Thoughts On Why Members Don't Post As Often ?

[Centrepin]

2 minutes ago, wymberley said:

 

HAVE YOU SEEN MY WIFE?

Is she missing?

[ditchman]

15 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

Is she missing?

what is she missing ?............you havnt taken her leg away again have you ?

[wymberley]

17 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

Is she missing?

She never misses - her left hook is where Henry got the idea from

1 minute ago, ditchman said:

what is she missing ?............you havnt taken her leg away again have you ?

Hadn't thought of that - it might just slow her down a little

[Centrepin]

1 minute ago, wymberley said:

She never misses - her left hook is where Henry got the idea from

Hadn't thought of that - it might just slow her down a little

Wouldn't she be hopping mad?

[wymberley]

8 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

Wouldn't she be hopping mad?

A sort of 1 - 1 without the 2. The thought is terrifying.

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, JDog said:

There is just as much pigeon shooting going on as in the past so that cannot be used as an excuse for the lack of posts. 

For those who have posted and had little response I understand your reluctance to post more. Some are nervous about posting, possibly because of their lack of education and I understand that. Others are lazy and too selfish to share their experiences on a forum, relying on others to post.

i remember reading a post from Pigeon Controller some years back. He had been out and had a cracking day as usual and after sorting the pigeons in his garage he retired to his upstairs office to craft out a report with photos. He took quite a while ignoring the requests from his wife to go down to dinner, preferring to contribute to the forum at the expense of irritating his wife. Some regular pigeon shooters should take a leaf out of his book.

I am not so sure about as much pigeon shooting still go on as it did in the past , around your area and other places that might well be the case but I can only vouch for the area I shoot in and I honestly don't think we have got as many dedicated pigeon shooters that we used to have .

As an example , I used to shoot a lot of land that ( Lakeside ) now shoot by myself , then the two local  W A clubs rented the marshland off the landowner , at the time a lot of rape was grown and those who were interested in pigeon shooting could go down there all the year round , then after a time the rape was grown on the uplands and the club members were invited to shoot on the various rape fields , this then led to the Peas as well and if anyone saw pigeons going on any of the landowners other crops all they had to do was ask and you normally got the ok.

Now since I have moved I spend very little time on the landowners land and now Alan have more or less got it all to himself plus the clubs members if and when they want to go .

When Alan came with me a few times on some more land I had next door we would rarely see or hear anyone else shooting , now since I have moved I have been and seen Alan a few times on club land and we shot together on some laid Barley on the uplands and again we never saw anyone on each occasion .

This area of land is over 1000 acres and can be very productive as Alan got a couple of 70 odd days on the marshes Pea stubble a couple of years ago and never saw anyone else shooting , when you think there is roughly 250 members between the two clubs there don't seem that many who are dedicated pigeon shooters .

[Zapp]

Interesting thread.

I think all of the reasons so far put forward have merit.

I'd also offer a couple of others for consideration, the first being that whilst PW clearly started out as a dedicated forum for pigeon shooters, over the years the remit has broadened to almost all other types of UK shooting and beyond and has become much more of a general fields ports forum, as is illustrated in some of the responses here.

Another, less positive factor is that for a period a few years ago we unfortunately attracted one or two large egos who wanted everything to be a competition and discussion about how they knew best and this had a measurable impact on the willingness of especially new or less experienced shooters to post reports and then face the inevitable gauntlet.  Thankfully that's less of an issue now as they have moved on but it has definitely had a longer term effect because who knows how many new members were pushed away with a bad experience, never to return.

Facebook is definitely another factor.  It's format makes it suited especially for people who just want to post a picture and a brief comment rather than more detailed discussion.

[humperdingle]

PW was the first shooting forum I joined and really the only one I still regularly look at.

Must admit I don’t post much these days because of the few people who seem to spend their lives here, posting all sorts of irrelevant rubbish on threads they have no interest in or have nothing really to add but feel they need to add it anyway

[B&W FOX]

I very rarely post on any forum what I've been shooting or the numbers.

The general licence never affected me, I just done the paperwork and carried on.

I've still got all the free acreage I've had for years plus boundary farms if I need them. Seems to be a lot less folk out shooting than in the past. You could always hear someone else popping away in the distance which kept the birds on the move. 

New housing on greenfield land doesn't help, and townies thinking they can roam anywhere, has put paid to some areas of ground.

Some people can't help themselves with the number's game, and add to the squirrel,  rat, fox, pigeon,  crow tally, personally I don't, I'm doing it for pest control.

I'm out most day's,  drilling has just finished, so on that,  foxes at night around the chicken sheds they will be mating shortly so I go all out for them at this time of year so I don't have a massive problem to sort out in the spring. Still too mild for the rats to move in off the fields, but they will when the frosts start and all the cattle are in. Ferals moved back to the town's when lock down was over and and a ready supply of junk food was being thrown on the floor again, the odd foolish ones still try nesting in one of the sheds.

Number's, who cares. I just work to keep them under control and at sensible levels.

[JDog]

2 hours ago, humperdingle said:

PW was the first shooting forum I joined and really the only one I still regularly look at.

Must admit I don’t post much these days because of the few people who seem to spend their lives here, posting all sorts of irrelevant rubbish on threads they have no interest in or have nothing really to add but feel they need to add it anyway

Agreed. 

1 hour ago, B&W FOX said:

I very rarely post on any forum what I've been shooting or the numbers.

The general licence never affected me, I just done the paperwork and carried on.

I've still got all the free acreage I've had for years plus boundary farms if I need them. Seems to be a lot less folk out shooting than in the past. You could always hear someone else popping away in the distance which kept the birds on the move. 

New housing on greenfield land doesn't help, and townies thinking they can roam anywhere, has put paid to some areas of ground.

Some people can't help themselves with the number's game, and add to the squirrel,  rat, fox, pigeon,  crow tally, personally I don't, I'm doing it for pest control.

I'm out most day's,  drilling has just finished, so on that,  foxes at night around the chicken sheds they will be mating shortly so I go all out for them at this time of year so I don't have a massive problem to sort out in the spring. Still too mild for the rats to move in off the fields, but they will when the frosts start and all the cattle are in. Ferals moved back to the town's when lock down was over and and a ready supply of junk food was being thrown on the floor again, the odd foolish ones still try nesting in one of the sheds.

Number's, who cares. I just work to keep them under control and at sensible levels.

Good post.

[Zapp]

1 hour ago, B&W FOX said:

I very rarely post on any forum what I've been shooting or the numbers.

Number's, who cares. I just work to keep them under control and at sensible levels.

Another interesting point and one that I recognise.  Whilst I understand that some get a lot of pleasure from documenting their forays, others don't and being on a forum like this is more for discussions around other aspects of shooting. 

Other than driven boar and one particular beaters day a few years ago where the light was incredible, I struggle to think of a time in the last 10 years where I've reached for a camera.

It's interesting (or at least I think it is) to note that it's usually the same people who produce reports and comment on other people's and I believe that this is because some are interested and enjoy doing so and some arent.  Not that different to those who might turn straight to an article on a stalk or driven day in shooting times vs those who want to read equipment reviews or technical info. 

[Scully]

I don’t do a great deal of decoying due to lack of opportunity for one reason or another…..a lack of the type of crops which attracts birds in big numbers being one of them, but I recall one of the very first posts I put on here regarding a days decoying, attracted a lot of criticism due to the fact I dumped the bag. 🤷‍♂️
 

[marsh man]

32 minutes ago, Scully said:

I don’t do a great deal of decoying due to lack of opportunity for one reason or another…..a lack of the type of crops which attracts birds in big numbers being one of them, but I recall one of the very first posts I put on here regarding a days decoying, attracted a lot of criticism due to the fact I dumped the bag. 🤷‍♂️
 

You will get members on every rung of the experience ladder , from the very bottom rung who have just started out and yet to obtain there first perm to the ones who are nearing the top rung who dictate there life style around pigeon shooting 

People like yourself ( with no criticism intended ) normally wait till the opportunity comes along through word of mouth ,  maybe from a syndicate member or a fellow shooter , then arrange a time and then have a enjoyable day out , shoot a decent bag of pigeon and keep the farmer happy at the same time , you keep what you want from the bag and having no outlet you them dump the remainder , fair enough , with lack of time and poor pigeon crops to shoot over you are not likely to jump in your motor and search your neighbouring countryside to find another day , if you did and found a likely day you have then got to seek the landowner out, which could be miles away and when you have found him you hope and pray he give you the go ahead, as you are not over keen it would be better to wait till another invite comes along .

The ones who dedicate there life around pigeon shooting take all the above in it's stride , they will spend endless hours following flight lines to see where the pigeons are heading for , they will most likely know who's land it is by shooting on land nearby , they can go when needed and don't have to wait till a day is clear in a weeks time and are geared up to handle whatever the bag is likely to be , this might be off load some fresh pigeons to locals pubs , butchers ect and freeze the rest until a trip to the game dealers is called for , apart from a few for decoys , very few ever get wasted .

[mellors]

1 hour ago, marsh man said:

You will get members on every rung of the experience ladder , from the very bottom rung who have just started out and yet to obtain there first perm to the ones who are nearing the top rung who dictate there life style around pigeon shooting 

People like yourself ( with no criticism intended ) normally wait till the opportunity comes along through word of mouth ,  maybe from a syndicate member or a fellow shooter , then arrange a time and then have a enjoyable day out , shoot a decent bag of pigeon and keep the farmer happy at the same time , you keep what you want from the bag and having no outlet you them dump the remainder , fair enough , with lack of time and poor pigeon crops to shoot over you are not likely to jump in your motor and search your neighbouring countryside to find another day , if you did and found a likely day you have then got to seek the landowner out, which could be miles away and when you have found him you hope and pray he give you the go ahead, as you are not over keen it would be better to wait till another invite comes along .

The ones who dedicate there life around pigeon shooting take all the above in it's stride , they will spend endless hours following flight lines to see where the pigeons are heading for , they will most likely know who's land it is by shooting on land nearby , they can go when needed and don't have to wait till a day is clear in a weeks time and are geared up to handle whatever the bag is likely to be , this might be off load some fresh pigeons to locals pubs , butchers ect and freeze the rest until a trip to the game dealers is called for , apart from a few for decoys , very few ever get wasted .

Very well put. 

That's whole point of the forum. I'm super dedicated but will never know everything and we all need to ask that's how we learn in life. 

I'm sure there are a lot of members out there wanting to ask questions but reading what is said by certain individuals they get put off. 

I could be wrong. 

[Mightymariner]

8 hours ago, JDog said:

Pigeon Controller

I used to enjoy PC's reports each week. He always found and shot some pigeons.

I haven't been out for ages due to work, and only post rarely due to time constraints and the fact I hardly ever shoot anything!

[the hitman]

I try to post on Talk from the field as often as possible- and respond to others posts, although I must admit that I am not on the forum every day.

It does seem to be the same members who regularly post reports of there pigeon bags which I really enjoy reading.

I am fortunate that I have been shooting on the same farms for 30+ years and know which fields are most productive and where established flightlines are. I also have a game dealer willing to take pigeons- although it is over an hour driving to get there and back.

I don’t know of anyone else who shoots locally and seldom hear shots when I am out. There is a shooting agent who was/is operating but the travel restrictions ( he had many continental guests) due to covid will have damaged his business.

Pigeon shooting is my only hobby and I take regular detours to spot flightlines.  My wife of nearly 30 years is great at spotting pigeons when I am driving- although she is yet to join me in the hide.

The number of serious pigeon shooters is declining for a number of reasons already mentioned- perhaps it’s just the fieldcraft that is required to shoot regular bags even during the less productive months that is being lost.

When was the last new pigeon shooting book published to arm new shooters with the advice about how to go about decoying pigeons.

 

[Scully]

2 hours ago, marsh man said:

You will get members on every rung of the experience ladder , from the very bottom rung who have just started out and yet to obtain there first perm to the ones who are nearing the top rung who dictate there life style around pigeon shooting 

People like yourself ( with no criticism intended ) normally wait till the opportunity comes along through word of mouth ,  maybe from a syndicate member or a fellow shooter , then arrange a time and then have a enjoyable day out , shoot a decent bag of pigeon and keep the farmer happy at the same time , you keep what you want from the bag and having no outlet you them dump the remainder , fair enough , with lack of time and poor pigeon crops to shoot over you are not likely to jump in your motor and search your neighbouring countryside to find another day , if you did and found a likely day you have then got to seek the landowner out, which could be miles away and when you have found him you hope and pray he give you the go ahead, as you are not over keen it would be better to wait till another invite comes along .

The ones who dedicate there life around pigeon shooting take all the above in it's stride , they will spend endless hours following flight lines to see where the pigeons are heading for , they will most likely know who's land it is by shooting on land nearby , they can go when needed and don't have to wait till a day is clear in a weeks time and are geared up to handle whatever the bag is likely to be , this might be off load some fresh pigeons to locals pubs , butchers ect and freeze the rest until a trip to the game dealers is called for , apart from a few for decoys , very few ever get wasted .

I’m self employed, so can go at the drop of a hat really, and often have. I have never driven round looking for birds as I can see what’s about on most of the land I shoot on when I’m driving to and from work, visiting friends or just walking the dogs. 
I do get calls from farmers further afield when the need arises, and like I say, can go at very short notice. 
Our game dealer was only ever interested in rabbits from us, as he was located on the West Cumbrian coast where rabbits are scarce, but had a plentiful supply of pigeons. 
I breast what I can, to either eat or feed to the dogs. 

[Humblepie]

I used to post a fair amount under my previous username (Hammeronhammeroff) then again with this one. I stopped posting on a regular basis after being attacked by some others because of my view on covid, to the point where someone said my licence should be taken away…..all because he didn’t agree with my take on it. For the record, my view hasn’t changed. I got to the stage where I thought, why bother trying to engage with people who will only ever see their point of view and get personal to others that have a different opinion. Others who disagreed on the subject were much more intelligent in their thought process by the way and gave a good account of why.

Some previous posts I made were about days in the field but now while I shoot fairly regularly time permitting (only woodies), I still write about them but just in my journal rather than on the forum. I visit the forum almost daily and enjoy reading others experiences (I do miss Pigeon Controller’s reports) and look out for particular contributors on the forum, regardless of the topic.

As for the dead birds, I would never dump them. They either go in the freezer for eating, decoys or given away to neighbours. I don’t shoot massive numbers but that’s not what is about as far as I am concerned.

 

[mellors]

38 minutes ago, the hitman said:

I try to post on Talk from the field as often as possible- and respond to others posts, although I must admit that I am not on the forum every day.

It does seem to be the same members who regularly post reports of there pigeon bags which I really enjoy reading.

I am fortunate that I have been shooting on the same farms for 30+ years and know which fields are most productive and where established flightlines are. I also have a game dealer willing to take pigeons- although it is over an hour driving to get there and back.

I don’t know of anyone else who shoots locally and seldom hear shots when I am out. There is a shooting agent who was/is operating but the travel restrictions ( he had many continental guests) due to covid will have damaged his business.

Pigeon shooting is my only hobby and I take regular detours to spot flightlines.  My wife of nearly 30 years is great at spotting pigeons when I am driving- although she is yet to join me in the hide.

The number of serious pigeon shooters is declining for a number of reasons already mentioned- perhaps it’s just the fieldcraft that is required to shoot regular bags even during the less productive months that is being lost.

When was the last new pigeon shooting book published to arm new shooters with the advice about how to go about decoying pigeons.

 

I have a lot of farms and a couple of estates. There have been no door knockers for years now. I thought about a book during lockdown but i was able to get out just as much. There are definitely less people out now perhaps with fuel and cartridge prices going up regularly most can't get out. 

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, mellors said:

I have a lot of farms and a couple of estates. There have been no door knockers for years now. I thought about a book during lockdown but i was able to get out just as much. There are definitely less people out now perhaps with fuel and cartridge prices going up regularly most can't get out. 

We have had some interesting answers with no malice towards other members which is brilliant , we all have our own opinions and not everyone will agree or disagree and as long they keep it civil then that the right way to go about things .

As for door knockers , at one time our old head keeper would get endless knocks on his door , this would be in the early 80s when cartridges were £60 / 70 a 1000 and pigeons were making 30 / 40p each in fact the keeper used to buy the pigeons we shot for a few pence less than we got off the dealer, as he would take them up when he sold his Rabbits , one thing that was noticeable was pigeons feeding in big numbers on drillings , both Spring and Winter , the Peas were also hard hit along with Beans , Lucerne ,  Linseed and of course Rape , nowadays we no longer see big numbers on most drilled fields so it would be harder to tell the keeper you had seen a lot on the drill Peas , in all honestly we  haven't had a stranger make enquiries about shooting pigeons for years , we have had the odd beater or helper have the odd day and that is more or less it .

Another thing worth thinking about is the onset of Game shooting , when I first went beating in 1965 the only Pheasants we would see was on the estate , the team of guns were made up with a number of letters in front of there name , Lord , Sir , Major , Earl and so on , now game shooting is in a lot of peoples reach , we have had stag parties , teams of students and just about everyone else in between buy a day , if they wanted a days decoying they could no doubt buy a day , they wouldn't be interested in knocking on doors and searching around the countryside to find day , also for a lot of them they wouldn't know what to look for , so getting back to, is there more serious pigeon shooters about now , or is there less , I would certainly say less , but that is where I shoot and this might not be the same in another area.

[Centrepin]

17 hours ago, Scully said:

I don’t do a great deal of decoying due to lack of opportunity for one reason or another…..a lack of the type of crops which attracts birds in big numbers being one of them, but I recall one of the very first posts I put on here regarding a days decoying, attracted a lot of criticism due to the fact I dumped the bag. 🤷‍♂️
 

Health permitting I shoot pigeons and corvids 2 to 3 times a week. Clays once. Occasionally  ground and tree rats too.

It gets me out, keeps the farmers happy and I enjoy it immensely. Not just the shooting but the field craft as well.

Rarely do I get a bag worth selling or passing on. Sometimes a few pigeons to friends but they always want them oven ready. Once to a chef to experiment with and he never contacted me again. Corvids generally go in the the farms furnace minus the wings which I've started using as decoys.

I don't dump in the field as they get blown, create flies or encourage other vermin.  I do understand if that's the only way you can get rid of them but if it's not a big bag, wheelie bin. 

I rarely do write ups for various reasons but mostly as there's little to report if I've only shot 2 or 3.......or sometimes nowt.

For following flight lines I have 2 pairs of binos, a monocular and a telescope. One day a thermal spotter will come my way also.

[wymberley]

12 hours ago, marsh man said:

We have had some interesting answers with no malice towards other members which is brilliant , we all have our own opinions and not everyone will agree or disagree and as long they keep it civil then that the right way to go about things .

As for door knockers , at one time our old head keeper would get endless knocks on his door , this would be in the early 80s when cartridges were £60 / 70 a 1000 and pigeons were making 30 / 40p each in fact the keeper used to buy the pigeons we shot for a few pence less than we got off the dealer, as he would take them up when he sold his Rabbits , one thing that was noticeable was pigeons feeding in big numbers on drillings , both Spring and Winter , the Peas were also hard hit along with Beans , Lucerne ,  Linseed and of course Rape , nowadays we no longer see big numbers on most drilled fields so it would be harder to tell the keeper you had seen a lot on the drill Peas , in all honestly we  haven't had a stranger make enquiries about shooting pigeons for years , we have had the odd beater or helper have the odd day and that is more or less it .

Another thing worth thinking about is the onset of Game shooting , when I first went beating in 1965 the only Pheasants we would see was on the estate , the team of guns were made up with a number of letters in front of there name , Lord , Sir , Major , Earl and so on , now game shooting is in a lot of peoples reach , we have had stag parties , teams of students and just about everyone else in between buy a day , if they wanted a days decoying they could no doubt buy a day , they wouldn't be interested in knocking on doors and searching around the countryside to find day , also for a lot of them they wouldn't know what to look for , so getting back to, is there more serious pigeon shooters about now , or is there less , I would certainly say less , but that is where I shoot and this might not be the same in another area.

At that time this was countrywide and because many if not most of these folk were not from a shooting background was the main reason why BASC introduced their PAS. I had the pleasure of running these courses in Norfolk until the desire to return home became irresistible. However, something changed and by the early 90s interest in the course had started to wane. MM is right. As my father stopped shooting not too long after I got home and I took over the vermin from him and the farmer used to aim all of the door knockers/letter writers at me. Without really noticing, this has dried up and we've had no requests for several years now. When I'm out and hear shots it will either be my oppo; if in season, the local syndicate or the Royal Marines and never now another pigeon shooter apart from Oppo

[marsh man]

5 hours ago, wymberley said:

At that time this was countrywide and because many if not most of these folk were not from a shooting background was the main reason why BASC introduced their PAS. I had the pleasure of running these courses in Norfolk until the desire to return home became irresistible. However, something changed and by the early 90s interest in the course had started to wane. MM is right. As my father stopped shooting not too long after I got home and I took over the vermin from him and the farmer used to aim all of the door knockers/letter writers at me. Without really noticing, this has dried up and we've had no requests for several years now. When I'm out and hear shots it will either be my oppo; if in season, the local syndicate or the Royal Marines and never now another pigeon shooter apart from Oppo

No doubt a lot of members share land either locally or at club level and it would be interesting to find out , How many times they turn up on a particular field and someone else have beat them to it ? .

When I used to shoot pigeons on some of the W A club land I never went on a Saturday , I had plenty of places to go so I used to leave it alone in case another member wanted to go on , many a time I had shot somewhere else on that day and after packing up I would make a diversion to see if anyone else was shooting the field I left , 9 times out of 10 it would be empty with some pigeons still feeding .

Now Lakeside spend a fair bit of time on the same land and he have got a lot of experience to find out the fields that are likely to produce a bag of sorts , he will tell you the same that he rarely come across another member shooting .

So when do these people go ? , something I can 100% guarantee is , at the local wildfowlers club meeting night, their are far more wildfowl shot in the pub than on any marsh 

[kamyonsofor]

I like to read the postings a good mix of comments also some advice can be gleaned, I am mid 70's I have 1 perm 500acres  also member of 2 clubs, on the land perm 1 other has the use he is in his 80's at one club a nice ol' gent 95 yrs young  he shoot pieces that would put me on me bum,I would never pay or join a syndicate  I am a loner ,if I see the other guy on the perm I make myself known I am about. Costs /prices of cartridges,I don't reload I buy factory products if I need it I buy it , don't use as much of my .22wmr  due to the cost so bang 20-30 rounds at a club to keep my eye in and fuel does not come into my equation I do it as I enjoy it whether I shoot one cartridge or 20 ,walk 200 of the 500 acres it's my pastime and I enjoy it , I don't spend big money on my guns I pay £200-300 for shotguns,my Mossberg 500  FAC was £150 have a Revo onyx o/u £200 couple of Hatsans semi's £200 each  not into 2-3 grand to look good and wear Oxford bags like some I know, as long as they go bang and the right stuff comes out the end I'm happy, my recent  purchase was a new .233 I stumped up £575 which I had the pleasure of zeroing on a 100yds at a club great satisfaction I zero all my lr's or cf's on the 100yds better satisfaction to see the groupings than 25 or 50yds but I will admit to having a sneaky peak at the others targets to compare and think yep that'll do.

[adzyvilla]

I might be a bit of an oddity in so far as most of my pigeon shooting is roost/flightline so I only really get the chance in the winter months. Add into that the fact that I have so little time outside of work and family concerns, that my opportunity to go decoying are few and far between and consist mainly of my farmer mate phoning me up and saying "I had 200 on my peas etc today, can you come and have a go", and I might get a chance a few days later and all the birds have ******** off or my available day the weather is ****.

I don't do as much as I did, and it does upset me because some of my best times have been in a hide on my own or with my dog or my old man just shooting pigeons and passing the time in wonderful surroundings. As others have said, there have been lots of things to put people off, be it out in the real world or simply talking about it online. 

I'll still post my occasional roost shooting reports and the one or two times I get out in a hide in a year I will share my experiences if they are worth talking about. I like this forum, but its for far more than pigeon shooting now.