Highlander Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 OK I’m prepared for some flak on this so let’s have your thoughts...following the huge increases in the price of grains ‘off farm’ this last harvest I notice many farmers are planting far larger areas than previously. No set aside payment has also meant increased field sizes etc with more land back in production. Causes us pigeon shooters some problems as there’s less access to the fields but the main thing is the much reduced areas of OSR being planted. Don’t know if others have noticed but many farms have seriously reduced their OSR planting this season. Now if that is the case and certainly round here it would appear to be so then does that mean more chances at Woody this winter? Usually we end up chasing Woody over huge areas as they move from rape field to rape field but with a smaller acreage of rape will that tend to concentrate the birds and make shooting more productive? What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nav54 Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 have not noticed as much when been driving about now you mention it and you do notice a lot of setaside land is now ploughed. In some areas where ther is no rape it could mean some very good roost shooting to be had as they might stay in woods for the beech masts and acorns more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Boy Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 In Yorkshire, there is about same amount of rape as of recent years The Stoggies are already on it There are not the same quantities of berries and nuts in the woods :look: As usual the weather will play it's part but there is an unbelievable number of birds about just now Cheers, CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellors Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 In Yorkshire, there is about same amount of rape as of recent years The Stoggies are already on it There are not the same quantities of berries and nuts in the woods As usual the weather will play it's part but there is an unbelievable number of birds about just now Cheers, CB :look: Same round here. Seems the farms with rape have got loads in but then our usual rape areas are stuffed with wheat. Have noticed this week birds drifting on osr in small numbers. Mainly seem to be striping the haw berries late afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Same amount of OSR on my ground, this season. Pigeons playing ping pong, as usual. Killing just 20 plus birds, the other day, meant I kept them from seven fields of OSR, (they found somewhere else to feed!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 I think a reduction in the amount of OSR going in can only benefit us pigeon shooters . How many times have you been sat in a hide shooting over OSR , and said to yourself there's to much rape and not enough shooters about to move them. But so far in my patch i have'nt notice any reduction in OSR this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 i have two farms next to each other, one is growing rape for the first time. the other has been growing it for years but not growing any this year. so now i can be in one place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeyoakey Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 i have two farms next to each other, one is growing rape for the first time. the other has been growing it for years but not growing any this year. so now i can be in one place. Hi Mossey835 There still seems to be alot of OSR around Northamptonshire with more than one farmer growing it for the first time that iv'e ever known them too Cheers Smokey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 Not down this neck of the woods Highlander as the mix is 70% osr 30% grain. Mind you there is talk of a co-operative starting up to sell cold pressed osr. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunk Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 Theres no osr been planted on my regular farms. Dont know why. I spoke to one last year and he said it was the new magic crop, potentially for biodiesel. This year nowt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 Wish my patch had less osr,i was standing in one spot last saturday on the pheasant shoot and looking around i couldnt see a field that didnt have osr in it,..about 9 fields and every one of them covered in osr and 1 of them has flowered!! its all yellow!!in november...whats all that about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 The yellow flower is a weed, which is part of the OSR family , and cannot be sprayed out. But it does make you think spring is here . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 It obviously varies from area to area, as LB is reporting plenty of rape in NE Kent and yet down here in the southern part of the county, it seems to be mostly cereal this year. Cereals did reach some very high prices this year, which may have created the motivation, or it could just be a quirk of the Farmers rotation policy. The few fields of rape we have are being largely ignored, as the birds are in the woods. I disturbed about 3-500 birds on Monday feeding on a hill covered in hawthorn bushes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 The yellow flower is a weed, which is part of the OSR family , and cannot be sprayed out. But it does make you think spring is here . This "yellow weed" is Charlock, and will soon die off after a few hard frosts, it's not the OSR coming into flower early. The acreage grown in my area is definitely down on previous years in favour of wheat, could mean some good sport, as others have said, they're on it already. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 The pigeons have started to flock up a bit now, seen some this morning on a couple of rape fields 2 groups of about 30-40 but some of the osr is allready well up,one field i was in last week was up above my knee when i was walking through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chess Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 Had a frost here this morning and sure enough at 8.30am @100 pigeon busily munching away on a frsty rape field Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 no osr rape on my farms ,all wheat ,barley and beans. and one of them as ploughed and planted right to hedges now,no roads around farm no more,go to walk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 This "yellow weed" is Charlock, and will soon die off after a few hard frosts, it's not the OSR coming into flower early. The acreage grown in my area is definitely down on previous years in favour of wheat, could mean some good sport, as others have said, they're on it already. Cat. Yep Charlock is right. It can be sprayed off but v difficult as it's so close to OSR in genenetic makeup, best left to die back after a good frost. Cat...dream on, when did Woody ever play ball like that BUT then again . Definitely less OSR being grown around here this winter. Been out looking for birds this am and one farmer is re-sowing some 150 of OSR (didn't take well) with SB or he will just as soon as it drys out. Bloody forecasts, it's raining here again today and they promised sun! The biggest flocks 5/600 are on old wheat stubbles. At least it's reasonably dry underfoot for the birds. Think I'll go stalking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nav54 Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 most of the birds here seem to be on stubbles or lifted potatoe fields because they are in such vast flocks they are being difficult to decoy, I have noticed ther are a hell of a lot of young birds still with the neck bars only now starting to appear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 I was shooting pigeons on OSR on September 29th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.