Magnets and decoy patterns

[CrapShot]

Gents,

I have recently purchased a rotary decoy machine but I have had mixed advise on how to use it properly.

I was advised by the guy who made it for me to always put the machine at the front of your decoy pattern as the bird will not fly over it. (Which makes sense).

A guy in my local gun shop advised me not to use decoys and just use the machine. (mmmmmmm)

I also read in a previous discussion on this web site to place your machine at the back of your decoy patter and to one side.(Which also makes sense).

 

The problem is they all seem like good ideas but when I am out in the field and things aren’t going too well I chop and change my decoys and machine to try and rectify the problem every 30 mins.  Any guidance on this would be much appreciated.

[Deako]

Wow!!...who nicked my avatar??    :evil:

[CrapShot]

Mark Williams from the midlands. Sorry about that.

 

Any help to offer with my decoy issue ?

[Deako]

Mark,

 

Best advice would be towards the rear of your decoy pattern and roughly ten yards to one side.

Remember, though, that sometimes the rotor will simply put birds off, especially in areas where they are heavily used.

 

In these circumstances, bring your rotor in and just rely on your decoys, or if you find the rotor is frightening the birds away, put it right out in the field and attempt to direct the flightline over your deeks.

 

[CrapShot]

Deako,

thanks for the advise and i will put it into practise first this Saturday morning.

[Guest flightline]

The rotary attracts birds which will often fly low and fast right at it, until they veer away, or you shoot them. In the absence of deeks, no decoying will take place. It`s an attractor only. If you don`t use deeks that`s all you`ll get-a series of very testing shots. I agree totally with Deeko`s advice. Position the magnet at the front of the pattern and to one side, to allow the birds an escape route as per John Batley`s book.

[Buzzer]

I use mine with decoys i offten place it about 10 yards in front of the decoy pattern, or to the far side depending on what the birds are doing, just lately ive had to pull it in because the birds have become magnet shy and in its place I use a Pinewood floater wich seems to do the trick, it really depends on the day on were to place the magnet or if to use it at all.                         all the best

                                     Buzzer

[G.I. countrysports U.K. GARY]

My thoughts on magnets......

 

1. Magnets work best on windy day's

 

The birds fly lower on windy days, making it more difficult for them to see our decoy patterns.  

 

2. On a still day don't bother with them at all.  

 

3. I deploy the magnet at least 30 yards in front of the decoy pattern (crossing wind) and often in the field behind us if their is gaps in the hedge (wind behind).  Let the magnet do the attracting and the pattern take over once the birds get near to it.

 

4. They work very well in September when all the young birds are out on the wing.

 

5. I don't agree with this gap in the pattern to allow the birds to fly through if they don't want to land.  The whole idea is to make them land in the killing area, not let them fly through it.  Close those gaps and decoy the birds right up to the head of the pattern.  deploy the magnet 30yds in front of the head of the pattern.  Always place the bulk of the decoys at the head of the pattern.

 

6.  Slow the rotations down to a lifelike speed (buy a speed control) this also makes the battery last much longer.

 

7.  Never place it tight to a high hedge.  It scares the birds off straight away.  FROM A LONG WAY OFF...  

 

8. Tip the birds on the arms, on their sides to show up better from a distance.

 

9. Ring the changes, if it scares 1 or 2 the chances are it will scare nearly all of them.

 

10. On still days, tie white bags on the arms and deploy the magnet on the opposite side to where you are deployed (especially on large fields) to act as a very efficent bird scarer.

THIS IS POSSIBLY THE BEST USE OF A MAGNET....

 

I am not the biggest fan of magnets, even though I have 6 of them.  We all shot 1000s of Woodpigeon before they were invented, and our decoy skills were better then.  As for providing more shooting, I don't agree...

 

TAKE THE MAGNET IN WHEN IT APPEARS TO BE WORKING REALLY WELL, YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN THEN, YOU DIDN'T REALLY NEED IT AT ALL ON THAT DAY...

 

I watch a great deal of Woodpigeon shooters through binos every day.  About 1 in 10 birds actually like the look of the magnet and try to land near it.  The rest veer away dramatically.

 

 

They are a tool in our armoury, to be used when we think they might help us, not plonked out every time we go out...  

 

I hope this helps...

 

Good luck....

 

GARY WILSON

G.I. country sports U.K.

[THE PREDATOR]

i too have used the same trick as gary and put dayglow yellow strips on my magnet onfar side of field to push birds around things it does work but dam i thought i was the only person with that trick up his sleeve oh well you try to keep these things a secret but not for long with you clever lot about thanks gary lol........

[supergame]

I tend to agree with Gary on the magnets uses.

Don't put to much emphesis on the magnet.  They can make shooting difficult more often than make it easy.

As Gary says they are more of an attractor.  

I find that decoys used properly, with sufficient numbers are better than a magnet more often than not.

Certainly agree that you don,t need a magnet when its still, they will pile in from miles up if your pattern looks right.

These days I use the magnet about 1 in 5 trips.  I must admit I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to pigeon decoying and prefer to use a floater at the front or side of the pattern. Don't get me wrong the magnet has worked wonders for a lot of pigeon shooters and has made many hard days easier, but I think theres a lot to be said for a good decoy pattern.