Yorkshire Lad

I thought I'd share my findings with some new deeks. My old flocked decoys were tired so it was time to look for some replacements. I decided on the enforcer decoys, pricy yes but I've had my last set for 5/6 years and they get used most weekends sometimes twice if I get the time so they'll get well used. Shooting over drillings the day was slow with only a few pigeons coming for a passing fly-by of the pattern with zero willing to decoy. 4 hours with 2 crows and a pigeon to show for it. Not great. The new decoys I'd order had been delivered since I'd left so as home was only a few minutes away and without the risk of missing much action I went home to collect them to give them a go for an hour or two before calling it a day. I brought in 20 flocked decoys shown in the picture and set out 12 of the new enforcer shells. The difference was noticeable immediately. I shot 14 pigeons in just under 2 hours with a few misses which for the day was a good result and a far better end to the day than what the start had been. I don't know if this is due to the effectiveness of the new or the ineffectiveness of the old but the improvement was noticeable. Credit where credit is due they certainly did the job. This could be the added movement of the spring sticks or the colouring, I suspect it's both. For comparison here's a photo of the old shell, new shells and a dead bird. Makes me wonder how many hours I've spent in the hide shooting over a pattern that wasn't really pulling them in!

I've just spotted this gem in the new GL26 taken from the 'Diversionary Feeding' section of preventing damage to gamebirds.  Animal by-products legislation does not allow food to be used that would otherwise be used for human consumption, and therefore excludes any animal that has been kept by man, including any fallen stock. Wild animals such as rabbits, game birds, grey squirrels or deer can be used (unless any have been reared for human consumption). To protect gamebirds (in NE's eyes) it is better to kill a gamebird and then to use the carcass to feed crows rather than to shoot the crow. Unless the game bird was to be eaten by a human once killed.....

Reading the news articles and the comments posted on the articles its clear just how much misinformation and misunderstanding is being published on seemingly reputable platforms through news articles, reports and interviews and then repeated as gospel by the readers, viewers and listeners. Taking woodpigeon in isolation - The RSPB & NE (along with other bodies/trusts) estimates a 134% increase in woodpigeon in the 41 years between 1970 and 2011 and 40% increase in the 16 years between 1995 and 2011 and yet we have arguments about how the licences must be revoked for 'conservation' and no one is challenging them in a meaningful way, I am struggling to see what it is in this example that needs conserving. It seems that the argument from the other side is a fluid thing that changes to suit the conversation with the only constant being the anti shooting undertone. RSPB and co. study - https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/documents/conservation-science/state-of-the-uks-birds_2013.pdf

Thanks for the input chaps, I've ordered am FF5 from Nick, I think I'll pick up one of the bouncers too. Whereabouts in the North East are you based Hawkeye?

Good afternoon gents, first time post here so please go easy. First of all Hi, I'm Dan from North Yorkshire! I'd appreciate your thoughts on this. I'm looking for the next piece of equipment (to lug across fields!) and I'm torn between a flapper or a pair of bouncers with flying decoys that I see a few members of PW produce. From what I see I can pick either up for around £60-70 and I'm interested to know which you'd buy first if you could choose one. Or if you do have both which you use most. I generally use a setup of 15-20 flocked shells and a rotary if the pigeons are agreeable. If they're spooked by it I'll leave it out but turned off. I'd like the next purchase to be lighter as I don't have a 4x4 and all of my permissions include a good wall across fields. Thanks in advance! Dan