Decoying on Ex Syndicate Land

[Suffolk shooter]

Yesterday myself , MC and a couple of others went Decoying on the land of the syndicate that I got thrown out of along with the Keeper who jacked. (Before others comment about armed trespasss etc. etc. We had permission from the estate owner).

 

W arrived at the farm yard at 7.00am, and promptly loaded everything into the estates landrover and drove over to the far side of the estate, where the rape was being grown. As we pulled in to the small barn and yard there and went round the back the small rape field exploded with pigeons taking off all over the place, flighting into the next field over.

 

We thought we were on to a winner here, so promptly set about setting up two hides one either side of the field with the decoys and a magnet out. MC and one of the guys sharde the hide, whilst I had the Newly voted shoot captain (For those of you that have followed this story, I tell it shortly), and the re-appointed Game Keeper in mine.

 

Not long after setting up, MC had some action with birds to the Magnet, and managed two from four. ANd then it went dead. Whilst waiting there, we had the pleasure of 6 roe deer come through the hedge on our side and trot into the middle of the field and then come down the centre between us, ignoring the hides and the Magnet altogether. I was remarking to the Keeper on the lack of Pheasants around, when one burst through the hedge scared by something and flew towards MC's Hide. I joked and said MC will have that, when up pooped this head to mount on it, realising in time that it was a pheasant. I have to add here that he did have the low sun in his eyes at this point.

 

BAsically, come 11.30 we had only seen 5-6 birds so decided to up sticks and move to the other side of the Estyate, where there were two woods in the hope that there would be some action as birds flighted between, and it meant we were also close by for the planned evenings roost shoot.

 

Started off well, getting hide(s) set up on the corner of a wood with Magnet out between us. It wasn't long before birds could be seen close by. and through the rest of the day we had birds coming over in ones and twos mostly but every now and again larger flocks would appear, all the birds were high though as there was very little wind and the sun had been out all day. We all had shots at some slightly lower birds (Still high though).

 

Roost shooting in the evening was pretty tame, birds flighting higf over the tree tops, with the odd one or two alighting, but no real action.

 

Total bag was four pigeon, two squirrel and unfortunately one cock pheasant pegged by the keeper's dog, which we al though was a rabbit until the dog bought it over, as it ran along the ground in near darkness and eevn squealed like a rabbit, no wingbeats/ flapping or calling. Shame, but sometimes these things happen.

 

 

With all decided that the roost shooting shouldn't be done until its windy, so roll on those windy nights.

 

SS

[Cranfield]

Roost shooting is definitely much better on windy afternoons, as it brings the birds down level with the top of the trees, they don't seem to hear the shots and they are anxious to get into the trees.

 

Some of the worse days I have had on good fields, is when I try to make a "social" out of the day.

That means another hide on the field and more than one gun in a hide.

 

Only the largest of fields can normally support more than one hide and its better to spread the guns over as large an area as possible, increasing the chances of keeping the birds moving.

 

At least you got some fresh air and kept your "foot in the door".

[Highlander]

We thought we were on to a winner here, so promptly set about setting up two hides one either side of the field with the decoys and a magnet out. MC and one of the guys sharde the hide, whilst I had the Newly voted shoot captain (For those of you that have followed this story, I tell it shortly), and the re-appointed Game Keeper in mine.

 

With all decided that the roost shooting shouldn't be done until its windy, so roll on those windy nights.

 

SS

 

Me playing devils advocate...'so promptly set about' should have waited and watched to establish the flightline HOWEVER even that might not have done you any good as 'all decided that the roost shooting shouldn't be done until its windy' it's not just roost shooting that you need wind for.

The description could apply to pretty much every field of rape around here at the moment. Big flocks of birds hitting a field for half an hour or until they're disturbed then off to pastures new. No wind so they just tree sit until they get peckish then out again to feed but not where you've set up! Hey ho that's pigeon shooting and at least you had a day out in the fresh air!

[Suffolk shooter]

Highlander,

 

You're quite right, but unfortunately this wasn't so much about getting huge bags, more about the fact that we could shoot on the Estate again after the recent events.

 

With regards to watching the flightlines, I set up the hide so that we had somewhere to sit as initially looked promising, with a few birds flighting in, but not a lot. MC had the Magnet the other side and up abit from us and they got the birds over them. Again not many, but some.

 

I spent time looking for birds flying and noting possible flightlines, but there didn't seem to be any pattern to those birds I did see. MC had his bino's and he didn't see many either.

 

The position we we're in gave us an almost 360 degree view of the estate and surrounding farm land, and no large numbers of pigeon could be seen anywhere. With regards to the Windless conditions, I knew that we weren't going to get good sport. But this day had been arranged so all could make it, and "you pays your money and you takes your choice".

 

It was certainly nice to get out for the fresh air, and get the opportunity to (attempt to) shoot the pigeons, and the company and craic more than made up for it. Maybe next time eh?!?!?!

 

SS