kitchrat Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 So I got a text from a farmer to say they are back on his OSR. I don't think they are eating the crop but the companion-sown buckwheat, but if there are pigeons to be shot.... The rain finally stopped about midday and, sure enough, there were pigeons on the fields. It's a big block, about 150 acres and not very good access. I managed to get set up near the middle/the end the birds liked best, with a reasonably stiff wind R to L. Magnet, floater and decoys set about 20 yards to my R, so the birds will come in upwind, right in front of me. Good plan, which worked well for a while, although it was a bit slow I had shot 11 for 11 in the 1st hour and all was well. Then the wind went round to about 45 degrees right of centre in front and stiffened. This allowed a good proportion of incoming birds to come from behind, over the hedge, swoop into the decoys and swirl away on the wind when they didn't like it. This would a) catch me by surprise, b) make me panic and c) ruin my kill ratio! Then the sun came out, full in front, just where the cooperative-decoying birds would come in. On with the sun glasses. The sun also makes me and the hide more visible but it was a bit more busy and I plugged on. Then it got worse! Clouds started to bubble up, big white fluffy ones. The worst scenario was when the field and the trees behind were not in the sun but the white clouds behind were in full sun and ultra bright and dazzling. The field was so dark the glasses had to come off but if you saw a bird approaching in the sky it was like looking into the headlights, when the bird dived in to get shot my eyes could not adjust quickly enough and it was pitch black. A bird would fly 15 yards away, 5 yards up and I could not see it to shoot at it!! Most frustrating. However, it wasn't always that bad and I managed to get through 2 and a half boxes of Clear Pigeon (boxes, not slabs!) and picked up 35 birds with some more lost in the crop. Farmer happy, job done! Cheers, JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 But think of all that lovely fresh air you have "enjoyed" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 What do you blame the weather for exactly ? 🤷♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellors Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 Well done. I think I've got a while to wait round here late planting and very little of it this year again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 good effort there few brownie points with the farmer shot 23 on rape here today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 (edited) 1 hour ago, kitchrat said: So I got a text from a farmer to say they are back on his OSR. I don't think they are eating the crop but the companion-sown buckwheat, but if there are pigeons to be shot.... The rain finally stopped about midday and, sure enough, there were pigeons on the fields. It's a big block, about 150 acres and not very good access. I managed to get set up near the middle/the end the birds liked best, with a reasonably stiff wind R to L. Magnet, floater and decoys set about 20 yards to my R, so the birds will come in upwind, right in front of me. Good plan, which worked well for a while, although it was a bit slow I had shot 11 for 11 in the 1st hour and all was well. Then the wind went round to about 45 degrees right of centre in front and stiffened. This allowed a good proportion of incoming birds to come from behind, over the hedge, swoop into the decoys and swirl away on the wind when they didn't like it. This would a) catch me by surprise, b) make me panic and c) ruin my kill ratio! Then the sun came out, full in front, just where the cooperative-decoying birds would come in. On with the sun glasses. The sun also makes me and the hide more visible but it was a bit more busy and I plugged on. Then it got worse! Clouds started to bubble up, big white fluffy ones. The worst scenario was when the field and the trees behind were not in the sun but the white clouds behind were in full sun and ultra bright and dazzling. The field was so dark the glasses had to come off but if you saw a bird approaching in the sky it was like looking into the headlights, when the bird dived in to get shot my eyes could not adjust quickly enough and it was pitch black. A bird would fly 15 yards away, 5 yards up and I could not see it to shoot at it!! Most frustrating. However, it wasn't always that bad and I managed to get through 2 and a half boxes of Clear Pigeon (boxes, not slabs!) and picked up 35 birds with some more lost in the crop. Farmer happy, job done! Cheers, JK You take some weighing up JK , a nice afternoon out , got through 60 odd shells and picked up 35 Pigeons , more than enough for some good sport and they will will keep you going with your fried Pigeon breasts or however you cook them up and to cap it all you said it was frustrating , I spent most of the day helping two builders to put my driveway back to normal and making endless cups of tea while I should had been out in my beloved countryside , now that was very , very frustrating Edited October 19 by marsh man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 at least you got out and got a few Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 15 hours ago, JKD said: What do you blame the weather for exactly ? 🤷♂️ The Mett office! 13 hours ago, marsh man said: You take some weighing up JK , a nice afternoon out , got through 60 odd shells and picked up 35 Pigeons , more than enough for some good sport and they will will keep you going with your fried Pigeon breasts or however you cook them up and to cap it all you said it was frustrating , I spent most of the day helping two builders to put my driveway back to normal and making endless cups of tea while I should had been out in my beloved countryside , now that was very , very frustrating No, the frustrating bit is getting set up, getting a pigeon to decoy just where/how you want it, then not being able to see it or even shoot at it. On the whole it was a good outing. 13 hours ago, clangerman said: good effort there few brownie points with the farmer shot 23 on rape here today Were they actually eating the rape? I'm certain mine were not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 Saw a lot on rape fields next to the M62/M18 junction yesterday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 48 minutes ago, kitchrat said: . Were they actually eating the rape? I'm certain mine were not. don’t always see them land with the rifle until they start to feed defo eating the rape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 2 hours ago, clangerman said: don’t always see them land with the rifle until they start to feed defo eating the rape Wow, that's early then,usually don't start on rape until about Xmas. However, some are on the berries already, as found in crops of the fallen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 Hello, Well done and good effort 👍 , Around the Vale its been very lean on Pigeons, 😒 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 4 hours ago, kitchrat said: The Mett office! Oh of course,,,, the Met Office control the weather don't they !? Well, they do in the US apparently 🤭🫡😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 2 hours ago, kitchrat said: Wow, that's early then,usually don't start on rape until about Xmas. However, some are on the berries already, as found in crops of the fallen. think it’s combination of rain is pushing them of old stubbles two miles away and the rape are first fields edge of the town Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 3 hours ago, JKD said: Oh of course,,,, the Met Office control the weather don't they !? Well, they do in the US apparently 🤭🫡😆 They lied about the wind direction! 2 hours ago, clangerman said: think it’s combination of rain is pushing them of old stubbles two miles away and the rape are first fields edge of the town Do you know if it was companion sown with buckwheat? There would have been a few little plants sticking up above the rape with white flowers, looked like weeds really. Supposed to help protect against flea beetles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clangerman Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 19 minutes ago, kitchrat said: Do you know if it was companion sown with buckwheat? There would have been a few little plants sticking up above the rape with white flowers, looked like weeds really. Supposed to help protect against flea beetles. the buckwheat is very poor it’s hardly got away shame as they are keen on the seeds later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 10 hours ago, kitchrat said: Were they actually eating the rape? I'm certain mine were not. Open the crops, only way to know what they are finding to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 2 hours ago, clangerman said: the buckwheat is very poor it’s hardly got away shame as they are keen on the seeds later Yes, that's what I thought but they still seem to be after it. 23 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Open the crops, only way to know what they are finding to eat. Almost all empty, after a morning of rain. Some had a few grains of wheat/beans from the fields across the road. None had rape, or buckwheat that I could find. The rape itself seems "unpecked". What buckwheat there was seems the have gone, eaten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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