Cranfield Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 I had a very good afternoon/early evening on a drilled pea field, but was driven mad by rock doves. Like most of my fields, this one was wide open, no hedgerows and I was set up on the edge of a ditch, with my shooting stick precariously sticking in a little ledge I dug into the bank. Being so exposed I had to keep very still and was shooting with no front on my hide. The killing area was quite small and I had to be ready to take the birds quickly, with no long leisurely warning of their arrival. Thats where the rock doves became a nuisance. I would catch a movement out of the corner of my eye, get the gun up quick and swing onto the bird, just going to pull the trigger........... and its a rock dove. Even when I had just shot a pigeon, they wouldn't leave me alone and kept coming into the decoys, then flaring off at the last moment. I am use to the odd one, but these hung around for the whole four hours. Another strange thing is that I couldn't understand why the pigeons were on the field, I only spotted them on my way to a field of short rape. There were no peas on the surface and there were no sign of any shoots, but they came in as though the field was full of food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tis1979 Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Hey Cranfield, I found the same thing , I shoot near Chelmsford and I've never been that bothered by the Rocks but the other day there seemed to be loads about coming into the pattern with woodies so i was having to pick my shots carefully. pain in the Harris!! (still keeps you on your toes) All the best Tis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) Aren't they just ferals, Cranners? According to the RSPB, true Rock Doves are now limited to a couple of bits of Scottish coast and islands : "Overview The rock dove is the wild ancestor of domestic pigeons the world over, domesticated originally to provide food. Feral pigeons come in all shades, some bluer, others blacker - some are pale grey with darker chequered markings, others an unusual shade of dull brick-red or cinnamon-brown, and still others can be or less white while others look exactly like wild rock doves. In urban areas where the numbers are allowed to increase they can become pests. Where to see them The wild rock dove is now found only along the north and west coasts of Scotland, on offshore islands, and on Northern Ireland coasts. Feral, or domestic, pigeons breed almost everywhere apart from upland areas, with the highest density in the most populated urban and suburban areas". You could just pop 'em orf couldn't you? Edited March 31, 2009 by Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Rockies as opposed to stockies? FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 These birds may not be true rock doves according to the RSPB website (what do they know ? ), but they are what we have always referred to as "blue rocks" and are quite distinctive from ferals. On refelction they are probably stock doves. I have never ever shot them, but have come close a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Yes, if they're Stock Doves, they are protected and a pain in the harris "In Britain the shooting of Collared Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) and the feral pigeon (Columba livia) is also permitted all year round but the Stock Dove (Columba oenas), Rock Dove (Columba livia) and Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) are all protected species and may not be shot at any time. In N. Ireland the Collared Dove is protected and no pigeons can be shot either at night or on Sundays. The legality of shooting pigeons in Scotland on Sundays remains unclear. The Stock Dove is often mistakenly called the 'Blue Rock' and great care must be taken as these birds often fly with woodpigeons and come readily to decoys. The feral pigeon is a direct descendent of the Rock Dove (which is usually only found on western coasts), and will be mainly seen close to urban areas." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Another vote for stockies being the Dustyfox of the avian world. You clap your hands, wave your arms, shout at them to **** off but they just keep blundering in where they are clearly just being annoying. Infuriating! ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 I also know them as Blue rocks ,and wont and dont shoot them . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 I've never been out to shoot pigeons (YET!!!!) and I was just wanting to ask a few noobish questions.... How do you tell which is which when they are winging in at some silly speed? Also, if one was shot completely by accident (Eg you were shooting at a woodpigeon and happened to hit it + another bird which turned out to be a stock dove) and someone found out - what would happen? Obviously before you shoot anything you need to be confident you can identify it - but is there any 'accidental' clause? I would think not as I'm sure it would get hideously abused Cheers Boomstick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprinter Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Plauged by blue rocks where i shoot, but sometimes the are a godsend. If you know what they are and see them coming then they will bring woodies with them. But if you have limited visibility they are a nightmare, many times in the last week they have been less than 1 sec away from death. Just managed to pull off them or shout "blue leave" to a partner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llanshooter Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 I'm new to pigeon shooting, but was out yesterday, similarly on a bare field. Had a reasonable bag of woodies in the end but there were a few stock doves that kept coming in. As I had the wind to my back (had houses behind and to my left so had to shoot down wind), I could mark most of the birds that were coming up wind to the deeks. The stock doves seemed to be a bit smaller, tended to glide into the pattern from further away, and seemed to land away from the patter slightly and walk in. The woodies seemed to drop straight into the pattern. Does this sound like the way stock doves behave, or am I imagining it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Stock doves (blue rocks) are smaller than woodpigeons, have no evident white markings on neck or wings and have a slightly faster/jerky style of flight. They will often "strafe" a decoy layout by making repeated passes over it. As they are protected, you could be prosecuted for shooting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 (edited) I had trouble with a determined party of stock doves a few years ago. Early on during the day they started to come in with the wood pigeons and were quite close when I shot at the woodies. After half a dozen attempts of coming in to my decoy patten only to be frightened by my shooting ( at woodies ) they sat up in some trees across the field and when ever a party of pigeons started to decoy they would join them only to shy off 50 yards out taking the wood pigeons with them. I think I called them something blue , but it was not rocks. Edited April 1, 2009 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Thing that gets my goat is the number of (so called) shooters who don't know s**** from shineola. Too many people just pick up a gun and go shooting without the first idea about quarry ID. It happens believe me. The other thing that gets me is the lack of respect for farmers crops. I see ****holes (again so called shooting folk) trampling all over rape and other crops without any thought as to the farmers hard work and profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llanshooter Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 The stock doves I had trouble with on Monday kept coming in, usualy a group of 4 or so. Once I'd twigged them (luckily before shooting them) I just popped my head up out of the hide when they came in and theye were off. Fortunately they seemed to come in between flights of woodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinxs Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Highlander. Fair comment, but the guy is trying to improve his knowledge and has asked a question and you haven't even attempted to help him. Instead your up on your high horse. Be nice to know how you put your decoy pattern out without walking on the crops? Not trying to pick a fight, but constructive criticism would be more appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Highlander. Fair comment, but the guy is trying to improve his knowledge and has asked a question and you haven't even attempted to help him. Instead your up on your high horse. Be nice to know how you put your decoy pattern out without walking on the crops? Not trying to pick a fight, but constructive criticism would be more appropriate. I,m afraid I have to agree with Highlander, all to often I have come across shooters "who have all the gear and no idea", a little reading, a video or two on the subject is well within everyone reach.... You yourself, as a beginner to the sport, I believe have taken the time to read up on Pigeon shooting so at least you have the basic knowledge not to make mistakes in quarry identification, but having said that none of us are infalible, I have shot feral racing pigeons in the past. With regard to decoy placement without causing unneccessary damage to standing crops, its simply a matter of utilising the existing tramlines wherever possible. Rgds D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinxs Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 I don't disagree with Highlander but would have thought it more usefull if some help and giudance was given to help those who are unsure. I have read 3 books so far and I don't recall any pointing out the difference between the birds when in flight. Therfore some help from those who do know what to look for would be usefull. It wouldn't surprise me if everybody was a bit ignorant when starting out, and then as with most things we do in life, we learn as we go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llanshooter Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 I don't disagree with Highlander but would have thought it more usefull if some help and giudance was given to help those who are unsure. I have read 3 books so far and I don't recall any pointing out the difference between the birds when in flight. Therfore some help from those who do know what to look for would be usefull. It wouldn't surprise me if everybody was a bit ignorant when starting out, and then as with most things we do in life, we learn as we go. I have read the books and looked the birds up in the birdwatching books too, but I did need to get out in the field to spot the difference in flight, which isn't that straightforward to a beginner. Unless you have an experienced mate to show you the ropes what else can you do? I know some people want all shooters to pass exams before they are allowed out - like the DSC 1 & 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 i was plagued by blueys today, loads of 'em an no woodies. oh well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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