How did you start

[One shot wonder]

I was just wandering how all of you started pigeon

shooting and what was your first expereance of pigeon

shooting.  My first experiance of pigeon shooting was me and my dad out on some laid barly me with my single barrel 12bore

and my dad with his o/u baikal 12bore we didnt have any decoys or camo netting so we just sat in the hedge and laid out the dead birds as we shot them. I finnished the day with 7 and my dad had 9 this dosn't sound too bad but we did fire over 50 shots.

[Cranfield]

One shot, I was fortunate to have been born in the middle of nowhere.

The only things to do as a kid was to "hunt" and fish.

My first shotgun was a .410 at the age of about 10, but when I was 11, I was given a double 12 bore hammergun.

Both guns were very, very secondhand and not in the best of condition.

I started shooting pigeons with the 12 bore.

 

That was a time when farmers not only gave you the cartridges to shoot the pigeons with, some even gave you "pocket money".

Those were the days.  

[neil]

My first days of pigeon shooting were roost shooting with my uncle at about 10 i suppose,he used to take myself and my cousin, and we still do the same roostshoots in feb now.my first shooting,not counting catipults,bows and arrows etc :( was having an airifle as a christms present (about 8 or 9) so that i could join the localclub of which i was a member until the airifle section closed.I'm glad i was a member of the club as when i was there i did some .22lr pistol shooting,so atleast i can say i did it (before they banned them    :( )

[NGhost]

I started shooting at about 18 when I belonged to the english civil war society . I found that I could get supper by shooting ducks with the matchlock!

I then got a webly scot bolt action .410 that made it easyer.

The next year I rented a cottage on a small holding (rather big small holding) got more guns and started blasting the pigeons.

Nigel

[ernyha]

Got my first gun brand new on my birthday in 1962,which was of course the almost mandatory Webley&Scott bolt action .410.Still got it and by now it must have fired no more than 200 cartridges. Every gunshop has them for sale even now and I would love to know if anyone has any idea how many were produced.

[highdowns hunter]

I first started shooting with an air rifle when I was 13 year old

It was a relum tornado quite powerful in those days

It was quite normal to be able to walk around the streets with an uncovered gun

then I progressed to a 4.10  at 15 years  cost 30 shillings (£1.50) second hand old dont know the make but it was a single barrel folding type, once again it wasnt a problem for me to throw bread crusts into the field outside my house and shoot rooks from the front door bearing in mind that I lived in a house in the middle of a street overlooking a field

At 18 I bought a new double  baikal hammergun from the shooting times at the princely sum of £35

Pigeons were quite common in my area in those days and I had a friend whose family had always had guns, All of our spare time was spent shooting and fishing However I seem to remember that the most exciting times were the days and nights when we were poaching,

 

[MAJ]

My old man used to help out on the farm at harvest time, and part payment was a bit of rough and pigeon shooting. He had an old double barrel 12 bore, as well as a bolt action 410, and I was allowed to sit in the hide with him with the 410 across my knees ready to finish off any "cripples" as he called them. Mind you, he was a *****y good shot, so I didn't get too much action myself. Nevertheless, that was me hooked, and I'm looking forward to the day when my lad comes out with me.

[THE PREDATOR]

i started shooting pigeon about 20 years ago i used an old single barrel coey first, i became involved in shooting as soon as my dad could get me to, i spent many years beating and shooting with my old man, i still beat with dad but his interest has gone in pigeon shooting were mine has become almost an eat,sleep,think pigeon shooting not many other sports do you have to bring you objective to you :what:

[number 1]

mine was with a webly 410 roost shooting i was about 10 i had 1 shot and got 1 bird (sat in a tree) didnt shoot one  flying till i was 13ish

[Guest flightline]

I first started shooting with a shotgun (though I had an airifle as a kid) as a result of hearing the MP Chris Mullin on the radio. He was then Chairman of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee (this must have been about 3 years ago). He was proposing further restrictions on shooting, to include a requirement (for a shotgun certificate) of having to show you had a good reason for having one, including land to shoot over. I had been thinking of buying a shotgun for some time, but when I heard this guy say that nobody in his Newcastle constituency could have a good reason for owning a shotgun, I saw red, and applijed for a certificate the next day. I got two guns, both Brownings, and organised some pigeon shooting. I absolutely loved it. Thank you, Mr Mullin.

[daviddjlloyd]

   

   I was introduced to pigeon shooting in the late 60`s and my first outing was a  roost shoot . Iused a borrowed side by side and asked what`s the range of these, the reply was if you can see it you will hit it. Well out of the group I shiot the most 2 woodies and 2 squirrels.

Since then I have treated pigeon shooting as a sport (challenge). It takes a lot of field craft and cunning to get to grips with the crafty birds.

 

          THEY ARE A WORTHY QUARRY.

 

My first gun was a second-hand REMMI 1100 which I used for years then I bought a new REMMI 1100 which I`ve had for about 27 years . It`s getting to heavy for me now and I am du for another auoto.

 

       My best day was shooting was over spring sown wheat, the wind was howling, and the birds were dropping into the deeks a treat,some only a few feet in front of me, total 110 .

 

         I`m of the opinion that you have to make the best that the day has to offer, wether it`s a couple of birds or a beano of a day.It`s great to be out in the country side and

enjoy the fresh air;--- the fresher the better.

 

                    STRAIGHT SHOOTING.

 

 

            :(      :(      

[Guest flightline]

Quite right!

[RossM]

Hello I'm new here.

 

Well I have not been Pigeon shooting as yet.  I have only had my certificate 2 years and have spent those clay pigeon shooting.  I'd like to get into shooting woodies and have took alot of advice from this forum.  My girlfriends dad is of farming background and even though he no longer farms the land he is a contract and knows a lot of farmers and can watch alot of pigeon activity so this year might be the beginning if he can get us a few shoots (most likely).

 

I use a Lanber Deluxe 12 bore Under Over and currently Gamebore Blue Diamond 28g 7s but shall have to get some 30g 6s or even 32g 6s (which ever i can get for under £100/1000).

[dead-eye-dick]

Hi RossM, and welcome to the site.

 

You can learn alot from this site, there are meny knowlageable pigeon shooters on here. - and Meandassy  

 

I have been out with Blue Dimond 28g 7's and shoot birds, you have no real need to buy heavy loads.

Stick to what you are happy with, if you've shot them for two years and hit clays why change???

 

There was a report on one of the other forums to say 7's were as good if not better choose than 6. :what:  :S  :what:

 

Most of your decoy shooting is done between 20-35'

and you only need 2 or 3 pellets to hit in right place, from around 450 in your cartridges.

 

I find it best to shoot 28g 7's for summer and 30g 7's for winter with 1/4 choke.

 

---Good luck  ---