bg55599 Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 im trying to move across from clays to pigeons, I have got lots of land sorted and i can see plenty of bird out there munching away on the rape, how important is it to have hide/decoys to get a good days shooting in. I imagine a few shots and they will all move off if they havent already when they see you! any tips much appreciated. also what sort of hide / decoys would be best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 im trying to move across from clays to pigeons, I have got lots of land sorted and i can see plenty of bird out there munching away on the rape, how important is it to have hide/decoys to get a good days shooting in. I imagine a few shots and they will all move off if they havent already when they see you! any tips much appreciated. also what sort of hide / decoys would be best For a good days shooting it is very important, unless you can get under a flightline in a wood. It is not just the case of building a hide and putting out some decoys though, on odd occasions this can work but to consistently shoot good bags of pigeons it is important to study and understand flightlines. Keeping a diary is very important and a lot of information can be gathered in a short time that will help improve your days sport. Pay attention to details such as weather, wind direction and strength, time of day, date, crop and what state the crop is in, ie standing wheat, laid barley, drilled Pigeons will use a flightline to enter a field and hours spent watching is very important to identify the flightline and at what time it starts and stops and in which wind direction they favour. Once identified it is then up to your field craft. Can you build a hide under the flightline ?? is there a nearby tree that the pigeons are using before dropping in etc. It also pays to watch a field of feeding pigeons and see how they are coming in, from which direction, how they group on the floor etc. All this will help you become a better and more consistent pigeon shooter mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 im trying to move across from clays to pigeons, I have got lots of land sorted and i can see plenty of bird out there munching away on the rape, how important is it to have hide/decoys to get a good days shooting in. I imagine a few shots and they will all move off if they havent already when they see you! any tips much appreciated. also what sort of hide / decoys would be best For a good days shooting it is very important, unless you can get under a flightline in a wood. It is not just the case of building a hide and putting out some decoys though, on odd occasions this can work but to consistently shoot good bags of pigeons it is important to study and understand flightlines. Keeping a diary is very important and a lot of information can be gathered in a short time that will help improve your days sport. Pay attention to details such as weather, wind direction and strength, time of day, date, crop and what state the crop is in, ie standing wheat, laid barley, drilled Pigeons will use a flightline to enter a field and hours spent watching is very important to identify the flightline and at what time it starts and stops and in which wind direction they favour. Once identified it is then up to your field craft. Can you build a hide under the flightline ?? is there a nearby tree that the pigeons are using before dropping in etc. It also pays to watch a field of feeding pigeons and see how they are coming in, from which direction, how they group on the floor etc. All this will help you become a better and more consistent pigeon shooter mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lez325 Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 what he said Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soreshoulder Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 to start off with i would order the basics, (or if your loaded order everything ) like some shell decoys and some hide netting and poles. These are the real essentials then you can build up you pigeon decoy equipment with flappers and magnet or silo socks. i suggest you should buy. 12 shell decoys with spring sticks 4x hide poles (can be bought cheaply from Wilkinsons as 'washing line props') Stealth camouflage netting or the likes - ex MOD netting A seat - a bucket or something with a lid so you can sit down in the hide and also store your decoys in it. 3x floaters (if you can afford) for #30 from our site sponsor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 im trying to move across from clays to pigeons, I have got lots of land sorted and i can see plenty of bird out there munching away on the rape, how important is it to have hide/decoys to get a good days shooting in. I imagine a few shots and they will all move off if they havent already when they see you! any tips much appreciated. also what sort of hide / decoys would be best Some good advice already given; but since you already have the hardest thing to get, that's the land, why not offer someone with good experience and their own decoying equipment an opportunity to come to your land, and in return for some pigeon shooting to offer to show you the ropes. In truth pigeon shooting is not something you can learn overnight or after one day of tuition, but good advice from an experienced person will set you in the right direction. As far as purchasing the right equipment, every person will give you a different opinion. Theres lots to read on the forum, read as much as you can find using the search facility and you will notice trends, good things and bad regarding equipment. This way you can decide yourself what to start with. My advice or tips are as follows: 1 WEIGHT, decoying can involve loads of equipment, and lugging loads of weight across muddy fields is no fun. Always think about saving weight when purchasing anything. Even saving ounces on individual pieces of kit pays off when you have loads of it. 2 SIZE, again with having loads of gear, saving space is essential when you don't want to make multiple trips from the car to your shooting spot. Most people choose shells over full body decoys, or Silosocks are very light and take up little space in the kit bag. 3 HIDE, a decent set of poles (start at £40) are strong and light, yes many people use washing line poles but from personal experience and having used both, there is no comparison between the two. 4 NET, something that folds down small with a good pattern, 2 Ply Stealth net always gets good reviews, I've tried a few types and I personally like this one in conjunction with a Clearview net. I find these two nets covers every scenario throughout the year. 5 SEAT, something comfy for the hide as you will spend hours on the thing. I like the bucket seat as it doubles up for dry storage as well, and goes in the bottom of my holdall taking up no extra room. 6 CLOTHING, loads to choose from very cheap at army surplus stores to very expensive, go with what you can afford, again loads of reviews here on the forum using the search facility. Most importantly, be safe and enjoy the sport giving your quarry all the respect it deserves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 Some good advice already given; but since you already have the hardest thing to get, that's the land, why not offer someone with good experience and their own decoying equipment an opportunity to come to your land, and in return for some pigeon shooting to offer to show you the ropes. In truth pigeon shooting is not something you can learn overnight or after one day of tuition, but good advice from an experienced person will set you in the right direction. As far as purchasing the right equipment, every person will give you a different opinion. Theres lots to read on the forum, read as much as you can find using the search facility and you will notice trends, good things and bad regarding equipment. This way you can decide yourself what to start with. My advice or tips are as follows: 1 WEIGHT, decoying can involve loads of equipment, and lugging loads of weight across muddy fields is no fun. Always think about saving weight when purchasing anything. Even saving ounces on individual pieces of kit pays off when you have loads of it. 2 SIZE, again with having loads of gear, saving space is essential when you don't want to make multiple trips from the car to your shooting spot. Most people choose shells over full body decoys, or Silosocks are very light and take up little space in the kit bag. 3 HIDE, a decent set of poles (start at £40) are strong and light, yes many people use washing line poles but from personal experience and having used both, there is no comparison between the two. 4 NET, something that folds down small with a good pattern, 2 Ply Stealth net always gets good reviews, I've tried a few types and I personally like this one in conjunction with a Clearview net. I find these two nets covers every scenario throughout the year. 5 SEAT, something comfy for the hide as you will spend hours on the thing. I like the bucket seat as it doubles up for dry storage as well, and goes in the bottom of my holdall taking up no extra room. 6 CLOTHING, loads to choose from very cheap at army surplus stores to very expensive, go with what you can afford, again loads of reviews here on the forum using the search facility. Most importantly, be safe and enjoy the sport giving your quarry all the respect it deserves. Very good advice and you could add reading about it in books like Archie Coates wrote. There are quite a few to choose from. GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 Some good advice already given; but since you already have the hardest thing to get, that's the land, why not offer someone with good experience and their own decoying equipment an opportunity to come to your land, and in return for some pigeon shooting to offer to show you the ropes. In truth pigeon shooting is not something you can learn overnight or after one day of tuition, but good advice from an experienced person will set you in the right direction. As far as purchasing the right equipment, every person will give you a different opinion. Theres lots to read on the forum, read as much as you can find using the search facility and you will notice trends, good things and bad regarding equipment. This way you can decide yourself what to start with. My advice or tips are as follows: 1 WEIGHT, decoying can involve loads of equipment, and lugging loads of weight across muddy fields is no fun. Always think about saving weight when purchasing anything. Even saving ounces on individual pieces of kit pays off when you have loads of it. 2 SIZE, again with having loads of gear, saving space is essential when you don't want to make multiple trips from the car to your shooting spot. Most people choose shells over full body decoys, or Silosocks are very light and take up little space in the kit bag. 3 HIDE, a decent set of poles (start at £40) are strong and light, yes many people use washing line poles but from personal experience and having used both, there is no comparison between the two. 4 NET, something that folds down small with a good pattern, 2 Ply Stealth net always gets good reviews, I've tried a few types and I personally like this one in conjunction with a Clearview net. I find these two nets covers every scenario throughout the year. 5 SEAT, something comfy for the hide as you will spend hours on the thing. I like the bucket seat as it doubles up for dry storage as well, and goes in the bottom of my holdall taking up no extra room. 6 CLOTHING, loads to choose from very cheap at army surplus stores to very expensive, go with what you can afford, again loads of reviews here on the forum using the search facility. Most importantly, be safe and enjoy the sport giving your quarry all the respect it deserves. Spot on advice BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 As all the above really. I got a great book on pigeon shooting.....highly recommend on here, but cant remember the name/author! Was on offer with Amazon. Out of interest, where you got your permissions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevor8262 Posted January 7, 2010 Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hi m8 if you nead a hand one day i could show you how to let me know willing to help Trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg55599 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2010 I run a garage and have a few farmers who are good customers who have said i can shoot their land for pigeons. got some in elmswell and some towards stanton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 the book I read was the John Batley one. Easy to read and pretty to the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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