Pigeons scarce???

Mezamo

Lads,
I was just wondering if the North East is the only spot where pigeons are scarce at the moment... Lots of stuff cut but nothing really on the fields or flying about. Is it the same all over???

Tawny Owl

Plenty down where I live near the Curragh, and a lot of fields cut they may just be feeding else where for the moment, its very mild and plenty of food around.

J.R.

Plenty here in South Dublin & North Kildare as well.

One shot on kill

I'm seeing a fair few pigeons but alot of crows I mean nearly every field.

1shot16

One shot on kill wrote: »

I'm seeing a fair few pigeons but alot of crows I mean nearly every field.

Alot of crows here hardly any pigeons and magpies are extinct

Tawny Owl

Yeah agree 100's of Crows and lots of the greys too.

Cork24

Theirs great amount of pigeons around the country side, waiting for the corn to be cut,

I don't shot crows so still waiting for the corn to be cut

vapour_trail

Im in the North East , was out today to try decoy a few pigeons and there was none at all. Drove round for a good hour scoping out a few places and there was nothing worth setting up the hide for Good news for the farmers I suppose !

cookimonster

South Dublin and Meath producing good results. We are shooting them over cut and fallen grain.

Are the fields cut yet or is there any storm damage. The birds will travel to convenient food source.

Cracking up earlier this year as they ignored my permission in favour for one field over the road covered in clover which I can't shoot

Cork24

You could hunt at night when there in the trees

Birdnuts

The fields that attract the most pigeons are the ones where the crops are lodged ie. patches flattened by wind or rainstorms. This allows birds access into the crop. Without this they have difficulty landing in crops given the height/density of the likes of barley,corn etc. at this time of year, just prior harvesting.

The Aussie

Cork24 wrote: »

You could hunt at night when there in the trees

Sort of like shooting a Duck on the Pond.

Where would the sport come from there?

dodderangler

The Aussie wrote: »

Sort of like shooting a Duck on the Pond.

Where would the sport come from there?

shooting pigeons is great sport and a good test of hitting fast and high flying birds and tbh I don't think anyone would rather shoot them any other way.

anthonyos

I live in Kildare work in Dublin and have my permission in meath and I see loads of pigeons and crows everywhere and will be out this Saturday decoying..even when your driving on the m50 I see loads

shotie

noting here in tipp only the odd bird ,fields cut and still noting ,decoyed for hours and still noting moveing. fields wernt even attacked this year. like above we walked ,drove around checking out other fields that where cut and others a waiting to be cut and sweet F all around the place .i put it down to the wind turbine,s making a racket in the next fields scareing off birds coming in .we will see in another few weeks now will things pick up a bit .

1shot16

Tawny Owl wrote: »

Yeah agree 100's of Crows and lots of the greys too.

Dont have many greys leave em alone nice to c around tbh ... i noe they r protected by has anyone seen much ravens haven't seen one?

The Aussie

dodderangler wrote: »

shooting pigeons is great sport and a good test of hitting fast and high flying birds and tbh I don't think anyone would rather shoot them any other way.

I think you have gotten confused by my rhetorical question my friend.
Re-read the following again.

Cork24 wrote: »

You could hunt at night when there in the trees

The Aussie wrote: »

Sort of like shooting a Duck on the Pond.

Where would the sport come from there?

I was not asking where would the sport be in shooting Ducks on a Pond, the Ducks were an analogy.
I was wondering where would the sport be in Shooting Pigeons in Trees.

EireIceMan

Cork24 wrote: »

You could hunt at night when there in the trees

No, you cant.

Glenbulldog

F all around here too out the last two evenings nothing,so switched to the .22 for the last hour of each evening for a few rabbits

extremetaz

North kildare - massive numbers of crows and magpies, sod all pigeons.

dodderangler

The Aussie wrote: »

I think you have gotten confused by my rhetorical question my friend.
Re-read the following again.







I was not asking where would the sport be in shooting Ducks on a Pond, the Ducks were an analogy.
I was wondering where would the sport be in Shooting Pigeons in Trees.

I was adding onto your comment.
Basically to say there's only one way to shoot pigeons that's sporting

deeksofdoom

Thought I'ld resurrect this thread from earlier this month.

Is it just me or is there a total lack of pigeons around the East Cork /West Waterford area. Is it due to the harvest being late or is it due to a certain individuals who are shooting massive bags on daily basis over the last couple of years. Not only during the summer but during the winter too.

The only bit of shooting we've gotten is on crows, you might as well be shooting dogs its not as challenging as pigeons.

Anyone any opinions on this?

snipe02

Finding the same but getting bigger bags in the evenings they just seem really well scattered to me but numbers def down on other years maybe the dry spell wiped out some of this years young

Birdnuts

No shortage in these parts but there is a bumper berry and nut crop in the hedges and woods this year thanx to the hot summer. It seems pigeons are spending more time in these areas in smaller groups, then in large flocks over tillage crops.

johnny3

There wos a good few ere

cookimonster

Our bags are only getting bigger by the week, we are getting great decoying over cut grain. Some of the rape is being lifted and bringing in the birds but they are kamakzi on the stubble.
Pinched out 76 birds the other week and ended up with 9.5 kilos of stirfry in the freeze Out again this week end, if the swing is right hope to put another batch on ice;)

deeksofdoom

I was talking to talking to a guy this morning and the latest theory is - pigeons moved north during the warm weather. Lots of pigeons in Scotland and northern Ireland, so that ****s that.