Morning in Morpeth

[Dcd87]

Just had 3 hours out this morning at my first permission. Only been shooting since September, mainly clays, but having bagged a permission through a farming friend I have been trying to get some experience in the field.

i have been up at the farm a few times over the last couple of weeks, and have found a steady flight line along a hedgerow and field.

After recent attempts at decoying have failed to draw anything in, I decided to took up into the hedgerow in my hide, and see what came on.

Weather was 7-8 degrees, with a 10mph breeze, overcast with the sun just breaking through as I finished up. (I’m nightshift tonight so headed home for a sleep)

A few pigeons came within range but I didn’t have a safe shot as would have been shooting over the boundary on the permission I have. Managed to hit 3 crows, each with both barrels using Eley pigeon select 30g no6 with fibre wad. I didn’t realise how tough crows are to bring down.

hopefully get a few pigeons next time over the same rape field, but like everywhere else by the sounds of it, the rape has a poor show due to the wet weather.

[JDog]

A good report.

Maybe you should use Eley Crow Select.

[spurs 14]

Don’t worry there’s a lot of us in the same boat , our way there’s not much about at the minute was up farm this morning no pigeons about , very still day nothing on osr , you can’t shoot what’s not there , keep an eye on the fields they will be about at some point ,, keep the farmer happy and show your face and have a wander when you can     Good luck 

[Paul5tag]

I was up north of Morpeth a couple of weeks ago same story next to no rape and even fewer pigeons. But not to worry it’ll Turn good for you sooner or later.Just keep turning up!

[old'un]

That’s it you are now hooked, next you will be buying all sorts of gadgets to try and pull pigeons and blacks, hope you have more success in the coming weeks, months, years.

If you were on target I am surprised you did not kill those crows with the cartridges you were using, what sort of range were you shooting at?

[Dcd87]

4 minutes ago, old'un said:

That’s it you are now hooked, next you will be buying all sorts of gadgets to try and pull pigeons and blacks, hope you have more success in the coming weeks, months, years.

If you were on target I am surprised you did not kill those crows with the cartridges you were using, what sort of range were you shooting at?

Sorry Old’un, they were 35-40yds. Definitely hit with the first barrel, whether or not it was clean. Second barrel took them down each time. 1/4 and 1/2 chokes.

[old'un]

Yep, possibly just off center of pattern with first shot, at that range with 6s they should be dead, I shoot a fair few blacks out to those ranges using 28g 7s,

Mind you blacks can be deceiving in the way they fly, a few people I know swear they were on target using 32g 5s and put it down to the bird being armour plated.

At 30-40 yards if you are on target those cartridges will kill all day long.

[washerboy]

I've shot in Hawick, not a lot of pigeon but a hell of a lot of crows. Tough birds, I have used clay loads when close to buildings and can stalk them 

[Dcd87]

There is a syndicate i have been beating on over the last few months in Durham. They have let me shoot on two of the days and both times the Eley's took down pheasants with one barrel. I know they are a suitable load for crows. I will just but it down to a **** shot......

 

 

[Paul5tag]

Which shoot do you beat on in Durham Dcd87.

[Dcd87]

47 minutes ago, Paul5tag said:

Which shoot do you beat on in Durham Dcd87.

Sent you a PM Paul5tag

How often would you all get out on your permissions? Is there such thing as over shooting or spooking the birds too much?

I work shifts so when i am off i like to get out as much as i can.

[spurs 14]

I guess you can overshoot a permission , it’s difficult sometimes between getting out and getting the birds and keeping the farmer happy , needs to see you doing a job for him , in his eyes you being there firing shots and scaring them away is a result , he’s not interested in you getting big bags because you left it alone for three weeks ! You will come to a compromise that works for you if you’re permission is big enough split it into areas , down our way it’s very quiet at minute no large numbers of pigeons , few crows but still get up couple of times a week , even if one time is just a wander with the gun and a handful of carts 

[Dcd87]

6 hours ago, spurs 14 said:

I guess you can overshoot a permission , it’s difficult sometimes between getting out and getting the birds and keeping the farmer happy , needs to see you doing a job for him , in his eyes you being there firing shots and scaring them away is a result , he’s not interested in you getting big bags because you left it alone for three weeks ! You will come to a compromise that works for you if you’re permission is big enough split it into areas , down our way it’s very quiet at minute no large numbers of pigeons , few crows but still get up couple of times a week , even if one time is just a wander with the gun and a handful of carts 

Thanks for that Spurs 14. That's pretty much what i have been doing. Focused on one area of the permission on one of the rape fields that has some growth.

Will have a look down the other this week.

[motty]

On ‎22‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 20:03, spurs 14 said:

I guess you can overshoot a permission , it’s difficult sometimes between getting out and getting the birds and keeping the farmer happy , needs to see you doing a job for him , in his eyes you being there firing shots and scaring them away is a result , he’s not interested in you getting big bags because you left it alone for three weeks ! You will come to a compromise that works for you if you’re permission is big enough split it into areas , down our way it’s very quiet at minute no large numbers of pigeons , few crows but still get up couple of times a week , even if one time is just a wander with the gun and a handful of carts 

I don't agree with this. My farmers would rather see me shoot a few good scores now and again, rather than scaring them.

Some farms I will hardly shoot all year, but I'm still welcome.

[spurs 14]

10 minutes ago, motty said:

I don't agree with this. My farmers would rather see me shoot a few good scores now and again, rather than scaring them.

Some farms I will hardly shoot all year, but I'm still welcome.

Then you’re a very lucky man , couple of farms  I shoot on they would rather see me there often and shooting little , than not being there for weeks on end , him having to look at pigeons hitting his crops every day , don’t get me wrong I’d love to set up and have a huge bag but if they are good enough to give me permission then I’d rather do the best job I can for his crops , not much about here but I still love getting out for a wander 

 I’m sure my guys are the same would rather see pigeons dead than just scooting off to come back but as Tesco say every little helps ! 

[old'un]

3 hours ago, spurs 14 said:

Then you’re a very lucky man , couple of farms  I shoot on they would rather see me there often and shooting little , than not being there for weeks on end , him having to look at pigeons hitting his crops every day , don’t get me wrong I’d love to set up and have a huge bag but if they are good enough to give me permission then I’d rather do the best job I can for his crops , not much about here but I still love getting out for a wander 

 I’m sure my guys are the same would rather see pigeons dead than just scooting off to come back but as Tesco say every little helps ! 

Most of the farmers I know that grow winter rape would put a gas gun on the field if I did not show my face for weeks on end, they don’t expect me to-be a walking gas gun but they do like to know I am checking the fields, to be honest I don’t think most farmers give a dam about you having a few good bags, all they want is the pigeon kept off the field, that’s why they use gas guns.

[marsh man]

 

I don't agree with this. My farmers would rather see me shoot a few good scores now and again, rather than scaring them.

Some farms I will hardly shoot all year, but I'm still welcome.

When you have got a lot of permissions it is nigh on impossible to keep an eye on all of them this time of the year, what with short daylight hours , fowling , beating and in your your case , work , unlike P Cs farmers , mine very rarely ring you up to tell you there are pigeons going on a certain crop , and it is possible that some of your permissions are shared , so they might well be wandering around having a few shots to keep the farmer happy . that is why I just look after my main shooting area in the winter , it also help that I pick up on the same place so I can keep an eye on pigeon numbers , which at the moment is not that many .

This is now a good time for newbies to keep a lookout on the rape with the finish of the game season only a week away , as nobody can be everywhere at once .