Cosd Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Threads have gone a bit quiete in this section Come on you experienced guys out there, tell us newer people what's going on out there. Whats this part of the season all about? What should we expect and on what crops...... I am coming up to my one year aniversary in the world of shooting Am I right in saying the woodies are begining to bunch up? I'm seeing bigger numbers flying together..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Cosd, I had another decent day last week not too far from where we shot a few weeks back, on newly drilled wheat, picked up 111, trouble was it was a very big field and I knew I wasn't in the very best spot, but sometimes you have to compromise. They came in very well between noon and 2.30pm, some massive flocks about. What normally happens this time of year in my area, (Herts/Bucks), is that once the drillings are finished they will flock up on any remaining stubbles and great sport can be had. If there are plenty of acorns and beechmast about, they will soon disappear into the woods for most of the Winter, and will not touch the rape until well into January, because, contrary to popular belief, they don't actually like eating rape, but have to eat it 'cos there's no other food available. However, if there are few acorns and beechmast about, they will be on the rape very soon, I've had 100+ bags in late October, so keep your eyes peeled when you're on your travels, and if you see birds piling onto a field of rape, make some enquiries, find out who owns / farms it, ask them if you could go along just for the day to keep them off, then bingo, you've another farm to add to your list of permissions. Forget trawling through Yellow Pages sending out letters, my farmer friends all get 2 or 3 a week, I'm afraid they go straight in the re-cycle bin. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Things round here are quiet at the moment. The birds seem to be picking over drillings and old stubbles, but are not committed and spending time in the woods and hedgerows on the berries, acorns and beechmast. They are showing no interest in the rape at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Round here it's late drillings (barley and wheat) and huge flocks mostly of young birds but some birds have started on the acorns. A good day 300+ birds was had yesterday on old barley stubble. Only one area of rape is being hit and that's not much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted October 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 What's the general approach for the growing flocks? Are magnets still being used? Do we use more or less decoys? Do decoy formations change? Are they decoying at all or are we looking for flight lines because they are not decoying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nagantino Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 Its been said before on the forum, but in the North of Ireland, we don't get massive flocks of birds but you can get plenty of shooting. My best hope for next week is a field I have shot over e few times now. Its a small field that took a real battering over the summer. The barley was poor even to my eye but it was good for mixed decoys during this. When cut it gave better sport but the farmer seems content to leave the hay ungathered. It was giving good shooting opportunities last saturday although too many guns about. I have kept a close eye on the rape fields but can say I have never seen a single bird in there. Soo, a question from a city boy. After a field of barley or wheat has been cut and then reploughed what does the farmer do next? When is it likely to attract birds again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullyhubbert Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Soo, a question from a city boy. After a field of barley or wheat has been cut and then reploughed what does the farmer do next? When is it likely to attract birds again? If the farmer is preparing the ground now it's almost certain to be sown out with winter barley. I seen quite a few pigeons feeding on the seed last week, after it sprouts the crows seem to love it for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Went out today and shot 57 in just under 3 hours if thats anything to talk about Cos Shot over drilled wheat on rough ground , fantastic wind blowing, got under a flightline, started with 8 plastic shells and never bothered putting the magnet out just didnt need it. Had some real sporting shots and very variable . 3 other club guns on the same farm on different fields kept the birds on the move , i had the lesser amount of kills but for 103 cartridges i was happy, in all we took 200 birds for the day. Birds are beginning to flock together in our area and reports of them starting to hit the rape fields from some of our farms are trickleing through , probably the last of the drill on our grounds and the acorns and beach mast are not so plentiful in our area this year so no doubt we will soon be shooting the rape. Hope you are getting some in . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted October 27, 2008 Report Share Posted October 27, 2008 I was watching a flightline today whilst out goose decoying and it may prove to be a handy thing in the future. Basically the birds were either crossing from a line of trees to a sitty tree, or following the burn up to the sitty tree. If I can get out early enough then I can put some lofters up and shoot as the flightline starts Even if it only lasts a few hours it should be some fun and I can always up-sticks and find a stubble to sit in later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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