Another tale of woe

[Clodhopper]

Yesterday JDog and I planned to each have a drive round our permissions, meet up at 1pm and make plan of action with what we had seen. Well meet up we did, what we had seen amounted to naff all. The drilling I went to look at had not been drilled, my rape was deserted, it was generally disappointing. JDog reported similar from his scouting exercise. We had driven around 100 miles between us and covered most of the district. Last chance saloon was a rape field JDog had shot a couple of weeks ago.

 

 We observed the field and noticed there were around 150 feeding but little joining, what the neck we thought we would give it an hour. Once set up we had 3 down in no time but noticed a line developing on the North side of the field. We upped sticks and set up under this line. Birds appeared almost immediately and we had a short but  busy period. The line then stopped as quick as it started. We sat it out for another 40 minutes but nothing returned.

We called it a day at 4.30 with around a dozen birds in the bag. We did have an afternoon of good banter out in the sunshine but lamented our inability to find any pigeons.

 

 

 

[JDog]

This is the most frustrating drilling season I have known and I have a theory.

Normally drillings will start in March and be finished in mid April. This of course does not apply everywhere. This year as it has been so wet drilling didn't start until mid April and pigeons were already on the buds.

My last hope is for late bean then pea drilling. Today's rain here will have put that back until next week. 

[motty]

I agree with you, Dog. It is a similar theory to the one I have, for why a recently drilled field was bereft of pigeons on Sunday. Normally, as you said, most fields would be drilled before April. This farmer normally drills after all the others around, hence his fields become some of the most attractive in the area.

[marsh man]

This, and like the last few drilling ( seasons ) have been non events , ours have been mainly lack of seed left on the surface but your theory for this years late start could well be right .

We have had rain today but not really enough to delay anything , with more forecasted tomorrow then yes any late drilling might be delayed .

I have just got back from having a walk down the marsh and just before 7pm there was a flock of pigeons , around 150 came off one of the grazing fields , the only thing on there was clover in the grass , so maybe a lot of the buds have broke out in leaf now and the pigeons are looking for another food supply .

[Wilksy II]

Amazing isn’t? The huge flocks before Christmas all melt away and spread out, all we can do is keep looking!

[Clodhopper]

The most amazing thing to me is that none of the birds we shot in the afternoon had anything in the crop. They were heading for the rape but the earlier line had also ended at some large Ash trees that were on the boundary. My feeling is that there is such an abundance of food that they do not need to hit the drillings in any numbers. 

 

 

[aga man]

Certainly a difficult time at the minute. I have still have some drillings to go in but I fear that warm soils and frequent rain showers will mean quick germination, giving a small window for the birds to find it. Pigeons here seem to be leaving buds and going back to rape and clover.

[pigeon controller]

As I reported last week the seed was exposed but no birds , birds on the buds.

well  done lads a valiant effort , 100 miles and eventually a " we will give it a go " session to end the day. 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by pigeon controller

[ditchman]

titter yee not and thrice woe.............who have you been shooting with...frankie Howard..

[Clodhopper]

Do forgive me Ditchy but I am far to young to understand what you are on about, innit!

[Wilksy II]

12 hours ago, ditchman said:

titter yee not and thrice woe.............who have you been shooting with...frankie Howard..

Jdog’s more of a Kennith Williams!

[Old Boggy]

44 minutes ago, Wilksy II said:

Jdog’s more of a Kennith Williams!

Not in the guise of Rambling Sid Rumpole surely.

[Wilksy II]

2 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

Not in the guise of Rambling Sid Rumpole surely.

Slightly better spoken, more ‘carry on pigeon shooting!’

[ditchman]

2 hours ago, Wilksy II said:

Slightly better spoken, more ‘carry on pigeon shooting!’

like that

[JDog]

Don't let that Wilksy be too rude or I will remind him that a year ago when I invited him to shoot bean drilling that he put his gun away because the pigeons were too difficult for him.

[Wilksy II]

1 hour ago, JDog said:

Don't let that Wilksy be too rude or I will remind him that a year ago when I invited him to shoot bean drilling that he put his gun away because the pigeons were too difficult for him.

Hahaha! My bottom lip did come out that day! Couldn't hit a thing, waste of good cartridges!