Birds now magnet shy..??

[Catamong]

I'm not a great lover of Summer Pigeon shooting, there's normally so many good clay shoots on, not only that but every bird gets fly blown as soon as it hits the deck, but I have had a couple of days out in the last fortnight over rape stubble.

 

I knew field No 1 would produce, I did a good recce the day before and there were loads of birds there, a really strong flightline on to the field.

 

I sussed out my hide position in a low hedge and was there at 8am next day, stuck out 20 full bodied deeks and the magnet slightly upwind about 20 yards from the hide with 2 dead birds. Now I'm a great fan of the magnet, wouldn't leave home without one, in fact on this very same field about 10 years ago Jim Albone and a party of Froggie shooters had a 600 bird day over swathed rape, and they had 2 magnets for each hide.

 

It was clear to me right from the start that something was spooking the birds, they simply wouldn't commit very well, which was very odd, as I knew the field had not been shot recently and there was nothing obviously wrong with either my hide or pattern.

 

Anyway, I took the rotary down, and continued adding each dead bird to the pattern to "compound the interest", and what a difference it made. They were much more willing to commit to the "kill zone" I'd left clear immediately in front of the hide.

 

By early afternoon they were coming in really well, I packed up at 3pm with 142 on the clicker, I could have stayed on for longer as they were still pouring in, but I had other things planned.

 

Field No 2 was a lot smaller, and there was a good flightline to the field and beyond to more rape stubble that was being disced up, I was set up this time by 9.30am, again, they avoided the magnet like the plague, so yet again I took it down, and they came in much better, I packed up at 4pm with 106 on the clicker, so, what went wrong..??

 

Why did they avoid the magnet, was it because the arms stuck out against the "yellow" background of the rape stubble, was my "normal" fast spin speed too fast, would I have been better off with a flapper, (every flapper I've seen appears far too "slow" in wingbeat), are they now generally "magnet shy", any thoughts..??

 

Cat.

[garyb]

Perhaps it was your tan showing through the hide!

[yickdaz]

I'm not a great lover of Summer Pigeon shooting, there's normally so many good clay shoots on, not only that but every bird gets fly blown as soon as it hits the deck, but I have had a couple of days out in the last fortnight over rape stubble.

 

I knew field No 1 would produce, I did a good recce the day before and there were loads of birds there, a really strong flightline on to the field.

 

I sussed out my hide position in a low hedge and was there at 8am next day, stuck out 20 full bodied deeks and the magnet slightly upwind about 20 yards from the hide with 2 dead birds. Now I'm a great fan of the magnet, wouldn't leave home without one, in fact on this very same field about 10 years ago Jim Albone and a party of Froggie shooters had a 600 bird day over swathed rape, and they had 2 magnets for each hide.

 

It was clear to me right from the start that something was spooking the birds, they simply wouldn't commit very well, which was very odd, as I knew the field had not been shot recently and there was nothing obviously wrong with either my hide or pattern.

 

Anyway, I took the rotary down, and continued adding each dead bird to the pattern to "compound the interest", and what a difference it made. They were much more willing to commit to the "kill zone" I'd left clear immediately in front of the hide.

 

By early afternoon they were coming in really well, I packed up at 3pm with 142 on the clicker, I could have stayed on for longer as they were still pouring in, but I had other things planned.

 

Field No 2 was a lot smaller, and there was a good flightline to the field and beyond to more rape stubble that was being disced up, I was set up this time by 9.30am, again, they avoided the magnet like the plague, so yet again I took it down, and they came in much better, I packed up at 4pm with 106 on the clicker, so, what went wrong..??

 

Why did they avoid the magnet, was it because the arms stuck out against the "yellow" background of the rape stubble, was my "normal" fast spin speed too fast, would I have been better off with a flapper, (every flapper I've seen appears far too "slow" in wingbeat), are they now generally "magnet shy", any thoughts..??

 

Cat.

the arms could of been shinining and glinting as they go round its happened with mine when the sun is out it the arms flash so i;m putting some matt paint on them to stop the shine.

[Billy.]

Trust you, Cat. 142 on the ticker, but fussed about pigeons seeing the rotary...! That'd be a bumper day for me

 

Have you tried one of the lower flying magnets? I think most are DIY, but I think Stealth Stalker has one. Much longer arms and the birds fly about a foot off the ground.

[pigeonblasterian]

I find pigeons seem to be wary of a magnet.They seem to sense not is all well.I am beginning to wonder if pigeons are getting wise to them.

[Catamong]

the arms could of been shinining and glinting as they go round its happened with mine when the sun is out it the arms flash so i;m putting some matt paint on them to stop the shine.

 

The arms are the standard dark green colour, the magnet is as supplied by the site sponsor.

 

Cat.

[chrispti]

Iv resprayed mine matt brown and i tend to leave the arms outside in the garden to 'weather' a bit to reduce any shine.

 

I too find, that some days the birds seem to recognise a rotary, and quite often I end up swapping it for a flapper and/or a bouncer or 2.

 

My last trip out, I only used a rotary, set out 15yrds to the left of my hide and the birds commited perfectly all day. I ended up with 211.

 

I think its just a case of taking what equipment you have and experiment on the day.

[mikee]

I was out last week with my new magnet also from the site sponsor, birds really didnt want to come too close, when i was out in the field the other side of the deeks i could see the arms glinting in the sun, I mixed some mud with my bottle of water and smeared it all over the arms, the pigeons started to come straight in to the pattern again, Ive since bought a reel of cloth cammo tape and covered all the moving parts to stop the glare

 

mikee

[Batch]

I too have a magnet from the site sponsor and have taped up the arms with camo tape as I was experiencing the same problem as everyone else!! But lately I have not bothered with the magnet due to spooking the pigs and have just been using a couple of bouncers. Currently considering investing in a flapper, poss on one of the extended poles as an alternative to the magnet.......will certainly save dragging the lump of magnet and battery around everywhere

[motty]

It may be that the pigeons in the area have been shot at recently using a magnet. I've had two 100+ bags on rape in the last fortnight, both times using two magnets. The birds seemed a bit more shy in the afternoon, but this was probably their second trip to the field that day. I've never really had much problem with birds being 'scared' of the magnet, and i use them 99% of the time.

Just out of interest Catamong, how long did you leave it before deciding that the magnet was the problem? I find sometimes early on that the pigeons don't decoy quite as well.

[rigwallet]

Got rid of my mag long time ago as i know they were spooking pigeons

[Cosd]

Hi Cat,

 

I'll start off by saying who am I to give you advice, you were one of the first people I went out with when I started shooting almost two years ago showing me the ropes, but since then I have had a fair bit of experience of my own and going out with other seasoned guns.

 

I have found that the birds are very erratic in their response to the magnet. One day they are dive bombing it almost and the next they avoid it like the plague. So much so that I now tend to start the day without it and only add it if I feel the birds need encouragement to decoy; And even then I have taken it away if it has adverse effects.

 

I had a day out a couple of months ago where I moved the magnet 4 times and each time the variation in the birds reaction to the magnet was very obvious; So placement in my opinion is very important. I also find that too slow seems to put them off and replacing a dying battery also has an obvious effect on the woodies reaction to it.

 

Cos

[magman]

Early on in the year there great at the middle and end there pants , there you go job sorted

[proTOM1]

I must say over the last few weeks the birds have been very funny with the magnet ,at times coming in like mad then avoiding it like the plague .

Had a guy out last week and for the first half hour they poured in then stopped coming to the pattern took in the magnet and again they poured in he finished with 102 with 86 of them shot just over static coys .

 

I had the same trouble the other day set up with rotary and they would not come in so took it down and they came in a treat , even the young birds would not come with the magnet up

 

Will still not leave home with out 1 with me tho

[garygreengrass]

I been having the same problems with the magnet one day it works the next it don`t?

[Cranfield]

I think the pigeons response to the rotary has been on and off like this for years.

They will also be finicky over floaters and bouncers sometimes, a lot seems to depend on how much disturbance they have had in an area.

The important thing is to be prepared to change things if they are not working, reading reports from members on here it shows that those that are flexible get the results.

 

With all the stubbles about there are a lot more shooters out than usual and I think the resultant disturbance is a big factor.

[Harnser]

Cat , its that shooting blouse and sunglasses thats putting them off . Been having the same reaction fromthe birds with the magnet . I now rearly use one and prefer peckers and floaters . The magnet seems to come into its own laid cereals or on higher crops where the arms are not so noticable . Nothing to beat a good pattern of shot birds on prickers .

Harnser .

[yickdaz]

birds were very shy of it today although we shot 80 on tuesday same field using it.. so that is more likley why they were shy but all in all i do think they are a bit more wary of one than they used to be.. some days statics will pull em in just as well like we used to do before magnets came on the scene like harnser said pattern of dead birds take some beating on short crops.

[anser2]

I often find pigeons are shy of a magnet over rape stubbles. Sometimes they work , but often not. I suspect the birds see the arms against the pale stubble. Last week they would not come near the magnet , so i set it up behind me in a cover strip of young maze. The pigeons switched onto it then , but the background was then dark green. Out today on a barley stubble and pigeons were locking onto the magnet fron 1\4 of a mile away.

 

Its funny I have been keeping an eye on this stubble all week , but the number of birds never built up on the field over a dozen. Evil Elvis was comming up for the afternoon , but a combination of few pigeons all week and a wet weather forcast made me postpone his visit. Big mistake! Though the shooting was never fast , a steady stream of singles and small groups came in for over 4 hours. It was a pity I started to shoot very badly , but in a lull I fell asleep and awoke to find 20 odd birds on the field. From then on I hardly missed a shot.

[Highlander]

Cat I'm really surprised (should I be) that such an experienced shot as yourself would need to ask the question...but for the benefit of others...pigeons are always acting up, one day they'll decoy to almost anything (including my truck) and others you'll not see 'em for dust. Rotaries work both ways, sometimes they pull birds in from afar only to have them jink at the final approach, sometimes the birds will commit suicide on them. It's just the way pigeon shooting is.

[Catamong]

Cat I'm really surprised (should I be) that such an experienced shot as yourself would need to ask the question...but for the benefit of others...pigeons are always acting up, one day they'll decoy to almost anything (including my truck) and others you'll not see 'em for dust. Rotaries work both ways, sometimes they pull birds in from afar only to have them jink at the final approach, sometimes the birds will commit suicide on them. It's just the way pigeon shooting is.

 

Fair comment, but as I said in the post, I don't do a lot of Pigeon shooting in the Summer, and there are guys on here with a lot more recent experience than I've got.

 

I will only go out if I know I will get a good bag of birds, I'm not a bird watcher who's happy to sit in a hedgerow all day contemplating his navel and watching the World go by, I've been there, and done that in my younger days, when there were no presuures on time. Nowadays I've got better things to do.

 

From the comments that I've had, I reckon that the birds are seeing the arms of the rotary, which is not the case when shooting over Winter rape, as they blend in superbly with the background.

 

As Protom says, I'll always take the rotary, but again be prepared to pull it in if it's clearly spooking the birds.

 

Right I'm off clay shooting now, 100 FITASC, Berks County Champs at 4 Counties SG, should be a goodun, and it looks like it may stay dry, a miracle..!!

 

Thanks for your comments Guys.

 

Cat.

[minnow!]

I've had the same thing happen a few times recently. The better days iv had decoyin in the past 3 months have been whirly free. im the only person who shoots on this farm so its not like theyre always gettin hammered.

 

minnow.

[chandler]

Hi all

 

Never posted before but thought i might add my two pence worth, so first off, hi to all!

 

The pigeons on the farm I shoot over have flight lines over neighbouring estates and I've noticed that over use of any one decoying technique does lead to wariness in the birds. For example, if you use a standard horse shoe pattern a couple of times a week in the same position, after a while the birds will respond negatively as they start to see the pattern as a prelude to a bang and their bretherin disappearing in a cloud of feathers. Like wise with the magnet, those that have survived magnets in the past will start to recognise the danger and either not approach or jink away.

 

I tend not to use a magnet (that I borrow!) from around harvest time onwards then bring it out again the next year, that way the wily wee crop dusters never quite get used to a specific pattern on my shoots.

 

Just my opinion and as I say, my first post on what seems to be a really great community.

[retromlc]

I find that the rotary will pull them in, but when they are not interested then nothing seems to work,I don't really think that pigeons get used to stuff,only if something looks out of place then they shy away,

logically it would follow that pigeons would never settle with a flock of pigeons because regardless of what machanical devices you use you always use static decoys,so they would put landing near other pigeons with getting shot,so logically they would land away from any other bird shaped form,but they still land where other pigeons are so there're not learning.

[The Essex Hunter]

We all turn up at fields with birds all over it, however they are feeding because they are hungry and there is not a rotary in site!

As much as I like using my rotary, you have to be adaptable and read what is going on at that particular time.

We are all guilty of just sitting there, thinking the birds will change their mind and start coming in a little while, people who fish change tactics all the time.

 

If the birds do not want to feed, they will not, sometimes you have to look then act, not sit and wait.

 

TEH