flight-lining

[biakalblaster]

I'm new to pigeon shooting, from an air-gunning and more recently .22 rimfire bunny bashing, background.

 

In my shoot there are good flightlines, along approx 1 mile stands of pine, 40-50m wide.

There are good sized clearings where you can wait out the pigeons.

So far have been getting 3-5 pigeons in 30-45 min sessions.

the fields around are grazing or barely (not harvested yet).

 

Some times i go and see very few pigeons. whens the best time of day to go for flightlines?

I suspect the blighters roost in the woods, so before roosting time may be best - when would they go to roost?

 

I have also found on windy days its easier to get them as they tend to fly closer to tree tops, on still days often out of range.

there also seem to be more on flightline on a windy day - wonder they that is?

 

I use a basic (#50) side-by-side biakal 12bore, with 1/2 and full choke, i have been advised elsewhere to get the full choke barrel reamed to 1/2 or 1/4 choke - how much would this cost to get done?

 

I initially missed lots as i was aiming too close infront of the birds, i have extened lead on the faster higher ones to 6ft and had more success.

 

I have used 1 oz, and 1 1/8 oz, 6 & 6.5 carts - Hulls

 

so any tips welcome on flight-lining e.g. time of day to get best bag

 

might try decoying when fields of grain are cut

[tiercel]

biakalblaster It seems that you are doing every thing right. on the shooting front. I had a quote last week from a gunsmith to open out a choke and his cost was £15 a barrel. So allowing for Regional variations it should be around that mark.

 

Tiercel.

[bigsam]

hi biakalblaster

 

you are doing things right on the flightlines mate, i have been shooting the ones on my shoot for the last 3 weeks with some good results. i find the afternoon best for shooting the birds and on windy days. i shoot next to adjoining wheat stubble fields so as soon as i get a couple down i put them out as decoys and this can sometimes help bring those wider birds in closer for a closer look. i can usually tell which ways the birds are going to come from with the wind direction. as you shoot the lines more you too will understand how the birds react to the wind direction, i find the birds tend to fly more head to wind so i position myself accordingly.

 

gun wise, i use my aya `super solway` with 32 inch barrels and choked full in both tubes. this is my favorite gun for using on the lines as it can bring down those higher and wider crossers on days when the wind isnt so strong. so i would suggest maybe sticking the full choke out for a while untill you get used to it.

 

anyways hope this helps keep us informed on your results

 

 

cheers BS

[biakalblaster]

thanks for confirming im on the right track

 

went out on a new shoot 1/2 mile from home tonight

around 10-15 acres of scrub and corn field, missed a pigeon and a crow flying over,

so moved to edge of some trees and on 5th shot bought down a woody coming into a tree to roost,

then a thunderstorm moved in

nice having a shoot so close to home, and there are other fields i hope to get access to soon from same farmer - the crows and woodies are all coming into the barley fields he is cutting at moment, so hope for more sport soon

[Guest cookoff013]

stick to the tighter chokes, in the end you`ll shoot better, and have more confidence in the longer shots,

the cartridges are more than suitable for pigeons, i`m planning on using 7 at a slightly closer range, my chokes are 3/4 and full. its what i shoot game on. i`d rather miss than get a partial strike.(i`m ashamed to say i`ve had some partial strikes and wernt ultra clean kills.)i`ve hoped that tightening the chokes and shooting at a slightly reduced range, it should be better.

 

as i`ve shot clays, i`ve learnt that pigeons are fast little ******* !

 

what you dont want happening is, changing your gun, and then being unhappy with its longer range performance.

remember its not the choke of the gun that improves accuracy, its where the user points it.