Captain Bogardus

Looks like you had a great day,well done! In contrast, on SaturdayI guarded 50 hectares of peas that were just breaking through. Sussed where they were feeding late Friday afternoon and the farm manager confirmed there were "loads of pigeon" feeding at 7.30 am, 12.30am and 2.30 on the Friday. Anyway you've probably guessed by now that despite a 7am start and all the kit etc I fired 4 shots and packed up after 3 hours! That's pigeon shooting.

I have switched to a 5 pole roofed hide as described by John Batley in his book The Pigeon Shooter. OK it restricts you if you try for those high overhead birds, but it's better for everything else. The pigeons just don't seem to see you and you have lots of room for shooting. You can build it exactly the same each time which is another bonus, you get it right and don't have to adapt to a new hide/setup every time you go out.

Bet it's McFly !!!!!!

I think some of you are talking at cross purposes. The instructions for Silosock decoys and Silosock Hypa Flaps are different. With the Hypa Flaps you change the carbon wing spars to control the wing flap relative to the wind. In light winds use the thin black spars in stronger winds use the brown (thicker) spars, no gluing. They work and look very good on a bouncer and weigh next to nothing. If I havn't got any dead pigeons for the magnet I start with the Hypa Flaps then put them on the bouners once I have shot a couple of birds for the magnet. Hope this helps.

Hi Joe, we all go through this from time to time so don't worry! I try to improve the shooting process by standardising my hide set up to allow plenty of room with a good background. If you get it right you will be able to stand up and take your shots smoothly and get into a rythm. If you crouch down in a tiny hide and then rush up and snatch your shots then you will never be consistent. After years of using conventional net hides I am now sold on the 5 pole roofed in designs that you will find in John Batleys book "The Pigeon Shooter" they just don't see you in these and they are very roomy. Try to arrange peep holes in the netting so that you can get a clear view of the birds and don't lose focus on them when you stand up.Good advice from others here on the forum, stick to 1/4 choke with 6-7 shot and you will have a good pattern out to 40yds. The markers at 35yds are a good idea, if you take your shots at normal decoying range of 25-35 yds then you can be confident that you have a lethal pattern with these chokes/shot sizes. Straight Powder!