Rape

[yickdaz]

3 hours ago, bunny_blaster said:

I’ve never understood why people think the cold weather makes pigeons turn to rape. It’s a last resort food for them and with the mega crop of acorns beechmast and berries about this year they won’t be on rape properly until well after Christmas. Most of the birds you will be seeing on rape this time of year will be small migratory flocks just passing through. This cold snap has certainly pushed a lot of birds south and here in Warwickshire/ south Birmingham I’ve seen plenty moving up high over the last week. We were game shooting on Saturday and there was a constant flight of pigeons coming over the shoot, well into the 1000’s came over throughout the day

Well they can't get to the  acorns when they are 2in under snow and frozen to the ground   so obviously they turn to crops that are above snow level and they can get at it  and I've not seen any on rape until this cold snap 

Edited December 12, 2022 by yickdaz

[kitchrat]

By this time last year I had shot about 140 on rape (early Nov-Mid Dec), from a couple of difficult-to-cover, large blocks of rape which were under heavy attack, the farmers were tearing their hair out and deploying gas guns. No snow had fallen but there were less acorns. The rape itself was less far advanced in general but this year I also have some very weak fields to protect which are untouched to date, so I'm hoping the snow will help.

I can't believe it's just down to acorns as I don't see many under the oaks, there seem to be less pigeons about this year Was it a bad breeding season with it being so dry? My sister says there are a lot in Cheshire so it could be a regional thing. Worrying times!!

[yickdaz]

7 minutes ago, kitchrat said:

By this time last year I had shot about 140 on rape (early Nov-Mid Dec), from a couple of difficult-to-cover, large blocks of rape which were under heavy attack, the farmers were tearing their hair out and deploying gas guns. No snow had fallen but there were less acorns. The rape itself was less far advanced in general but this year I also have some very weak fields to protect which are untouched to date, so I'm hoping the snow will help.

I can't believe it's just down to acorns as I don't see many under the oaks, there seem to be less pigeons about this year Was it a bad breeding season with it being so dry? My sister says there are a lot in Cheshire so it could be a regional thing. Worrying times!!

I'm also saying it's not essential to have cold weather to make them go on rape I've had shoots on very mild days windy days are the best  but when they don't have any other options due to hard frost and snow you can bet they will turn to it 

[Centrepin]

I'm reading these posts with interest. I couldn't get out Friday, tend to avoid weekends due to trespassers and others and today have hospital this afternoon and vets this evening.

Going to get out tomorrow, I've dug out my snow cam nets and a few decoys. I've a huge field of rape surrounded by acorns and various berries. Unfortunately its quite a hike for me. On the plus side I have a seat and hide poles in situ. Half hour trek there, half an hour for a coffee and see what's what, half an hour back to car if nowts happening. That'll be enough for the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kitchrat]

1 hour ago, Centrepin said:

I'm reading these posts with interest. I couldn't get out Friday, tend to avoid weekends due to trespassers and others and today have hospital this afternoon and vets this evening.

Going to get out tomorrow, I've dug out my snow cam nets and a few decoys. I've a huge field of rape surrounded by acorns and various berries. Unfortunately its quite a hike for me. On the plus side I have a seat and hide poles in situ. Half hour trek there, half an hour for a coffee and see what's what, half an hour back to car if nowts happening. That'll be enough for the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck! Are they hitting it? 

I'm doing a drive round tomorrow (with all the gear and a couple of decoys, just in case) to see if things have changed for the better. 4-5 inches of snow here, could shake it up a bit. Cheers,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't know why this went right down, try again!

 

Good luck! Are they hitting it? 

I'm doing a drive round tomorrow (with all the gear and a couple of decoys, just in case) to see if things have changed for the better. 4-5 inches of snow here, could shake it up a bit. Cheers,

[marsh man]

Rape is quite low on a Pigeons menu and if there was anything else in the area then the rape would be left alone , this time of the year there is a lot of sugar beet being lifted in these parts ,  this can be a very good draw and like most crops nowadays it have a short window before a few fields a short distance away are in the same condition , this will carry on throughout the Winter unless it get covered with snow , then from Christmas onward's you will see Pigeons hitting the game covers which again around this way there is no shortage , in mild weather you will see them on the grazing fields now all the livestock are off , and on various berries , spud fields and any standing stubble's that have been left over the Winter months , when all these have gone then it might be worth having a look around your local rape fields , once found they need to be watched for a few days until they have developed a routine and then try and pick the right day when the wind condition is at an advantage and not a disadvantage , Pigeon shooting is hard enough as it is , by going when they have only just starting to hit it , a sharp frost and the wrong wind direction , you will be making something that is already hard that much harder .

GOOD LUCK as you might well need it     MM

[matone]

8 hours ago, bunny_blaster said:

I’ve never understood why people think the cold weather makes pigeons turn to rape. It’s a last resort food for them and with the mega crop of acorns beechmast and berries about this year they won’t be on rape properly until well after Christmas. Most of the birds you will be seeing on rape this time of year will be small migratory flocks just passing through. This cold snap has certainly pushed a lot of birds south and here in Warwickshire/ south Birmingham I’ve seen plenty moving up high over the last week. We were game shooting on Saturday and there was a constant flight of pigeons coming over the shoot, well into the 1000’s came over throughout the day

You have to remember that they may be doing different things 250 miles further north tho` !

[kitchrat]

1 hour ago, marsh man said:

Rape is quite low on a Pigeons menu and if there was anything else in the area then the rape would be left alone , this time of the year there is a lot of sugar beet being lifted in these parts ,  this can be a very good draw and like most crops nowadays it have a short window before a few fields a short distance away are in the same condition , this will carry on throughout the Winter unless it get covered with snow , then from Christmas onward's you will see Pigeons hitting the game covers which again around this way there is no shortage , in mild weather you will see them on the grazing fields now all the livestock are off , and on various berries , spud fields and any standing stubble's that have been left over the Winter months , when all these have gone then it might be worth having a look around your local rape fields , once found they need to be watched for a few days until they have developed a routine and then try and pick the right day when the wind condition is at an advantage and not a disadvantage , Pigeon shooting is hard enough as it is , by going when they have only just starting to hit it , a sharp frost and the wrong wind direction , you will be making something that is already hard that much harder .

GOOD LUCK as you might well need it     MM

Virtually no sugar beet or spuds grown round here. This year the game covers have failed too, maize replanted with mustard. Last year they failed to pull pigeons because the masses of corvids had stripped the cobs during the game season. Almost all stubbles are autumn ploughed. So, I'm hoping rape will become a staple. Last autumn they were  all over it by now.

Fully agree they you should not rush in but, not having control of other shooters leaves us vulnerable to the greedy. I try to make it a team game, when several guns can cover various blocks of rape but someone always jumps in 1st and spoils it for all. So, now I keep quiet and don't even talk to the farmers in advance, they just rush out multiple gas guns as soon as you mention pigeons building up. A tricky balancing act!!

[marsh man]

2 hours ago, kitchrat said:

Virtually no sugar beet or spuds grown round here. This year the game covers have failed too, maize replanted with mustard. Last year they failed to pull pigeons because the masses of corvids had stripped the cobs during the game season. Almost all stubbles are autumn ploughed. So, I'm hoping rape will become a staple. Last autumn they were  all over it by now.

Fully agree they you should not rush in but, not having control of other shooters leaves us vulnerable to the greedy. I try to make it a team game, when several guns can cover various blocks of rape but someone always jumps in 1st and spoils it for all. So, now I keep quiet and don't even talk to the farmers in advance, they just rush out multiple gas guns as soon as you mention pigeons building up. A tricky balancing act!!

I fully understand that not all areas are the same and even where I live I don't travel more than ten miles to get my shooting so I can't really vouch what it is like elsewhere, if I can't find any on my patch then so be it , by looking after one area I am often seen by the landowner and head keeper so they know I am about even if they don't hear any shooting, some of our rape fields are very close to our drives so while the pigeons are not doing any harm then I keep well away , we had a shoot on Saturday and saw very few Pigeons although even if pigeons were about you wouldn't had seen a lot in the foggy conditions , having said that there were four hanging up in the game larder when the days shoot had finished  , 

[dead eye alan]

On 10/12/2022 at 14:57, old'un said:

Yep, I did hear on the news that the far north had some snow, so were the pigeons piling into it?

 

 

dead eye alan must be into them, he went out after breakfast and he’s not been on for 7 hours.

 

Just found time to reply to Old'un, never fired a shot could not get near them split into two groups of about 40 on two different fields, did catch up with another shooter though. He runs a shoot near Silverstone shoots on about 40 farms and is struggling to find birds.

[Centrepin]

Been out this morning, lots of bird footprints in the snow over the rape, mostly gulls but maybe some crow. Someone had been out before me as human foot prints everywhere along the rape edge. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I moved under an oak tree and the snow was disturbed by birds or maybe squirrels rooting for acorn, too much mud to make sense of prints.

 

Moved again, stood under the flight line and shot 2 crow 5 pigeon, crops on pigeon either empty or full of grain from the nearby grain silos. No evidence of rape, berry or acorn.

However, today I'd guess at 3 gulls to every pigeon/crow and unlike the pigeon/crow they fly very close flaunting their imunity. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[marsh man]

Well we have just come out of a two week cold spell and if the theory is correct that Pigeons will hit the rape as soon as we get a cold spell then have you noticed any increase in numbers ? , I haven't really looked at the rape fields as it would have been way to cold for me to sit about long periods for very little action , the farm boys would soon give me a call if they saw any big numbers building up , but at this present time I have heard nothing and cannot see me shooting any numbers until 2023 .

Edited December 19, 2022 by marsh man

[mossy835]

one farm i shoot the rape was direct drilled.but put in late it looks a mess,with bits here and there they were going to rip it up. but now left it not seen one pigeon on it,

[Centrepin]

Usual low numbers on my fields and surrounds but does seem an increase in birds in sitty trees. Unfortunately or fortunately if you're the farmer, one bang or bird down and they've gone for hours. Lots of squirrels around as the cold lifts and the last of the snow goes.

 

 

[old'un]

I did my visits and drinks delivery on Sunday 18, it was damp, overcast with a good breeze, obviously whilst doing my visits I looked at a few rape fields for signs of pigeons, well you could count on one hand the numbers on any one field, what I did notice was the number of birds I was putting up as I drove down the country lanes, obviously feeding on the crushed acorns on the road, also a fair few breaking cover from the Ivy.

As marsh man said, I also think it will be the new year before we see any numbers on the rape…...although one farmer I called into gave me the details of his mate who was having some serous pigeon problems, will be calling him after Christmas, be interesting to see just how serous the problem is, or if its a typical farmer seeing 50 pigeons and adding a 0 on the end.

[dead eye alan]

Out on Saturday walked off 50 or so from the furthest field away from easy access, called the farmer and got permission to drive round the grass field in-between which meant easy set up. 2 lofted high up, a flapper and a dozen Fuds out by 11.30. Only 4 birds returned and were duly dispatched, but saw some interesting things like a buzzard and kite, the bobbing flight of 2 woodpeckers, 3 muntjac a lot of song birds and a thrush. So a nice morning out and home for the footy. 

[mossy835]

6 hours ago, old'un said:

I did my visits and drinks delivery on Sunday 18, it was damp, overcast with a good breeze, obviously whilst doing my visits I looked at a few rape fields for signs of pigeons, well you could count on one hand the numbers on any one field, what I did notice was the number of birds I was putting up as I drove down the country lanes, obviously feeding on the crushed acorns on the road, also a fair few breaking cover from the Ivy.

As marsh man said, I also think it will be the new year before we see any numbers on the rape…...although one farmer I called into gave me the details of his mate who was having some serous pigeon problems, will be calling him after Christmas, be interesting to see just how serous the problem is, or if its a typical farmer seeing 50 pigeons and adding a 0 on the end.

 

 

thats what a farmer said to me go out there. the field is blue with them went there and saw none.

[kitchrat]

Yesterday I sat and watched several hundred happily attacking some rape. There have been a few dozen "regulars" on this field for a while but this was something new, post snow. Remembering MM's advice about not rushing in, I let them alone to settle in and went back today. 3+ hours in the hide, saw less than 10 birds, who showed no interest in the crop or my decoys. Can't believe it was the same field!

[mossy835]

here today there gone tomorrow,thats pigeons for you,.

[old'un]

1 hour ago, kitchrat said:

Yesterday I sat and watched several hundred happily attacking some rape. There have been a few dozen "regulars" on this field for a while but this was something new, post snow. Remembering MM's advice about not rushing in, I let them alone to settle in and went back today. 3+ hours in the hide, saw less than 10 birds, who showed no interest in the crop or my decoys. Can't believe it was the same field!

You missed it, I would have been on the field if there were several hundred, providing they showed me they were shootable that is.

Never leave a field of rape till the next day.

[marsh man]

4 hours ago, old'un said:

You missed it, I would have been on the field if there were several hundred, providing they showed me they were shootable that is.

Never leave a field of rape till the next day.

They could have easily been disturbed off another rape field in that area which could be a better attraction than the field the op saw them drop on , might be worth a look beside the holding wood(s) first thing in the mornings to see where they are heading for , wouldn't be surprised if some pigeons have now found some rape fields to there liking now the fields are free from frost and snow , this again depend on what other food source is in that area , if very little apart from the rape , then certain fields could put you on a winner , 

[Morkin]

Went to have a look round on the quad this morning, and there was a few pigeons on the rape , only a few but first lot I'd seen .

[Whitebridges]

The only pigeons i've shot this month have been with a rifle. Birds flighting in under oak trees feeding on acorns. They're completely ignoring the rape at the moment.      

[kitchrat]

On 21/12/2022 at 20:45, marsh man said:

They could have easily been disturbed off another rape field in that area which could be a better attraction than the field the op saw them drop on , might be worth a look beside the holding wood(s) first thing in the mornings to see where they are heading for , wouldn't be surprised if some pigeons have now found some rape fields to there liking now the fields are free from frost and snow , this again depend on what other food source is in that area , if very little apart from the rape , then certain fields could put you on a winner , 

Last time I saw a flock on this field I dived in, they all left as soon as I showed up, never to be seen again. This time I left it 'til next day, all gone. I am pushing the world price of diesel up to new heights and warming the planet by several degrees driving around, but can't find pigeons on rape. Just a few on acorns? by the roadside here and there. Getting good at sudoku though! 

Edited December 23, 2022 by kitchrat