Thinking of joining NPPC, few questions??

[THE GRIFF]

I have just got my shotgun licence through and have been around a few farms over the last couple of weeks to ask for permission with not much luck.

I have one small 9 acre permission for rabbits and one 80 acre for rabbits, as well as my parents land which is about 30 acre but there is only a few rabbits and the odd crow/pigeon. I mainly use my air rifle on these permissions so I am looking for somewhere to use a shotgun.

 

I am thinking of joining the NPPC for some local pigeon shooting where I can go every now and again on a weekend and even after work for a few hours, I live in Thornaby and was wondering where the fields are in the area and how far I would have to travel.

 

I was also wondering what numbers you lads/lasses have been shooting in the local area, just to give me an idea of the amount of sport I will get.

 

As I am fairly new to this type of shooting what guns do you generaly use for shooting out of the hide?

I am about to order an Investarm 20g fully silencencd o/u, do you think this would be suitable?

Just out of intrest does anyone use the air rifle for decoying?

 

 

Thanks in advance for any information/advice

[Breastman]

Hello there,

 

When i was a member a few years back the furthest north fields were in Middleton Tyas, Moulton area, so not too far for you to go, but they may have changed by now. Its a really good scheme but you get out of it what you put in and it was just too far for me to drive to scout out flightlines etc the day(s) before i'd actually go shooting. Because i wasn't sussing out the flightlines etc beforehand the numbers of birds i got never went above 20, which is partly why i didn't renew, but mainly because the fields were going further and further south

 

Your gun sounds fine for the job, if not expensive to run, 20b sub-sonic carts must cost a pretty penny! That gun would be ideal for shooting near houses or anywhere where noise is an issue but the NPPC plots are generally fields in the middle of nowhere. I use a 12b O/U most of the time, but if i think there's going to be large flocks that only come in every few hours (so hammering them when they do is the way forward) i use my FAC semi-auto.

 

Have fun

 

Mark

[Moors Man]

Haven't check field lists at present but would suggest it is worth contacting John for a chat.

 

Assuming there are fields in your area (I drive about 30mins) then the service is great, just ring up and book your field and turn up.

[UKPoacher]

Can't help you with the land questions, but I'd opt for a standard 12 gauge, doesn't matter what configuration. 20 bores are no cheaper to run than a 12 and put less lead in the air which may not be too helpful to a new shooter. I'd suggest going for a 12 gauge with wide chokes,no tighter than 1/4 for your first gun.

 

Decoying with air rifles is nothing like decoying with a shotgun where pigeons are shot in the air. You have to adapt your tactics accordingly and it is more difficult to get pigeons to stay down amongst the decoys long enough to get a shot in. I use full bodied deeks and loft two of them on fibreglass poles nicked from an old beach shelter. The others I put on the ground in a loose circle of about 9' wide. Your hide needs to be really good. At this time of year it is difficult to shoot over crops because they are too high. Once it is harvested you can get them on the ground where you can see them. Another option is to put your deeks on the ground near to a sitty tree and shoot them out of that. Again, this time of year isn't ideal as leaf cover can be a problem.

 

If you can find where the pigeons are drinking you can often get a shot at the in the middle of the day. Muck heaps also attract them in summer and a few deeks will often pull them in. In winter check around the pheasant feeders. Pigeons and squirrels will often raid them.