Too many Jays!

[Pigeon addict]

Hi - just have a question for all you keepers and conservationists. Due to a large acreage of oak woods on the farm, jays have been particularly numerous this year. With the acorns drying up I hoped they might move on but they haven’t and are still as noisy as ever! With the days getting longer and spring approaching does anyone have any tips for controlling these egg thieves? I am also keen to catch one when I roll out my larsens. Has anyone ever caught one for a Larsen?

[Rob85]

Very hard bird to pin down, trapping might work but an airgun ambush is probably your best bet to get a few and thin their number  bit....and if you do get a few I would happily takes some feathers off your hands for my fishing flies!

[Fisheruk]

Air gun ambush from a good hide in front of a tray of peanuts. Top it up at a regular time and they will get use to using it and then you can sit and wait.

[Walker570]

..........   as above BUT well camoed as they have eys like you would not believe and movement is also a key.....don't.    I have a lot of red flag birds in the woodlands I cover so I am covered to keep the numbers down.  Bare this in mind.  A peanut feeder also attracts tree rats so two jobs done in one and don't forget to log your tree rats on here.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Walker570

[scolopax]

Really need to check out the general license for Jay control, there are certain circumstances when they can be killed but not many as I remember.

[MrPhantom]

45 minutes ago, scolopax said:

Really need to check out the general license for Jay control, there are certain circumstances when they can be killed but not many as I remember.

You are quite right - 'conserving endangered wild birds' is the reason. Much tighter than it used to be.

[Fisheruk]

2 hours ago, scolopax said:

Really need to check out the general license for Jay control, there are certain circumstances when they can be killed but not many as I remember.

Look at the red list, plenty of those birds likely to be where you shoot. Just memorise a few, then if you are challenged you have the correct answer.

 

[Pigeon addict]

Thanks for all your guidance guys. I am well versed in the new conditions for jays and one of my concerns for controlling is the fact that we have plenty of endangered woodland birds that will need protecting this spring. I have two peanut feeders on the go for the tree rats but am switching to maize and wheat as peanuts are emptied way too fast. The fact I don’t use a hide is probably my main reason for not drawing jays. I will look into make some semi permanent hides. Thanks again for your help. 

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, Pigeon addict said:

Thanks for all your guidance guys. I am well versed in the new conditions for jays and one of my concerns for controlling is the fact that we have plenty of endangered woodland birds that will need protecting this spring. I have two peanut feeders on the go for the tree rats but am switching to maize and wheat as peanuts are emptied way too fast. The fact I don’t use a hide is probably my main reason for not drawing jays. I will look into make some semi permanent hides. Thanks again for your help. 

See if you can get some Game Keep additive for your maize etc., mix some cheap cooking oil first then sprinkle the GameKeep on it , the oil helps it stick.  I find it pulls the tree rats very well.  I mix a few handfuls of peanuts with maize/whole or kibbled or both and about 10% mixed corn.  All peanuts gets much too expensive.

See if you can scrounge a couple of IBC frames and liners.  I put legs on the bottom, cut the floor out and lift the inner liner up about 9 inches to give headroom. Cover the whole lot with old camo, logs etc etc. Makes a very smi permenent hid and keeps you warm a dnd  dry. Cut a door in the back and slots to shoot out of..

Edited January 19, 2021 by Walker570

[Fisheruk]

28 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

See if you can get some Game Keep additive for your maize etc., mix some cheap cooking oil first then sprinkle the GameKeep on it , the oil helps it stick.  I find it pulls the tree rats very well.  I mix a few handfuls of peanuts with maize/whole or kibbled or both and about 10% mixed corn.  All peanuts gets much too expensive.

See if you can scrounge a couple of IBC frames and liners.  I put legs on the bottom, cut the floor out and lift the inner liner up about 9 inches to give headroom. Cover the whole lot with old camo, logs etc etc. Makes a very smi permenent hid and keeps you warm a dnd  dry. Cut a door in the back and slots to shoot out of..

I like the slotted posts idea for legs. 👍

[Walker570]

Yes, they work very well. I have made a couple with longer legs and actually put a floor inside using pallet wood which gives a safer angle of shot where needed.

I just put an old plastic garden chair inside which I leave there ready for use.   You need to paint the inside black (underseal will stick) or there is too much light inside and certainly jays will spot any movement.  A few bits of pipe foam over the edge of the slots stops any damage to the rifle.

Even with a floor they are not heavy and can be rolled into position easily.

I have one on a 10ft high stand in a farmyard covering the slurry pits and feed lanes.  I left the floor in that one, just cut a door.

[Fisheruk]

6 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Yes, they work very well. I have made a couple with longer legs and actually put a floor inside using pallet wood which gives a safer angle of shot where needed.

I just put an old plastic garden chair inside which I leave there ready for use.   You need to paint the inside black (underseal will stick) or there is too much light inside and certainly jays will spot any movement.  A few bits of pipe foam over the edge of the slots stops any damage to the rifle.

Even with a floor they are not heavy and can be rolled into position easily.

I have one on a 10ft high stand in a farmyard covering the slurry pits and feed lanes.  I left the floor in that one, just cut a door.

There’s an old IBC on one of my permissions, I think I’ll have a go at setting it up . Just need to take four slotted posts and my battery power tools.

[Walker570]

Half inch slot and three 4 inch wood screws in each leg to squeeze it all together, does the job, so yes all you need is a battery drill and a saw.  Don't do what I ogten do and forget to charge the drill up first.   If you have a chain saw ir access then you could cut the slot with that. I did mine on a bench saw cutting to a drilled hole.

If you can get some of those two by two pieces that they use to space concrete wall sections they work a treat.

A shelf inside for coffee and biscuits of choice is also essential.

If no black paint available then some scrap black material hung inside will also work, hessian sprayed black.  ordinary paint will not stick to the plastic.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Walker570

[Fisheruk]

9 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Half inch slot and three 4 inch wood screws in each leg to squeeze it all together, does the job, so yes all you need is a battery drill and a saw.  Don't do what I ogten do and forget to charge the drill up first.   If you have a chain saw ir access then you could cut the slot with that. I did mine on a bench saw cutting to a drilled hole.

If you can get some of those two by two pieces that they use to space concrete wall sections they work a treat.

A shelf inside for coffee and biscuits of choice is also essential.

If no black paint available then some scrap black material hung inside will also work, hessian sprayed black.  ordinary paint will not stick to the plastic.

I have the Aldi range of 20/40v power tools. Angle grinder, impact driver, reciprocating saw and chain saw and hammer drill. The whole lot go into a Bergen rucksack. Looking forward to a little project.

[Walker570]

Awesome !!   The idea works just as well with the wire framed IBCs you just don't have to cut such a wide slot, but I leave the top and bottom 'rail in for strength when I cut the door, whereas just the top rail on the tube frames as they are much stiffer.  I don't know if you can see the hide in the background but that is a lifted model with a floor and I have screwed pallet wood strips across the front to keep the elements out and hopefully camo it a bit. It seemed to work that morning.  If you look carefully you can see a white patch through inside, that is the door and it is not painted but you can imagine moving across that would show up, hence making the inside black.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Walker570

[Fisheruk]

Hmm, yes. That is very useful.

[powler]

10 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Yes, they work very well. I have made a couple with longer legs and actually put a floor inside using pallet wood which gives a safer angle of shot where needed.

I just put an old plastic garden chair inside which I leave there ready for use.   You need to paint the inside black (underseal will stick) or there is too much light inside and certainly jays will spot any movement.  A few bits of pipe foam over the edge of the slots stops any damage to the rifle.

Even with a floor they are not heavy and can be rolled into position easily.

I have one on a 10ft high stand in a farmyard covering the slurry pits and feed lanes.  I left the floor in that one, just cut a door.

Just having a think about covering on the inside of the IBC, could you use black silage wrap as most farms usually have a stub reel of it left about when silaging, attaching it may be an issues, maybe a bit of baton or industrial stapler but it would probably tear through that.

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, powler said:

Just having a think about covering on the inside of the IBC, could you use black silage wrap as most farms usually have a stub reel of it left about when silaging, attaching it may be an issues, maybe a bit of baton or industrial stapler but it would probably tear through that.

Yes, that would work and cover the whole thing tucking it down between the frame and the container not inside. It is a matter of cutting the light down inside.

[Rim Fire]

Cant shoot them in wales off the general license 

[Gameking]

You can under GL004  if it is to conserve red listed wild birds  in Fisher Uk post as above

[steve s×s]

On 19/01/2021 at 11:44, scolopax said:

Really need to check out the general license for Jay control, there are certain circumstances when they can be killed but not many as I remember.

🔧 In the works jmho

 

[samboy]

I can't remember the last time i saw a jay and i'm out over the woods and fields every morning.

[Pigeon addict]

23 hours ago, Walker570 said:

See if you can get some Game Keep additive for your maize etc., mix some cheap cooking oil first then sprinkle the GameKeep on it , the oil helps it stick.  I find it pulls the tree rats very well.  I mix a few handfuls of peanuts with maize/whole or kibbled or both and about 10% mixed corn.  All peanuts gets much too expensive.

See if you can scrounge a couple of IBC frames and liners.  I put legs on the bottom, cut the floor out and lift the inner liner up about 9 inches to give headroom. Cover the whole lot with old camo, logs etc etc. Makes a very smi permenent hid and keeps you warm a dnd  dry. Cut a door in the back and slots to shoot out of..

That looks brilliant. I’ll have to give it a go. I’m sure we’ve got a few of those knocking about that I can play around with. Thanks for ur help!

2 hours ago, samboy said:

I can't remember the last time i saw a jay and i'm out over the woods and fields every morning.

It’s funny some areas have next to no jays. I’m sure they’re about you’ll hear em squawk. 

[Jim Neal]

Not a shortage of jays around my patch.  We also have tree sparrows, lesser spotted woodpecker, cuckoo.... quite a few other red listed species.  So Mr Jay cops it when the opportunity presents itself which, to be honest, isn't that often because he's a crafty sod.  Last time I shot one whilst mooching about on my own must be 2 years ago, and have never been able to tempt one into a Larsen trap.