A lot of wosr will be vulnerable to pigeons

Headland Harry · Oct 12, 2017

I've noticed a slow but steady build up of pigeons in many of the local woods which may reflect the fact that far less were shot over the harvest period this year, consequently more juveniles will have survived and wil be ready and waiting to forage any vulnerable wosr acreages BEFORE the winter takes hold ??
Anyone anticipating problems be ready with bird scarers and shot guns.
Need help - make contact with http://www.nppc.co.uk
John.

Gong Farmer · Oct 12, 2017

I've seen a lot of beech nuts in woods round here, perhaps that's why they're collecting there? I was always led to believe the damage to rape depends on the beech nut harvest, if they have plenty of the latter they move onto the rape later.

Zippy768 · Oct 12, 2017

I know this is a kinda "how long is a piece of string" question, but, when would one expect pigeons start on the OSR? Begining Nov, beginning Dec, Now???
Definetly notice a few on a osr field on way to work this morb

Jon 3085 · Oct 12, 2017

Mate shot 78 pigeons here yesterday,most had acorns and black barley in their crops ,rape safe for a while yet.

Gong Farmer · Oct 12, 2017

In wondered if they ate acorns. Loads of them here this year too.

Captain Mainwaring · Oct 12, 2017

Yep, masses of acorns around and most of the ones I've shot recently are full of them plus the odd one that's gleaned a bit of seed wheat. Don't usually worry too much about osr till after Christmas.

Headland Harry · Oct 12, 2017

Yes of course acorns, beech mast, ivy berries are all the natural food of 'woody' and this year is not an exceptional harvest, they wil soon be hovered up.
Expect pigeons on rape anytime from now on, as the weather gets colder they'll eat more and I'm sure they become addicted to it.
They easily fill there crops with green rape but it doesn't bulk up and is relatively easily digested which means they may need three or more sittings, if they are not disturbed they will only fly to any nearby trees and back on the rape in a couple or so hours.
One pigeon can eat about 50-75grms of green rape per day and can soon make a big hole in a healthy crop of it.
Imagine if you've 500 or 600 visiting your OSR several days a week !!
John.

nick... · Oct 12, 2017

Got a few grazing already here
Nick...

bobk · Oct 12, 2017

Shoot the fookers . works here .

Headland Harry · Oct 12, 2017

It works everywhere but winter months are not the time to shoot big bags, it's very difficult with the birds in large flocks, the pigeon shooters will most certainly be confined to being merely scarecrows, as the birds move off en masse and after a couple of hours in winter weather with little in the bag it's no surprise enthusiasm wanes.
But most pigeon shooters won't mind doing a few hours bird scaring if they can be sure of better pickings at drilling times and post harvest stubbles.

colhonk · Oct 12, 2017

Have had to put my banger out on Monday. Hundreds of the feckers in the woods.

Brisel · Oct 12, 2017

Headland Harry said:
It works everywhere but winter months are not the time to shoot big bags, it's very difficult with the birds in large flocks, the pigeon shooters will most certainly be confined to being merely scarecrows, as the birds move off en masse and after a couple of hours in winter weather with little in the bag it's no surprise enthusiasm wanes.
But most pigeon shooters won't mind doing a few hours bird scaring if they can be sure of better pickings at drilling times and post harvest stubbles.

Stubble shooting is great but the pigeons are so scattered that they are hard to shoot in decent numbers. They eat oilseed rape crops in winter as a last resort after stubbles, beech mast, acorns etc are exhausted. I’ve found spring peas in April/May and old topped off maize strips best in Feb to concentrate them into a smaller area.

Headland Harry · Oct 12, 2017

Well Brisel, maybe in Dorset but here in North Yorkshire the sdratsab can murder a field of rape BEFORE February.

Brisel · Oct 12, 2017

True, but around here the ones shot before Christmas have crops full of grain, acorns etc not osr depending on the year. I’ve lost osr crops before Christmas when there has been a bad year for beech, oak etc

Headland Harry · Oct 12, 2017

In Dorset, if the wosr crop is surviving into the new year when the pigeon population is high then there clearly must be an alternative or preferred food supply. In my experience during late autumn and winter months the weather dictates what pigeons eat. Over the past 30yrs in cold frosty weather rape has become the preferred choice, regardless of what else is available. You mention grain, where do they find that in winter? The woody is not known for grain store raiding that is the domain of feral stoggies.

Clive · Oct 12, 2017

I think shooting makes the problem worse, shooters come with loads of kits to attract them that is very effective these days

greta while they are sat in the field but on days they are not the pigeons keep coming and eat undisturbed, they are pretty habitual creatures that once they have found a filed they like keep going at it

Rope and gas bangers, kites etc moved regularly are much better than shooting even though I also do enjoy shooting the flying rats i don't pretend its a solution unless you make sitting in a hide a full time job

Badshot · Oct 12, 2017

I've never seen so many acorns as this year. I doubt I'll see many pigeons before Christmas.
And as the rape looks like being above the knee by then I'm not sure I'll have to worry too much.

Headland Harry · Oct 13, 2017

Clive said:
I think shooting makes the problem worse, shooters come with loads of kits to attract them that is very effective these days

greta while they are sat in the field but on days they are not the pigeons keep coming and eat undisturbed, they are pretty habitual creatures that once they have found a filed they like keep going at it

Rope and gas bangers, kites etc moved regularly are much better than shooting even though I also do enjoy shooting the flying rats i don't pretend its a solution unless you make sitting in a hide a full time job

I agree, although it is not so much that 'shooting makes the (pigeon) problem worse' but that the often sporadic behaviour of pigeon shooters doesn't help.
Pigeons will go where they want and no amount of decoy toys can change that.
Well sited and well maintained gas guns offer far more than any shooter but they are only part of the solution. Human presence on a field is a good deterrent, in winter just have your would-be-shooters take regular walks about the tram lines in exchange for drilling and combining info.
It's all a question of management !!

Kiwi Pete · Oct 13, 2017

Brisel said:
Stubble shooting is great but the pigeons are so scattered that they are hard to shoot in decent numbers. They eat oilseed rape crops in winter as a last resort after stubbles, beech mast, acorns etc are exhausted. I’ve found spring peas in April/May and old topped off maize strips best in Feb to concentrate them into a smaller area.

Seconded, have had an amazing number materialise from nowhere, to inspect my spring pea crop... didn't know so many existed, a few less now!

JCMaloney · Oct 13, 2017

Metal detectorists going up & down the tram lines................... win win.....

A lot of wosr will be vulnerable to pigeons

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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