Nearly Missed Them

[pigeon controller]

Following the hour change last week I picked up DB at 08.00 and headed out. I had Grandad duties at a Halloween and Firework party at 18.00 so I would have to be back home for 17.00. We went out to a farm which had not cut the maize last week and as we drove down the lane we could see it had been cut. I parked in the gateway and we scanned the field it had crows all over it and even one trying to carry a full cob in its beak. The pigeons were on the hawthorn bushes around the edge of the field. I had to move to let a tractor into the field and a quick chat to the driver informed us that he would be cutting the hedges and that it would be direct drilled that day also. We decide to move on as we could not see any birds coming to the field. We drove on and looked at two other farms with rape, both had a few birds in the trees but nothing on the field or joining. 

Just as we were passing a field of growing mustard we commented that it had been cut and in the far corner two or three birds dropped out of the trees and landed in the crop out of sight. So I turned the Disco round and parked in the gate, we watched it for ten minutes without any movement, so just to satisfy our minds we sent the dog across the field for him the lift approx seventy birds which were down hard. The flock comprised of woodies and doves, so we phoned the farmer and had the go ahead. The field had been direct drilled wheat in the week and this had flattened the mustard, as we set up we could see no seed at all. We set up on a known flightline along a line of trees on the edge of the field and put a magnet in both fields with six fresh birds each side. This makes for interesting shooting as the birds can just appear above the trees and you have a split second to decide pigeon or dove. There a two other flightlines that pass over the other edges of the fields and we chose the right one. The wind was very strong and some birds came with the wind and made a large arc to return to the decoys We started shooting at 10.00 and finished at 15.00 and we picked up ninetyone pigeons and twelve corvids. I managed to get the birds laid out in the garage before driving the the party.

 

91 Pigeons

12 Corvids

 

 

[rapid .25]

Well done bud, that's a result and I love the dog.

[7daysinaweek]

Mustard!

Great post as usual pc and may thanks for posting.

atb

7diaw

[Clodhopper]

It was lucky you sorted those few birds as you passed. But I suppose with the amount of time and effort you two put in,you make your own luck.

Another great bag and report.

Just now, Clodhopper said:

It was lucky you sorted those few birds as you passed. But I suppose with the amount of time and effort you two put in,you make your own luck.

Another great bag and report.

Spotted not sorted, fat fingers, small phone.

[Whitebridges]

Precision bird lay out PC. 

The trough to the left would have made a perfect bin for your empty cases.

[motty]

Excellent work, Supertash! Much better presentation this week!

[lakeside1000]

Absolutely fabulous, I had the same thing myself with birds down tight, I missed a bunch on some old stubble but returning after a short time found them and ended with a reasonable 32,  just shows that opportunities are not always obvious at first glance.

Very nice write up and an inspiration,