How do I avoid dropping pigeon into standing crops?

I detest the thought of losing birds but don?t want to damage growing wheat by trampling about looking for them.

Pigeon shooting
PETER THEOBALD
Clearly, if you are shooting over very small laid patches, you must expect to suffer losses in retrieved birds, but often, you can arrange things on larger patches, and with a little discipline, to only drop birds where they can be collected.

Having never owned a retrieving dog, I have learned over the years to ignore birds I know I have no chance of retrieving.

Your kill average will also improve because you will cut out those wild, speculative second barrel shots.