An observation and an experiment (only partly succesful)

[JDog]

I've been watching a wheat stubble for the last four days. The flight line in was not strong but good enough for an afternoon's sport.

My observation is that almost without exception all of the birds coming in landed on the tramlines and continued to feed along the lines. This may seem obvious as the stubble was fairly long and landing would be difficult in amongst it. When I turned up to shoot the field this afternoon the field was being drilled with next years oil seed rape so I had to go elsewhere.

 

Undaunted I went onto the next door farm where again I have been watching a line for days. The birds were feeding on three oil seed rape fields at the top (and uphill) end of the farm. There was a very strong wind blowing. My experiment was to see if I could intercept the birds fully two fields from where they were feeding in a barley stubble over which they were flying only feet from the ground to get to the rape stubbles.

 

The flight was strong but not many decoyed and the majority passed either side of me but some did come in and I managed to shoot 26. The experiment was only partially succesful.

 

Part of JDog's bag with two very uninterested and unphotogenic companions.

 

 

[pigeon controller]

It is very difficult to pull birds off a flightlne even on the same field let alone two fields away. I applaud you for trying something different ( he who dares Rodney ) that's the only way to improve your decoying . Well done.

Edited August 22, 2012 by pigeon controller

[JDog]

It is very difficult to pull birds off a flightlne even on the same field let alone two fields away. I applaud you for trying something different ( he who dares Rodney ) that's the only way to improve your decaying . Well done.

 

Thank you. I suppose the point I was trying to make with the observation was that incoming birds will expect to see a pattern in the tramlines and that a hide should be situated to take advantage of that.

[Cranfield]

Anything is worth a try and you frequently have to be inventive to succeed.

 

Perhaps you shouldn't have watched the wheat stubble for 4 days.

In my area the birds are following the combine and are quick to move to the next (just harvested) field.

[yickdaz]

Anything is worth a try and you frequently have to be inventive to succeed.

 

Perhaps you shouldn't have watched the wheat stubble for 4 days.

In my area the birds are following the combine and are quick to move to the next (just harvested) field.

al

It is very difficult to pull birds off a flightlne even on the same field let alone two fields away. I applaud you for trying something different ( he who dares Rodney ) that's the only way to improve your decoying . Well done.

always found that meself when birds are intent feeding somewhere else even if you are right under the flightline most of the time its futile even trying to decoy them its better just setting a hide up as close to the flightline as possible and shooting them flighting over

[Harnser]

Anything is worth a try and you frequently have to be inventive to succeed.

 

Perhaps you shouldn't have watched the wheat stubble for 4 days.

In my area the birds are following the combine and are quick to move to the next (just harvested) field.

 

I watched them drop in behind the combine as it went past and then fly up into the trees as the combine came back and back down behind the combine . I will allways shoot a harvested field the day after it has been harvested . especially if it was a field that theyhave been feeding on before harvest . You cannot shoot the stubbles to early .

 

Harnser .