Barley Quest

[pigeon controller]

So picked up DB and tried to decide where to shoot, rather than drive the South Midlands we decided to call our farmers and ask the question. Have you planted winter barley and do you have a problem with pigeons. The first reply was from the barley we shot last week," no its gone too hard for the birds and they have left it". Out of the further seven calls two sounded possible. So we drove to the area and called on the farmers The best one was one hundrd and eighty acres with two flightlines. One across the field and one down the edge of the field. We watched it for thirty minutes and although the flightline was continuous it was just across the field to trees etc, nothing dropping in. Next to the barley was a cut and cleared hay field. We went back to the farm to try and find out the owner which we phoned, he was ok with us picking up off the field but not shooting the grass, which would have given us one hundred percent pick up. So we opted to shoot the edge of the barley and try to drop birds in the blow holes or  over the edge onto the grass. We were set up for 12.00 with ten on frames and two fresh birds on the magnet. The birds did not like the magnet so we took it in and put five flyers in the holes along with a flapper which we have not used much but thought it would work in the blow holes. It was very hot and the birds came to look but not drop in so the blow holes shooting was hovering birds. The better shooting was the birds passing over high and dropping them in the grass behind.

We continued shooting till 19.30 and started to pick up the remaining birds as we had been picking up as and when and putting the birds in carp sacks at the back of the hide in the shade and cooling wind. We took the photograph which had one hundred and fifty eight pigeons. We had not used the dog in the barley but put him through the hedgrow and grass, as we walked back to the Disco he was on the lead down the tram tracks and indicated a further ten birds so the total shot was one  hundred and sixty eight

 

158 pigeons in picture, total picked 168.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, good going PC but were is DB ??

[pigeon controller]

9 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, good going PC but were is DB ??

Taking the picture, he is very shy!

[aga man]

Well done. That barley looks not far off being fit!

[oldypigeonpopper]

6 minutes ago, pigeon controller said:

Taking the picture, he is very shy!

hello, oh thats a shame, you always write good reports with some excellent shooting and numbers shot, 1 photo together would be nice to see, cheers 

Edited July 1, 2018 by oldypigeonpopper

[JDog]

PC should stand for Pigeon City.

A well thought out plan of action.

[motty]

See. Told you so!

[pigeon controller]

45 minutes ago, motty said:

See. Told you so!

OK Thanks.

1 hour ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, oh thats a shame, you always write good reports with some excellent shooting and numbers shot, 1 photo together would be nice to see, cheers 

Ive never seen a picture of him at home or around.

[motty]

4 minutes ago, pigeon controller said:

OK Thanks.

Ive never seen a picture of him at home or around.

I was referring to the post last week where I said you'd get 100 plus this weekend.

[pigeon controller]

48 minutes ago, motty said:

I was referring to the post last week where I said you'd get 100 plus this weekend.

OK, this thick Brummie can remember last week , just???? It worries me that I appreciate Norfolk Humour I'll be agreeing with Ditchman next!!!!!

[Clodhopper]

Another good read PC, I like the tactical change and use of technology to find your quarry.

[marsh man]

A class way of avoiding covering a huge area without burning a lot of fuel , one thing I picked up on was when you said the barley have gone to hard so they ( the pigeons ) have moved off.

I find this happens most years , possibly because the wheat is going milky at the same time , but why is it that when the barley field is cut , the pigeons that left it alone when the grain got to hard come back on the stubble eating the same grain that they have just recently left ? .

[Guest cookoff013]

good going.

[pigeon controller]

3 hours ago, marsh man said:

A class way of avoiding covering a huge area without burning a lot of fuel , one thing I picked up on was when you said the barley have gone to hard so they ( the pigeons ) have moved off.

I find this happens most years , possibly because the wheat is going milky at the same time , but why is it that when the barley field is cut , the pigeons that left it alone when the grain got to hard come back on the stubble eating the same grain that they have just recently left ? .

Yes Marsh Man, when I use to stay and shoot the stubbles they would start on the downed barley move on to the wheat leave the barley stubble and eat the wheat stubble and move back on the barley stubble after it had received some moisture to soften it then on to the beans. The barley gets too hard and even the dew in the autumn mornings was enough to soften it or it became wet and fermented into barley wine and that's why when you shoot pigeons they go from side to side coming to the decoys?????

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, pigeon controller said:

Yes Marsh Man, when I use to stay and shoot the stubbles they would start on the downed barley move on to the wheat leave the barley stubble and eat the wheat stubble and move back on the barley stubble after it had received some moisture to soften it then on to the beans. The barley gets too hard and even the dew in the autumn mornings was enough to soften it or it became wet and fermented into barley wine and that's why when you shoot pigeons they go from side to side coming to the decoys?????

Very well thought out P C , maybe it effect us as well , as I often shoot the wrong side when they are going sideways and I curse and call them the sprit in the sky . ?