Browning Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 I was speaking to the farmer after coming off the fields this morning.....been after a fox that's been around the release pens. All the Rape/Barley/What etc are now in, lands been ploughed and sprayed, and he's ready to start planting Rape again after the weekend. In your experience, when do the birds tend to first start feeding off Rape ? As my small corner of Oxfordshire hasn't shown any real pigeon numbers since early March, I'd like to up the recceying in good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 I hate to be the Harbinger of doom Browning... But there is plenty of rape been sown around here for the past two weeks and the Pigeons havent even touched it. The Farmer I was talking to last night rekons they dont tend to bother that much with it until late November onwards when the natural Harvest is over then the gas guns ( and mine) come into play. The birds appear to be all in the stubble that is left. Last year it was just the same. I had 4 trips over a newly sown 20 acre rape field and took just 7 Birds. Two weeks later on from the last of them I shot some rough ground under a beech wood canopy very close by and shot 38. They were preoccupied with the beech mast and acorns. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted September 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Cheers FM, I guess It'll be business as usual for the next few months then....at least I save money on cartridges ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Fms probably right. The pigeon will only hit the young rape plants when all other forms of food are depleated. It can be difficult at this time of year with so much potential food on offer to the pigeon. However the bunnies should be much easier to see now that most fields have been cropped. Im off to Scotland next week for our annual bunny bash. Im really looking forward to it, and hope to post some photos. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesspencer_2001 Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Well we have some stubble left over here in york but they only feed in the mornings first thing and fill there crops and then fly from tree to tree or just sit there. I think our pigeons have got too much food and to attract them we have to provide them with something extra I.e. Water (near a pond) or a nice comfortable tree to sit in. Decoying even on the flightlines is pointless and the birds just arnt interested when they have a crop full of corn. We went shooting the other day and sat near a spinney and birds came past most out of range but we got 5 in 5 hours with a 60 yard shot by me making the day worth it . If any of you have any tips on how to attract birds that are full then please tell me because our birds arnt very social:/. Spenner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 The pigeon will only hit the young rape plants when all other forms of food are depleated. It can be difficult at this time of year with so much potential food on offer to the pigeon. It must be my lucky day. I've planned a trip to Scotland (Aberdeenshire) next week to shoot pigeon over newly sown rape fields. Better bring something to read...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Dutchman... any shooting break is a good one.. you never know those Scottish birds might take a different view. take a couple of crow decoys with you just in case. I went earlier in the week to shoot some pigeon in the stubble and ended up with 1 pigeon, 3 crows, 9 daws and 4 rooks. Good luck FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Guess you are right, After all I don't have to listen to the nagging of the wife for one whole week or take a bath every day. And there is always the Scottish scenery like the glens, the woods, the lakes and the pubs. For what concerns your suggestion to bring some crow decoys; never leave home without them... Question: When you place some crow decoys about 50 yards from your pigeon decoys, does this frighten off the pigeons? A gamekeeper in Elveden told me so but anotherone from Scotland told me that it would have no effect on the pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Question: When you place some crow decoys about 50 yards from your pigeon decoys, does this frighten off the pigeons? A gamekeeper in Elveden told me so but anotherone from Scotland told me that it would have no effect on the pigeons. Dutchman i find that pigeons and crows feed happily together when there is food for both species. A couple of weeks ago when shooting pigeons, i ended up with a bag of over 30 pigeons and over 20 crows. When there were dead pigeons and crows/rooks mixed together on the ground, both came in without taking any notice of each other. Have a good week's sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Red Fox Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Hi Dutchman I've let the population (pigeon that is) know you are coming so yu should have a good week Weather is supossed to pick up too Foxsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Thanks Ernyha, you convinced me. I'm gonna use them both at the same time next week. Let you know how it worked out. And Foxsy, tell them that I'm the guy in the bright orange rainsuit. Maybe then I get a chance to surprise them. After the BBC went digital, we can no longer use Ceefax in Holland. Does anybody knows a reliable British internetsite who gives a forecast for several days? Thanks, The Dutchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Just input the geographical area you want the weather for. http://uk.weather.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Red Fox Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Dutchman Type this isnto your web browser or cut and paste, http://uk.weather.yahoo.com/Europe/United_...ngdom/Scotland/ Once it opens just select the area in Scotland you are coming to and it will give you the forecast.This is reliable I have found over the last few months, Have fun, but try and forget about the orange raincoat ! though I do like your choice of colour (the futures bright , the futures orange) Foxsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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