Pigeon on cabbage

[georgie15]

Having a bit of a mare the last couple of weeks ,  been asked by a farmer to thin out the pigeons on his cabbage/cauliflower fields. They're only coming in maybe 2 s n 3s  but they're also landing in other parts of the fields just as I've set up and don't seem interested in the pattern i've put out and I can' t be done with moving every 5 minutes for the sake of 2 or 3 birds....very frustrating . Using a couple of enforcer bouncers along with shell decoys , any advice welcome as this is the first I've shot over this type of crop

 

[Zimtrout]

interested to see what the pros say on this one......

[Old Boggy]

Having watched large quantities of pigeons on cabbages and cauliflowers in Thanet, Kent where they are grown successfully due to the chalk content, I would have thought that a couple of raised up flappers would prove pretty effective. The pigeons land on top of the crop, so a flapper would simulate this. 

Does your farmer not object to shooting with lead, particularly over cauliflowers ?

Let us know how you get on.

OB

[Bobba]

As regards landing in other parts of the fields you could spend a useful 30 mins flagging off those areas. i.e about 6ft bamboo sticks stuck in the ground with white sacks / bin liners attached which flap in the breeze and, hopefully, spook the pigeons from pitching. Also try raising your shell decoys with garden canes so they look like they are parked on the cauliflowers.

[wymberley]

Some good advice, but sometimes, just sometimes it's no shame to admit defeat as it were and get the bangers out. Moving them about and changing the frequency/number of bangs on occasion usually persuades them - at least in the short term -  to find something else easier to dine on.

[la bala]

3 hours ago, Bobba said:

As regards landing in other parts of the fields you could spend a useful 30 mins flagging off those areas. i.e about 6ft bamboo sticks stuck in the ground with white sacks / bin liners attached which flap in the breeze and, hopefully, spook the pigeons from pitching. Also try raising your shell decoys with garden canes so they look like they are parked on the cauliflowers.

+ 1 for flagging.

 

[motty]

In situations where I find birds landing in parts of the field I don't want, I would try to get as much movement and visibility as possible in my decoy pattern. I would personally use a couple of magnets, and raise several decoys up. Shooting large acreages can be difficult. Sometimes a friend or two can come in handy to cover other parts of the fields.

Flagging off parts is another option.

Edited August 7, 2019 by motty

[39TDS]

Farmer should flag the whole field to keep them off along with bangers, kites etc. He shouldn’t let you shoot over it because of the lead shot, supermarkets would have a meltdown. His farm assurance would prohibit it anyway.

 

(ex cabbage farmer)

[georgie15]

Flags are out as are the hawk kites and the gas guns  ,I think the heading was a bit misleading my apologies ,some of  the crops have been harvested and that's where the decoys are positioned so I'm hitting the birds as they come into pattern as they're still feeding on the leftovers so not shooting    over live crops  but as 39TDS has mentioned the farmer requested I use steel shot so I've been using gamebore super steel game  . 

Edited August 7, 2019 by georgie15

[marsh man]

On 07/08/2019 at 15:38, 39TDS said:

Farmer should flag the whole field to keep them off along with bangers, kites etc. He shouldn’t let you shoot over it because of the lead shot, supermarkets would have a meltdown. His farm assurance would prohibit it anyway.

 

(ex cabbage farmer)

I agree with what your saying , we used to be able to shoot over young plants and not when they were due to be cut , the last few years some land was contracted out for growing Lettices and the contractors would not allow any shooting .

P S... I wonder if the day will come where we won't be able to shoot over Peas that are ready to be vined ?