Beechmast

[the hitman]

Hi folks 

My place of work is set within a good acreage of hardwoods including loads of beeches. I have been spotting a good number of woodpigeons gorging on the beechmast- which explains the lack of pigeons on the last of the stubbles locally.

My experience of shooting pigeons feeding on beechmast is to set a magnet out on the edge of the beeches- to catch their eye which hopefully results in shooting high birds looking to land in the trees. Fantastic sport just don’t count the empty cartridges at the end of the day.

Hitman

 

[JDog]

Pigeons have been on beech mast for a couple of weeks now. I find it impossible to achieve a decent bag when they are choosing that food source.

[clangerman]

the mast round here don’t seem to have enough body to interest them seen a few in wilts today on drillings but not enough for a go 

[the hitman]

14 minutes ago, JDog said:

Pigeons have been on beech mast for a couple of weeks now. I find it impossible to achieve a decent bag when they are choosing that food source.

I would regularly go after pigeons on beechmast in late October- November and shoot single number bags. On windy days - if the approach line enables you to put decoys or a magnet  in the open, it’s possible to pull them to a shootable position. My best bag on beechmast is 58. 
 

Hitman 

[Wilts#Dave]

Have spotted pigeons feeding on beechmast too, but not in vast numbers. Personally never managed to shoot any sort of bag on it but can imagine it being good sport if you can! 
I shot just over 60 on Tuesday setting up on some drilling on a busy flight line  pigeons were using to go somewhere else (that I couldn’t locate). Was a case of right place right time as they didn’t want the drilling! 
Getting much harder to find them now the stubbles are all but gone. 

[gmm243]

We had no beech mast last year but lots of acorns.We shot some great bags of very sporting birds fighting through the tree tops.

This year it seems that we have neither beech mast or acorns.