Malc Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Anyone shot any this month that were feeding on OSR or had OSR foliage in their crops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 There's a field of rape just down the road from my house that I saw loads of pigeons piling into this morning at about 7am. Its the first year I've seen it with rape, usually wheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 I am currently watching about 15 rape fields ( a couple are favoured by the birds) and I have not seen pigeons seriously feeding on them. Round here they are gorging on hawthorn berries and sitting out on the old stubbles. They will be on the rape soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taff Mason Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 their still not touching it in cardiff either. mostly acorns at the moment i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 There's a field of rape just down the road from my house that I saw loads of pigeons piling into this morning at about 7am. Its the first year I've seen it with rape, usually wheat. Yes, Gully's been watching the fields & not the road on his travels, but he's dead right, they've just started on the rape in our area, (Herts), in the last few days. It's pretty much as I forecast a month or so ago on this forum as the acorn & beechmast crop is non-existent in our area, hence their early forays onto the rape, now that they've pretty much hoovered up what's been left on the stubbles. I've got my eye on a nice little field that was literally blue with them at lunchtime today, should be good for 80 - 100 birds, will be there in a couple of days after I've let them build up for a bit, (unless garyb beats me to it..!! ) A word of advice for those not familiar with shooting over rape, you MUST make sure that all nearby fields are covered, either with other guns or banger ropes. I'd be a rich man if I had a pound for every post on this forum that said "Arrived at the rape field early morning, had 2 shots, they cleared off and never came back", that's because you've not thought it through, they've simply floated across to another nearby field and fed there all day, completely unmolested. You need to make sure all local fields are covered, one way or another, then you'll do well. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted November 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Just as I thought. I've had no reports (from our 61 club members) of birds shot on OSR yet, but, we've had a few frosty nights lately and more stubble fields are getting ploughed in each day, so I'm expecting a few calls to OSR fields any time now.... I just wondered what was happening elsewhere in the country. Wheat stubble is the mainstay around here lately, but not for long I suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Dixey Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Have seen/heard of none so far on Rape in East Kent Hawthorn Berries and the last of the stubbles Dont expect it will be long b4 they hit the rape James Dixey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Saw a flock of about 1000 lift yesterday, they were feeding on maize stuble (one of the last fields to be cut on this farm). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Woodies are starting to hit the rape in mid essex and some birds being taken from them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 hi guys, the pigeons around here in south norfolk have been on the rape for several weeks now ive had several short outings and bagged a couple of hundred in the last week or two, all the stubbles are long gone around here most of the rape and the winter wheat and barley are about 3" high now. i think the birds may become more difficult to get at as time goes by, there seem to be fewer pigeon shooters around here than there used to be, i've only started pigeon shooting again this year after a 15 year layoff, there seemed to be pigeon shooters everywhere years ago, i guess its the price of shells thats putting people off you used to be able to have a good days shooting for £10-15 of cartridges but now that amount of money only buys 1/2 the shells it once did, add that to the cost of diesel and it all gets a bit expensive. what do you guys think?? mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taff Mason Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 there probably are loads of shooters out there that can't get permission to shoot as one or two people have a lot of land. i know thats the case around my area. i have a small permission in cardiff but i live and work in cirencester now, whilst looking for a local farm to shoot on i came across a guy who has most of the farms around here to himself. but the nice fellow did offered me a days shooting for £150!!!!!!!!!!!! for a lot less than that i could drive back and forth cardiff every night of the week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) hi taff. i know what you mean about some shooters trying to hogg all the shooting but on a couple of occasions lately ive asked farmers and been told "sorry but i have a guy who shoots them" and to that i answer "well, he's not down there now is he and there's plenty of pigeons eating your crops " and have been granted permission to shoot that day and have been given permission to shoot when i like, as well as the other bloke. and once ive been back to the farm and told them what ive shot , you need to make yourself available, when ive explained that its difficult for one shooter to cover large blocks of rape etc and more birds can be shot by several shooters they all seem interested in letting you shoot, perhaps others should try this approach, just not round here lol!! mikee Edited November 12, 2008 by mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taff Mason Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 just not round here lol!! mikee yeah i know what you mean mate. cheers for the advice too im hatching a plan as we speak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topgunners Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 They will be on the rape very soon. weather forecast for next week -2 - -4 degrees . very frosty in the mornings. Then we will find them. Dave K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 i'm lucky in as much as i drive around a 150²mile area where i live and shoot for work and often take "not very short" short cuts between building sites so i can drive past any large blocks of rape in areas that i can shoot and any others that i cant shoot looking for pigeons and just ask at the nearest farm "are they your pigeons mate" and if not they soon tell who's land it is and where the farm is located. mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 topgunner thats an impressive bag of birds on your avatar pic, how many?? mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 They will be on the rape very soon. weather forecast for next week -2 - -4 degrees . very frosty in the mornings. Then we will find them. Dave K Hmmm , only downside to lots of frosty mornings is no wind, clear skies, high pressure??, just what we don't want for shooting pigeons. And with high pressure, we could get fog,.......a good time to catch up on all of those little DIY tasks that the trouble & strife keeps nagging us about..?? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul@Ribchester Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 I dont think I have ever seen any oilseed rape fields in Lancashire.................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) around here, in my part of east anglia about 25-35% of arable land is cropped with rape, 40-50 with wheat and barley and most of the rest is sugar beet. how is the land cropped in other areas? mikee Edited November 12, 2008 by mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taff Mason Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 about 60% live stock in my neck of the woods!!!!! as for crops mostly wheat and barley. maybe 1 in 10 field will be rape. the farmer i shoot for said he'd sowing loopins next year anyone know what these are??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Lupins are flowers, good game cover & break crop, I think..?? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 you may get some shooting on the stubbles if they are the type of plant that loose a few seeds when being harvested mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Quite a few pigeons hitting the rape in Norfolk and North suffolk. Surprising as there seems a bumper crop of acorns this year. Got 20 pigeons in a quick session off rape on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 I have been shooting a field of barley stubble that has not been sprayed off and is full of chick weed .The pigeons have been going nuts fot it . Three outings so far 86, 48, and 63 . They are still going mad for it have left it four days and shall be having a go tomorrow . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proTOM1 Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 just found a few birds on some rape this morning but still a lot on old stubbles and in the woods round me ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.