Decoys

[darren m]

need some tips on placing decoys .

i dont usually have any probs , face them into wind etc , usually works , but the last time i was out , i had lots of interest but very few commited to land.

the only difference was i was on a newly drilled field , the wind was strong , i was cammo,d and behind a cammo blind ( face covered ) on a hill in the corner of the field.

the few birds i did shoot i left out in the pattern after rearranging there feathers.

cant think what i was doing wrong.

should the deeks be always facing into the wind even if its a strong un .

 

cheers

[Cranfield]

I usually face my decoys into the wind, definitely when its a strong one.

 

There may have been nothing wrong with your layout, on really windy days pigeons can be a bit spooky, especially on open fields.

 

Here are a few ideas.

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

[darren m]

cheers mate , i,ll have a read.

may be they were just spooky , dont know.

i ,m using 30 grm no6 eley high flyer and 1/4 choke in my semi , for roost shooting and less wind i find the gun great , but what about in the really strong winds we,ve been having ie . is that still enough shot to hold a patteren out to 30 - 35 yards with out it being blown away so to speek .

[invector]

As you were on a hill, perhaps the wind was just too strong and they were committed to the lee of a hedge, or dip in the ground. Decoying in corners doesn't always work either. Had you seen the birds feeding in that area? They may feed there one day and change the next, because of the wind building up. The one lesson you could have learned was, where the pigeons went as they left your pattern, or flew past your position.

Edited April 15, 2006 by invector

[berthaboo]

i agree with you invector number one in a coner thats a no go i think and number 2 is they may have been there yesterday but it dont mean there here today

[mossy835]

i never try to decoy pigeons in a corner of a field, all ways on the side of field or end.gives them plenty of room to come in.

[darren m]

that,ll be it , the corner was quite tight and they where feeding there the day before.

it just seemed like a good spot as the 3 fields all meet in this corner.

next time i shall try further along the bottom edge of the field .

[invector]

I`ve shot pigeons in a corner sometimes, generally when they are flighting along the hedge where my hide is, and towards another hedge that forms the corner. The trick is to set out far enough from the intersecting hedge for them to land. In your case, if they were feeding there the day before perhaps the wind was stronger, on the day you set up, thus making it awkward for them to land? If this happens again try to watch the direction of their flight, as they ignore you, and plan accordingly. There may have been birds out of your sight that were pulling them in a different direction.