How Often Do You Pick Up ??

[lakeside1000]

I have one patch of rape where the birds are sitting on top of the stems and picking off the pods, I have not seen this before this year, I often see them knocking down the wheat to get at the heads but these are just perching on top to pull at the seed pods, crafty blighters, trouble is they are way out in the crop and even if they were shot they would fall where it would be impossible to reach them, just trying to spot their flight line in and out of the field , try to catch them before they get into the crop,better when its just stubble, wont be long now!!! 

[mossy835]

iv seen rape sprayed off near me.so 10 days to go.

[Vince Green]

Any bird not picked up straight away and put in a bag is going to be fly blown in an hour this time of year if left out.

[martinj]

I pick up as I go, I haven't got a dog so often pick up every one so I don't forget where it has fallen (in the crop.)  If it's busy I'll pick up at the first lull.

[motty]

On ‎08‎/‎07‎/‎2019 at 22:27, Vince Green said:

Any bird not picked up straight away and put in a bag is going to be fly blown in an hour this time of year if left out.

Not the case.

[Continental Shooter]

In tall crops I pick them up as soon as they're down or I'll most likely lose them. I also don't like wondering around in the crop looking for them so, prefer to go out when the spot is fresh in my mind and reduce standing in the crops

[stockybasher]

On 14/07/2019 at 12:49, motty said:

Not the case.

I agree with Motty on this.  Some days/some crops = lots of flies.  Other day/other crops = no problem.  Clearly humid, overcast days seem worst, but it does vary a lot.  Either way I always have hessian sacks with me in summer, just in case.

[marsh man]

On 08/07/2019 at 22:27, Vince Green said:

Any bird not picked up straight away and put in a bag is going to be fly blown in an hour this time of year if left out.

Strangely enough, the other day when I was shooting on some stubble I was under a big Oak tree to get some shade from the sun , my dog brought back a few that I had shot going sideways over the hedge I was on , these ones I had in the hide and they were covered in flies , the ones on the bottom were totally egg blown and these were frozen as soon as I got home and they will be used for decoys , the 30 or so I had left out as added decoys in the hot sun had no signs of egg blown and were in perfect condition .   

[stockybasher]

On 19/07/2019 at 17:00, stockybasher said:

I agree with Motty on this.  Some days/some crops = lots of flies.  Other day/other crops = no problem.  Clearly humid, overcast days seem worst, but it does vary a lot.  Either way I always have hessian sacks with me in summer, just in case.

Just to expand on this - I was shooting on barley stubble on Sunday afternoon.  The field is bounded on one side by one of our Fenland waterways.  Weather was warm (22C) and quite humid, and numerous flies, butterflies etc around all afternoon.

I checked shot birds for fly-blow as the afternoon wore on.   I picked up at 5:30 when all went quiet, and not one bird had any fly-eggs or even flies sat on them !!