Rape

[Qbgrey 3,968]

hi chaps,weve got pigeons on are permission hammering the rape,well its been giong on for a while,any tips for decoying etc a few of them.

[engraver 44]

Just the basics, study the flight lines and approach of the birds to a particular field and times of day they feed often early then again in the afternoon..

 

Then start off with around a dozen decoys placed under the flightline in a rough horse shoe shape but staggered so they aren't too uniform and place them least 25-30 yrds from your hide..

 

Try to face the majority of birds into the wind and build a hide so as the wind is into your back, so in effect the birds will be flying upwind towards you and dropping into the centre of your decoy pattern.

[Qbgrey 3,968]

Just the basics, study the flight lines and approach of the birds to a particular field and times of day they feed often early then again in the afternoon..

 

Then start off with around a dozen decoys placed under the flightline in a rough horse shoe shape but staggered so they aren't too uniform and place them least 25-30 yrds from your hide..

 

Try to face the majority of birds into the wind and build a hide so as the wind is into your back, so in effect the birds will be flying upwind towards you and dropping into the centre of your decoy pattern.

magic,ive been watching them today briefly,but will look again tomorrow.thanks

[fenlandfieldsports 4]

dont be to suprised if they dont decoy as they do in the summer be prepared to shoot them on there flight line ,

[TWOTWOTHREE 152]

Its hit n miss on the decoyed rape,I've just been asked by a mate to help a farmer with 100acre of hammered crop,they won't pull in no matter what.ive been on the pigeon without this kinda trouble for donkeys years,these the above post says im the same its o ly on the flight line getting a few shots off,or at roost time in the wood after they have fed, just learn their patterns they are creatures of habit

Atb

[Rapid20 7]

it cant be understated ,the importance of a flightline!

There is nothing worse than taking the time out to find the birds...set-up...and have them disappear after the first couple of shots,with no other possibilities of birds coming in to you..can be very depressing sport this time of year!lol

[engraver 44]

Its hit n miss on the decoyed rape,I've just been asked by a mate to help a farmer with 100acre of hammered crop,they won't pull in no matter what.ive been on the pigeon without this kinda trouble for donkeys years,these the above post says im the same its o ly on the flight line getting a few shots off,or at roost time in the wood after they have fed, just learn their patterns they are creatures of habit

Atb

Sounds like thats your problem its a 100 acre crop.

 

Had it have been a 30 acre field surrounded by cover then a decent knowledge of when they arrive to feed and where they approach from then a spread may draw em in better.

 

But when they can just lift up and move on to the other half of the field your stuffed without either someone at the other end of the field or some flags in the ground flightline or no flightline.

 

Im a firm believer that Rape is a food source they will hammer when there is nothing else doing in desparation inmo, they will hammer berries in the cold before rape.

 

I shoot a couple 25 acre fields on one permission I have and in summer Ive hit big numbers on both fields but as soon as the rape is planted they are not interested they fly on straight past, in fact theres winter rape on there now and a good stong flight line bang over the field but it wont decoy one bang and thats it for the day so Im not interested in it this time of year my time is better spent on other permissions.

 

There is lots of rape on some land Ive just aquired and that is decoying okish, I suppose it all depends on what else is in the surrounding area and what time of year your shooting, roll on the spring drilling.

[midnight 657]

I agre I think pigeons eat rape but don't actually like it or get enough from it to risk feeding on it if there is any danger , not like drillings they just can't help coming in . We shot a wheat field the other week, and we could shoot one, the rest lift off then just do a circle and decoy in again . One field over is a rape field. the same Birds came in once then that was it . I wonder if its worth the hassle ?

[TWOTWOTHREE 152]

It gives that impression midnight,I think it depends on what feeding mode there in,me and a mate shot a rape field the other year and they wouldn't stop dropping in and I mean seriously landing sock in the middle if the pattern 10 ,15 at a time,the shots and dead birds everywhere didn't put them off,even as I was out collecting birds from the field they still were dropping in as if I wasn't there,they were set in feeding and nothing else,we ran out of shells and had to stop but I'm convinced they were on a suicide mission lol,never had that happen since,they are not touching the wheat round here at all this year just rape,but like you say there not commited enough to get a good day decoying,but it can change in a week and become good again so don't give up,