The all-round crop for the passionate shooter
Shooting Times & Country|May 31, 2023
Tom Payne heads out on to his much-loved peas this month, but tough conditions keep him working hard to build up the final bag
The all-round crop for the passionate shooter

You’ve heard me say plenty of times that peas are a fantastic all-around crop for the enthusiastic pigeon shooter. From drilling to harvest, if you manage the crop protection over peas correctly, they can reward you with multiple outings.

There has recently been quite a decline in peas being grown in some places. They are not the easiest crop to take through to harvest and can be an absolute nightmare to combine. Add to that the potential for poor yields and you can understand the unwillingness to grow them.

However, partly because of the decline in winter oilseed rape being grown from 2019 to 2021, farmers have had to find a viable break crop to replace it. And so the humble pea, this all-rounder of a pigeon crop, has seen a resurgence, much to the excitement of lots of shooting people.

Switching on

However, I have a theory about new crops in areas that previously didn’t grow them. I believe it takes up to three years for a pigeon population to switch on to a new food source. There will be lots of you I imagine who have recently gained a crop such as peas on your permissions, but I suspect some of you won’t have seen much pigeon action over them yet. But once a pigeon population does switch on to a valuable food source, they will certainly dial in to it, to the extent that they will almost seem to be waiting for it. It’s like ducks and ponds — they come to know.

Esta historia es de la edición May 31, 2023 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 31, 2023 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