Decoy Questions

[12Greygrouse]

Hello,

 

The last time I decoyed I've had a handful of pigeons commit to the decoys and pull away at the last minute, it was almost as though they realised what the decoys were. I never shoot the same spot within 2 weeks and try to vary the area of the field I shoot. I'm also pretty sure the movement of me mounting the gun didn't scare them off as they had circled passed me and were about to settle near the furthest decoys. I'm very new to decoying so is this just something some pigeons do when decoyed do or am I doing something wrong?

 

Many thanks

[TJ91]

some do flare off when coming to the decoys, but not all will

 

they are flaring off at the 'last minute'..are you waiting for them to land???

if they are commited and coming in you should get a shot before they flare off

 

and you will be surprised how quickly they react to someone mounting a gun and standing up from the hide

[12borejimbo]

Are you sure there is nothing in the pattern spooking them? You need to be well hidden up, a decent hide, and when they are withing killing distance (all depends on your shooting) then get your feet right before standing up, get your gun how you want it, up, swing through, bang, but keep swinging. If you can go out with someone who has more experience and see if you can learn a tip or 10.

[TJ91]

Are you sure there is nothing in the pattern spooking them? You need to be well hidden up, a decent hide, and when they are withing killing distance (all depends on your shooting) then get your feet right before standing up, get your gun how you want it, up, swing through, bang, but keep swinging. If you can go out with someone who has more experience and see if you can learn a tip or 10.

 

[WoodyPopper]

As others suggest, it's either your decoys, or you moving too soon. If you can control yourself, stay perfectly still, and let a few pigeons come in without shooting at them. If the decoys are ok, most pigeons who show any interest will actually land and feed amongst them. If you are still, and the pigeons don't land, then it's some problem with your decoys. If they land, then the problem is with you.

Edited September 9, 2011 by WoodyPopper

[Cranfield]

Assuming a good hide, no movement, etc., then make sure you have ample room in your decoy pattern for the birds to land.

A congested layout is often the reason that birds flare off at the last minute.

Pigeons land like a plane and need a clear runway, crows/rooks tend to circle and land like helicopters and don't need so much room.

[Frenchieboy]

Assuming a good hide, no movement, etc., then make sure you have ample room in your decoy pattern for the birds to land.

A congested layout is often the reason that birds flare off at the last minute.

Pigeons land like a plane and need a clear runway, crows/rooks tend to circle and land like helicopters and don't need so much room.

Out of interest what sort of distance do you suggest as spacing between the decoys in a pattern please if you are using just a dozen or so decoys mate?

[The Essex Hunter]

Out of interest what sort of distance do you suggest as spacing between the decoys in a pattern please if you are using just a dozen or so decoys mate?

 

 

From what I have seen, birds land in clear space they choose, We all work in Yards or Meters, so tend to pace things out, agreed you need the decoys a certain distance from where you are shooting, however birds drop in amongst their self’s in a random pattern, I try to keep my set up as close to how I have watched birds feed in.

 

It is hard to do as we have sets of rules we work by, The pigeons are just HUNGRY.

I dot the decoys around in the area that suits me and face some in to the wind and some facing away and the rest half way in between. Just look at birds feeding as they don’t use a yard stick to work with

 

I am a great believer in giving the birds some where land and set the rotary and decoy’s to suite the days shooting. The trick is getting them to want to land which takes a lot as we all know!!

 

 

TEH

[stu nesling]

could be loads of things,get yourselve on a day with a good guide. they will give you tips and give you confidence in your pattern.

[Cranfield]

Out of interest what sort of distance do you suggest as spacing between the decoys in a pattern please if you are using just a dozen or so decoys mate?

 

 

I agree that observing feeding birds in all weather conditions and on various crops, gives you some good ideas about layouts.

 

Layouts and placings vary depending on the hide placement, wind direction, weather and crop.

 

Basically, I place my decoys in random positions, some facing the wind and some side on to the wind.

The birds will be scattered, some 2-3 ft apart, others 6-8ft apart.

I try to place my decoys so that the pigeons are encouraged to land at the back of the pattern.

[12Greygrouse]

Thanks for all the advice (esp about getting the feet right etc 12borejimbo), as I'm pretty new to this I've not got into hide building or even using a net. I normally stand perfectly still behind a decent sized tree trunk and wait for them to come in. I've read on here before that too tight a decoy spacing can make the pigeons feel too crowded so my decoys are spaced out at about 4-6 paces. I wait until the pigeons slow up to land and then shoot them...I tend to miss anything faster! It seems to be me thats scaring them off rather than anything decoy-wise, looks like I'll need to build a hide

[caeser]

I've got to say, from what I've read, I would definately say it's yourself thats spooking the birds.

Keeping still is very important,especially if it's calm weather. A pigeon will spot movement so easy when the rest of the surroundings are still.

Like you say, get yourself a hide, that will also break up your outline.

[soother223]

yeah a hide is the way i use the stealth netting type you can see through it your side but unless you got your face up against it they wont see you from the other. i always try and position mine in front of a dense hedge and keep the sun behind me, or end up with it behind me a bit later on if i'm there for a while. i always go and stand where i intend to put my decoys an look back at my hide to see how natural it looks and if it's a sunny day with the sun behind the hedge it's on you'l have trouble making it out yourself! you won't have to mess about weaving bits of hedge into it or anything just cammo up sit behind it an get ready for action!

i don't bother getting up to shoot i find it easyier shooting of a stool,less movement in the hide an you can slip the gun slowly over the net an give yourself more chance for a decent aim. also the birds that are pulling away won't notice you in the last few feet as their pitching into land they will have their mind on the landing area, so if they pull away then it must be the pattern!

hope this helps....

 

yeah a hide is the way i use the stealth netting type you can see through it your side but unless you got your face up against it they wont see you from the other. i always try and position mine in front of a dense hedge and keep the sun behind me, or end up with it behind me a bit later on if i'm there for a while. i always go and stand where i intend to put my decoys an look back at my hide to see how natural it looks and if it's a sunny day with the sun behind the hedge it's on you'l have trouble making it out yourself! you won't have to mess about weaving bits of hedge into it or anything just cammo up sit behind it an get ready for action!

i don't bother getting up to shoot i find it easyier shooting of a stool,less movement in the hide an you can slip the gun slowly over the net an give yourself more chance for a decent aim. also the birds that are pulling away won't notice you in the last few feet as their pitching into land they will have their mind on the landing area, so if they pull away then it must be the pattern!

hope this helps....

[BenBhoy]

I agree that observing feeding birds in all weather conditions and on various crops, gives you some good ideas about layouts.

 

Layouts and placings vary depending on the hide placement, wind direction, weather and crop.

 

Basically, I place my decoys in random positions, some facing the wind and some side on to the wind.

The birds will be scattered, some 2-3 ft apart, others 6-8ft apart.

I try to place my decoys so that the pigeons are encouraged to land at the back of the pattern.

 

how do you try to ensure that? obviously when i use a pattern, horseshoe for example, i know how to funnel them into a landing area. but as has been said, and i agree with, real birds often appear to be feeding in a hap hazard 'pattern. i do often just dot them about as has been said, but find it tricky to make them land where i want when i adopt this approach.