Davey B Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 hay folks. Im thinking of buying some hide and decoy gear but have never been out shooting this way. For years I have just wanderd my permission shooting rabbits and pigeons when they fly passed in range. I want to start going out just on pigeon shoots, and one of my permissions has lots of barley fields. I have read about decoy Paterns and how to lay them out bit need help regarding the barley and pigeons eating it. What time of year, time of day and any info which would help me out. Also, the other farms I shoot over are cattle farms. If there is no crop on the ground, can you trick them to thinking there is by decoying? Anything at all will be helpful. Thanks Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Pigeons feed on grass all the time, and to an extent they can be decoyed onto anything, however you can`t decoy what isn`t there, if you find where they are feeding and where they are flying from put your decoys along that route on your land and you should stand a chance of decoying them in close enough to get a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Barley can be good when drilled , but then you have to wait until it ripens. Sometimes the pigeons and rooks will feed on laid areas, but it doesn't seem as favoured as wheat. As its usually the first grain harvested (in my area) , the stubbles can be good, until the wheat is harvested. The best answer is to keep looking at it and see what the birds are doing. If they seem to be feeding on it at whatever stage, then thats the time to put the decoys out. Don't forget your farmer will probably rotate his crops, so it may be barley this year, but it might be something a bit better next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazsl Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 rape after barley good winter shooting there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 (edited) John Batley "The Pigeon Shooter" is an excellent book well worth a read. It will answer all your questions as well as list times of the year and which crops the birds like to feed on. The book covers everything from understanding your quary, to equipment (latest edition covers magnets as well, recce, etc etc. I'd highly recommend this to anyone starting out. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pigeon-Shooter-John-Batley/dp/1840371250 Edited May 20, 2011 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock Magnet Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 if you have a gundog mate don't take it into a Barley field,the 'ears' get between the dogs toes and tract into the legs and fester badly, save yourself the trauma and a costly vet bill :no: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Alot can be learnt from a book but none of us have seen your permissions so you need to make the last minute judgements i.e is my hide concealed, is my pattern in the right place and is it used to good effect and am I using the right layout? Am I under a flightline. They are all the judgements you have to make. If I were you I'd get estimated dates from the farmer when he is going to harvest each field and start watching them with the binoculars and try to find the fly paths, if you don't you may be lucky and get a few come in or you could sit there for days on end watching them fly 100's of yards away from you. Wheat is the favourd crop until barley Is cut then the rape will follow shortly afterwards.Just watch you space and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 I like barley but my god doesn't it get everywhere. wife hates the stuff. lesson learnt last year with the dog. give a grain of barley a squeeze, if you get a milky liquid the its very close so keep a good eye on any blow holes, areas that the weather has flattered, the pigeon get in these and strip the ears. this can carry on until harvest until it gets turned in by the plough when shooting them i try and only take birds that can be picked up as more damage can be caused by walking around in the standing crop than what the pigeons can case. Clove can have its days as well. again you need to watch and see where the birds want to be. feed times as any time. time of year can also have bearing on this. this time of year i don't bother going early, i like to let the birds have their first feed so they know where their going when there next feed. plus it can be a long day this time of year. winter i try and get on the field before first light but not always possible so i take what i can but i always always go look for the birds for a few days before i plan to shoot, and at different times so i can get a feel as to when the birds are on the fields Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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