Shooting Tom Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I was shooting on rape today 1000's of pigeons where about in tree and stuff but didnt want to decoy. i used a L shape decoy patten and i got a couple decoy but may pigeons just sat in the trees, Any tips on rape.(this was my first time on rape so... any pointers) thanks Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rheth Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 hi tom, you dont say wether you had a whirley out or not but if you have not get one you wont regret it some good deals on ebay hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I have found that you need to get some movement in your pattern with rape because the decoys don`t stand out as well. i borrowed 2 floaters and they worked very well eveytime, rotary was hit and miss, on a pretty still day they werent too interested, but when the wind picked up they seemed to take it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpnova Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 If they are sitting in trees next to the rape field, chances are that it isn't where they roost so they are just hanging about between feeds and will, if not disturbed during main feeding times, be digesting their food and therefore not hungry. If the area is well patrolled by the landowner with plenty of bird scaring methods going on or shot over a lot, chances are you'll find it very difficult to get many to decoy since a couple of shots will scare them enough to make them look elsewwhere for a feed. My observation (and others ) is that pigeon decoying on rape is becoming less and less worthwhile. In areas where there is a lot of rape and lots of farmers using lots of different methods to chase pigeons off their crops, the pigeons are slowly evolving an effective strategy to counter this. They are being trained to clear off and feed somewhere else as soon as there is any kind of disturbance involving gun reports and this is effectively reducing the chances of successful decoying. I patrol my rape daily from Nov - Mar and use gas guns, flags, kites, shotguns, rifles etc to try keep them moved on. It has got to the stage now where it has become a tussle of wits that resembles a military encounter. Effectively I'm ground forces using an ack ack gun and barrage baloon style attack on well schooled enemy airforce squadrons. I have a trike and if I get at the squadrons of pigeons early enough to stop the first feed shortly after day break, they will disperse to trees about a mile or so away from where they can watch hundreds of acres of rape. After about 15 minutes (once they think I'm gone) the first "pathfinder" pigeons (in pairs) will start to do a sweep of their favourite feeding areas ( usually close to nearby trees/woods where visibility is good). If these drop in and aren't scared away, the others see this and start off in sorties of between 1 and 10 and go in low and fast (as tho under enemy radar) landing quickly and feeding straight away. The more that can get in without being scared off the more they draw others from around the district and in about 10-20 mins there can be several hundred in an feeding without it being apparent to the untrained eye that there are many pigeons about. This "snatch and fly" strategy allows them to get quite a lot of food quite quickly even if they are bein harried since it takes a fair bit of time to cover the large area they can feed over. As soon as they are scared off they move on and the process is repeated. Its an extremely effective strategy and very frustrating. The only ways I can see to get round this is to: 1. Stop growing rape 2. Undertake pest control measures of Chinese type proportions where thousands of people swamp an area and persecute the pigeons til they are all either shot or die from exhaustion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seisobs Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Quality! If they are sitting in trees next to the rape field, chances are that it isn't where they roost so they are just hanging about between feeds and will, if not disturbed during main feeding times, be digesting their food and therefore not hungry. If the area is well patrolled by the landowner with plenty of bird scaring methods going on or shot over a lot, chances are you'll find it very difficult to get many to decoy since a couple of shots will scare them enough to make them look elsewwhere for a feed. My observation (and others ) is that pigeon decoying on rape is becoming less and less worthwhile. In areas where there is a lot of rape and lots of farmers using lots of different methods to chase pigeons off their crops, the pigeons are slowly evolving an effective strategy to counter this. They are being trained to clear off and feed somewhere else as soon as there is any kind of disturbance involving gun reports and this is effectively reducing the chances of successful decoying. I patrol my rape daily from Nov - Mar and use gas guns, flags, kites, shotguns, rifles etc to try keep them moved on. It has got to the stage now where it has become a tussle of wits that resembles a military encounter. Effectively I'm ground forces using an ack ack gun and barrage baloon style attack on well schooled enemy airforce squadrons. I have a trike and if I get at the squadrons of pigeons early enough to stop the first feed shortly after day break, they will disperse to trees about a mile or so away from where they can watch hundreds of acres of rape. After about 15 minutes (once they think I'm gone) the first "pathfinder" pigeons (in pairs) will start to do a sweep of their favourite feeding areas ( usually close to nearby trees/woods where visibility is good). If these drop in and aren't scared away, the others see this and start off in sorties of between 1 and 10 and go in low and fast (as tho under enemy radar) landing quickly and feeding straight away. The more that can get in without being scared off the more they draw others from around the district and in about 10-20 mins there can be several hundred in an feeding without it being apparent to the untrained eye that there are many pigeons about. This "snatch and fly" strategy allows them to get quite a lot of food quite quickly even if they are bein harried since it takes a fair bit of time to cover the large area they can feed over. As soon as they are scared off they move on and the process is repeated. Its an extremely effective strategy and very frustrating. The only ways I can see to get round this is to: 1. Stop growing rape 2. Undertake pest control measures of Chinese type proportions where thousands of people swamp an area and persecute the pigeons til they are all either shot or die from exhaustion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Sounds like a good case for getting a 20g hushpower o/u to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Tom Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Yes i do have a magnet, but i didnt use it the other day as it is to much to carry. i would like some floaters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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