the hitman Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 Hi Folks My shooting has been seriously curtailed by work and family commitments recently. A window of opportunity presented itself this morning, and although I hadn’t been shooting I had been spotting where pigeons were feeding on my route to/ from work. I had identified a large block of three rape fields and as I have shot this ground before I knew the best spot for my hide. This land is very high up and i had a great view of where the pigeons were coming from. I was set up at 8am and didn’t have to wait long before the first group came in for a look - 2 shots 1 down. An easy single followed and the magnet was set up. The wind was a gentle southerly and the pigeons kept coming up the field, spotted the magnet and headed straight in. There seemed to pigeons in the air all the time, and a strong line into my decoys. I was a bit rusty and called myself some nasty names for easy misses, but was still shooting more that I was missing. I set myself a challenge to count how many I could shoot with my next 20 shots - and killed a respectable 18- so well chuffed. By 10am I began bringing shot birds in as I had a big pattern out. By 11am there was an obvious slowdown of birds and by 11.30am I was packing up with 72. Not sure when I will get out again but memories of today will keep me going. Hitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 Very well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 that was a good day,well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weihrauch17 Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 What do you do with them? Game dealers want them for peanuts or free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted March 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 3 minutes ago, Weihrauch17 said: What do you do with them? Game dealers want them for peanuts or free? I had a 40 mile round trip to the game dealer late afternoon who pays me 30p each . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 Well done and thanks for reporting, I had a quick drive about yesterday and only found groups of about twenty with none flighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 Strong line indeed, those type of days are few and far between but as you say, they are the ones you remember for a long time, love it when it all comes together, well done. presentation of your shot birds, first three rows, top marks, but there's room for improvement with the birds at the top of the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 That was very impressive in the time frame and your early morning start paid dividends , we are now seeing more Pigeons but seeing them is a lot different from seeing them in your bag , with having several rape fields all in a small area it is nigh on impossible to get any amount of Pigeons coming back to one particular field , two or three shots and that is it in the afternoons , it might well be better in the mornings but my aging body don't no longer like the early starts Glad you managed a reasonably good return on your shot birds , not brilliant by any means but still worth the trouble to off load a decent number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted March 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 2 hours ago, old'un said: Strong line indeed, those type of days are few and far between but as you say, they are the ones you remember for a long time, love it when it all comes together, well done. presentation of your shot birds, first three rows, top marks, but there's room for improvement with the birds at the top of the picture. Yes - I just normally put them in a pile , however after recent comments by PC I thought I would make an effort- ish. The pigeons have been feeding undisturbed on these fields for quite a while hence the confidence to decoy. I would normally expect to shoot for 6-7 hours to get a return like that. 46 minutes ago, marsh man said: That was very impressive in the time frame and your early morning start paid dividends , we are now seeing more Pigeons but seeing them is a lot different from seeing them in your bag , with having several rape fields all in a small area it is nigh on impossible to get any amount of Pigeons coming back to one particular field , two or three shots and that is it in the afternoons , it might well be better in the mornings but my aging body don't no longer like the early starts Glad you managed a reasonably good return on your shot birds , not brilliant by any means but still worth the trouble to off load a decent number I am fortunate that I can get rid of them - it’s my hobby so not looking to make anything from it. The temperature is increasing up here so I expect the spring drillings to begin anytime. Drillings haven’t yielded much locally in recent years, however I am always the optimist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weihrauch17 Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 13 hours ago, the hitman said: I had a 40 mile round trip to the game dealer late afternoon who pays me 30p each . £11.95 a brace dressed on the Farmisons website, never mind the restaurant prices!! Someone is making a killing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 Cracking bag in that space of time, and over rape especially! I’ve not shot 72 on rape for some years now, odd as in the summer I shoot good bags but the pigeons just seem to vanish here through winter! An undisturbed field like that will give you another tidy outing when you’ve the time soon I’m sure, good work 👍🏼 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BinaryB Posted March 24, 2023 Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 On 18/03/2023 at 21:35, Weihrauch17 said: What do you do with them? Game dealers want them for peanuts or free? Can you blame them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weihrauch17 Posted March 24, 2023 Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 (edited) 40 minutes ago, BinaryB said: Can you blame them? Yes looking at the prices of dressed birds, £12.00 a brace! Do butchers expect the meat they sell for free? https://www.farmison.com/products/brace-of-dales-wood-pigeon?v=ITM100008 Edited March 24, 2023 by Weihrauch17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 11 hours ago, Weihrauch17 said: Yes looking at the prices of dressed birds, £12.00 a brace! Do butchers expect the meat they sell for free? https://www.farmison.com/products/brace-of-dales-wood-pigeon?v=ITM100008 this item is out of season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weihrauch17 Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 3 hours ago, old'un said: this item is out of season? Yes so is says, I wasn't aware Pigeons had seasons (!!!) but when they are in season they are £11.95 a brace!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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