Decoy patterns

[ellebarto]

Anyone know a good resource for helping me set a good decoy pattern in relation to my hide an the wind? For years I've been setting up a basic dispersed V pattern with the head of the V into the wind and it's never brought me anything bigger than a 40 bag of stragglers. Big flights just turn away. Only using shells an a few cradles with dead uns at the mo.

 

Just wanna learn a few new tricks I guess!

[Stretch]

I was the same until i went out with a friend and he showed me the ropes. My bags were only about 16 - 20 though.

 

I now use a magnet and floaters (the ones you put real birds on).

 

You need to see a pic but i don't know how to do one and add it to the message

 

I put the magnet at the front, with the "v" coming off it facing into the wind using about 20 decoys (cus thats all i got). One floater to one side directly behind the last decoys (opposite side to where the birds are flying in from) then another about 50 yards out to the opposite side (where the birds are approaching from). With the hide located to the front or side of the pattern.

 

Now the theory is that a bird will approach, see the furthest floater, get close and see the other floater, see the decoys and magnet, fly through the middle of the pattern and.......................... BANG!!!!!!!!

 

Hope you can figure that jargan out, i'll have a mess round to see if i can post a drawing.

 

I'm still pretty new to the sport so others may advise you otherwise but this works very well for me. The only thing that resricts my bag size now is my appaulling shooting

[vampire]

Have a look at the birds that are feeding,i sit in my home watching them feed on the field out the back and i have NEVER seen them in a horse shoe or v pattern,i have constanly seen them in a long pattern going with the cut of the fields crop and rolling over each other,some will be making their own lines seperate to the main lines.use a rotary up wind of where you lay your pattern to look as if birds are drifting down to the main pattern,when they land they are usally facing the wind,but from there on they are all over the place but mostly heading in same direction,i am certainly no expert at patterns but i have watched these pigeons out the back for six years now so i have got a little idea of how they feed.

So have a go at a long pattern 24 birds and make sure the bouncer/rotary is in the right place,at least the length of the pattern behind,now put the bouncers out to one side and again far enough out to look like they will glide into the side of your pattern,your hide would be to the middle or front of the pattern,if you have set it up right it should look like the letter t,ie a long line crossed at the top.With this pattern i have had the most birds come in,now all i have to do is learn to shoot better

Take more time to watch the natural habits of the birds,look for flight lines,wind direction,what they are feeding on and watch where you park as this will either send em away or send them towards your position.

[ppuk]

Anyone know a good resource for helping me set a good decoy pattern in relation to my hide an the wind? For years I've been setting up a basic dispersed V pattern with the head of the V into the wind and it's never brought me anything bigger than a 40 bag of stragglers. Big flights just turn away. Only using shells an a few cradles with dead uns at the mo.

 

Just wanna learn a few new tricks I guess!

this will give you some idea's mate http://homepage.eircom.net/~jamesanthonyry...%20Patterns.htm

[davie mac]

Have a look here aswell

 

http://www.pigeonwatch.co.uk/tips.htm

[ellebarto]

Thanks chaps. Lots of new ideas there for me to try. Much appreciated!

[henry d]

And more HERE