JONO Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Having driven from Bristol to Huntingdon to Wisbech to Kings Lynn to Cambridge to Bristol this weekend I can confirm that ALL the woodies in the UK are congregating in flocks of 1000+ and are turning the fields blue in Norfolk and North Cambs. There are also a lot of arrogant pheasants and more partridge than I'd seen for years.... Hope they come westwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 There all in the House Garden, its only about 20m square, but there were 25 pigeons on it this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Jono I agree with your findings.. I drove to Norwich a couple of weeks ago and saw plenty of birds in large flocks.. I had thought earlier in the year that there was a decline in bird numbers in parts of Glos and Wilts but there now appears to be smaller flocks 100 to 200 birds but more spread out. I shoot in the Cirencester, Fairford, Uley and Stroud areas and it seems this way. Mind you the layout of the countryside in these areas is a lot different to that in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and surrounding areas where larger arable operations will support the really big flocks. I remember shooting a pea field in Norfolk in the earky 80,s and the sky was black with Pigeon. I thought it was the end of the world and the sun had burnt out! One farmer spoke of a flock of 4000 birds and had 20 gas cannons to keep them moving about!!! Happy days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highdowns hunter Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Just goes to show all those Nor####ers are poor shots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 I think when you are looking for pigeons, you have to take the "design" of the countryside into account. Where you have very large prairie type fields, with the odd hedgerows, a few pigeons stick out like sore thumbs. When the fields are smaller, surrounded by mature tall hedging and/or trees, a big flock can disappear, quite easily. Big areas of woodland can also hide large amounts of birds between feeding spells. I have seen a lot of pheasants in the last few weeks, they definitely know when the seasons over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Shuter Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Hi JONO Let me tell where the pigeons really are : 1/ On any grass with emerging clover. 2/ In ancient woodlands where Ivy is plentiful.(they just love the berries) 3/ Among the hedgerows looking for Hawthorn buds and more Ivy berries. 4/ On rough ploughed land newly spread with chicken ****.(take a gas mask and wear your old gear and wellies) 5/ On most freshly sown corn/beans. 6/ Some on OSR where no-one has disturbed them for several days. 7/ and finally in parks and gardens everywhere. So who needs 'guides' - only the 'scouts' methinks. Whoa thar boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 2/ In ancient woodlands where Ivy is plentiful.(they just love the berries) BD, we might have some pigeon fun next week me thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain dead Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 DAMN NATIONS #$%^&*(*&^%$#@#$%^&*( :< :< :< i have just looked at the dates and i don't break up till next friday. So i doubt there wil be any pigeon fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdev Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Guys just checked a pea field down here in the southeast! I was susposed to shoot it over the weekend but could,nt due to the rain. Anyway checked today" and the pidgeons on it are on real" 3000 plus, Gas guns going off on rape fields near bye but the birds are just flareing up and sitting down again. Giving the field ago tomorrow. 1st time to try the new FLAPPER ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 best of luck mate, let us know how you and the flapper get on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdev Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Guys shot the pea field today. And what a day. RED LETTER DAYS Got there around 08.00hrs with my mate and set up" with 30 dead birds and the FLAPPER ,which i got off Deako, And also the magnet which stayed in the bag all day. Anyway set up with the wind at our backs and a horse shoe pattern and the FLAPPER right in the center. Woodies just kept coming and coming so finished the day with 204 woodies and 5 crows 1 maggpie. Cheers Deako for a great piece of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Bigdev, Well done, you obviously did your homework as big bags like that take some forethought. I have yet to use the flapper that I bought from Deako, as I have been too busy doing other things. I hope to try it out during the next week, also on pea / bean drillings. Did you find that the continual flapping motion continued to draw them in, or did many flare off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdev Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Hi Double H i have being watching this field now for over a week and the woodies are so comited to this field. Think its because its the only pea field to be drilled in the area at the moment. But they where dropping in from way up in the sky and coming in like bullets, you no what i mean ! and they did,nt flinch an eye lid at the flapper until they felt the pidgeon express No 6. There was a bloke just behind me about 500yds down the field getting the left overs of our shooting and he baged 81 also using a flapper but not one of deako,s but home made. SUICIDE PIDGEONS i call them, when they get the liken for a certain field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Well done big dev, any photos ? It sounds as though you would have shot quite a few birds, without any decoys, if they were that suicidal. Makes the 10 I shot last Sunday morning seem woefully inadequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Makes the 10 I shot last Sunday morning seem woefully inadequate. Makes the 1 i got yesterday look a bit sick as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 At least you boys are getting out for a shot!...**** up here, all sown as winter cereals , but a few drillings just starting to go in, and some nice pea/bean fields lined up in Yorkshire and Leicestershire soon. Just as well, shot more pheasants than pigeons during the winter!, best get on the clays for a day prior methinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 Makes the 10 I shot last Sunday morning seem woefully inadequate. Not so Cranfield... Yesterday (Wednesday) I shot over a new Farm. Set up at 6.30 on a rape field Put out 10 shell deeks and two homemade flying deeks on a rotary.. No pigeons for 3 Hours where on Sunday there had been hundreds. At 7 saw three goldcrests and a tree creeper 6ft away from the hide.. still no pigeons... At 7.30 saw 5 buzzards wheeling overhead watch them for about 20mins... still no pigeons... At 8 .30 a large flock of waders came up over the fields from the Severn Estuary dont know what they were about 4 0r 500 of them probably Knot or Dunlin.. Still no pigeons... At 8.45 Saw 6 roe deer picking their way through an adjacent field after a night on the feed, watched them through me bins for about 15 mins. At about 9.45 a dozen pigeons came soaring over the deeks at about 40 m. Hit one and they broke up like a fighter squadron.. 10 mins later another 15 or so and I then experienced something that I have never experienced before in 28 years of pigeon shooting a Left Left Right. That is I hit two birds crossing over with the left barrel and the hit another bird going away with the right... Brilliant or what...( But complete Fluke) The Pigeons came at regular but wide intervals after that and appeared to be more occupied with a newly sown wheat field 2 or three fields away. I thought of moving but what the heck... And then to cap it all at about 5. pm 40 or 50 birds settled in a tree just out of gun range only to be attacked by a Goshawk which had probably popped over from the Forest of Dean.. I finished up with 18 birds which if I had been a better shot (and took my 12 g instead of the 20) should have been about 40 but I havent enjoyed a better days shoot for many years Cranfield... Its Quality that counts for me not Quantity... That WAS a red letter day for me.. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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