Matt.Tsk Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 If yes how long?? As i dont realy know the breeding cycle of the wood pigeon. cheers. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 The anti's are good enough at trying to stop shooting, why should we give it up on a plate. Once lost we'll never get it back, even if its only a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Until it is proved that the pigeon population is in decline or even not showing an annual increase then i am wholeheartedly for the continuation of an open season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 When woodies revert to their origional role as the farmers friend, I will give serious consideration to not shooting them year round. But whilst they continue to represent the agricultural pest that they are, I VOTE NO CLOSED SEASON> webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 They still eat crops all the year round, this will push prices up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Red Would that be the price of food in the shop, or the price of shooting with a certain H? webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 redstag88, have you tried cooking those rape leaves, I understand they taste foul. Most of us made our feelings known on the other thread, but it is very much a matter of personal choice. As I will definitely not be going to Scotland and hiring hunterswind as my Pigeon Guide, I have no hesitation in shooting any of his pigeons that stray South. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Prices in general, rape seed oil, for instance, if you have pigeons across the nation munching on rape then the price of rape would go up as the yeild at harvest would lessen. The only guys who would benefit are the banger makers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 All the above points are valid but I think they should be given a close season, even if it was only a couple of months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 They are a serious agricultural pest. The idea of giving them a closed season when they are at their most destructive I find, quite frankly, ludicrous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Mike Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 If you look at the population now and then think of it with a closed season.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting head Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Pigeons are by law classed as a serious agicultural pest just the same as rats, on that line of thinking do people think we should have a close season for rats when they are breeding, no of coarse not. We need to do the sensible thing here and self regulate our shooting (which the vast majority of us do anyway) we each have our own patch to shoot over and if you overshoot we all know what happens, the pigeons soon find somewhere quieter and we are left with empty skies and fields. SH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 SH Well said, my sentiments exactly. But be carefull, when I wrote virtually the same thing, a certain so called profesional pigeon guide from Scotland saw fit to rebuke me. He claims that he can pick and choose his clients, but forgets that he who pays the piper calls the tune, funny that for a Scotsman. Fortunateley all Scotsmen and pigeon guides dont share his views. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flightline Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 All the above points are valid but I think they should be given a close season, even if it was only a couple of months Ollie Why don`t you have your own personal voluntary close season? Feel free to make it as long as you like. That way you can feel happy, some pigeons will live longer, and we`ll feel happy that you`re happy and not interfering in what most of the rest of us are doing. Just don`t tell your farmers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tody27 Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 I dont want a close season: I dont shoot enough pigeons to even create a substantial dent in the local population They breed throughout so many months the closed season would be too long! March, april, may,june,july,august,september and sometimes october are the months they breed in. tody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 closed season, bad idea, these critters are a major pest, maybe il take a photo of a oil seed rape field i have got access to, the damage is immense, (I'm trying to solve it!) I don't know about decline, there seem to be a few more this year, I'm noticing them where i haven't seen them daring go before (e.g. in the garden when the dogs about, to get a good feed of the ivy in the hedge!) They need shooting all year round. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Hunterswind and others take note. There are two intersesting articles in the April issue of Sporting Shooter, one on page 11, the other on page 54. I think that they say it all! If you dont want to shoot pigeon when you think they are breeding thats fine, dont. But dont try to stop those who do want to enjoy some excellent sport and reduce an increasing problem. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting head Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 If the pigeons are hammering a crop, then get out and shoot them, that is the reason why most of us got permission to shoot pigeons in the first place. SH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 I was once told that both the male and female parents can produce the "pigeon milk" that the young chicks are fed on, therefore both parents would need to be shot before the chicks starved. Thus creating a greater chance of chick survival and lowering the effects of shooting on the population during the summer months. Can anyone back up this theory? Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 19, 2004 Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 M Robson I am reasonably sure that you are correct. I am sure that I have read this, probably in John Batleys most excellent book. I am not however in a position to check, as my copy has not been returned! Regards webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Tsk Posted March 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Pigeon milk? Are u sure!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 M absoluteley, most deffo. Its in John Batleys book. Would whoever borrowed my copy, please return it! webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 MATT, Pigeons feed their young on a form of milk that they produce from their mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.I. countrysports U.K. GARY Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 ALL PIGEONS (male and female) FEED THEIR YOUNG WITH MILK PRODUCED IN THEIR CROP. THE CROP WALL THICKENS (it is a gland) IN BOTH SEXES DURING THE INCUBATION PERIOD (17 days) TO PRODUCE A CHEESE LIKE SUBSTANCE WHICH THEN BREAKS DOWN TO PRODUCE PROLACTIN. SQUABS ARE GIVEN NOTHING ELSE FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS OF LIFE, AFTER THAT THE MILK IS MIXED WITH OTHER FOODS, MORE EACH DAY, UP TO 15 DAYS WHEN THE PARENT BIRDS STOP PRODUCING THE MILK. BOTH SEXES INCUBATE THE EGGS, THE MALE, IN 90% OF OBSERVED CASES TAKING OVER FROM THE FEMALE AT AROUND 5.00PM AND DOING THE NIGHTSHIFT. 70% OF ALL YOUNG ARE REARED IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. THE MAIN INCUBATION PERIOD BEING MID JULY TO MID AUGUST. SHOULD YOU LIKE TO ENFORCE YOUR OWN CLOSED SEASON, THEN DON'T SHOOT THEM FROM MID JULY TO MID OCTOBER... PREVIOUS POSTERS PLEASE TAKE NOTE... AND BY THE WAY WHEN YOU HEAR A WOODPIGEON CALLING IT IS A MALE, THE FEMALES DON'T CALL... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Well done Gary, I would be interested in where you found this information? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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