Scott82 Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 (edited) Hey all. Fairly new to decoying and hoping for general opinions..... When using dead pigeons as decoys, how do you arrange them/make them look natural? My 85 year old grandfather-in-law has advised breaking their neck and removing their eye lids so they look as though they are looking up to birds coming over. What do you do? Any advice gratefully received, Scott NB. While posting this I've had a feeling that I might have read that real decoys shouldn't be used - although it might have said LIVE decoys should not be used..... obviously (you'd hope) Edited March 20, 2010 by Scott82 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big simmo999 Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 I would forget your grandads advice Buy some bird cradles (shootwarehouse) or get some garden canes about 1metre long. Sharpen the ends, snap the pigeons wings close to the body, then slide the cane up through the vent (****) through the body and into the head. Stick the cane into the ground at abot 45 degrees. The wings should move in the breeze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott82 Posted March 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 I would forget your grandads advice Buy some bird cradles (shootwarehouse) or get some garden canes about 1metre long. Sharpen the ends, snap the pigeons wings close to the body, then slide the cane up through the vent (****) through the body and into the head. Stick the cane into the ground at abot 45 degrees. The wings should move in the breeze Ok thanks. Does that ruin the meat if i wanted to eat it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0t0deb Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 Ok thanks. Does that ruin the meat if i wanted to eat it? breast them first, the cane goes through the body ,forget removing the eyelids, you should have shot them well before they get close enough to see the eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 Cutting the eyelids off? I know pigeons have good eyesight but I seriously doubt it's that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 you can normally keep a few in the freezer, to use within/as your deeks, you should shoot plenty more, without having to worry about eating the deeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 On short crops (early rape,peas and drillings) I just place the dead bird on the ground, wings at its side and prop its head up with a piece of bent wire. When the crop gets higher I use the dead bird cradle, or lay the bird on the crop. I have heard the "broken neck, cut eyelids off" advice for many years, but have never met anyone that actually does it and can't imagine it has any advantages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 I am with Cranfield on that, plastic decs are ok to start you off, (sometimes) but once you start to fill your decoy pattern with dead birds propped up as he suggests, incoming pigeons approach the set with a much greater degree of confidence. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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