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Let the chess game begin!


kitchrat
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Now the drillings are over, the pigeons' thoughts are turning to rape. Farmers are starting to squawk! I am lucky that I have several farms growing it but all are within a few minutes flight time of each other. It's a bit like trying to pick mercury up with chopsticks!

I feel a bit like a pawn on the chessboard who can only cover one square and the pigeons are the queen, which can wizz all over the board in any direction. Still, we can just chip away and try to keep as many farmers happy as possible. Unfortunately, they don't like you to leave the birds alone until they get really settled - gas guns are going out already. I saw three big flocks today, in completely different places to where they were yesterday!

That's better than seeing none!!

Cheers!

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1 hour ago, oowee said:

Get yourself a shooting buddy. Alternatively buy some banger strings. 

Banger strings have very little effect, yes I have tried them. I do (surprisingly!) have a buddy or two but they have to work and farmers are VERY protective round here. You even have job to take an "unknown" body beating, let alone go shooting.

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Just now, kitchrat said:

Banger strings have very little effect, yes I have tried them. I do (surprisingly!) have a buddy or two but they have to work and farmers are VERY protective round here. You even have job to take an "unknown" body beating, let alone go shooting.

Could that be because you're all from Essex?   :cool1:

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38 minutes ago, JKD said:

Perhaps he should change target,,,, and go for the ROOKs 👍😆

Good god man , we are spending more time on this thread than the op is , maybe it's time to confess our time wasting and good humour to the Bishop , there can't now be many pieces left , we will leave the king and queen to the master chef as they are his neighbors and you know what will happen if you upset him 😄

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25 minutes ago, marsh man said:

Good god man , we are spending more time on this thread than the op is , maybe it's time to confess our time wasting and good humour to the Bishop , there can't now be many pieces left , we will leave the king and queen to the master chef as they are his neighbors and you know what will happen if you upset him 😄

Perhaps he's 'board' of our shenanigans 🤪 🥳🤣

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3 hours ago, kitchrat said:

Great British humour! Most impressed with the wit and repartee. At least I've stirred up a bit of fun.

Cheers!

 

2 hours ago, marsh man said:

Well done Kitchrat for being a good sport , we eagerly look forward to your next move ( excuse the pun ) to out play the elusive Essex Pigeon population . :good:

Ditto to this 👍😁

Just get out and enjoy yourself and leave your half empty glass at home 🙋‍♂️😆

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Forget the chess game, today was more like bare-knuckle hand to hand prize fighting, no subtle moves at all!  New set of puns please!!

Yesterday was a nice and sunny afternoon, 100's on this rape. Sorted with the farmer for today but awoke to heavy rain That stopped so out I go. Lots of birds on other rape fields I pass, "mine" is quiet but there are a few in the air.

Set up with a good thick hedge behind to keep the stiff (cold) wind off my back. Pigeons should come across the field into the wind. I set the pattern quite close to me because I suspect they will dislike things and pull back, as usual. (I was right in that). It's still gloomy and birds will be tough to see, flying low into the wind with a wood as backdrop. However, I soon find out that they are very sharp at seeing me raise the gun for example.

Just sitting down and loading up and a little group do cross the field as instructed but pull back as expected. I finish loading, panic, shoot at the last retreating bird and miss. For 2 minutes the air is full of pigeons, out of the wood, off nearby fields. They dive towards the decoys, don't like it and flare away on the wind but I do get one.

Then, for the next half hour or so I get a decent number of visitors but they have not read the above plan. Most arrive fast, downwind, through a gap in the hedge by my right shoulder, then flare away downwind.

The only ones which do commit (as usual) are when I'm out of the hide picking up an upside down bird for example, then they land!

The supply slowed to a trickle, then stopped but I do pick up 18. It was good challenging sport.

Anyway, a good, entertaining day

NB I'm sure my hide was good enough because a sparrow hawk landed on a pole, literally less then 18 inches from my face. I'm not sure who was more surprised, well it was me because he went down to try and steal one of my dead birds!

As to the prize fight, I think the pigeons won on a majority points verdict. I had lots within range and only managed 18, sometimes not even getting a shot off - too old and stiff. Still good fun trying.

Don't know why the hide picture is inverted, sorry!

Cheers

 

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