Pigeon Chasers

[bunny_blaster]

26 minutes ago, marsh man said:

It seem to me that most of the people searching for Pigeons are the older folk , this could be partly because they have got time on there hands and can remember the days when rape was the holy grail in the Winter months , the memories are still clear where a very bad day then would be a very good day now , those days are very unlikely to come back but for some of us we cannot accept the fact and we will still go out day after day just because they SHOULD be feeding on rape , this was fine when you only had the odd field in the area , now we have got half a dozen fields on our estate alone and many more on the surrounding farms , sometimes you will find a field where the land owner haven't got the time to go and check it out day after day and a few might well start building up , but how long will they put up with a bit of stick when a large field on the next farm is left alone during the game season , and this would be the same in most of that area .

So we have to face facts that the glory days on rape is over for the majority of us in the Winter months , from early March then things might be different when it is fed and begin to come back to life but if you haven't got the Pigeons in the first place then you could lay a five star meal out and it wouldn't make a lot of difference and it seem to me that for a great many of members that Pigeons are in short supply 

I think it’s more of a case that there’s still big numbers of acorns and other food sources in the woods rather than a lack of pigeons, meaning people aren’t seeing the numbers on rape they normally would in the areas they shoot. I’m still seeing lots of birds on the sides of the road as well picking up acorns so they have no need to eat rape which is a last resort for them

[old'un]

34 minutes ago, bunny_blaster said:

I think it’s more of a case that there’s still big numbers of acorns and other food sources in the woods rather than a lack of pigeons, meaning people aren’t seeing the numbers on rape they normally would in the areas they shoot. I’m still seeing lots of birds on the sides of the road as well picking up acorns so they have no need to eat rape which is a last resort for them

just an observation over the last 50+ years, back in the early 70s when I first started shooting pigeons over rape you could usually start to see them hitting the rape by November, come December/January they were in their thousands on some fields, and that was even if we had a bumper crop of acorns and berries, so it does make me wonder if pigeons today are late getting onto the rape because of the variety they are growing today?

[bunny_blaster]

7 minutes ago, old'un said:

just an observation over the last 50+ years, back in the early 70s when I first started shooting pigeons over rape you could usually start to see them hitting the rape by November, come December/January they were in their thousands on some fields, and that was even if we had a bumper crop of acorns and berries, so it does make me wonder if pigeons today are late getting onto the rape because of the variety they are growing today?

Why would you want to live on a diet of cabbage when there is much higher protein foods still available. Rape goes straight through them as can be seen under sitty trees or roost woods. You can’t blame them really

[old'un]

9 minutes ago, bunny_blaster said:

Why would you want to live on a diet of cabbage when there is much higher protein foods still available. Rape goes straight through them as can be seen under sitty trees or roost woods. You can’t blame them really

Agreed, but what I am trying to say is why are they so long moving onto the rape now, we had bumper crops of acorns back in the 70s but they were never this late getting onto the rape, like I said, is it possible the variety they grow today?

[Spr1985]

It could also be the rise in temperatures, albeit only a couple of degrees average between the 70’s and now. I also believe the seasons have shifted slightly from when I was a kid. Growing up in the late 80’s through the 90’s I seem to remember nov through feb being freezing cold and starting to warm up from mid to late march onwards. Whereas now it seems to me that dec through late feb / march are the coldest months and then late march early April starts warming up. Maybe I’m wrong maybe I’m imagining things 🤷‍♂️ but if I’m not it could explain the lateness of the birds onto the osr. Milder oct nov dec meaning plenty of other/preferred Sustenance available and it’s just not cold enough yet to make the switch. 
 

Im By no means saying you gents with many more years experience than I are wrong, just making an observation. 

[islandgun]

i think you would have to count me as an infrequent pigeon shooter as the last time i shot one was about 1970..😄, and that would have been in bale hide over clover, theres no pigeon where i live

[FOXHUNTER1]

I dont bother shooting pigeons in the Winter , it's too cold 🤣 I am too busy shooting foxes ,deer ,rabbits , squirrels and a bit game.

I dont have any rape to protect so its Spring  drillings , Summer crops and stubbles 😁

Cant be bothered to waste a day firing 1 shot and all the pigeons vacate to the next county , rather spend my time more efficiently. 

[bone]

First good showing of wood pigeon on a rape field near me this morning, sadly not my permission so fingers crossed it is starting.

[bunny_blaster]

3 hours ago, Spr1985 said:

It could also be the rise in temperatures, albeit only a couple of degrees average between the 70’s and now. I also believe the seasons have shifted slightly from when I was a kid. Growing up in the late 80’s through the 90’s I seem to remember nov through feb being freezing cold and starting to warm up from mid to late march onwards. Whereas now it seems to me that dec through late feb / march are the coldest months and then late march early April starts warming up. Maybe I’m wrong maybe I’m imagining things 🤷‍♂️ but if I’m not it could explain the lateness of the birds onto the osr. Milder oct nov dec meaning plenty of other/preferred Sustenance available and it’s just not cold enough yet to make the switch. 
 

Im By no means saying you gents with many more years experience than I are wrong, just making an observation. 

I’m not a believer that the temperature has anything to do with when pigeons switch to rape, more to do with what other foods are available 

[Spr1985]

3 minutes ago, bunny_blaster said:

I’m not a believer that the temperature has anything to do with when pigeons switch to rape, more to do with what other foods are available 

Totally get where you are coming from but surely temperature has a part to play in what’s available, when berries ripen when wheat becomes milky etc and therefore what the birds are eating and when has a lot to do with temperatures. Again I may be wrong, just my thoughts 

[kitchrat]

3 hours ago, old'un said:

Agreed, but what I am trying to say is why are they so long moving onto the rape now, we had bumper crops of acorns back in the 70s but they were never this late getting onto the rape, like I said, is it possible the variety they grow today?

10 years ago they were trying to develop strains of rape that were less palatable to pigeons. Maybe they are getting there? They are on rape round here but don't seem keen like they used to. Sit about in the trees, have a little nibble, back to the trees, then off for another nibble but in a different place/field/farm. No pattern I can anticipate. 

[old'un]

56 minutes ago, kitchrat said:

10 years ago they were trying to develop strains of rape that were less palatable to pigeons. Maybe they are getting there? They are on rape round here but don't seem keen like they used to. Sit about in the trees, have a little nibble, back to the trees, then off for another nibble but in a different place/field/farm. No pattern I can anticipate. 

This could be one reason...https://www.dsv-uk.co.uk/press_items/compass-pigeons

or this..https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/pigeons-shun-osr-with-bitter-tasting-leaves

Edited January 20, 2023 by old'un

[Morkin]

1 hour ago, bunny_blaster said:

I’m not a believer that the temperature has anything to do with when pigeons switch to rape, more to do with what other foods are available 

I have said this a few weeks ago , but some people on this forum think pigeons should be on the rape now, as some people have said the pigeons they have shot have been on acorns and ivy berries and I have 2500 acres to ride about and the pigeons are in the woods and hedges eating like mad . 👉😜👈 I don't think there is as many pigeons about yet mind you.

[old'un]

7 minutes ago, Morkin said:

I have said this a few weeks ago , but some people on this forum think pigeons should be on the rape now, as some people have said the pigeons they have shot have been on acorns and ivy berries and I have 2500 acres to ride about and the pigeons are in the woods and hedges eating like mad . 👉😜👈 I don't think there is as many pigeons about yet mind you.

Your last point could well be the reason, not sure what you mean by “yet”

[Morkin]

2 minutes ago, old'un said:

Your last point could well be the reason, not sure what you mean by “yet”

Meaning we always get alot of pigeons at the end of shooting season , thats when the banger and we have to be checking more , I've also heard that the rape seed growers are testing on different types which don't taste good, I'm like you the pigeons did in the 70 s , but it was colder and the rape was differently grown , alot is grown in corn or stubble now 👉😜👈

 

 

[marsh man]

7 hours ago, bunny_blaster said:

I think it’s more of a case that there’s still big numbers of acorns and other food sources in the woods rather than a lack of pigeons, meaning people aren’t seeing the numbers on rape they normally would in the areas they shoot. I’m still seeing lots of birds on the sides of the road as well picking up acorns so they have no need to eat rape which is a last resort for them

I am sure you are right with the situation in your area and on your perms , over the last few years you , P C and his buddy were nearly always on top of the leader board with the high numbers you were all posting week in and week out so you must of had a high concentration of pigeons in your area to get three figure bags on a regular basis .

But this is not the case in many parts of the country , I can fully understand Pigeons not leaving the woods if there is a constant food supply , trouble is we haven't got them in woods in the first place , the last game shoot we had, the last drive of the day was in the centre of the estate around a large wood, this is a holding wood and in the past the wood was full of Pigeons with them flying in every direction when the beaters started to advance towards the guns , they were often told not to fire at the Pigeons in case they were unloaded when a Pheasant went over , now the woods are deserted , why this should be ? , who knows ? , but having had contact with the estate for over 50 years I cannot ever remember when the woods were as quite as they are now . 

P S .. We have got another shoot tomorrow and I will see if the numbers have gone up when we are driving about , but I don't think we will see a lot of change . 

[old'un]

1 hour ago, Morkin said:

Meaning we always get alot of pigeons at the end of shooting season , thats when the banger and we have to be checking more , I've also heard that the rape seed growers are testing on different types which don't taste good, I'm like you the pigeons did in the 70 s , but it was colder and the rape was differently grown , alot is grown in corn or stubble now 👉😜👈

 

 

so what's any of that got to-do with pigeon numbers, this time last year I was watching around 1000+ pigeons on rape fields that I don't shoot on, talking to the keeper on the estate he said there's very few coming into the woods at roost, so where are all these pigeons you talk about.

 

7 minutes ago, marsh man said:

I am sure you are right with the situation in your area and on your perms , over the last few years you , P C and his buddy were nearly always on top of the leader board with the high numbers you were all posting week in and week out so you must of had a high concentration of pigeons in your area to get three figure bags on a regular basis .

But this is not the case in many parts of the country , I can fully understand Pigeons not leaving the woods if there is a constant food supply , trouble is we haven't got them in woods in the first place , the last game shoot we had, the last drive of the day was in the centre of the estate around a large wood, this is a holding wood and in the past the wood was full of Pigeons with them flying in every direction when the beaters started to advance towards the guns , they were often told not to fire at the Pigeons in case they were unloaded when a Pheasant went over , now the woods are deserted , why this should be ? , who knows ? , but having had contact with the estate for over 50 years I cannot ever remember when the woods were as quite as they are now . 

P S .. We have got another shoot tomorrow and I will see if the numbers have gone up when we are driving about , but I don't think we will see a lot of change . 

[marsh man]

6 minutes ago, old'un said:

so what's any of that got to-do with pigeon numbers, this time last year I was watching around 1000+ pigeons on rape fields that I don't shoot on, talking to the keeper on the estate he said there's very few coming into the woods at roost, so where are all these pigeons you talk about.

 

We did get the dreaded bird flu early this Winter but strangely enough it was only found on one part of the estate , the keeper found a lot of dead Pheasants but no other species of birds , so we cannot blame the virus on the currant shortage of Pigeons , one afternoon earlier this week I dropped my wife off at the garden centre and I took my dog for a walk on the other side of the estate that have some nice Pine woods , these are normally good in the colder weather as they would be warmer than the woods with no leaves on the trees , the afternoon I walked around again there was next to nothing , in two weeks time will be our first Saturday for roost shooting and with with most woods having a gun in , it will be a good time to see how much shooting will be taking place .

It is no means a disaster as a wood down the marsh have got a nice lot going in night times and these pigeons have been feeding in the towns gardens and park , certainly not on the rape as there isn't any in that direction .

[pigeon controller]

I can remember not shooting any good bags of birds in the 70s until the end of the game season . The only way we shot birds was the shoot first light on the rape picking up on known flightlines from roost and then pack up and move to perhaps clover, cabbage and sprouts. We could pick up 50 plus birds in an hour in the late afternoon when they we topping up for roost when you find the right field.

Knowing your land can lead you to shooting pigeons.

[old'un]

1 hour ago, pigeon controller said:

I can remember not shooting any good bags of birds in the 70s until the end of the game season . The only way we shot birds was the shoot first light on the rape picking up on known flightlines from roost and then pack up and move to perhaps clover, cabbage and sprouts. We could pick up 50 plus birds in an hour in the late afternoon when they we topping up for roost when you find the right field.

Knowing your land can lead you to shooting pigeons.

must have been different pigeons  we used to shoot just as many during the game season as the shooting pushed birds out of the woods, bit like a buzzard will, I will agree that mornings and afternoon can produced more activity, only problem I find with first light shooting is you will usually be home by midday if not earlier, but there is the odd exception.

[mossy835]

iv been to 2 farms today,no pigeons at all on the first farm in the woods. 2nd farm 6 birds came out the wood and that was it, thats 2 weeks now, and have not fired a shot.

Edited January 21, 2023 by mossy835

[kitchrat]

On 20/01/2023 at 16:37, old'un said:

This could be one reason...https://www.dsv-uk.co.uk/press_items/compass-pigeons

or this..https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/pigeons-shun-osr-with-bitter-tasting-leaves

Ha, very interesting. However, as you say down below, this time last year they were flooding onto rape, it seems Compass is nothing new. I will ask a few farmers what "brand" they are using.

[Manymissedpigeon]

I’m out at least once a week, during the week, and the odd Saturday if there’s no clay competition on that weekend. As I’m knocking on a bit I use a wind proof hide, heated jacket and trousers and have one of those mini, gas aerosol powered heaters in the hide ( obviously my camo over netting gets scorched regularily) Even have a heated car seat cover that I clip onto a car battery and put over my seat when I can drive up to the hide.

I think I’ve already mentioned in the past that I NEVER hear another pigeon shooter in the distance although plenty of game shoot barrages especially on the Saturdays. I would also be interested in ‘old uns’ replies reference the number of shooters dedicated to pigeon shooting, be it from a hide or flighting. I think maybe most roost shooting is done by the smaller ‘walk one stand one’ shoots at the end of the game season ie February?  I agree with ‘ marsh man’ about the massive acres of o/s/r being planted but at least here in Yorkshire there are again masses of pigeons all of which seem much better fed at this time of year than in previous years. 
If anyone’s daft enough to travel the miles from the Midlands or further for a days pigeon shooting for ‘ nowt’ then post their interest BUT, although they’ll see plenty pigeons, most are gone after one shot!

[old'un]

37 minutes ago, Manymissedpigeon said:

I’m out at least once a week, during the week, and the odd Saturday if there’s no clay competition on that weekend. As I’m knocking on a bit I use a wind proof hide, heated jacket and trousers and have one of those mini, gas aerosol powered heaters in the hide ( obviously my camo over netting gets scorched regularily) Even have a heated car seat cover that I clip onto a car battery and put over my seat when I can drive up to the hide.

I think I’ve already mentioned in the past that I NEVER hear another pigeon shooter in the distance although plenty of game shoot barrages especially on the Saturdays. I would also be interested in ‘old uns’ replies reference the number of shooters dedicated to pigeon shooting, be it from a hide or flighting. I think maybe most roost shooting is done by the smaller ‘walk one stand one’ shoots at the end of the game season ie February?  I agree with ‘ marsh man’ about the massive acres of o/s/r being planted but at least here in Yorkshire there are again masses of pigeons all of which seem much better fed at this time of year than in previous years. 
If anyone’s daft enough to travel the miles from the Midlands or further for a days pigeon shooting for ‘ nowt’ then post their interest BUT, although they’ll see plenty pigeons, most are gone after one shot!

So that's where they are ...think I have mentioned it before but I have noticed that whenever there's prolonged bad weather (snow fall) on the boarders of Scotland running down into Yorkshire we see a big increase in numbers here.

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, Manymissedpigeon said:

I’m out at least once a week, during the week, and the odd Saturday if there’s no clay competition on that weekend. As I’m knocking on a bit I use a wind proof hide, heated jacket and trousers and have one of those mini, gas aerosol powered heaters in the hide ( obviously my camo over netting gets scorched regularily) Even have a heated car seat cover that I clip onto a car battery and put over my seat when I can drive up to the hide.

I think I’ve already mentioned in the past that I NEVER hear another pigeon shooter in the distance although plenty of game shoot barrages especially on the Saturdays. I would also be interested in ‘old uns’ replies reference the number of shooters dedicated to pigeon shooting, be it from a hide or flighting. I think maybe most roost shooting is done by the smaller ‘walk one stand one’ shoots at the end of the game season ie February?  I agree with ‘ marsh man’ about the massive acres of o/s/r being planted but at least here in Yorkshire there are again masses of pigeons all of which seem much better fed at this time of year than in previous years. 
If anyone’s daft enough to travel the miles from the Midlands or further for a days pigeon shooting for ‘ nowt’ then post their interest BUT, although they’ll see plenty pigeons, most are gone after one shot!

I like the idea with your extra heat for those long cold spells while waiting for a shot or two ,I never ever gave it a thought when I was below a certain age , now I am well and truly over the allocated time I do tend to put more gear on than I ever used to .

Interesting to read from old'un above about when the weather is extra cold up North then he see more Pigeons in his neck of the woods , sadly when we get cold weather like it have been this last week , in fact the local weather man just said at R A F Marham in Norfolk last night it got down to minus 10 ,  the coldest it have been for 10 years , although I thought last week it was colder first thing in the mornings ,when this happen we then see a big reduction in the numbers of local Pigeons as a lot will then move inland as it is far to cold on the coast , they might not move inland many miles as in the Breaks around the Thetford area there are huge areas of Pine woods and no doubt a good food supply as well .

As I said in a previous post that on the Saturday we saw more Woodcock than we did Pigeon and that is fact and not fiction , Woodcock were everywhere and Pigeon were nowhere to be seen .

Another one this Saturday but I cannot see the situation changing that much .