ferretmanabu Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Hello chaps. I'm gonna be shooting on saturday on a fairly large field with a friend. This field was hammered with pigeons last week. What is the best way to set two hides up in one field? Should we set up fairly close and have our decoy patterns merging together or should we set up on different ends of the field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 The easy answer is ,"it all depends". How big is the field ? To effectively have two hides up, it needs to be big, in my opinion at least 15+ acres. The weather is a factor, cloudy and windy days help the two hide setup, clear,bright still days (when you can hear a gunshot 2 miles away) don't. Where are the pigeons ? If they are hitting one main area, then set up next to each other and use the same decoys. If they are in more than one area, then it might be worth splitting up, but remember the disturbance from one shooter, will affect the others birds, if you are too close together (especially if one of you is on the flight line into the field). You have to try these things a few times, before you instinctively make the best decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 When shooting from one hide you ought to agree a safe system. :thumbs: I`ve shot a field with three hides along hedges, about 200 yards apart, and it doesn`t always work! The idea of stirring up the birds can backfire and you`re left with an empty field! You`ll soon find out on the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Ferret, Invector is right on this one (for a change..!!), shooting 2 from one hide doesn't really work over large fields of rape, far better to have hides at opposite ends of the field and "ping-pong" the birds to and fro. It's a lot easier on drilling, where you can draw the birds from a long way off with a big deek pattern and a good rotary. If you find after a while that you've got it wrong and only one hide is producing, then you can both gang up and shoot from the same hide, if your mate will let you..!! Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted November 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Thanks for the replies chaps. I wasn't planning on shooting two from one hide as I'm aware there are some safety pitfalls to this. The field I am planning to shoot on is fairly large. It is a big rectangular field about 600 metres by 300 metres. My initial thought was to have one hide on one end of the field and one the opposite end but I didn't know if this was good as I thought birds prefer to land in the middle rather than in corners. How about if we pitched a hide a hundred metres in from each end of the field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Ferret, If you do you recce properly, then the place to put the hide(s) is where the pigeons are feeding - sounds obvious but you'd be amazed how many people set up in the wrong place and try and draw them in. 100 yards either way with the hide position can make all the difference, and you don't want to waste time moving once you've set up. Weather currently in these parts is not good for decoying, i.e. bright sunshine and no wind, but let us know how you get on. Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted November 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Sure will. Can't wait to get out tomorrow and warm up the barrels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 So nice to be right AGAIN!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 If you shoot a decent bag on Saturday I'll be most surprised, not being negative but it's going to be sunny and still. Good luck but you may want to consider taking a good book with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 If you shoot a decent bag on Saturday I'll be most surprised, not being negative but it's going to be sunny and still. Good luck but you may want to consider taking a good book with you. Damn right. I've cancelled all my bookings until I can see some wind coming in. Its been tough going this week and I cant be doing with flogging a dead horse again this weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Looks like some Clay Shooting at Kibworth or Southdown is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Lovely ferreting weather !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted November 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 I suppose one way to look at it is: It beats a saturday morning lie in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 If two guns are in one hide . Make sure you place a pole inbetween the two of you . That way neither of you will swing across each other . all the best yis yp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 Well the bunnies have been cooperative, ended up with 22 nice ones, stew on Monday !!!!! May give it another go tomorrow as the weather looks very settled still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 I`m knocking a few over too. They certainly like that warm sunshine after a night of hard frost. The other day I even had one scampering through the hedge, past my back, not three feet away, as I decoyed pigeons. I heard him before I saw him. Too late to get a shot!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 Invector, You were obviously mesmerised by your new toy spinning away in front of the hide..!! Was it a red letter day, or is it winging it's way back postage paid to deepest darkest Bicester..?? Double H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted November 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 We set up in different fields to start off with at about 7am. Starting this early was pointless really because there was too much heavy fog. Once the fog cleared though the shooting was much better. I shot 20 and my mate shot 7 so it was worth going out anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invector Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 Double H, you might be right there, but one day`s use doesn`t warrant sending the magic roundabout back to Bicester!! Unfortunately when I got home I realised I only had one V section, so couldn`t put a couple of dead birds on the whirly. (Will Beasley is sending me one.) I was obliged to use Florence and Dougal, the two plazzies supplied, and shot 12 pigeons, 2 crows, plus a rabbit, on the way back to my vehicle. Weather, and high pressure not helping, with birds loath to get up and fly, but there will be another day!! No pigeons have defeated me yet. As soon as I can get them to enter MY world they will pay the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 Double H, you might be right there, but one day`s use doesn`t warrant sending the magic roundabout back to Bicester!! Unfortunately when I got home I realised I only had one V section, so couldn`t put a couple of dead birds on the whirly. (Will Beasley is sending me one.) I was obliged to use Florence and Dougal, the two plazzies supplied, and shot 12 pigeons, 2 crows, plus a rabbit, on the way back to my vehicle. Weather, and high pressure not helping, with birds loath to get up and fly, but there will be another day!! No pigeons have defeated me yet. As soon as I can get them to enter MY world they will pay the price! Thats what i like positive thinking :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROB REYNOLDS UK Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 i my self would not set two hides up were both hides are decoying just the one and the other hide set up after 1/2 hrs of watching the birds that are missed to see which way the are leaveing the field and thats were i would set up .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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