GingerCat Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 I joined the resident wolds pigeon whisperer earlier today on some bean stubble that had been direct drilled in the last day. 5 or 6 fields in all and the amount of beans on the surface was quite staggering. We parked up and watched for a while before selecting a spot on the middle(ish) field in the lower quarter, out of the wind and with the sun behind. About 4-5 hundred birds were using the fields and surrounding woods and we felt pretty confident of bagging something. I drove us to the field and dumped the kit before trudging up the hedgerow with jdog. We set up at about 230 and the birds came pretty swiftly afterwards. Jdog being the gent he is let me miss the first 7 or 8 as I hadn't shot for a while and was all over the place. For some reason the ones I did hit just carried on regardless. I opened a new box of carts and the next 3 fell dead. I don't think it was the carts but it made me feel better. This contained for just shy of 2 hours and we bagged about 20 or so. One bird was shot at less than 20 yards and carried on for 80 metres before dropping dead in the field behind. Obviously loads of bird then decoyed to this single bird without hesitation and resulted in a 300 metre trip for me to fetch it. The sun came out and we took the rotary in, changed the pattern and then eventually packed up as the birds had 2 good solid lines they were now using and neither involved us. I sorted the birds when I got home and apart from beans and wheat they had rape and beach in their crops also. Re the cartridges, we wondered if these migrant birds had a little more muscle following their flight. When breasting them I noticed some had exceptional levels of meat and the 80 metre flyer was hit with no less than 12 pellets in the chest area but still powered on. Perhaps there's something to this. Ultimate very enjoyable few hours in good company and a warm pigeon salad for supper to go with some red wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spr1985 Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Nice write up ginger cat! I love reading these stories from the field, they make me more determined to find my own permission and hopefully join in with the posts at some point. 👌🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko3275 Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 Nice right up GC sounds like an enjoyable few hours and some of them pigeons in the wolds are armour plated I’m sure or the green leaves you found in their crop was spinach not rape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 (edited) It is an unhappy coincidence that Clodhopper, Mighty Mariner and I are all suffering from crises of confidence regarding shooting on stubbles. We see what looks like decent opportunities, invite others along and set up only to be disappointed with the number of returning pigeons. Yesterday was the same. There must have been 400 pigeons using those fields and a good line in but as soon as we set up they changed their line. Edited October 2, 2020 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spr1985 Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 2 minutes ago, JDog said: It is an unhappy coincidence that Clodhopper, Mighty Mariner and I are all suffering from crises of confidence regarding shooting on stubbles. We see what looks like decent opportunities, invite others along and set up only to be disappointed with the number of retuning pigeons. Yesterday was the same. There must have been 400 pigeons using those fields and a good line in but as soon as we set up they changed their line. May I ask why you are disappointed in the numbers when you take someone out? A good friend of mine took me out and was exactly the same in his thoughts and apologised a couple of times, but as someone that had only shot pigeon once before I was over the moon with just getting out! The lack of birds was neither here nor there to me and being out with good company that can pass on their knowledge is priceless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 That’s just how it goes sometimes, does sap your confidence in reading situations but then you’ll get a run of really good days and confidence is restored. I always say you don’t really know what will happen until you set up and give it a go, some days it’s almost too easy! I must say unusually I’ve had very few poor days this summer and had several turn out much better than expected, but rest assured it won’t last. Still a fruitful outing, it’s always nice to at least see the pigeons 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 4 hours ago, JDog said: It is an unhappy coincidence that Clodhopper, Mighty Mariner and I are all suffering from crises of confidence regarding shooting on stubbles. We see what looks like decent opportunities, invite others along and set up only to be disappointed with the number of retuning pigeons. Yesterday was the same. There must have been 400 pigeons using those fields and a good line in but as soon as we set up they changed their line. thats pigeon shooting for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 There is no coincidence that my lack of pigeon shooting opportunities is directly related to my available time for reconnaissance. However as JDog quite rightly points out, when a promising opportunity does present itself the pigeons seem to play ball for a short while and then move location/field. They do have an abundance of feeding options but this is being reduced daily. I am looking forward to shorter daylight hours so the birds feeding habits become a little more concentrated and I can use my time a little more wisely. To go off on a slight tangent, the rape on a few of my farms is looking very good so far this year however a much reduced acreage has been drilled with at least one farm not bothering at all which is a disappointment as it lies on a fantastic winter flight line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko3275 Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 Group shoot trying to cover all angles and possible flightline as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbower Posted October 3, 2020 Report Share Posted October 3, 2020 After years of trying , and not much success , I keep having a go, hoping that one day , it will all be right. They will come in to the decoys And I will have a " bumper" day . One day , one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 4, 2020 Report Share Posted October 4, 2020 19 hours ago, Longbower said: After years of trying , and not much success , I keep having a go, hoping that one day , it will all be right. They will come in to the decoys And I will have a " bumper" day . One day , one day. It will happen one day when you least expect it , and when you go expecting a good day it rarely happen , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko3275 Posted October 5, 2020 Report Share Posted October 5, 2020 18 hours ago, marsh man said: It will happen one day when you least expect it , and when you go expecting a good day it rarely happen , When I got my first 50 bag I was expecting to maybe get a dozen or so what this field had produced in the past few visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted October 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2020 You can't really predict it sometimes. My best day ever was on a sunny, hot, windless and cloudless day on stubble with no lines I could see. I just wanted an hour or 2 outside away from work and the wife. I put the decoys out first and then the hide. As I turned round in my newly assembled hide about 4 birds got out of the pattern. Just 8 plastics thrown at random. I ran out of carts that day having only taken about 100. I shot well but the birds came in as if on rails. Other days I've seen loads of birds using a field with a good line or maybe 2 lines and they just dissappear or won't commit. If it was easy we wouldn't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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