Pea shooters

The peas are in.? It was the call I had been waiting for through the dark winter days, sitting in a cold hide looking at seas of oilseed rape for meagre bags. Finally spring had arrived and spring drilling was underway. As well as peas there would be barley, beans and maybe a bit of wheat, all manna from heaven to the pigeon that had been surviving on greenery for months.

Now will be my chance to turn the tables on our greatest sporting bird, now I will feel the sun on my back as the days lengthen and the odds turn in my favour.

Now I can really get stuck in and shoot some pigeon. For years, spring drilling has held a fascination for me; it has long been a time I look forward to. But will it live up to my expectations?

Gone are the days when drag tine drills left more seed on the top than they got into the ground. Modern drills are efficient at getting all the grain into the ground at the right depth, leaving nothing to attract winged pests. The old saying ?One for the pigeon, one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow? no longer holds true, as modern farming leaves nothing to chance.