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14 July 2011
Dear All,
Very strong pigeon numbers for the last fortnight, with areas of flat wheat being hammered by hundreds of birds. What’s more, the rape harvest is about to begin, so I think we’re sure to see good shooting from now until the end of our season on 31st August. Over the past ten days, we’ve had two teams of three and four guns who have shot over 500 cartridges. Not bad.
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03 June 2011
Dear All,
Weathermen refer to June 1st as the first day of summer, and we’re now seeing substantial pigeon numbers on the Estate. Most of the damage is occurring on the peas, which are still no more than about 6” high due to the drought, and with the largest numbers being seen in the late afternoon/early evening period. Birds are still showing interest in the edges of rape fields, as well as in crops bordering the reservoirs, where they have safe access to the edge of the water to enable them to drink.
Too early to tell for sure, but it seems likely that the rape harvest will start in about four weeks time – during the first week of July, but this will be delayed if the heavens open sometime soon.
Finally, well done to Michael T and two friends who accounted for 90 birds this afternoon.
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08 April 2011
Dear All,
We are planting peas today, and this is likely to attract pigeons strongly for a week or two. If you wish to visit between today and Tuesday 19th April, please call Brian Masters on 07926 384 426. After 19th April, please call Tom Lewis on 07802 609 661.
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02 February 2011
Dear All,
The 2011 pigeon season has started strongly with some huge flocks feeding on the Estate’s rape crops – so we’re anticipating a much stronger pigeon season than last year. In addition, the Estate will be planting peas later on in the Spring. I will post an entry on this website as soon as we know planting dates, etc.
Regular visitors will have noticed that the price of Assisted Days has gone up while our Independent Days have remained unchanged in price for the third year running. I hope this will encourage as many of our visitors as possible to invest in their own equipment and become, so to speak, independent. I hope you agree that at £50 plus VAT, our Independent Days reamin a very cheap day-out.
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25 July 2010
Dear All,
Well, the harvest has started – most unusually with the wheat being ready before the rape – and the pigeons are present in alarmingly large numbers. Last Saturday, Bambos shot 73 on a day of blustery high winds over standing wheat. And on Friday and Saturday, we entertained a team of 8 Guns with wives and children from France under the captaincy of Michael T. This was the first time we’d entertained such a large team, and I’m delighted to say that it was a great success, with an absolutely blistering day on Friday which went on until 8.30pm and good solid performances on Saturday, latterly over wheat stubble. We again used the shoot’s Unimog gun bus to take the team out to the hides and bring them home in the evenings. If you’re looking for a venue that can handle pigeon shooting for a large team with a high level of organization, then please call me, Tom Lewis, on +44 7802 609 661.
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04 July 2010
Dear All,
Well, the birds have finally arrived - in huge numbers - and it's still at least three weeks before the rape harvest and four weeks before the wheat comes in. I'm amazed at the sudden turnaround in what has thus far been a poor season. I'd say there are more birds around than during the comparable period last year - feeding mainly on areas of flat wheat. Please remember that the pigeon season at Morghew ends on 31st August.
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11 June 2010
Dear All,
You don't need me to tell you that 2010 has so far seen relatively small pigeon numbers across the whole of the south east of England. That said, numbers are slowly increasing on the Estate, as the wheat is now in ear, and after last night's torrential rain, which was a Godsend for the potatoes, we also sadly have our first areas of flat wheat.
Having spoken to Brian Masters at length, it seems very likely that pigeon numbers on the Estate will increase dramatically over the months of July and August, as we get into the rape and wheat harvests.
I hope to update this report every week until the end of August, when we finish with pigeons and let David Carr and his team make a start on his driven shooting.
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