rape field

[mossy835]

went out this afternoon lots about but did not want two come down on rape, had 2 that did and had the spinning decoys out but did not help.shot 4 all together.

[dustyfox]

I was readin something in the pigeon shooter yesterday and it said that pigeon will eat as much as they can before low pressure weather comes in so they dont have to feed as much when bad weather is here.

[Cranfield]

A few birds on the rape round here, but most are still on berries.

We need a really cold spell.

[EvoCars]

i went out for a few hours on rape today aswell, not 1 bird came in, 100's about in big flocks, but not interested, it was pretty windy today, dont know if that put them off, them seemed to be hanging around the woods and flying to and from different areas of woodland, that I cant get into and shoot because of scaring the pheasents

[hogey]

I was readin something in the pigeon shooter yesterday and it said that pigeon will eat as much as they can before low pressure weather comes in so they dont have to feed as much when bad weather is here.

 

Hi

Is pigeon shooter a magazine or a web page?

 

Hogey

[blackthorn]

at least you were out we had another go today 10, just not interested, next time

[bobby dazzler]

out yesterday thought might get a few being as there were four of us to keep the ******* moving ended the day with six pigeon and a crow one day they will play ball i think its blackthorn shooting them all

[mossy835]

i went out this afternoon loads of pigon on rape, walk across the field 200 took off waited and they came back but other part of the field,could not get them to decoy,shot 4.

[blackthorn]

i went out this afternoon loads of pigon on rape, walk across the field 200 took off waited and they came back but other part of the field,could not get them to decoy,shot 4.

we set up the other day thinking this is where they are feeding only to fined they changed there mined, we ended up moving, one minute they are there the next there on board the mary celeste

[yorkshire]

for the first time this year they were in big flocks on the rape, however we had no time for the decoys - tomorrow maybe. Bin knockin rather alot out of roosts on an evening however, and all full of rape. Roll on tomorrow.....

[old rooster]

Usual story for winter rape shooting by the sounds of it, to shoot good bags consistently you have to have the birds there in the first place and for them to want to be just where you are set up. Taking the latter comment t'other way round you need to be just where the pigeons want to feed.

 

We've had a very poor early winter and haven't bothered to waste fuel driving about until recently. Had a few farmers ring up with tales of lots of activity but most haven't amounted to much.

 

That said we went out yesterday as the wind had picked up nicely and did the rounds of a few farms. Nothing to bother with locally so we set off for a farm where I have just two adjacent small rape fields with nothing much else about for miles. Nothing there either but I know this same farmer puts rape in a field way out in the back of nowhere so had a trundle out to find just half a dozen sitting looking very uninterested in the trees BUT on the other side of the road the field was blue and the trees on the edge of the field the same. Must have been pushing 2,000 pigeons and plenty of movement going on. I'm never too bothered about seeing masses of birds ensconsed as long as there is plenty of movement, ideally with birds coming in confidently from a good way off!

 

So it was just a case of finding the owner and getting permission. Went to the nearest farm and on driving up to the house was met by a young chap who came out of a barn, short conversation later and we were set with permission, the farmers phone number so we can get in contact when planning the next day and he now has my business card with contact details so he can call me when the pigeons get busy again.

 

Having watched the flightlines for a while we set up with the sun and wind behind us with the decoys well out on a fairly steep bank. Hardly had time to get back in the hides before the first customers arrived and were added to the decoy pattern on a couple of floaters. The shooting was good for a couple of hours then they stopped coming just like switching off a light. Having seen this many times before with pigeons we packed up, picked up 34 but had a really enjoyable day with some good taxing shots in the high winds.

 

It isn't always about big bags for us, getting new ground to shoot on is always satisfying and getting good shooting just adds to that.

 

Hope the sport picks up for you all in the new year, I do get the impression that pigeon numbers overall are on the decline, not sure why that is?