An afternoon out

[Spr1985]

The company I work for moved last year to it’s new base which is on a farm, I have spent the last 6 to 8 months in and out of the yard watching the pigeons absolutely destroying 3 out of the 4 osr fields and most recently the wheat drilling that was done a couple of weeks back. The farm has a small shoot and the pigeon shooting is a perk for the beaters so I left well alone and dealt with some of the resident rodents instead. Recently the farmer has made comments about the pigeons so I responded with something along the lines of :- yes they do seem to be enjoying the osr, if I had my way I’d send them the same way as I sent the rats. Completely blindsided by his response of fill your boots! 
 

safe to say the gear was organised and I headed out this afternoon to have a go at them. I got to the farm around 1pm and after chatting to one of the lads that was loading up a tractor ready to fertilise I was on the field by half 1. I started off on the drilling as I’d seen birds flighting and down on the ground as I drove up to the farm. After setting up and sitting waiting for an hour for 1 bird (they where flighting wide and near a house so couldn’t get under them) I decided to move and try one of the osr fields that I’d Also seen birds over. Packed up drove further up the lane and onto the edge of the field and then made the treck up to the next spot I had picked out. The shooting from this spot was directionally restricted due to two houses but proved to be a good option. They where flighting over on the same line I’d seen them earlier from the freshly drilled field and dropping into the middle of the field or the next field over, 1 was swiftly taken, add that to the one from the drilling and the magnet was out and doing its job. They came slow and steady in singles doubles and small groups of 5/6 with the odd big flock of 20/30 each time the gas cannons went off on nearby fields. I ended the afternoon on 25, picked 19 (16 in picture and 3 picked en route back to the truck) unfortunately I just couldn’t find the other 6 in the osr 🤦‍♂️ Roll on having a dog with me! 
 

i also had the pleasure of seeing a jet black wild rabbit, heard of them but never seen one until today. 

[pigeon controller]

Good report, you impressed the farmer with your rat control and it paid dividends, the beaters can’t complain as the farmer instructed you to fill your boots, send him a picture and thank him. 
A good honest report and well done for posting.

[Spr1985]

Thanks pc 👍🏻, re the beaters, I’ve not heard a shot in the year that we have been at the yard and never seen any vehicles/ shooters so I don’t think they get out to often, should I be approached by anyone I shall simply say the farmer gave the nod please speak to him. 
 
inshall be seeing the farmer tomorrow so I’ll be sure to thank him for allowing me out and illl show him the picture of the end result too. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Well done.

I hope the farmer realises if he speaks to the right person, he will have less WPs around and you should have regular access. 

[marsh man]

8 hours ago, Spr1985 said:

Thanks pc 👍🏻, re the beaters, I’ve not heard a shot in the year that we have been at the yard and never seen any vehicles/ shooters so I don’t think they get out to often, should I be approached by anyone I shall simply say the farmer gave the nod please speak to him. 
 
inshall be seeing the farmer tomorrow so I’ll be sure to thank him for allowing me out and illl show him the picture of the end result too. 

Nice one and THANKS for posting .

Regarding the beaters situation , you can take it from me that very few beaters are interested in regular Pigeon shooting , we have a pool of around 20 beaters , 14 / 16 are regular and the others are to make the numbers up if a regular can't make the planed shoot day , when the season is over we do let the ones who want to go roost shooting for four weeks and then we don't see them no more until the new season begins .

Apart from one young(ish) picker up who like the odd day decoying this is more or less it , if anyone do want to go then all they need to do is ring the keeper who then ring me and I will do the rest , if I get 3 or 4 calls a year then that is it , I would go out of my way to find them some shooting and even lend them some of my gear but to be honest the regular interest is not there , yes the odd day and the odd day is normally all it is .

[udderlyoffroad]

Cracking report @Spr1985 ; nice work on the perm.  You going to offer the farmer some breasts?  Pigeons that is.

4 hours ago, marsh man said:

Apart from one young(ish) picker up who like the odd day decoying this is more or less it , if anyone do want to go then all they need to do is ring the keeper who then ring me and I will do the rest , if I get 3 or 4 calls a year then that is it , I would go out of my way to find them some shooting and even lend them some of my gear but to be honest the regular interest is not there , yes the odd day and the odd day is normally all it is .

Strange, no shortage of beaters on our shoot volunteering for pest control duties, albeit we have nowhere in need of decoying

[Centrepin]

It seems to be a trend that folk get a permission keep it exclusive and don't shoot it.

I regularly see pigeon and crow on the farms close by me,  never anyone shooting.

Before I retired I was visiting a friend who's son now runs his farm. His answer to shooters is always, he has had the same chaps for years and doesn't want to loose them as even though they rarely shoot they've been at it years and new shooters turn up a few times then the going gets hard and he never sees them again.

Occasionally they'll get fed up and give the odd chance and in those cases it's not what you know but who, or just being in the right place at the right time.

I think having proved your prepared to get rid of rats is sufficient to get you a foot in the door, rats being the bane of a farmers life as they never go completely. 

Now you need to capitalise and go regularly, even when it gets hard. Show willing and keep dropping them.

Well done and good luck next time.

[Spr1985]

5 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said:

Cracking report @Spr1985 ; nice work on the perm.  You going to offer the farmer some breasts?  Pigeons that is.

Thank you @udderlyoffroad, although on first reading I thought I might get rid of the wife for a few hours….. and then you clarified pigeon breasts  🤣😂. On a serious note though I have already made sure to sort the farmer out, he has a bottle waiting at the yard 😉 

I will definitely be doing as much shooting as I possibly can whilst the opportunity is present. That goes for the rats as well as the corvids and pigeons. He’ll be sick of the site of me before my enthusiasm relaxes. The added bonus was taking the boss out with me, he normally shoots clays……he’s now an avid pigeon shooting fan and has asked 3 or 4 times today when we are going again… might even get the odd afternoon off 😊

[marsh man]

6 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said:

 

Strange, no shortage of beaters on our shoot volunteering for pest control duties, albeit we have nowhere in need of decoying

This is one of the reasons I always reccomend new members who are looking for shooting is to try and get in one of there local game shoots  and offer your services as a ( regular beater ) ,or if they live nearer to the coast is to join one of there nearest wild fowling clubs ,

I have been in our two local clubs and at a guess I would say they have a combined membership of around 250 , both clubs share one big farm that have over 1000 acres and grow plenty of o s r , Peas and combinable crops , out of the two clubs I can assure you there are not that many serious Pigeon shooters , I used to shoot a lot of the land and I would always leave it alone on a Saturday in case other members wanted to go and I went on my own perms that border a lot of the clubs land , many a time I have came past a half tidy field  after I had been shooting elsewhere on a Saturday and haven't seen a single person shooting , my ole mate P W member Lakeside would spend a lot of his time on that farm as he could go where club members were not allowed and would often be down the marsh all day , I would see his motor and go and have a yarn and ask if he had seen any one , at least nine times out of ten he would say he hadn't seen a soul , these marshes were very good at times and he had many 50 plus day and one or two in the 70s . 

The clubs have also got a very good clay pigeon lay out , gun dog training throughout the Summer , work parties on there flight pond and several other things going on to keep the members happy , so with a lot of them Pigeon shooting is something maybe done only on odd occasions .