Spring rape

[Si-Bore]

Hey guys

 

I have shot over winter rape many times. This is my second year of decoying and the first opportunity to shoot over spring rape. The drillings are all cleaned up now and most have germinated so the pigeon are on the clover (again) and other food sources. The rape will be just begining to germinate after the showers today so I was wondering if people can let me know from experience if/how well it brings pigeon into feed on it? The winter rape has not been succesful in terms of pigeon shooting in my area as they seemed more interested in the clover so the only sport I have seen was a brief couple of weeks over drillings. Really hoping for a change in pigeon feeding habits soon! B)

 

Thanks,

Si

[Baldrick]

Spring OSR is superb for bringing the birds. I think the best bag had by a PW member on spring OSR last year was over 300 (perhaps higher).

 

Winter OSR is pretty much a write-off here now, as it is either over 1m tall and flowering, or it's been ripped up and re-drilled.

[ironhorse]

Sounds like you’re getting the same shooting as me in Sussex, over the last say ten years for me there has been a marked change in woody habits certainly in my particular area, the winters are getting so much milder, ok we do get cold snaps but there just that snaps, pigeons are spending more feeding time in the woods beech mast can still be found here from last year, they do hit the rape but not as hard as they use to and nowhere near as consistently, I put it down to the fact that most farms in my area now have two crops wheat or rape.

[Baldrick]

I put it down to the fact that most farms in my area now have two crops wheat or rape.

 

You may find that changes over the coming year: it's likely that all bar the biggest and most shrewd farmers will struggle to make a profit on their wheat in the 2009 harvest. Due to the economics of growing wheat, we're looking at changing our cropping, albeit not with pigeon shooting in mind. We might put more land to the usual barley, beans and feed peas, or possibly something more lucrative like borage or linseed. At present, most farmers grow wheat at a loss, with the only profit being derived from Single Farm Payment (which will be zilch in 2012).

[MerseaDavid]

Spring OSR is a great crop to draw the birds in and one of the farms I shoot had it last year and we had some great bags over it.

 

A few of our crops will change next growing season aswell.

We will be growing more peas, rape and borage because of the price of wheat.