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Back on the rape tomorrow.


dead eye alan
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Well got there at 07.10 walked the 300yards with full kit, absolutely nackerd with the ground so wet it was like walking in porridge. Set up with flapper, magnet, 12 shells, and settled down with a cup of tea. The weather forecast never mentioned FOG but visibility was down to about 80 yards. First bird in at 07.58 and fell to one shot from the mighty Hatsan classic decoy straight in, 4 more followed in the first hour. The fog seemed to be getting denser but it was not freezing so everything was just getting damp, 6 more in the second hour and some glaring misses too. the next hour only produced 3 more to the tally, but the fog was now beginning to evaporate and I could now see the oak trees on the other end of the field.  It never really picked up and by 12.30 with a total of 23 picked I packed up, 2 trips back to the motor and back aching, legs like jelly was pleased to be on my way home. Was it worth the effort early start and pain? ------------------ you bet!!!!!!!!

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Well done getting out and a good write up- 23 is a very respectable bag. 

There seems to be a difference of opinion about when is the optimum time to be out at this time of year. When I was starting out pigeon shooting in the 80’s I bought a pigeon shooting book by John Gray, where he states that you can go out at first light in winter but don’t expect to be out all day. 
I have in the past been set up like you before 8am and home by 12ish - sometimes with as many as 40 in the bag - so it’s just a case of what works best in your area.

Hitman. 

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12 hours ago, the hitman said:

Well done getting out and a good write up- 23 is a very respectable bag. 

There seems to be a difference of opinion about when is the optimum time to be out at this time of year. When I was starting out pigeon shooting in the 80’s I bought a pigeon shooting book by John Gray, where he states that you can go out at first light in winter but don’t expect to be out all day. 
I have in the past been set up like you before 8am and home by 12ish - sometimes with as many as 40 in the bag - so it’s just a case of what works best in your area.

Hitman. 

And on weather, harsh conditions like what is forecast for this next week will change things, 10.00 start to give the frost a chance to throe clear the snow 25yards out and Waite.

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Well done Alan, good effort, I had a go Friday with just 9 birds down but efforts thwarted by fog, Had the covid jab on Saturday so was a bit under the weather for the weekend, woke this morning to 30 to 50 mph winds , driving snow and temperature below freezing, so it looks like shooting is on hold again until this lot clears, lovely British weather.

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20 minutes ago, lakeside1000 said:

Well done Alan, good effort, I had a go Friday with just 9 birds down but efforts thwarted by fog, Had the covid jab on Saturday so was a bit under the weather for the weekend, woke this morning to 30 to 50 mph winds , driving snow and temperature below freezing, so it looks like shooting is on hold again until this lot clears, lovely British weather.

Yep weathers put payed to the shooting at the moment but I will be out as soon as I can, maybe tomorrow if I feel brave to face the cold.

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Good to see people posting about small bags as well as the big ones , most of the big bags are shot on the stubbles or late summer grain and Bean crops , this is when the weather is at it's best and if you have got Pigeons on your patch it is not that difficult to get good numbers ,  we are now well into February and apart from Muchers good bag on the rape all the other bags have been well below Munchers bag , you really need to be at the height of dedication to brave the weather we are having at the moment , roads blocked with drifting snow , a bitterly cold Easterly wind and below freezing temp's , I didn't get a decent bag last year to close on Easter when the rape had been treated and fresh shoots were appearing , Rape must be one of the most frustrating crops a going for the pigeon shooter and more people can relate to smaller bags than the big one that crop up from time to time  . Good luck to those who will venture out over the next few days.

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