Jacko3275 Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Been out this afternoon to a rape field for NPPC that as 2 decent flight lines got there about 1230 set up as close to the flight lines as possible with a magnet a flapper 12 dead birds and 12 half shell decoys wind at my back although a very gentle one , sun behind and to right five mins after set up shot a bird flighting over at about 30 yards up so started as I finished yesterday ..over the Next few hour had hundred plus pigeons fly along both line but they where super high and not really interested in the pattern had a couple come in and took them manage 3 in 3 shots so was shooting well just could get them to take interest bit gutted with the amount of birds about but hey ho it passed a few hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 I remember the first time I ever set up with decoys, the only thing that showed any interest was a seagull 😂 Can't argue with 3 for 3 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 full marks for trying I came up with a system as i got older chuck ten birds out watch from the land rover if they don’t start coming in grab the birds and move on saves time and dragging all the kit out wish i come up with it sooner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 May have been the magnet some times at this time of year its best not to have too much going on just put out statistics and see if thy commit if not then try a magnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 Better than being sat in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 At least you are trying and reporting about it. It seems that others just cannot be bothered to share their pigeon shooting adventures with the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 13 minutes ago, JTaylor91 said: Better than being sat in the house. hello, this is very true with myself even if i do not shoot, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 2 hours ago, JDog said: At least you are trying and reporting about it. It seems that others just cannot be bothered to share their pigeon shooting adventures with the forum. Might be because they are not shooting any, or very few, in the last two weeks I have shot 12, don’t think the regular posters are doing much better, nearly all the rape in this area has failed or is very poor, not much to hold birds in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureBoy Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 55 minutes ago, old'un said: Might be because they are not shooting any, or very few, in the last two weeks I have shot 12, don’t think the regular posters are doing much better, nearly all the rape in this area has failed or is very poor, not much to hold birds in the area. Very true Old'n! Many folk saying the same! So nothing to report! Very few about! A lot of failed rape or fields not been drilled! Strange times! I am sure when crops get drilled and numbers build and become a problem folk will be reporting again. I have spent more days brushing than in a hide in the last two months. Not even seeing any numbers of pigeons in the many maze covers on shoots like previous years. Makes you wonder if there are many in the country! Never know the countryside so quiet where i do my rounds. Noticed lot more fieldfares redwings and several starlings on the stubble's and knocked back rape. Nice to see few more mistle thrushes about to.Seen several merlin and more bullfinches and reed buntings this winter. Buzzard numbers down! Still so much water on the land. NB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 1 minute ago, NatureBoy said: Very true Old'n! Many folk saying the same! So nothing to report! Very few about! A lot of failed rape or fields not been drilled! Strange times! I am sure when crops get drilled and numbers build and become a problem folk will be reporting again. I have spent more days brushing than in a hide in the last two months. Not even seeing any numbers of pigeons in the many maze covers on shoots like previous years. Makes you wonder if there are many in the country! Never know the countryside so quiet where i do my rounds. Noticed lot more fieldfares redwings and several starlings on the stubble's and knocked back rape. Nice to see few more mistle thrushes about to.Seen several merlin and more bullfinches and reed buntings this winter. Buzzard numbers down! Still so much water on the land. NB hello, despite the lack of pigeons what you noticed gladdens the heart to all us country loving members Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 50 minutes ago, NatureBoy said: Very true Old'n! Many folk saying the same! So nothing to report! Very few about! A lot of failed rape or fields not been drilled! Strange times! I am sure when crops get drilled and numbers build and become a problem folk will be reporting again. I have spent more days brushing than in a hide in the last two months. Not even seeing any numbers of pigeons in the many maze covers on shoots like previous years. Makes you wonder if there are many in the country! Never know the countryside so quiet where i do my rounds. Noticed lot more fieldfares redwings and several starlings on the stubble's and knocked back rape. Nice to see few more mistle thrushes about to.Seen several merlin and more bullfinches and reed buntings this winter. Buzzard numbers down! Still so much water on the land. NB Been out this morning to have a look at a couple of reasonably good rape fields, there were 5 pigeons in the trees around the field, looking through the binoculars there was not a bird moving anywhere, mind you on days like this, sunny and calm, they spend most of the day just sitting there. This year is one of the worst I have known although I did expect to hear of some big numbers from shooters in areas where the rape has done reasonably well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 December i only had about 70 birds in total, that was best day 16 worst day 1 going out twice a week. nothing of note to report. January is even worse last 2 outings produced 0 shots fired! so am now waiting for the ground to dry out so the drilling can start. This is even worse than last winter when i only had 1 rape field survive the dreaded flea beetle but did hold a few birds. The future drillings should kick start this very sluggish start, or at least i hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 21 hours ago, Jacko3275 said: Been out this afternoon to a rape field for NPPC that as 2 decent flight lines got there about 1230 set up as close to the flight lines as possible with a magnet a flapper 12 dead birds and 12 half shell decoys wind at my back although a very gentle one , sun behind and to right five mins after set up shot a bird flighting over at about 30 yards up so started as I finished yesterday ..over the Next few hour had hundred plus pigeons fly along both line but they where super high and not really interested in the pattern had a couple come in and took them manage 3 in 3 shots so was shooting well just could get them to take interest bit gutted with the amount of birds about but hey ho it passed a few hours You did ok in the conditions you found yourself in, thanks for your report and don’t worry you are not alone but at least you are seeing some good flight lines, those birds flying high and heading for their desired feeding table are hard to pull, you might have better luck next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureBoy Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 1 hour ago, oldypigeonpopper said: hello, despite the lack of pigeons what you noticed gladdens the heart to all us country loving members There's always something to see and learn! Never tire of it. And it keeps the farmer happy if they just see you about. Surprised i really been enjoying brushiing for a change. Great banter and catting with folk about whats going on. Get different perspective on the same ground i shoot on out of season. Dispite yet another wet day on shoot the other day the effort was worth while to watch a real crack team of guns shoot challenging birds with a ratio of 2/1. One of the few shoots my way that can do mainly partridges all season. Plus i get to take what birds i want. Top eating! 😉 NB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kippylawkid Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Well done on getting out. Nothing to report from Northumberland on the pigeon front. I normally shoot local rape fields on early morning, windy forays by this time but have not seen any birds to warrant this. The rape crops aren't great but majority are decent. I'm hopeful the spring drilling will bring sport. The area has had a massive influx of pinkfeet geese this season, the most in living memory. I have taken a few where they have been doing damage on sown crops. I used to chase the geese with great enthusiasm all season on the mud and inland, but have lost the desire to shoot as many.(I think this happens to many of us?) A good pal has had his record year on Lindisfarne foreshore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureBoy Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Bright crispy frosty misty morning my way earlier! Amazing sun rise! Saw 6 different rareish birds before 8oc. In the garden goldcrests, a male brambling and over wintering female blackcap. Over pasture out back a barn owl and merlin. 30 odd lapwings going over at first light! Still have a resident wood pigeon in garden with a crippled foot. Been about for about 4 months now. Comical to watch. Visits other gardens/feeders in the village and local farm. Seems to manage ok. Roosts in my holly tree most nights. Only saw about 20 pigeons when looking round. Big flocks of yellow hammers, linnets and goldfinches about and a few larks. Been many acres of parsley grown and cropped local to me this last year. It a new crop to me and know nowt about it. Thought it might pull in pigeons, but haven't seen any on it. Hare and rabbits seem to leave it alone to. Just the odd deer on it. NB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 Been nothing to report here either, although there have been a couple of potentially good opportunities on cut maize but the arrival of a baby and having serious man flu the past month have put a stop to them. The wet weather has been a nightmare for getting access to some fields too, maize stubble in particular. Rape has been a non starter with nearly all failed and so little grown now, such a shame as although never used to shoot big numbers always looked forward to chasing a decent day on rape over the winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 On 20 January 2020 at 10:32, JDog said: At least you are trying and reporting about it. It seems that others just cannot be bothered to share their pigeon shooting adventures with the forum. I take your point JDog , but if I reported my recent trips out, I think that I would be noted as a boring old f-a-r-t, but here goes anyway -: Tuesday of this week saw Stourboy and myself venture out for one of our short trips on a field of rape that, unlike what I read of 'up North', is doing quite well. I had seen a few in the trees the day before but on Tuesday there were only a very few and none down feeding. Our hopes therefore weren't high, but it was a bright day, no wind and as a consequence not condusive to a big bag or anything, which has been the norm of late. As we are both beyond our three score years and ten, the long walk to our chosen hide position laden with all the impedimenta necessary, was a bit of a struggle but kept the heart going .... just. We set up with the rotary complete with hypaflaps (no real birds kept from the last trip !) and a dozen flocked half shells. Our expectations were not high so we engaged in our normal 'putting the world to rights' conversation. What we then witnessed were small flocks passing over high due to little wind, but then some diving down from a good height to join our little pattern. They were decoying similar to those on drilling. We must have had something right. For a while we were treated to some cracking shooting (and missing) and managed about eight in the first half an hour. Not a lot by some standards, I know, but quite good for us particularly so at present. One element of our forays out is our lunch which has developed from a few sarnies, to pork and pickle pies (Stourboy even brought some mustard), cold sausages, fruit cake, chocolate bars and this week two large chunks of chocolate and courgette cake. I would add at this point that Stourboy's wife is good with all things 'cake' and supplies some wonderful stuff. I generally do the savoury bits. It's the only chance that I get to eat cake. My wife doesn't do cake, or much else if I'm honest. We never know what the other is going to bring to share so there's always a surprise. Anyway, during a lull, where it seemed that there wasn't a pigeon in the whole county, we set to and ate our lunch. We had the odd shot after 'lunch' and ended our short trip with 15 between us with none lost thanks to Stour boys lab Decker who does a great job marking and retrieving and thus saving our ageing legs. Another of the highlights of our trips out is watching the dog work, picking up the scent of any unmarked birds etc. We were more than happy with our 2 1/2 hours out and were even happier once we'd carried everything back to the car. Ours is more of a social event, much banter, the odd eye wipe and we always end with "That's another day they can't take away from us". The bag at the end of the day is unimportant, it's the getting out which is the main objective. There you go JDog, I bet that you wished you hadn't mentioned it now ! OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 OB, I loved it. More of the same please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 17 minutes ago, JDog said: OB, I loved it. More of the same please. Me too that report is great, reminds me of my exploits with old Tom loved it thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIDENSEEK Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 Very good OB, nice to hear someones getting a good day out, bag doesn't matter. I'm shooting more pigeons with the air rifle at the moment! 😩 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 OB, I loved it. More of the same please. That is how a few hours out with friends should be spent , shooting a few pigeons , putting the world to right and just enjoying the occasion . I find as we get older the bag don't really matters , the intention is always trying to get a few pigeons or whatever is on the menu and we still do our best to finish up with a few , we hear about school boy errors if we run out of cartridges, but to tell yer the truth if I take one or two boxes of shells and use them up in a good afternoon then I have had a good bit of sport , hopefully got some to cart back to the motor without doing myself to much harm . We read about big bags of pigeons and for the serious pigeon shooter they will shoot big bags from time to time but even these chaps can't get big bags all the time , so it would be good to read about some of there days when things just don't go right , like one of our main posters P C and DB who reported poor bags by there standard in his last couple of reports , good bags are hard to come by of and are not always guaranteed . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 Thanks OB, a most enjoyable read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenBhoy Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 Fantastic write up @Old Boggy im envious of the friendship you both share, thanks for taking the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 9 hours ago, JDog said: OB, I loved it. More of the same please. Me too! He writes very well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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