bunny_blaster Posted July 28 Report Share Posted July 28 This weekends shooting started on Thursday evening following a call from a farmer about his rape stubble. I finished work at 3 and was shooting by 3.45. On arrival there were a lot of birds down feeding. This farm is on the edge of a town and has always been good to me with flight lines coming out most of the year. I stopped shooting at 6 as I was close to some cottages that are rented out and finished with 150 pigeon. During the session I watched a very busy line heading to the far side of the farm and decided to shoot it the following day. Friday came and I finished work at 11 and headed straight to the farm. I invited a good mate of mine and his 13 year old son to share the hide with me for the afternoon. We got set up and the flight started to get going. I let the young lad start, he was that excited he was trying to shoot them way to early and mounting is gun too quick. After a few pointers he started knocking the odd bird down. The afternoon went on and the line got busier. At times my friend and I would take 4 birds out of a group which soon bulked the bag up. We finished the afternoon with 419 pigeon. The highlight of the day was the young lad having the last shots of the session and dropping 2 pigeons with 1 shot. A huge roar from his dad and myself and the smile on the lads face said it all. I was back out today on a farm which yet again has some major flight lines coming out of another town. This time I was on Barley stubble and this farm never disappoints. I’d go as far as saying it’s probably the best farm I’ve got for pigeons. Again I invited a mate over to join me and we had a brilliant afternoon. Around 5 the birds just literally didn’t stop coming. We packed up at 7 as we had a lot of picking up to do. We finished the afternoon with 469 pigeon. Thats 1038 pigeon for the weekend and the chiller and freezers are working overtime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 (edited) Well done B_B , you’ve been waiting for the stubbles and it was worth the wait. What a three day session, over a thousand birds that must be a Pigeon Watch first. Well done again and thanks for posting. Edited July 29 by pigeon controller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 Very well done and great that you shared it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 Wow, what a fantastic weekend. Very well done and thanks for posting. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 That's some serious pigeon shooting and just shows the amount of woodies we have in the UK albeit there are more in some regions than others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 Well done. Another one of the very few keen and knowledgeable shooters on this forum showing us how it is done. Oh for some town pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 (edited) For a man who have to make a living by working the stamina needed to work , shoot and handle that many Pigeons must put you in a league with very few members , that was an amazing three days , your good lady must also be one of a kind in knowing when to prepare your meals and seeing very little of you throughout the harvest , it must be a very good partnership and good luck to you both . One thing I have never asked you is , Have you ever considered taking paying guests out ? , with you having so much land and a very high quantity of Pigeons I don't think you would be short of bookings , could be a good earner and you could have the bags . MM Edited July 29 by marsh man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 outstanding effort the young lad must be proper chuffed to enjoy such sport well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 A serious amount of shooting & a lot of cartridges too £££ 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted July 29 Author Report Share Posted July 29 2 hours ago, yickdaz said: That's some serious pigeon shooting and just shows the amount of woodies we have in the UK albeit there are more in some regions than others Yes we have a lot of birds in the area at the moment. I estimate 2000+ pigeon lifted after my first shot on Thursday evening 1 hour ago, marsh man said: For a man who have to make a living by working the stamina needed to work , shoot and handle that many Pigeons must put you in a league with very few members , that was an amazing three days , your good lady must also be one of a kind in knowing when to prepare your meals and seeing very little of you throughout the harvest , it must be a very good partnership and good luck to you both . My other half is an angel. She very rarely makes a comment about the amount of time I’m out but it also helps that she shoots as well. My 3 year old is also mad on shooting and fishing and quite often comes down to help me pick up when I’ve finished. I sat down for my dinner at 23.30 last night after crating up birds and taking them down to the chiller. My dinner was ready and waiting. I’m very lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 6 minutes ago, bunny_blaster said: Yes we have a lot of birds in the area at the moment. I estimate 2000+ pigeon lifted after my first shot on Thursday evening My other half is an angel. She very rarely makes a comment about the amount of time I’m out but it also helps that she shoots as well. My 3 year old is also mad on shooting and fishing and quite often comes down to help me pick up when I’ve finished. I sat down for my dinner at 23.30 last night after crating up birds and taking them down to the chiller. My dinner was ready and waiting. I’m very lucky That sound like a perfect partnership and long may it continue . MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claydodger Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 I thought your last outing was good but 1038 is great, excellent, oustanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 I used to have a farm like that next to the town first field had a large dead tree at least 3 flight lines came into it good for woodies but also we call them steeplers as the usually live on the church steeples my mate and i would shoot there every weekend and get enough steeplers to fed the ferrets all week alas it was sold to build houses on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B&W FOX Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 Great result for edge of town shoot. I used to shoot a farm at Hinksey Hill, Oxford. And in 5 year's of shooting there I only ever managed 1 woody and yet had hundreds of ferals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halitosis Posted July 29 Report Share Posted July 29 I'd certainly chip in a few bob not to shoot but to just see how it is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 21 hours ago, marsh man said: For a man who have to make a living by working the stamina needed to work , shoot and handle that many Pigeons must put you in a league with very few members , that was an amazing three days , your good lady must also be one of a kind in knowing when to prepare your meals and seeing very little of you throughout the harvest , it must be a very good partnership and good luck to you both . One thing I have never asked you is , Have you ever considered taking paying guests out ? , with you having so much land and a very high quantity of Pigeons I don't think you would be short of bookings , could be a good earner and you could have the bags . MM Then he would need an Entertainment licence along with a licence to dispose of pigeons and a Health and Safety Certificate and Employers Liability insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 15 minutes ago, JDog said: Then he would need an Entertainment licence along with a licence to dispose of pigeons and a Health and Safety Certificate and Employers Liability insurance. A very good friend of mine tried to make a living as a fishing guide in Norfolk after specimen pike. He gave up after all the official requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 1 hour ago, JDog said: Then he would need an Entertainment licence along with a licence to dispose of pigeons and a Health and Safety Certificate and Employers Liability insurance. He only said the other day on one of his threads that if he won the lottery he would shoot pigeons every day of the week and as we all know by the bags he achieve he is very good at what he do , he must also have land that is rarely shot over as who is going to shoot a certain field where a 50+ day look on the cards but a mile or so away a 3 / 400 bag look possible , I don't know at what sort of job he do for a living but a lot of people would love to shoot a 50 + day and would be willing to pay , if there was money in it and you enjoyed that way of life then other people can do it , so why can't Ben if he thought it could be a good earner ? I dare say if you charge a person for a days game shooting on some of these walk and stand shoots , or standing on a peg that some of the ruling you have pointed out would apply to whoever is running shoot as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 (edited) 13 hours ago, B&W FOX said: Great result for edge of town shoot. I used to shoot a farm at Hinksey Hill, Oxford. And in 5 year's of shooting there I only ever managed 1 woody and yet had hundreds of ferals. Hello, Was that the farm where they had the Oxford Gun Club as i remember one of the members owned the land and was a good skeet shooter Edited July 30 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 On 29/07/2024 at 08:27, JDog said: Well done. Another one of the very few keen and knowledgeable shooters on this forum showing us how it is done. Oh for some town pigeons. Yes, those fabulous town pigeons! Those of you have bothered to read my moans about pigeons which "nearly decoy" then drift away, might (or might not) be interested to know that, following a tip from another PW member (who currently cannot shoot) I was able to set up on just such a situation on the edge of a town. Despite not shooting well, I picked up 150 after a busy afternoon - beyond my wildest dreams! A great many thanks to my benefactor, who came along for the ride and helped me carry the dead 400 yards uphill to my truck. No access to the field because of potential hare coursers in the area. Yesterday was back to the countryside and reality. Busy rape stubble field but mostly "Thanks but NO thanks" drifting away visits and shooting at half chances. Still manged 45 so a good day in my books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny_blaster Posted July 30 Author Report Share Posted July 30 1 hour ago, marsh man said: He only said the other day on one of his threads that if he won the lottery he would shoot pigeons every day of the week and as we all know by the bags he achieve he is very good at what he do , he must also have land that is rarely shot over as who is going to shoot a certain field where a 50+ day look on the cards but a mile or so away a 3 / 400 bag look possible , I don't know at what sort of job he do for a living but a lot of people would love to shoot a 50 + day and would be willing to pay , if there was money in it and you enjoyed that way of life then other people can do it , so why can't Ben if he thought it could be a good earner ? I dare say if you charge a person for a days game shooting on some of these walk and stand shoots , or standing on a peg that some of the ruling you have pointed out would apply to whoever is running shoot as well I have no interest in taking paying guests out to be honest, I’d much rather shoot them myself. I’m lucky that the 2 farms I shot at the weekend are loyal and don’t allow other people on there. We’ve built up a good relationship over the years and they know if they have a problem I’m there quickly and if I can’t make it I get PC to shoot it for me. This seems a very rare thing nowadays as most of the other ground I shoot is shot by others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 43 minutes ago, bunny_blaster said: I have no interest in taking paying guests out to be honest, I’d much rather shoot them myself. I’m lucky that the 2 farms I shot at the weekend are loyal and don’t allow other people on there. We’ve built up a good relationship over the years and they know if they have a problem I’m there quickly and if I can’t make it I get PC to shoot it for me. This seems a very rare thing nowadays as most of the other ground I shoot is shot by others. As you say you are lucky to be the only shooter, very few farms won’t allow others to shoot the ground. Which in all fairness isn’t really a bad thing as you (and I / others) would have struggled to get ground yourself if that was the case everywhere. It is however much easier to shoot the bigger bags knowing others won’t be getting in there first so to speak, if you’re letting a field build up etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 1 hour ago, bunny_blaster said: I have no interest in taking paying guests out to be honest, I’d much rather shoot them myself. I’m lucky that the 2 farms I shot at the weekend are loyal and don’t allow other people on there. We’ve built up a good relationship over the years and they know if they have a problem I’m there quickly and if I can’t make it I get PC to shoot it for me. This seems a very rare thing nowadays as most of the other ground I shoot is shot by others. That's fair enough Ben , your love for Pigeon shooting is second to none so if you are happy with your way of life then that is what it is all about , contentment , MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B&W FOX Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said: Hello, Was that the farm where they had the Oxford Gun Club as i remember one of the members owned the land and was a good skeet shooter Hinksey Hill Farm..... now a golf course and garden centre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted July 30 Report Share Posted July 30 Just now, B&W FOX said: Hinksey Hill Farm..... now a golf course and garden centre Hello, Ok , That was the other side by the A34, Oxford Gun Club were off the road to Boars Hill, Now a nature reserve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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