what will fetch the magpies in?

[Keith RW]

whilst out last Sunday walking around my permission I came across something like a dozen magpies, possibly more,

all grouped together and which are tending to be more elusive than ever, getting anywhere like

near them with a chance at a shot with the 12g is proving impossible so far.

 

Question is, what might I be able to use to get them to come closer from the hedgerows they are in and which are across a grass field from me where they are out of range (and on land which I don't have permission) and get them to come towards me on the edge of the wooded area where I can set up hide.

 

would a plastic magpie decoy playing dead and a couple of crow decoys next to it have any likely results ?

[Sm0kah]

I heard shaking a box of matches. Or a plastic container with air rifle pellet or two in works haven't tried it Meself.

[Paddy Galore!]

my acme crow caller seems to get them stirred up, failing that try some tinfoil whirlies and a bag of rubbish

[P~MX]

a U Caller is brilliant to attract them in for pictures etc

[Maidment78]

I find a shot magpie is a fantastic decoy. Trick is to find their patch as they patrol all day.

[Gimlet]

Use an owl decoy in a prominant position like on a fence post within range of your hide. Or put a dead rabbit down, half paunched, with a couple of magpie or crow decoys standing over it and attract attention with a rattle or caller.

You'll get a good few crows interested as well and in both cases your hide will need to be absolutely spot-on. Nothing's got eyesight like a magpie.

[alastair0903]

I find a shot magpie is a fantastic decoy. Trick is to find their patch as they patrol all day.

 

 

very good advice , it`s just shooting the first one ! twice this summer i have managed 3 magpies whilst shooting crows , as soon as you get the first one get it on a dead bird cradle and they just can`t resist

[Hamster]

I find a shot magpie is a fantastic decoy. Trick is to find their patch as they patrol all day.

 

 

Nothing beats a real magpie.

[huntsman]

callers are good for bringing in magpies,for taking fotos :lol:

[jamie g]

if your having trouble shooting them get a Larsen trap mate. song birds round here where getting low on numbers and magpies everywhere.

a local guy off one of the forums gave me a call bird. and over the course of a week had 13 magpies

[magman]

Go at dusk and see if there roosting on your ground

[labstaff]

I'd use a rabbit with the guts exposed and an owl or another bird of prey decoy.

[elmar fudd]

grandad used to used a rabbit with guts hanging out with a magpie decoy, says within 35 yards with 32 gram 5 he dropped loads

 

fudd

[pboro shot]

as said put out a dead rabbit couple decoy mags/crow and sqeek as you would for foxes they soon turn up, can be good sport if your in the right area

[Vince Green]

I've heard of the plastic owl on a fence post but never tried it. But Magpies are smart, shoot one and I bet the others will disappear over the horizon.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Vince Green

[pboro shot]

they are smart but greedy with it ,ive seen them on the a1 pecking at a rabbit with lorrys buzzing past they just jump to the side then back out when the coast is clear ,if theres a few about i let them land and then scare them up not hard to take 2 or 3 within the first part of flight

[woodcock1]

My self and a friend shot 37 magpies in a local wood one evening a couple of years ago. We went to shoot roosting pigeons and shot a couple of magpies which we set out on the edge of the wood. The started coming in droves and no amount of shooting scared them away.We were both using 12G 28g 7 1/2s. As we shot them we threw them all out into the field along with the two originals. It ended up like a set of pigeon decoys.

[the enigma]

I've never had much success with the plastic magpie decoys,i'm not sure if the FUD decoys work any better.The magpie rattle seems to work well in the spring/early summer when they're young and naive,but they do seem to get wise to it after a while.

 

A dead rabbit works well,and if it's laid out in an area where they're active,it doesn't take them long to find it. Then once you get your first one,your in business........ the others will go mental.If you can, freeze one,so you can use it as a decoy another day

 

I've also tried laying a dead one out,with a FUD crow decoy standing over,which really stirred them up.

 

But keep changing how you set up your ambush,they're cunning ******** and it doesn't take them long to get wise to your set up.

Edited November 25, 2011 by the enigma

[Catamong]

Put a magpie and a crow on a rotary, I'm told that works really well.

 

Cat.

[pigeon street]

Dead rabbit. Works for me

[steve_b_wales]

I read in an airgun magagazine, that placing a carrier bag with 'rubbish' spilling out, will attract Magpies. If you tie a few empty tins, bread wrappers, and place a few egg shell outside the bag, the Magpies will think its a rubbish bag that's split open. I have'nt tried this myself, but apparantly it works.

[kent]

Few things better a dead rabbit within 35 yds of your posision. Not ever had much luck with plasitic deeks but a stuffed fox or cat works a treat. Old time keepers used to put a big hob ferret out on a line, they go crazy to mob it (of course this now comes under live deycoy laws now, but it doesn't half work as i used to exersize my ferrets like this and can attest to its powers)