spurgate Posted April 25, 2011 Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Hi all, I know most of you are far more experienced than me so please bare with me on this one. Ok I have been involved in pigeon shooting since Jan this year so i know i still have a lot to learn however, i have since this time been trying to apply myself to learning my craft by reading books, magazine articals, watching DVD's and asking questions on this site. I have been going over to my permission most days just looking for flight lines, evidence of were the birds are eating the crops and any other evidence or consistant behavier patterns. I have also been going at differnet times of the day and late evening. I have 1500 acres to shot over most is open fields with hedge rows and wooded areas, the crops contain rape seed and corn there are also some ponds. I have been over there shooting on 8 occasions and my best bag is 2!!!! What if anything am i doin wrong? So this is were i have to ask the question do flight lines really exsist? and what point is field craft? Equipment wise i have an assortment of decoys totalling 24, i have a rotory and some floaters but nothing seems to work, i make sure that i stay perfectly still and make no movement, fortuantly i stay most of the time in wooded areas so cover and visability is very good. I have been over on Friday and today and saw a total of 6 pigeons 3 crows and quite a few ducks (shame that not in season) Does all this really boil down to being in the right place at the right time, all i keep hearing and seeing is these big bags of birds. Thanks for reading (Frustrated of Brentwood) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted April 25, 2011 Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Your problem seems to be that birds aren't feeding on your ground. And if you don't find them it's impossible to shoot them. Don't be too dis-heartened, i drove around on friday for an hour and a half looking for pigeons on peas and rape over a few thousand acres. I only found 2 or 3 decent looking decoying opportunities though i saw plenty of birds.I ended up on maize on saturday but only shot 29. Be patient, take in what you see and learn from it. I've learned a lot more about decoying pigeons from myself, than from listening to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spurgate Posted April 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Thanks for the advice , i am not going to give up becasue i enjoy the sport too much, but i must admit it was nice just to sit there in the beautiful sunshine with my dog looking over the yelow fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 25, 2011 Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Flight lines do exist and you will not lose anything by watching the birds behaviour on your land. If you have only been out since January, you probably missed some of the best shooting over the rape (which is now yellow), although the birds will try for the short crop areas and I still see them dropping into the tractor tracks on my land. Spring drillings (if you had any) should have shown you a few birds, but once thats finished things get a lot quieter, until the harvest starts. Keep going and keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted April 25, 2011 Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Yeah it can be a bit hit and miss pigeons come and go but keep at it you will see some flightlines sooner or later! I concentrate on the crows on new drilling at the moment but that can be hard too 4hours for 8 birds today :( see if you can get some more permissions! Main thing is to enjoy ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris64 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 (edited) You say you stick to wooded areas,look in the wooded areas for dropings under sitty trees and do some roost shooting,yes fieldcraft is very important look around you every time you go shooting you will see things you mist last time you were there,place's to make hides in/around the woods take a small note pad make note's as you sit and look around you it all helps. cheers chris Edited April 26, 2011 by chris64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 If you read oxfordfowlers recent post in Talk from the Field ‘saved the best til last’ you’ll get some idea. Spotting what pigeons are up to isn’t easy at the best of times but right now it’s b***** difficult. Can you not find a mentor to take you out and show you the ropes? A few pointers, forget the winter wheat crops (unless there’s plenty of weeds in the crop you’re unlikely to find birds on that until harvest time) and concentrate on the OSR. Find some low bits which woody will have kept grazing on through the last few months or use the tramlines. You mention ponds and in hot weather you’ll often find birds tree sitting in the copse surrounding a pond, it’s cooler and they have a ready source of water to drink. That’s where lofters or flyer/lander decoys come in handy. Above all if you enjoy shooting woody don’t give up we all have more blank days that red letter ones. In fact there’s plenty on here who’ve never had a red letter day and they’ve been at it far longer than you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Yeah the really big bags come from places with the right crops my best was 60 last year but I'm happy enough with a dozen most days around here that's good. 3 or 4 is good for roosting here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Top tips: 1. look for flight lines - hedge rows, roads, pylons that pigeons use as their A roads to navigate and get about. Our best flight line is off the M25 at an intersection with some pylons. Even with no decoys and no clue the pigeons will still come in. 2. look for a sitty tree - something like a large oak on a flight fline. Every field has one - it's just the preferred tree the pigeons will like to sit it or take a break in. 3. you magnet pattern will count - the slightest anomoly and the pigeons will blank it. Look at some of the patterns on here and the rest is trial and error. 4. keep an eye on the fields and what's on offer to the pigeons as a food source. Our best days are later on in summer and on stubbles under the right flight lines. The windows of opportunity is not great though and **** law says it will fall when you are away on holiday 5. go out with someone who knows what they are doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodyPopper Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 You say you stick to wooded areas,look in the wooded areas for dropings under sitty trees and do some roost shooting,yes fieldcraft is very important look around you every time you go shooting you will see things you mist last time you were there,place's to make hides in/around the woods take a small note pad make note's as you sit and look around you it all helps. cheers chris You probably want to avoid doing what I did on my last trip out. On a previous trip, I'd identified a 'sitty' tree. It's in a beautiful part of my permission, but right on the border of another farm. I set my heart on using it on my next visit. So, I built my hide under the tree, wilfully ignoring the fact that pigeons land into the wind and that the wind was blowing into my face. I sat listening to pigeons flying in from behind me and perching in the tree above and behind me but not over my permission. Eventually, I clapped my hands and about 15 pigeons flew out. I missed with both barrels. So, despite correctly identifying a tree that's popular with pigeons, I still fouled up by ignoring the little I know about them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Ah, 'All the Gear (And Land), No Idea. Your best bet is to ask for a Mentor, someone to show you the ropes and show you how to do things first hand. Put an post up in the shooting available section, your hand will be bitten off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesneale89 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 the best way is to identify flightlines first , thats the most important , flightlines are just pigeons roads say , and for every a road and b road they eventually join onto a motorway , these motorways are what you ahve to look for with streams of birds all day , going to and from there designated area. pigeon shooting really pays off when you spend hours studying flightlines and where they are. pigeons dont necessarily have to be feeding on your land , there flightlines may be coming from your land or strait over your land , the key is to find these flightlines and get your self as close to them as you can if not under them. this will pay dividends when it comes to woodies feeding on a particular field , if you can identify the field bingo!! im sure the farmer would be happy to help if you show him that there is pigeons on the field escpecially if your farm is next door!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 There are flightlines when birds are flocked up in Winter and using a regular roost to commute to a field on which they are feeding no doubt. Having studied the birds over many years I am not covinced they use geographical features but generally just fly the shortest distance directly " as the crow flys " so to speak. Generally in my experience birds will come into the decoys from any direction and not all fly down the hedge to the tree, turn right at the telegraph pole and 100 yards over the stream into the crop. We know that Pigeons can fix magnetic coordinates in their head and also navigate very well at night. What I have found is that unflocked birds will not necessarily use the same roost each evening and to avoid predation will therefore take a different route to the feeding area. So in short yes there are flightlines but I shouldnt get too hung up on trying to find them. You will have better success in winter months finding the feild they are feeding on. I have never had much success trying to decoy birds off a flightline when they are preoccupied with just getting directly to the feeding field, particularly when they are flighting at altitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nial Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 You can go out with someone who's experienced but they will only show you how they think you should set up in one particulalar site in the current circumstances. I think I've learnt as much going out and making my own mistakes, have a good think about why things aren't working and watch where the birds _are_ going (if there are any at all). One of the things that has struck me in the trip reports by the likes of proTOM1 who regularly seem to get big bags is the amount of time they spend driving about looking for birds. As someone said there's no point setting up if the birds aren't there. The way I look at it is a day stood/sat in a field is better than a day in work, even if I don't shoot anything. If I learn something new even better. Nial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) Spend as much time as you can on reccy . Drive around the fields and watch where the pigeons want to get into the field and where they want to leave the field . You must establish where the flight lines are to get the best shooting .Give us an idea where you are ,I am sure somebody will agree to take you out and give you some tips . Harnser . Edited April 29, 2011 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 this time of year the birds are not one the field so dont beat yourself up over it just yet. as soon as the wheat and barley start to turn, from green to brown, is the time to start watch more. if dosent even need to be laid, i have had very good days on standing crop with just magnet in tramline. flight lines change all the time, if you have and area the birds want to be on then, with observation, you will see that there is an entry and exit to that feild. if its a high flight line where they are going over to a differant area in the county then try and get under them when it is windy as they will fly lower, using things like a gap in a hedge, a gateway, electric wires, roads even stream. but these lines will only hold good while that birds want to be in a specific area. when their feeding habits change the flight line changes. go out and just enjoy the walk for now, good times will come and things will be easier to understand. all the best Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spurgate Posted May 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Spend as much time as you can on reccy . Drive around the fields and watch where the pigeons want to get into the field and where they want to leave the field . You must establish where the flight lines are to get the best shooting .Give us an idea where you are ,I am sure somebody will agree to take you out and give you some tips . Harnser . thanks for the reply in live in Brentwood Essex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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