This Weeks Report

[pigeon controller]

Wednesday I was not intending to go out but at 11.00 I had a call from a farmer who does not call very often and I want to keep in his good books. He had just driven passed his rape and as he said to me the trees are covered with pigeons can you come now and sort them out. To which I agreed.

So I set out with no decoys as they were frozen to attack this hoard of pigeons. When I arrived at the field the two sections of woodland in the centre of this massive rape field were covered with pigeons.

The gas guns either side of both woods were working and the birds just lifted and went back to the trees. I watched for ten minutes between the gas bangs and the bird were dropping down to the rape , so I decided to set up and try my luck. I was set up with the hide built by 12.00 but no decoys. One of the gas guns went off and provided me with a number of decoys flying above my head, with more luck than judgement I managed to hit two for the magnet. It was then a battle of wills as they sat in the trees and watched me then a gas gun would go off again and provide shooting.

The main group of birds had moved away when I received a call from the farmer on the next farm about the number of birds on his rape???

I told him that I would be about on Friday and left it at that.

I continued shooting till 15.00 as all the action had ceased and finished with twenty birds but kept the farmer happy.

 

 

So Friday morning I arrived at the next farm, we had a hard frost so I was not eager to start but let them have a taste after the frost had melted. It was a strong wind from the west and that meant a long walk to keep the wind off my back, it took two trips to carry all the gear. I was all set up by 10.30 with twelve fresh birds from Wednesday, the set up as normal two on the magnet, four flyers and six on cradles above the tallest rape. I had managed to build the hide with a brolly to stop the wind. The first birds in landed in the pattern so I was away, I shot like a Muppet as the birds were jinxing in the strong wind also for some reason I was mesmerized by their movement and let them come too close to shoot as they would have been “ Oven Ready”.

As the day progressed I improved and finished at 17.00 picking up forty seven.

Today , Saturday I had arranged to shoot with DB and collected him at 08.30 this morning. He had received a call from a farmer who had been to his rape yesterday and it was covered. Now this is the rape we had set up on two weeks ago and it had been shot heavily. On that occasion we shot for an hour and moved on. This morning we arrived and it had birds all over, so we agreed to split with me taking the brow of the hill and DB in the valley. The wind was horrendous and DB had a major problem keeping the hide upright and himself warm. I had the wind in my face so I doubled the hide in the front to prevent the wind chill penetrating. I also had guy ropes on the front poles along with other poles at 45 degrees to brace them. We both had six fresh birds from the day before. So my set up was as follows, The birds would have to come over my head or from both sided to face the wind so my pattern which consisted of two on the magnet, two  flyers and two on cradles, this pattern was forty yards out in the field to allow the birds to come in. We were both set up by 10.00 and the first seven shots gave me decoys, these I put out as two further flyers and the rest on cradles. At this point I realised I had the flyers as if they were joining the pattern so I moved them in front of the cradles as if they were leaving the pattern this worked very well.

I had two high crossers with the wind that were magical.We shot till 16.00 and I picked up 59 and DB 89 so it was a good day.

 

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[img]https://i.ibb.co/R41qwDd/100-3566.jpg[/img]

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by pigeon controller

[mossy835]

sounds like you had a good week, keep the farmers happy.

[clangerman]

i can’t stand the shame shot a measly eight yesterday lol 

[the hitman]

What a great write up PC.

I have been moaning about gas guns recently, however I understand that they can help by lifting pigeons from other places and send them in your direction as you described.

The recent high winds have certainly stirred the birds up and make for exciting shooting- unfortunately for me my backside has been stuck to my office chair rather than my hide seat.

Keep the reports coming.

[marsh man]

Your reports are equal to your dedication towards Pigeon shooting , at the highest level , how many of the P W clan would go for three whole days in a week at one of the bleakest times of the year ? , not that many I would have thought .

Well done P C ,and still waiting to see your four legged hide companion taking part in the days proceedings .

[pigeon controller]

21 minutes ago, marsh man said:

Your reports are equal to your dedication towards Pigeon shooting , at the highest level , how many of the P W clan would go for three whole days in a week at one of the bleakest times of the year ? , not that many I would have thought .

Well done P C ,and still waiting to see your four legged hide companion taking part in the days proceedings .

Thanks MM, he is as mad as a box of frogs at present!!!!!

[Lsto]

Excellent write up as always, I always enjoy your write ups, gives me a taste of what I am missing. Well done on your brilliant performance and I hope it continues.