching for a number of weeks were in business, and business was good. The first had somewhere around 150 birds flapping to it from a large wood some half mile or so behind and up hill. They were swooping down and into the wood before dropping onto the strip that had yet to be cut. The second was much like the first, set in the deepest part of the vale. This strip had been cut. It stretched 300 yards along the hedge going up hill. A belt of trees at its base running along to the first site and a large field of rape bordered it on two sides. This was busier than the first with a conservative 300 or so birds going to and fro. A good sign with the return line also.

The third site was a field of rape, there was another good size flock of birds but crucially no line, as we discussed later - a line is everything. This was a no go this morning. Finally we went to the last strip of game cover. A high wood surrounded 2 sides of it. Previously we had shot there on the rape but now it had been cut and Jdog was excited. When Jdogs excited its generally because your going to shoot some pigeons.  We drove up to it and a huge flock of pigeons took off but alas,  it had been ploughed the day before.  The Dog wasn't happy it had been ploughed but that's the trouble with pigeon shooting.  Still the birds wanted the field, or did they?

Choices choices.  As dilemmas go it was a good one to have. We had a good 3 sites, potentially a 4th and maybe a 5th but only 2 guns. Do we have a pop on the first 2, potentially ruining them or do we save them and have a go at the last site. I voted for the last one. We had an hour on it and nothing, not one bird out of an easy 75 that flew past. They all made their way to the tall tree on the corner of the wood and promptly flew off. None decoyed and none came within range. we had a rotary, 8 shells, 3 floaters and god knows how many real birds.  The pattern was visible, in the right place and moving. Still not a sniff. 

With hindsight we should have moved hides to that tall sycamore they headed for and stayed there. We didn't. No instead we went back to the first two sites. I went up hill (the hike nearly killed me) and Jdog went to a tree on one of the lines that fed the first strip . We didn't shoot a single pigeon. It was as if they knew precisely the moment we were in the hide. All traffic stopped. After 45 minutes JDog moved to the first game strip. A stray pigeon flew near me and I gave it a speculative barrel. 100 or so flew from the trees at the base of the vale and were never to be seen again. 

We decided that to hell with it, we were going back to the first place and setting up under that tree. 

20 minutes later we drove back down the lane for the second time in 2 hours or so. Easily 500 pigeons took off the ploughed maize cover crop. Oh how we laughed. Not!!

Now Jdog and I were quite determined to make a bag, even a small one, so we set up. I over looked the ploughed cover crop and Jdog the rape field. We put some decoys in the rape and a couple of floaters. The whole thing took 10 minutes. I poured a cup of coffee and waited. 

I should say we could see some 10 miles or so from our elevated positions at the top of the Wolds, and what a beautiful day it was to be out in a field with a mate shooting pigeons or at least trying too!  The previous two cover crops were less than half a mile away, visible in front of me. the birds, if they came would no doubt be high. The wind now almost nothing and the sky as clear as expensive gin. Not ideal.  

The first 2 came in a good 50 yards up, circling over the trees. Very alert. Clearly the last 3 weeks roost shooting in the area had made the jumpier than a frog in a box.  I managed to bag one and then JDog another. This was how it went really for the next hour 30 maybe 2 hours.  I missed a lot. Too many really. The birds were high to be fair (my excuse). Really high actually. 50 metres mostly. some dropped in giving a shot. others didn't. Lots came from behind and most swirled round a few times no doubt wondering what all the noise was about. In fact for a large amount of time the safest place to be was in front of my barrel as I appeared unable to hit anything. 

We had a brief interruption by the Police looking for hare coursers, cheerful chaps soon on their way without issue. Maybe we spoke for 3 minutes. Time enough to compose myself before trying to shoot a few more of those birds. 

We ended with a touch under 20 picked.  I think the shot of the day went to Jdog, a high trio flew into the wood from my side  and went behind me towards the Dog, I shouted their arrival and he took the leader some 40 yards up and another 40 into the wood, it crashed through the branches landing at his feet.

Not a bad bag given the circumstance. In fact I would go so far to say it was a bloody good bag and a great day. Each and every bird taken was an accomplishment.  

 

 

 

 

[JDog]

Thank you for your fine report. 

It was disappointing that I failed to get on top of those pigeons. The unfortunate thing is that with those numbers the maize will soon be gobbled up before we can get out again.

[marsh man]

A detailed and interesting post , having several choices is not often the ideal situation at this time of the year , today I looked at fresh cut sugar beet , flattened  game strips and several rape fields on what was the best days weather this year , not for shooting but just nice to have the sun on your back instead of rain and cold winds , and yes I did see pigeons and each time I walked them off , got back to the motor, a had a coffee , sat there for 30mins without seeing anything come back and then moved on to the next field , this went on for over four hours , by then I had drunk all my coffee and headed off for home without firing a shot , tomorrow I will be heading in the opposite direction and hopefully have better results .

Well done on getting a reasonable bag .

[b325]

Great report GingerCat, really enjoyed reading that. Thankyou.

I've been having the same troubles , pigeon everywhere until I set up to try and shoot some.They just move to the other fields after a few shots . I've been out over 10 times since the start of February and my largest bag is 16 and I won't comment on my shot to kill ratio! I be out again tomorrow for more punishment.Good luck next time.

[aga man]

A very enthusiastic report Gingercat.

Very disappointing for JDog no doubt, he knows his stuff and to have those numbers that won't decoy, well I can only imagine the frustration. 

Worth mentioning though, having shot up there myself , that there are no town lines to rely on and those wild wold birds have been very bothered by the recent roost shooting.

I hope the numbers hang around and perhaps you boys can catch up with them on the spring drilling in a few weeks. 

Edited February 16, 2018 by aga man

[7daysinaweek]

A very informative and detailed account of your day, i managed to finish a cup of tea and two whole pieces of toast before the end. What a cracking write up and sound like your efforts were well rewarded.

atb

7diaw

[motty]

A very good report.

It is a similar story on the pheasant shoot on beat on. There are thousands of birds on the farm (feasting on maize and rape) but they are predictably unpredictable at the moment. I was happy to shoot 20 flighting last weekend.

[Clodhopper]

Great write up Gingercat, Aga Man is right, these wolds pigeon are jumpy little ******* at the minute. Still a lovely day to be out in beautiful surroundings and you managed to bag a few each.

[Mightymariner]

Good writing.

Edited February 17, 2018 by Mightymariner