Lupins

[Crow killer]

I had a good bag on sunday on the Lupins the farmer has planted around me. I was using a pattern of 10 flexi-coys and 4 shell decoys with a bouncer to add some movement, but there were still 70% of the birds ignoring it. I shot about a 3-1 hit ratio and picked up 36 pigeons. I feel a bit dissapointed though as I feel there could have been a few more if some more had seen the pattern, any ideas would be helpfull. Thanks

 

Crow killer.

[Cranfield]

Lupins are not the first food of choice for pigeons, in my experience.

Assuming they had other options open, to decoy enough birds to have over 100 shots and kill 36, ain,t too bad.

 

I use at least 2 floater/bouncers and often 4. They certainly provide some movement.

That might be an option for you.

 

Also check out your hide part way through the day, its suprising how, sun movement, you/dog popping in and out, can cause the need for some repairs to be made.

[Aled_cky]

never shot on lupins as no farmers around us have any.. next year we may be growing some for extra feed and costing less to feed sheep.

Aled

[eugene molloy]

Crowkiller,

 

I'm with Cranners; you shouldn't be disappointed at all, you had a good day.

 

Maybe you are a bit peeved you didn't shoot like George Digweed, but so is he sometimes! You did OK.

 

Lupins are a bit iffy; in situations like that I ALWAYS (assuming safety is OK) get under the flightline and avoid the temptation to just set up shop in the feeding area. That way if they do get leery, you still get a pop at the passers by. If you found yourself taking them at longer range than normal, perhaps you weren't quite under the line.

 

Anyway cheer up you miserable what not, whilst you had a good day on the pigeons, I pointed up some roof gutters and the damp course; swap you anytime!

 

Regards

Eug

[jimdfish]

Lupins? As in flowers? i thought they were poisionous. Somebody explain to me please

[ernyha]

jimdfish,this came up last year when one of our farmers planted them for the first time. Check these posts.

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...=1863&hl=lupins

[Fisherman Mike]

Lupins? As in flowers? i thought they were poisionous. Somebody explain to me please :look:

Lupins are not a common crop but are becoming more so as Farmers latch on to the benefits of them as a feed suppliment.

 

Compared to beans or peas (same family) they have a 15 to 20 % higher protein content and are popular with Pigeon as they can bulk up fast for the winter months.

 

I have shot a couple of times over Lupins and they were growing in an area where Pea and bean crops were common so I couldnt really say if the Lupins were pulling in the birds in preference to the peas. Also the Lupins were layed by storm damage and on the point of harvest so the birds were de-poding them and eating the splitting pods.

 

You didnt say Crow Killer at what stage the lupin were in growth but I assume they were stripping the leaves like they do with young pea crops.

 

I am confident if you shoot the same fields again just after harvest you will get some very good results.

 

If the growing of lupins becomes more popular as a cash crop like rape did in the 70,s then whoopee for us Pigeon shooters.

 

FM.