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It wasn't to be


GingerCat
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I met jdog earlier at his wolds mansion house. He had spotted some pigeons feeding nearby on rape and fancied his chances. The downside was the sprayer had visited yesterday afternoon and this had put the birds off. 

We watched the field for a bit but it was a no go. 

Do they add something to the spray to deter birds? They couldn't know it had been sprayed otherwise until they had eaten some and by then it would be to late.  I guess it would make sense but I don't know. Maybe someone does?

We then headed for a variety of fields far and wide for the next couple of hours but alas there were no birds anywhere. 

Not one. 

Finally and by pure chance we happened across a newly drilled field on the way back to his country retreat. Drilled the day before apparently. 

There were easily 300 birds feeding and as strong a line as you could wish for coming up the side of the hill along a hedge and then into a big dip where they favoured being. 

We watched for a bit and made sure before hastily setting up. The sun and wind behind us and the gentle wolds country side rolling away to our left. An artist would have whipped out their paint and board in a heart beat and tried to replicate it on paper. We had other things on our mind. 

A few shells and a couple of birds on the rotary. 

Nothing. 

We pondered what was wrong. Perhaps the rotary put them off. I took it in. The arms were shiny but it's never stoped them before. 

Maybe they could see us, doubtful as they came from behind over  a thick hedge. One landing 5 feet behind me cleared that up. 

Wrong spot? Didn't think so As we had watched hundreds going up and down the line for the last 30 minutes and they didn't stop or dither. Determined to be there, exactly where we were. 

A few came near and we cleared the dreaded "blank" as jdog dropped them. 

A short while later another group came round and I bagged a double. My only 2 shots of the day (excluding the speculative at best high bird). 

Whilst retrieving one of the fallen from the hedge behind me (a low incomer putting his wings down after the second shot so he had some speed and was jinking  like a fast jet pilot on a low level run with a missile chasing him). A giant, and I mean giant, crop sprayer appeared. 

That was it. We gave up. 

Perhaps for the best as that field and the 2 next to it will be good in a few days when the birds have figured out where they want to be. 

We surmised the sprayer had put the birds off as he had apparently done the 2 other fields and ours was last. The rate he was going it would make sense. We hadn't heard him approach. 

Some days, no matter how had you try it's just not meant to be. 

As an aside the birds had a mixture of fresh air, beech mast and grain in their crops.

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There have been 200 pigeons feeding on the small rape field we went to in the past week. Today only a handful. I am sure the spray on the leaves put them off.

Sadly I couldn’t give GC a decent afternoon to relieve some of the stress of his job. There will be a better day in the future.

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Just as enjoyable reading about a day that didn't produce than reading about a three figure bag , so easy for the less experience to read about constant big bags that they think that big bags are the norm , these days happen and we don't always know the answer why , perhaps that is why we enjoy it so much , we don't know all the answers and we never stop learning about the ways of the Wood Pigeon .

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This time of the year is for the dedicated few who still chase the pigeons about , I would find it hard now to get regular bags , both big and small at pigeon decoying , not only that , with the dull and wet weather we are getting nearly everyday I don't think I would enjoy so much sitting about in the cold and damp , having said that I think the game and wild fowling seasons were put on this earth for pigeon shooters like me , as I very rarely moan about the weather conditions in the Winter when I am either fowling or on a days shoot so now my decoying gear is having a rest till the seasons are over :good:, mind you I still keep one of my decoying eyes slightly open .

 

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Not an easy time of year for pigeon decoying that’s for sure. 
I spotted a good few using a part cut maize stubble which we went to shoot yesterday only for the forager to turn up.....flighted a few that go across a small belt of trees nearby and shot 17 but not the day we hoped! Be there for another day hopefully if it stops raining. 
You’ll hit on a few more with Jdog before long I’m sure. 

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