Where are all the posts?

[kitchrat]

On 01/11/2020 at 01:32, JDog said:

Are there any pigeon shooters left on the forum?

New content of late contains no reports of pigeon shooting outings. There are plenty on politics, Covid, Packham and the usual suspects bullying about other people’s dogs but nothing on what is supposed to be the core subject.

Are people not going out or are they just too lazy to spend time sharing their experiences with others?

Too much slagging off of others going on. Got bored reading it.

[Balotelli]

I seem to recall Balotteli writing that from May onwards there appeared to be very few pigeons about, at least in Leicestershire and this was his consistent story all throughout the summer. Fortunately for Balotelli, some Forum members rode to his rescue reporting good bags just about everywhere. Their advice was to look harder in the stubble fields, inexperienced eye and all that, keep driving round as many "perms" as you can muster and success will be achieved. The cynical Balotelli caused ire in some quarters as he commented that this was a waste of time and fuel as the pigeons were just not there, well not in his neck of the woods but apparently everywhere else. Thank goodness Balotelli listened to those words of wisdom from wiser heads and has since been regularly shooting bags of 50+, a bag of thirty deemed a trifling amount. Some red letter days yielded well into three figures but that double century proved elusive. Fields covered in pigeons were the norm irrespective of crop and surprisingly on commencing shooting  the pigeons didn't just fly off to another field/county but just stayed put and brassed it out. I guess they realised that the inexperienced Balotelli would eventually run out of cartridges and they could just carry on munching without even looking up. A lot of the posts on this topic have been very depressing on the lack of pigeons. Well not for  Balotteli whose advice is to keep driving round as many fields as possible, as many days in the week as you can, and acquire more "perms"  and success will undoubtedly come.

[dead eye alan]

9 hours ago, Balotelli said:

I seem to recall Balotteli writing that from May onwards there appeared to be very few pigeons about, at least in Leicestershire and this was his consistent story all throughout the summer. Fortunately for Balotelli, some Forum members rode to his rescue reporting good bags just about everywhere. Their advice was to look harder in the stubble fields, inexperienced eye and all that, keep driving round as many "perms" as you can muster and success will be achieved. The cynical Balotelli caused ire in some quarters as he commented that this was a waste of time and fuel as the pigeons were just not there, well not in his neck of the woods but apparently everywhere else. Thank goodness Balotelli listened to those words of wisdom from wiser heads and has since been regularly shooting bags of 50+, a bag of thirty deemed a trifling amount. Some red letter days yielded well into three figures but that double century proved elusive. Fields covered in pigeons were the norm irrespective of crop and surprisingly on commencing shooting  the pigeons didn't just fly off to another field/county but just stayed put and brassed it out. I guess they realised that the inexperienced Balotelli would eventually run out of cartridges and they could just carry on munching without even looking up. A lot of the posts on this topic have been very depressing on the lack of pigeons. Well not for  Balotteli whose advice is to keep driving round as many fields as possible, as many days in the week as you can, and acquire more "perms"  and success will undoubtedly come.

But can you write a report on the gigger bags? or just ridicule the forum?

[Balotelli]

6 hours ago, dead eye alan said:

But can you write a report on the gigger bags? or just ridicule the forum?

Not ridiculing the Forum just maybe some of the members' trite posts and rude comments aimed at my previous observations. I would appear that a lot of "pigeons have come home to roost" and finally some members are waking up to the fact that there are few pigeons about and all-in-all it has been pretty poor year for pigeon shooting. 

I'm not sure what a "gigger bag" is. Please do explain and then maybe I might be able to help

[clangerman]

didn’t find enough on today’s reccy to shoot any type of bag but did find a field i considered to wet had in fact been drilled so now missed always a lesson out there to be had 

[Jacko3275]

On 03/11/2020 at 00:42, Balotelli said:

I seem to recall Balotteli writing that from May onwards there appeared to be very few pigeons about, at least in Leicestershire and this was his consistent story all throughout the summer. Fortunately for Balotelli, some Forum members rode to his rescue reporting good bags just about everywhere. Their advice was to look harder in the stubble fields, inexperienced eye and all that, keep driving round as many "perms" as you can muster and success will be achieved. The cynical Balotelli caused ire in some quarters as he commented that this was a waste of time and fuel as the pigeons were just not there, well not in his neck of the woods but apparently everywhere else. Thank goodness Balotelli listened to those words of wisdom from wiser heads and has since been regularly shooting bags of 50+, a bag of thirty deemed a trifling amount. Some red letter days yielded well into three figures but that double century proved elusive. Fields covered in pigeons were the norm irrespective of crop and surprisingly on commencing shooting  the pigeons didn't just fly off to another field/county but just stayed put and brassed it out. I guess they realised that the inexperienced Balotelli would eventually run out of cartridges and they could just carry on munching without even looking up. A lot of the posts on this topic have been very depressing on the lack of pigeons. Well not for  Balotteli whose advice is to keep driving round as many fields as possible, as many days in the week as you can, and acquire more "perms"  and success will undoubtedly come.

So now you drove around and found pigeon so the advice given was correct and you was wrong cos if you had listen to your own advice and not drove around you would have shot f all  so who’s the muppet

[yickdaz]

On 03/11/2020 at 00:42, Balotelli said:

I seem to recall Balotteli writing that from May onwards there appeared to be very few pigeons about, at least in Leicestershire and this was his consistent story all throughout the summer. Fortunately for Balotelli, some Forum members rode to his rescue reporting good bags just about everywhere. Their advice was to look harder in the stubble fields, inexperienced eye and all that, keep driving round as many "perms" as you can muster and success will be achieved. The cynical Balotelli caused ire in some quarters as he commented that this was a waste of time and fuel as the pigeons were just not there, well not in his neck of the woods but apparently everywhere else. Thank goodness Balotelli listened to those words of wisdom from wiser heads and has since been regularly shooting bags of 50+, a bag of thirty deemed a trifling amount. Some red letter days yielded well into three figures but that double century proved elusive. Fields covered in pigeons were the norm irrespective of crop and surprisingly on commencing shooting  the pigeons didn't just fly off to another field/county but just stayed put and brassed it out. I guess they realised that the inexperienced Balotelli would eventually run out of cartridges and they could just carry on munching without even looking up. A lot of the posts on this topic have been very depressing on the lack of pigeons. Well not for  Balotteli whose advice is to keep driving round as many fields as possible, as many days in the week as you can, and acquire more "perms"  and success will undoubtedly come.

And you dismissed people at first who were telling you to do exactly that, you listened in the end and proved yourself wrong and those people right 

[Centrepin]

Been on my perm today from 0830,not allowed to shoot before that. Four crows feeding right in front of one of my permanent hides but as soon as I came within a quarter mile they took to trees and stayed there. Spent the next 2 hours recceing. Had a couple of little walks too. Little evidence of feeding birds.  Total Zero..... plenty of pheasant about and lots of little Robins. No shots fired. Home in time for lunch and a nap. 

So, that's my report of the day🤪

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by Centrepin

[dead eye alan]

22 hours ago, Balotelli said:

Not ridiculing the Forum just maybe some of the members' trite posts and rude comments aimed at my previous observations. I would appear that a lot of "pigeons have come home to roost" and finally some members are waking up to the fact that there are few pigeons about and all-in-all it has been pretty poor year for pigeon shooting. 

I'm not sure what a "bigger bag" is. Please do explain and then maybe I might be able to help

 

[Balotelli]

11 hours ago, Jacko3275 said:

So now you drove around and found pigeon so the advice given was correct and you was wrong cos if you had listen to your own advice and not drove around you would have shot f all  so who’s the muppet

That's a very pertinent question.

9 hours ago, yickdaz said:

And you dismissed people at first who were telling you to do exactly that, you listened in the end and proved yourself wrong and those people right 

Thank goodness I listened and saw the light,  now Balotelli is "a born again" pigeon shooter.

[howzat]

Just seen thousands of pigeons flying east to west over Lisvane north cardiff, continues stream for about an hour, then nothing, all flying very high well out of shot, have seen this many times over the years at this time, no body seems to know where they come from and where they go to.

[JDog]

3 hours ago, howzat said:

Just seen thousands of pigeons flying east to west over Lisvane north cardiff, continues stream for about an hour, then nothing, all flying very high well out of shot, have seen this many times over the years at this time, no body seems to know where they come from and where they go to.

That is a well known migration route over the Bristol Channel and into Somerset, Devon and Cornwall then on to Spain and Portugal.

There used to be a regular (but not frequent) poster on the forum, Goober I think it was who followed such matters in some detail. From memory the most pigeons that went over the Bristol Channel in one day was 110,000.

Edited November 5, 2020 by JDog

[old'un]

1 hour ago, howzat said:

Just seen thousands of pigeons flying east to west over Lisvane north cardiff, continues stream for about an hour, then nothing, all flying very high well out of shot, have seen this many times over the years at this time, no body seems to know where they come from and where they go to.

Yep, been watching similar patterns here, some very big numbers leaving the big woods and heading south west towards Stourport-on-Severn, but as you say, most of them were well out of shot, after watching them for 3 days for a likely spot to intercept them I did have a go at them yesterday (Wednesday 4 Nov), arrived at farm around 6:30am, first birds started around 7:00am and it went on for over three hours, it was difficult to count numbers but they were in the thousands, shot 60+ cartridges and picked up 22 birds, it was difficult shooting but enjoyable.

[Walker570]

Normally at this time of year I will see large flocks flying across our ground but on a mission elsewhere but not seeing those numbers here (West Leicestershire/Warwicks/Notts/Derbyshire border). In fact only experienced very small flocks, 40 -50 anywhere around here just lately.    The joys of pigeon shooting. We need some hard weather and a bit of snow on the ground.

[Balotelli]

The last four posts or so are really on the money. This is the analytical approach that this Forum should be taking. At long last we might be shedding some light on the paucity of pigeons. 

[motty]

On 03/11/2020 at 17:15, Balotelli said:

Not ridiculing the Forum just maybe some of the members' trite posts and rude comments aimed at my previous observations. I would appear that a lot of "pigeons have come home to roost" and finally some members are waking up to the fact that there are few pigeons about and all-in-all it has been pretty poor year for pigeon shooting. 

I'm not sure what a "gigger bag" is. Please do explain and then maybe I might be able to help

It isn't a fact that there are few pigeons about.

 

I have had personal issues to deal with lately, so my mind has not been on pigeon shooting. I reckon I could have had some good bags in the last month or so, as I have seen plenty of birds around.

[ditchman]

On 05/11/2020 at 11:54, JDog said:

That is a well known migration route over the Bristol Channel and into Somerset, Devon and Cornwall then on to Spain and Portugal.

There used to be a regular (but not frequent) poster on the forum, Goober I think it was who followed such matters in some detail. From memory the most pigeons that went over the Bristol Channel in one day was 110,000.

that thread was several years ago.............and i think it ran to at least 14 pages.....it was quite interesting....and reports of flocks being picked up on radar .......

there was also another thread in the same vein....'cept the birds were coming from Scandinavia and Europe.....

[Rob85]

12 minutes ago, ditchman said:

that thread was several years ago.............and i think it ran to at least 14 pages.....it was quite interesting....and reports of flocks being picked up on radar .......

there was also another thread in the same vein....'cept the birds were coming from Scandinavia and Europe.....

When I was first starting out with pigeon shooting at 14 years old with my late neighbour he used to talk about the "Scottish pigeons" that migrated at a certain time to our area (northern ireland). I reckon this could have been the Scandinavian ones too.

He was able to tell when it happened as he would go decoying and see very little then all of a sudden there was a massive increase in the population only for it to tail off again.

[old'un]

41 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

When I was first starting out with pigeon shooting at 14 years old with my late neighbour he used to talk about the "Scottish pigeons" that migrated at a certain time to our area (northern ireland). I reckon this could have been the Scandinavian ones too.

He was able to tell when it happened as he would go decoying and see very little then all of a sudden there was a massive increase in the population only for it to tail off again.

Yep, we also noticed a big increase in numbers when they had heavy snowfall further north, within a week or so we would see some big flocks of pigeons on and around the few rape fields that were sown at the time, think the shooting times did an article on these birds that were darker in colour and said to-be from Scandinavia.

[hwr]

This summer I think I’ve seen more nesting pigeons than normal in house gardens etc. So I am expecting to see large flocks when they start mass feeding. Weather is a bit mild yet though I think.

[Centrepin]

The trees outside my house are full of pigeon, crow and magpie. The noise is horrendous at times, especially when they fight.

Methinks it would be the quickest way to loose my licence and visit jail. Bangity bang....😬

[Teal]

Here (West Wiltshire) we've just had a huge fall of pigeons. Never seen so many since moving here. Thousands on thousands. The oaks have a big crop of acorns and they've stopped off here for a while, going to try for a shot on Tuesday as they'll probably be moving on before too long. Fits the usual patterns and I think these are Scandinavian ones, taking a breather before the next leg of their journey. Will be interesting to see if any size difference if I shoot a few.

[JDog]

10 minutes ago, Teal said:

Here (West Wiltshire) we've just had a huge fall of pigeons. Never seen so many since moving here. Thousands on thousands. The oaks have a big crop of acorns and they've stopped off here for a while, going to try for a shot on Tuesday as they'll probably be moving on before too long. Fits the usual patterns and I think these are Scandinavian ones, taking a breather before the next leg of their journey. Will be interesting to see if any size difference if I shoot a few.

If you have time tomorrow watch them for as long as you can to determine habits rather than lines. The migrants here hardly touch the ground before getting up again.

Good luck.

[clangerman]

nice one teal straight of to check on my wilts perms tomorrow about time some showed up 

[Teal]

1 hour ago, JDog said:

If you have time tomorrow watch them for as long as you can to determine habits rather than lines. The migrants here hardly touch the ground before getting up again.

Good luck.

Thanks, it's only a small oak woodland about 2 açres. I tried to take photo but only on my phone so not sure you'll make them out. This is one flock, there were many! Quite remarkable actually. Strong winds forecast this week so hopefully in with a shout, but will be tough flighting them esp with plenty of leaves still on.

 

I've taken off the photo as it's getting too pixelated to make out. In fairness it only shows a big flock, of non distinct blobs 🤣