What are the best times of the year for agricultural, small game hunting and pest control?

Well, that’s a difficult one to answer and truly cannot be summed up in just one or two months of the year.

Each month and more specifically, each season has its unique pros and cons.

September.

We are now in full harvest season.

Everything from pigeon shooting to all the other pest control responsibilities start to intensify as I try and control the vermin before winter sets in.

In addition, a number of crops still need to be harvested, such as the fruit trees and bushes.

The grain barns and mills are now being attacked by rats and feral pigeons.

My night work rapidly increases, especially with rabbit control as there will be crops being sewn soon, therefore there is a necessity to get the numbers under control in certain areas that I struggle to cover when the crops are standing.

September also sees the beginning of the wildfowling season, so many of us enjoy harvesting some wildfowl meat for the kitchen, this is not pest control, but one of my oldest farming traditions.

October. 

Along comes October and I have started harvesting the maize.

This offers a great chance to start getting on top of the vermin and pests within this area, protecting the soon to be drilled winter wheat from the Corvid’s (crow family) and the wood pigeon.

My night shoots similarly to September become more frequent, with the .22 rimfire alongside my ELEY Subs certainly earning their keep. October also sees traditional ferreting on rabbit control jobs.

This month, all the previously mentioned pest control methods yet again are in full swing, in preparation to slow the advance of the pests to the farms and out buildings. This occurs due to the colder weather setting in, effecting local ecosystems and habitats.

Winter is coming!