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Mind the gap


Mightymariner
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For me this summer has been rubbish for pigeons. No shortage of them about but I have had a terrible run. Either picked the wrong field, wrong side of the field, was too late on the field, someone else was there already, wind was wrong or non-existent, pigeons there but disappeared when I set up, pigeons there but I shot badly....

Anyway, yesterday I went alone as two shooting pals turned me down.

I have two large rape fields which have had a lot of pigeons on but whilst stubble they just refused to decoy. Another shooter has passed these fields and claimed he saw 900 on it (there weren't) and I think he was after an invite, which he didn't get. This week the fields were disced and this seem to make them even more attractive to pigeons. Yesterday we had a 20mph northerly, which was perfect. 

There is a line of trees running along the edge of the fields which the birds were flying up and over to another rape field which I couldn't shoot due to its proximity to a holiday park. I set up on the tree line to intercept them coming up, with the wind at my back it was about right, with pigeons coming from my left and middle, dipping high and low in the wind.

I put a flapper and a couple of dead birds behind me and it kind of worked, with birds passing me for a look before flitting over the trees. Annoyingly, a gap in the tree line about 40 yards in front seemed to be a point where some birds would go over the other side. I did move down to intercept them but it only half worked. I later moved back up.

Regardless, I had a lot of shooting, of many types and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I connected with some and missed many more. I lost a few. I picked 24. I often wonder what might be if I could shooter better🤣

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Nice write up MM along with a respectable bag , I have had that many days you first talked about it is very near a normal day that you come to expect , although I don't have the problem with other shooters and we do have access to all , or most of the fields that surround the one that you intend to go on , as an example I was shooting on a Wheat stubble field Wednesday afternoon , sport was a bit slow but it was easy to drive to the spot you wanted to set up and you could either go on the hedge or set up against one of the large bails , two fields away they were cutting a Wheat field that have always produced a fair bit of sport , just before the combine finished the two contractors bailing machines arrived to start bailing up , when I left they had all but done , now today I went and had a look for somewhere to go for tomorrow and not only the bails had gone they had a tractor lightly pulling it up to prepare it for this years Rape drilling , luckily enough I found another Wheat stubble field that still had the smaller round bails on , this field had a few Pigeons on and I know it hadn't been shot , come tomorrow it wouldn't surprize me if the cattle farmer is on there with his tractor and trailer making a start to clear them off , if he is then all is not lost we move on to some old Rape stubble that have started going Green , this is something you get used to but for the decoyer who have only got a few fields to go on it must very annoying and disappointing. 

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Good report 20+ is a decent day in my book.

I understand you moving then moving back - I have done this so many times over the years- you move to where the last 5 pigeons have passed by 50 yards away, however as soon as you move the next 5 go right over where had been- frustrating.

Keep picking away.

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good effort there definitely not the summer i had in mind three fields carpeted in peas nothing more than a dozen birds on them no end of wheat stubble same story no birds last field standing on one place is redrilled barley if that does not produce when cut nothing will best chance so far was blue with them arrived next day nothing but a tractor at work and seagulls last laugh to the woodies 

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