rubythedog Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 (edited) Just like to no if you think pigeons are wiser now than they were 50 years ago in rgs to getting shot at? It will only take a second to do so if you read this thread have a quick vote cheers Edited April 18, 2012 by rubythedog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 i think so unless i am wearing rose tinted specs then I am sure they are harder to decoy and the amount of gear we seem to carry nowdays to bag a few is stupid , I shot my best bag of 220 about 20 years ago with 12 decoys a bit of net and a bag of cartridges , nothing else ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I dont think the birds are more inteligent, its just theres more shooters nowdays, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubythedog Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I agree fenboy, it's just I hear lots of great storys from some of the old boys of how they made excellent bags with old milk bottles and bits of drain pipe etc. Im pretty sure that these methods wont give great results these days ( With rare exceptions granted). Also you read and here on the news that year on year wood pigeon population gets bigger yet Decoying seems to get trickier, therefor I think the good old woody is a bit cleverer than most folk make out... Looking forward to the poll results for this. Valid point stubby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Yes I started my pigeon shooting career with some home made decoys from some grey guttering shiny enough to dazzle you when the sun was out but birds still came to them !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I have a theory that pigeons have become more wary and are harder to decoy than in the old days . I am convinced that natural selection is speeded up by all the pigeon shooting that goes on today . I think that the stupid birds get shot early in their life cycle and the more clever birds survive to tease us pigeon shooters .The clever ones go on to breed and survive and produce more super wary birds . It wont be long before we will only be able to shoot pigeons with a centre fire rifle at 1000 yards . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I did the BASC woodpigeon course a couple of weeks ago and Peter Theobald has a theory that pigeons memories are good for around 2 weeks, so you shouldn't overshoot your permissions if you want big bags - Also, by virtue of pigeon shooting now being a fairly popular pasttime (as well as method of crop protection) there are more shooters in more locations shooting a lot more regularly. The crucial part here, according to Theobald, is that you have a lot of the long range sniper brigade taking early shots at birds that have either not yet committed to your decoys or are unphased by your pattern, all of which are out of your regular killing range and as a consequence they end up being missed but also now spooked. Doesn't take long for themto realise that this only happens when they see their mates in these perfect u, l or j shaped patterns!! Think about it - It makes sense. In simple terms, dead pigeons tell no tales!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubythedog Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 (edited) True!!!! For two weeks anyway :0) But are wood pigeon wiser than drain pipes these days? (hence evolution) or are well all just crackers buying all this kit? Edited April 18, 2012 by rubythedog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 It doesn't matter what kit you have, if the birds won't decoy to it you may as well be sat with your feet up and a brew! Iv only been shooting 8 years and I havnt had a bag over 50 for about 3 years. My best being 144 over harvested rape when a trailer tipped over spilling 10 tons of rape seed!! I think they have become wiser and the amount of food that is readily available for them must be overwhelming! I mean if we had a mcdonalds every 25m we could be picky to where we go if that makes sense. It's been that bad over my permissions this year even on the rape. just hoping harvest is going to produce some birds this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) I know a few old boys that say you could where bright orange clothes in a hide and birds wouldn't care and still land in your pattern!! Edited April 19, 2012 by Sharpshooter.123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) I know a few old boys that say you could where bright orange clothes in a hide and birds wouldn't care and still land in your pattern!! One of the shooting magazines did an article on a similar line. Only they built the hide using that orange mesh usually used for fencing off road works etc. They still shot pigeons, apparently. The Yanks wear it all the time!(the colour, not the mesh ) I think that pigeons don't flock up as they used to in some areas(like round me) so they are not as attracted to other groups of their 'mates'. More and more are breeding all year round and coupled with moving into towns and cities(and my garden :o ) they have less and less need to join up. I was only saying a couple of days ago that I used to shoot more birds when I had very little kit. 1/2 dozen full-bodies, a lander off Chris Green and a good days shooting. I wonder if it will still work? :hmm: GH Edited April 19, 2012 by Greenhunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 I was only saying a couple of days ago that I used to shoot more birds when I had very little kit. 1/2 dozen full-bodies, a lander off Chris Green and a good days shooting. I wonder if it will still work? :hmm: Yup - On my permission i have excited enthusiastic days where i go with all my gadgets, decoys, whirlys and all the rest and lazy days with just a dozen shells and a net - Results don't seem to be spectacularly different (apart from the fact that my back still works after the lazy days and it only takes me 5 mins to set up!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Maybe the question should be "are pigeons smarter than shooters" as it is the shooters who are attracted to the kit and shell out their hard-earned for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 I have a theory that pigeons have become more wary and are harder to decoy than in the old days . I am convinced that natural selection is speeded up by all the pigeon shooting that goes on today . I think that the stupid birds get shot early in their life cycle and the more clever birds survive to tease us pigeon shooters .The clever ones go on to breed and survive and produce more super wary birds . It wont be long before we will only be able to shoot pigeons with a centre fire rifle at 1000 yards . Harnser . Spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubythedog Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Some good points here in rgs to overkill and poor kit! All we need now is some nutter to go Decoying with drain pipes to see if they get the same results as if they were useing shells or any other modern deek! If drain pipes don't work as good as shells id say birds are now more clever than us humans take then got! Right!!! Who's going out with the drain pipes lol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipdog Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 I think the main reason is pigeon have a greater choice on where to feed. With large amount of rape being farmed they are not concentrated to feed in certain fields. Fields are also a lot larger now than they used to be, i dont think this helps decoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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