kitchrat Posted November 14 Report Share Posted November 14 In my previous "record-breaking" post (4 pages of mixed comments!) B686 quoted a farmer as saying "He says they are only feeding on the grain on the surface and aren’t doing any damage". Well during my "chasing them about" phase, I caught up with about 400 pigeons on drilled wheat. However, it had been drilled over two weeks before and had germinated, the shoots were an inch plus high. I stepped out of the truck and all pigeons left. I checked the field and there was lots of grain on top. It too had germinated and its little roots were diving into the loose soil below - it hadn't been rolled. So, I thought, what if there were no pigeons in Essex, would a good proportion of the spilled grains not make it to adulthood and boost the yield? In another week or two the plants would be well established. NB NO pigeons returned in 30 minutes. Then I thought about the grain which gets through the combine. It germinates and produces green tracks up and down the field. This is supposed to be sub-sized grains that get blown through but they still make good, until sprayed off. If left, I'm sure you would get some yield next year, at least enough to attract pigeons! And that is on top of fairly compacted soil. So, is this " He says they are only feeding on the grain on the surface and aren’t doing any damage " just another myth, like "pigeons have to eat every day", " they won't feed on rape that has frost on it", or "Geese taste of fish or mud"? Just overthinking! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted November 16 Report Share Posted November 16 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted November 17 Author Report Share Posted November 17 As part 2 of this, a farm near me is firing rockets to keep pigeons off a newly-drilled field of wheat. Now tell me the grain on the surface is not worth protecting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted November 17 Report Share Posted November 17 What the farmer really means by saying that is that he doesn’t want you out there but would rather say that than just tell you ‘no’. They’re an odd breed at times, I’ve known them say no to asking for permission to shoot on winter rape being hammered even, to then see a banger out in the field and no one ever shooting……but it’s their land and their prerogative at the end of the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted November 17 Author Report Share Posted November 17 10 minutes ago, Wilts#Dave said: What the farmer really means by saying that is that he doesn’t want you out there but would rather say that than just tell you ‘no’. They’re an odd breed at times, I’ve known them say no to asking for permission to shoot on winter rape being hammered even, to then see a banger out in the field and no one ever shooting……but it’s their land and their prerogative at the end of the day! No I actually heard and saw the rockets. Then it was his tractor driver who told me what was being "protected" when we were beating together elsewhere. The farm in question used to be OK but as the son grew up they kept the shooting for themselves. I never bother to ask these days. However you do get come "porkies", like, "I have a shooter and he's coming tomorrow." You check tomorrow and all you can see is pigeons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted November 17 Report Share Posted November 17 I have never seen rockets used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted November 17 Report Share Posted November 17 (edited) 41 minutes ago, oowee said: I have never seen rockets used. No, I have never seen rockets used to scare pigeons , but I have seen them used to try and keep geese off the Winter wheats on the marshes , and believe it or not the Swans do far more damage that the Pigeons do , last year the marshes were waterlogged and far to wet for Pigeons to be feeding on the rape but the Swans were having a field day , nigh on impossible to keep them off and have more protection than just about any other bird . I was once giving a few boxes of cartridges as a thank you for trying to keep the Swans off , I would walk down the marsh each day and as soon as they would see me and my dog they would fly off and all land in the near by river , time you walked back to your motor they were already returning to the fields , you could see them from miles away and any new arrivals that came in off the sea would decoy in to the big flock of Swans far better than any Pigeons would decoy in to a big bunch of Pigeon decoys . Birdwatchers would be watching them on a daily basis so you had to be very carful how you went about trying to keep the Swans off , by just going for a walk and then they fly off is as much as you can hope for without upsetting to many people . MM Edited November 17 by marsh man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted November 17 Report Share Posted November 17 9 minutes ago, marsh man said: No, I have never seen rockets used to scare pigeons , but I have seen them used to try and keep geese off the Winter wheats on the marshes , and believe it or not the Swans do far more damage that the Pigeons do , last year the marshes were waterlogged and far to wet for Pigeons to be feeding on the rape but the Swans were having a field day , nigh on impossible to keep them off and have more protection than just about any other bird . I was once giving a few boxes of cartridges as a thank you for trying to keep the Swans off , I would walk down the marsh each day and as soon as they would see me and my dog they would fly off and all land in the near by river , time you walked back to your motor they were already returning to the fields , you could see them from miles away and any new arrivals that came in off the sea would decoy in to the big flock of Swans far better than any Pigeons would decoy in to a big bunch of Pigeon decoys . Birdwatchers would be watching them on a daily basis so you had to be very carful how you went about trying to keep the Swans off , by just going for a walk and then they fly off is as much as you can hope for without upsetting to many people . MM I bet that was one very amusing job. 🙂 I am next to a large waterfowl site here and we are inundated with bird watchers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted November 17 Report Share Posted November 17 3 hours ago, kitchrat said: No I actually heard and saw the rockets. Then it was his tractor driver who told me what was being "protected" when we were beating together elsewhere. The farm in question used to be OK but as the son grew up they kept the shooting for themselves. I never bother to ask these days. However you do get come "porkies", like, "I have a shooter and he's coming tomorrow." You check tomorrow and all you can see is pigeons! I was referring to your initial post about the farmer saying the pigeons weren’t doing any harm eating the grain on the surface so didn’t want them shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B686 Posted November 18 Report Share Posted November 18 14 hours ago, oowee said: I have never seen rockets used. The farmers love a rocket around here. 14 hours ago, Wilts#Dave said: What the farmer really means by saying that is that he doesn’t want you out there but would rather say that than just tell you ‘no’. They’re an odd breed at times, I’ve known them say no to asking for permission to shoot on winter rape being hammered even, to then see a banger out in the field and no one ever shooting……but it’s their land and their prerogative at the end of the day! Some certainly are a funny breed . I had shot on his drilled fields for the last five years. Neighbouring farmer said he’s a funny ****** but he is Welsh . 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted November 18 Author Report Share Posted November 18 13 hours ago, Wilts#Dave said: I was referring to your initial post about the farmer saying the pigeons weren’t doing any harm eating the grain on the surface so didn’t want them shot. Oh, that came from a reply to one of my earlier posts. However, I have heard it said but I'm not convinced now... 17 hours ago, oowee said: I have never seen rockets used. They love them round here, to protect rape. They are super loud, almost military grade but "are very expensive". Sadly, they do work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted November 18 Report Share Posted November 18 When we are shooting them we are often so well hidden we miss them coming in. The bigger the flocks the more eyes looking. A couple of years ago two of us shot around 80 or so in an hour and they were coming in as soon as we stopped firing whilst we were tucking back in. Seems to me they can pull back for a host of reasons not just the deeks. Maybe they smell blood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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