andy_s Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 alright guys, i'm just making the move from clays to pigeon shooting and wondered if anyone can tell me the speed at which the pigeons will be flying when hopefully coming into my pattern and then once i start to shoot at them. with the clays i like to work out how much lead will be needed at different speeds and distances so i'm thinking the same for pigeon shooting. i take it the pigeons will speed up once they see me. thanks............andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christy Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 The only one who can answer that is you, through experince. Unlike clays they are not predictable. Go try, see what happens. Yes, they will speed up if they see you-in the opposite direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Ive clocked a woodie flying alongside my car at 52 MPH but you are going to find their speed on the field variable with wind strength, decoy position and just the way they feel on the day ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Andy, Your question is a classic "how long is a piece of string?" The answer is pigeons can be travelling at anywhere from 0 mph to 75 mph when over your pattern. Did you really expect an answer like "36.24 mph", and if so, what would that have meant to you..?? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinistercr0c Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 As already stated by the other posters, it is impossible to give one answer. Any shot you take will be unique to that particular bird, and unlike clay shooting, if you miss, you can't just push the button again and get the same bird travelling in the same way. Thats the beauty of pigeon shooting, no two birds will be shot in the same way, it relies upon your skill as a shooter to judge in that moment, what the speed of the bird is and what lead/adjustments you need to make to kill it. Thats why I miss more than I hit..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted February 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 i obviously wasn't expecting a reply of 36.4mph but saying that they can fly up to 70mph can help you judge the differant speeds they are flying at so at a given distance i'll start to get an idea of how much lead to give it knowing how fast the lead is flying out the barrels. this is how i learnt with clays although i appreciate that a pigeon is never going to be as predictable or fly in straight lines as clays do. thanks for the replies though guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 When you hit the first clay out of the trap, it is your natural instinct and judgement that has kicked in, thats what happens with pigeon shooting. However, just like a clay that dips or rises on the wind, pigeons don't always do what you think they are going to, so its OK to miss sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 The only way you will get remotely close to real quarry shooting practice is on a sporting layout with a good selection of targets. Keep your ear defenders on so you can't hear where the clays are coming from, and get a mate to launch clays randomly. And have the gun unmounted before each shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevethevanman Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Thats very hard to answer because pigoens are so variable But, you can get used to hitting clays, really you need to try and hit clays the first time you see them, start shooting out of instinct, as pigoens accelerate and decellerate where clays stay the same Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted February 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 thanks for the replies guy. i guess it's just get out there and give it a go then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 thanks for the replies guy. i guess it's just get out there and give it a go then. I would agree with the "how long is a bit of string" quote. However, for info only, the Eley shooters diary 2010 offers the following guide for forward allowance for birds crossing at 40 mph with No 6 shot Standard velocity cartridge 30 yd range 5' 6"; 35 yds 6' 8"; 40 yds 8' 0"; 45 yds 9'6"; 50 yds 11' 1" High velocity cartridge: it seems that you reduce the forward allowance by abou 3" Mind you, just how you gauge in a instant the speed and distance that acurately beats me. It really boils down to the experience and pracitice advice given by others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 I have never understood the calculting lead thing since it rther depends on the birds direction as well speed! How many true crossers do you get ? Even in clAy shootingknowing themaths might be comforting but IMHO it's pretty useless at improving your scores! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Can I change the question slightly... For those who shoot both clays and pigeons sucessfully do they think that they tend to under lead or over lead live birds until they get it right? I was about to ask a similar question with the suspicion that I am over leading pigeons. I am bringing down the instinctive snap shots amd loosing what appear to be simpler crossing birds. I know there isn't a magic answer but any obswervations would be welcome Thanks anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Can I change the question slightly... For those who shoot both clays and pigeons sucessfully do they think that they tend to under lead or over lead live birds until they get it right? I was about to ask a similar question with the suspicion that I am over leading pigeons. I am bringing down the instinctive snap shots amd loosing what appear to be simpler crossing birds. I know there isn't a magic answer but any obswervations would be welcome Thanks anyway I would say with the snap shots your pulling through (bum belly beak bang) with the simple crossers your tracking them thinking you have more time . Try comming from behind and swing through the bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfa taf Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Can I change the question slightly... For those who shoot both clays and pigeons sucessfully do they think that they tend to under lead or over lead live birds until they get it right? I was about to ask a similar question with the suspicion that I am over leading pigeons. I am bringing down the instinctive snap shots amd loosing what appear to be simpler crossing birds. I know there isn't a magic answer but any obswervations would be welcome Thanks anyway " Iam bringing down the instinctive snap shots ......." I think that says it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 " Iam bringing down the instinctive snap shots ......."I think that says it all. Yes, I do too. But, getting myself to swing through those that give plenty of notice of their arrival in range is hard to do. Back to the original question; clays and live birds are totall different. A pigeon coming in at 30mph can and does suddenly brake or accelerate and / or change direction as it decides to come into the deeks, or not as the case might be. Clays don't do that. My answer is to hold back and then treat the shot as a snap shot. I find it works better for me that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Thanks for the ideas. I have done the BASC instructors assessment and had the Bum Belly Beak and maintained lead stuff trotted out, apparently don't do any off them! I shoot gun down then plant a shot exactly where I think it needs to go, works about 95% of the time on clays so I wasn't particularly motivated to start pratting about to get the last one in twenty clays especially when it came to smearing Vasoline on my glasses to "correct" my vision. One or two extra clays a week didn't seem too big a deal to wanted to walk round half blinded. So the choice seems to be to re-calibrate where I plant my shot and maintain the way I shoot or to start deliberately shooting differently for pigeons and hope it doesn't wreck my clay shooting. Not sure how much that helps..... Thanks again everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev 1 Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 If you shoot like me a lot of them will be leaving a lot faster than they came in..... :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillStone Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 they always seem to fly faster than my shot!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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