Shooting Times & Country

School assignment: pest pigeon control

It would be fair to say that for many the laid crops — and laid barley in particular — have not come to fruition this year. On the upside, this is good news for the farmer. However, the crops in many counties have been poor due to dry weather. It’s one of the reasons for crops not flattening. There’s been no weight in the heads and the crops are stunted in growth. This hasn’t got rid of the pesky pigeon; it’s simply made it trickier to control their numbers by shooting.

Last year there was an incredible draw to standing wheat and it’s been very much the same this year. The first stubbles of 2019, especially rape, didn’t shoot properly due to the obsessive behaviour of pigeon on wheat. At last year’s Game Fair, deputy editor Ed Wills and I sat

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