Where can you find a pigeon paradise?
Shooting Times & Country|May 20, 2020
You need lots of arable, plenty of woodland and an abundance of birds but which is the best pigeon shooting county, wonders Tom Payne
Tom Payne
Where can you find a pigeon paradise?

Where’s the best place to go pigeon shooting, Tom?” is a question frequently asked of me down the pub or on gun buses throughout the season. It’s not an easy one to answer because there are so many factors at play and they constantly change. I’m fortunate enough to shoot pigeon in many different counties; by no means all — I’ve never tackled a Hebridean pigeon — but I shoot in most counties that suffer significant pigeon damage.

Instead of looking at this from a shooting point of view, for now I will first assess farming practices, habitat and urbanisation, which play a major role with regards to the woodpigeon populations of an area. Arable farming has played into the hands, figuratively speaking, of this most formidable agricultural enemy by offering a multitude of food sources all year round.

Food sources

Everything from winter crops such as oilseed rape to the huge amount of grain grown in the summer, are not only good food sources but they are vital in terms of birds being able to produce pigeon milk for young in their peak breeding months.

Areas that feature vast amounts of peas will always become pigeon hotspots due to the all-round food source the crop provides, from drilling to harvest. This is great for the pigeon and the pigeon shooter — but not so much for the farmer.

The major arable areas of England are the south-east, East Anglia and the East Midlands. These parts of the country hold huge populations of woodpigeon and I would be happy to almost guarantee that the bulk of the English woodpigeon population will be found in these areas.

Esta historia es de la edición May 20, 2020 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 20, 2020 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYVer todo
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

United we stand

Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

They're not always as easy as they seem

While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition

In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make

time-read
4 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

A step too far?

Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work

time-read
6 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

Two bucks before breakfast

A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem

time-read
6 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 02, 2023