motty

Advice - practise on clays.

I think the most important question has remained unanswered. Have the birds been feeding on the field? If they haven't been, then i'm not surprised at your lack of sport. All the decoys in the world and the best laid out pattern won't often pull birds in if they are feeding elsewhere. I take it they haven't been on there, or you (Mr R) would have had a better idea where to set up. Also, what crop is on there?

I personally don't think strong winds are an advantage when decoying.

That's what i would do, too. I use my magnets more than my flappers, and i would say i have a much higher success rate with the magnets. I believe magnets are far better at attracting a pigeon's attention.

Are you being serious? His dog can't fly!

I agree that ANY cartridge will not make anyone shoot better. However, if they do have the velocity that is claimed, it may make sure that any birds that are shot are hit harder, thus giving better kills.

You don't say why you don't like an o/u or semi. I personally wouldn't waste my time trying to find an ideal sxs, i would go for one of the many semi autos out there or find a suitable o/u. I wasn't that keen on semis before i got one, now i love them and have both a 3 1/2" 12 and 10 bore.

We did have a drought!

Far too many people get hung up on patterns and magnet placement etc. These things really don't matter too much in the grand scheme of things. What really matters is that you are shooting on a field where the pigeons really want to feed.

Nice one Jules. Was that a recent outing?

Well done! I'm sure you'll want to go out and do it again in the morning.

Ah, you live in March. I've shot some 100+ bags less than 10 miles from there. Don't be fooled into thinking a lack of woods means a lack of pigeons. You are in a decent pigeon area.

I shoot over 100 fairly regularly and try to shoot as many big bags as possible. I enjoy doing this and am not ashamed to say that sometimes shooting 20-30 has been a bit of a waste of time. This isn't to say that some memorable bags of that number haven't been had by myself. I don't think it's that rare at all to shoot over 100 birds per day. I know of a hell of a lot of people to do this that never get mentioned on this forum. To shoot big bags consistently takes - good pigeon areas, the right crops at the right times, good pigeon shooting knowledge and the ability to shoot straight.

You say you shoot on the foreshore 5- 10 times a year, but you're out once or twice a week. That means you go a hell of a lot inland.Aside from bag limits or excess, do you not get a little bored with it all? I shot 2 pinks this morning and one mallard on the shore. I may have shot another pink or two given the chance and maybe a couple more duck, and as i already have plenty of pinks to pluck, i would have called it a day at that.

Normal rules for high performance steel loads apply, that's all.

I very much doubt that the rain changed your day. I'll bet those last couple of hours would have been busy, regardless of the weather.

Come off it! The first bird was picked out from the tail end of the group. The second shot was hardly what i'd call shooting into a flock. I'm sure just one bird was expected to fall, but two came down.I have done this a few times, myself. All birds were retrieved no problem. The man did nothing wrong.

30 on sunday - rape. Total - 15368

I have shot greys and canadas over decoys once or twice, shooting less than 15 birds between 2-3 guns per flight. I would certainly not do it often, as i have to find a home for the birds and the chance doesn't come along too often. On the foreshore, i may shoot up to 6 pinks if i had people who wanted them. Right now i have 4 pinks in my fridge and if i go out after them again soon, that may have a bearing on how many i choose to harvest.

Totally agree with this. For years i was fixated on 32gm 6 for pigeon, sometimes even buying 36gm! Then cartridge prices started to rise steeply and i tried other options. I soon found that an ounce of 7.5 would easily take care of a 40 yard pigeon and therefore are mustard on 40 yard partridge. I don't shoot many pheasants, but have no problem in using a size 7 on them, unless it's a high bird shoot - but then i'm talking 60+ yards- which i probably wouldn't want to do anyway.

I think the point that Grandalf is trying to make is that it is much nicer to read the story behind the pile of dead birds and not just a picture - like you did the other day with your write up about the greylag flight.

Is that 48gm of steel? If it is, i would love to know the recipe as i can't find anything over 42gm that can be pushed at 1400fps through a 12. Did you buy the gun at an auction by any chance?

I recently had an extremely poor flight recently as far as my shooting was concerned. If anyone has seen Muncher's 'Evening pinkfoot flight' in the video section, you may hear a few other shots. I was 150 yards to his right. I must have had as many shots as him, but while he came off with 5 pinks i could only manage to plane a bird out behind me (which i didn't find). I walked back along the sea wall after the flight feeling totally gutted.

Those loads will do fine for pheasants and pigeons.

I've only had four pinks, this season, so far. Maybe i'll get a few under the moon...