Paddy

I'm getting fed up lugging all this gear around with me and am trying to lighten my load somewhat on each outing. The cartridges are in fact the heaviest but I guess I can't do without them! Will camouflage gear work as well as a hide with deacoys? It would be great to be able to leave the hide behind as I usually only have a couple of hours at a time - four young kids to look after! The hide entails the three poles, three metal spikes to go into the ground and a hammer! What is the minimun I can get away with? Also how many deaks do you guys use to start the ball rolling. I only have 7 woodie shells and 3 full body crow decoys, would more make a difference? Paddy

Shooting on Sunday morning about 8am I shot my first. I dispatched the bird, laid it out in the landing position and returned to the hide. As I returned I heard wing beats and a bird landing on the dry pea stalks. I grabbed my gun and popped my head over the hide. There, about 25 yards from me was a buzzard trying to grab the pigeon I had just shot! Needless to say I put the gun down and shooed him off! He perched in a local tree and sat and watched for a while. I noticed that there were a number of patches of feathers in the field where I am now presuming the bird had made a few kills earlier! Have any of you had similar experiences?

James I bought a new Lanber last year for clays - it's the 30" mc O/U and it's a great gun. I've out about 2,000 carts through it and expect it'll do for another few million, it just does'nt want to stop! One important thing though I had it fitted for me by a gunsmith - who also happens to be a retired cabinet maker who took 3/4" off the stock and shaped it for me. The difference was unbelieveable. I bought a S/S Sarasqueta ej. second hand, at the right price - 300 euros (less than 200 quid) and it's great for pigeons. I also had it fitted for me. I bought the cheaper gun for field work as I felt the Lanber may have been too heavy to lug around fields and I didn't want to damage it! Good luck with your new gun and do think to have it fitted for you. Paddy

I had my first real afternoon decoying on Friday and had 12 for two hours. The first hour I was the best pigeon scarer ever I had 20 shots for no birds! Then all of a sudden I couldn't miss. I had 12 birds for 15 shots and even one pair for both barrells! Anyway how do you butcher these birds? Any suggestions are welcome! Paddy

Hide for 30 quid Got a 10x5 camo net from Westcliff Army and Navy Surplus for about 25 pounds, three 2 foot long steel bars about 4 mm thick by 1 inch or so from a local welder for free and three 6 foot long wooden poles from a local wood shop for 2 pounds. Tied the camo net to the wooden poles with cable ties. I put sections of plastic trunking - the small rectangle stuff - two per pole about 8 inches apart with a stop made from so called "modesty blocks", on the wooden poles. The steel bars go in the ground and I slide the steel poles up the trunking until they hit the modesty blocks, to give a very solid fit. I can even rest the barrells of my gun on the poles if my arm gets tired! So a reasonably good hide - it works anyway - for under 30 quid

Sorry Guys I had this in the wring topic area - here it is in the proper place! Well guys I did it. Killed my first pigeon on Sunday morning! I had two hours in the field 7am - 9am and had 7 deeks, no hide - just backed into the ditch. It's amazing how good their eyesight is. Although I had plenty of "visitors" only one landed and he did so as soon as I put the deeks down and I hadn't even loaded the gun! It was raining fairly hard but I still had lots of interest but only one kill - he flew in over the ditch I was in and about three feet from landing decided there was something fishy and began his upward flight, at which time I took him out clean, with one barrel. The main flight line was coming towards me. No matter how much I tried to hide from both the pigeons and the rain they saw me well beyond my shotgun range - although I did use 20 shells just in case they were hitable - and they scurried off. I guess I'll have to invest in a hide! Any suggestions as to what to get? And what about other camo gear - is it all necessary?

What does everyone do with what you shoot? You can't possibly eat hundreds of pigeons and bunnies?

Well guys I did it. Killed my first pigeon on Sunday morning! I had two hours in the field 7 - 9am and had 7 deeks, no hide just backed into the ditch. It's amazing how good their eyesight is. Although I had plenty of "visitors" only one landed and he did so as soon as I put the deeks down and hadn't loaded the gun! It was raining and I had lots of interest but only one kill - he flew in over the ditch I was in and about three feet from landing decided there was something fishy and began his upward flight at which time I took him out clean, with one barrel. The main flight line was coming towards me. No matter how much I tried to hide from them and from the rain they saw me well beyond range - although I did use 20 shells just in case they were hitable - and they scurried off. I guess I'll have to invest in a hide! Any suggestions as to what to get? Pads.

So I guess I wasn't far off then! I hope to undertake my first outing this weekend. Just received my insurance and am meeting my "kind farmer" this evening, I have the deeks and with the wealth of knowledgd I have gained over the last few weeks reading the forum I hope to bag a few! Thanks for the help guys. I'll let you know ho I get on!

Hi Guys. I'm new to this pigeon shooting lark- excuse the pun! I'm normally a clay shooter and have an O/U for the job and have just bought a S/S for rough shooting - it's a Sarasqueta solely 'cause it was relatively cheap! Was I right or wrong to go for the S/S as the Lanber I have for clays is too heavy to lug through fields?