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Pigeon shooting - the best


JDog
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There is one estate on which I shoot which has a flight line to die for. I treat this flight line with respect and do not overshoot it. Today was the day to shoot it for the first time since harvest.

 

The birds come out of two valleys and fly up a steep hill to flat land on the top. They always split into three flight lines and it is very dificult to draw birds off the two lines which have not been chosen for the hide position and decoy pattern. All of the fields into which the birds were heading were winter wheat stubble and all had round bales in them...ideal for getting under the best line.

 

I was set up by 1:30 and had birds coming in straight away. I could see the other two lines and wondered if I had made the correct decision setting up where I had as there were a lot of birds on them. However I stuck to my decision which was vindicated as the birds on 'my line' came in well to the pattern and after three hours of shooting I picked 67 pigeons.

 

Birds were still flighting as I packed up but as there will soon be a bean stubble at the end of these lines I left earlier than I would normally have done so that some of the birds on the line will not have been shot at. I will go back to the bean stubble in two weeks time to see if there are any pigeons feeding on it.

 

If there is a better sport/hobby than pigeon shooting I have never heard about it and whilst I would not consider that I am obsessed about it I remain very very keen and I have been keen for the last forty years and I hope my interest continues.

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There is one estate on which I shoot which has a flight line to die for. I treat this flight line with respect and do not overshoot it. Today was the day to shoot it for the first time since harvest.

 

The birds come out of two valleys and fly up a steep hill to flat land on the top. They always split into three flight lines and it is very dificult to draw birds off the two lines which have not been chosen for the hide position and decoy pattern. All of the fields into which the birds were heading were winter wheat stubble and all had round bales in them...ideal for getting under the best line.

 

I was set up by 1:30 and had birds coming in straight away. I could see the other two lines and wondered if I had made the correct decision setting up where I had as there were a lot of birds on them. However I stuck to my decision which was vindicated as the birds on 'my line' came in well to the pattern and after three hours of shooting I picked 67 pigeons.

 

Birds were still flighting as I packed up but as there will soon be a bean stubble at the end of these lines I left earlier than I would normally have done so that some of the birds on the line will not have been shot at. I will go back to the bean stubble in two weeks time to see if there are any pigeons feeding on it.

 

If there is a better sport/hobby than pigeon shooting I have never heard about it and whilst I would not consider that I am obsessed about it I remain very very keen and I have been keen for the last forty years and I hope my interest continues.

I don't think i would have packed up if the birds were coming in well. Leaving them for a shoot in a couple of weeks time is ok, but what if the bean stubble is ploughed straight in? What if the pigeons aren't interested in the bean stubble?

Two weeks is long enough for the pigeons to have 'got over' the previous shoot, anyway.

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I love the idea of pigeon shooting, but the reality is too often disappointing!

 

I think my best ever day would be about 50, but a good normal day is somewhere short of 20. Living in the city with no way of checking on the fields is a massive problem and relying on folks to call me when they think there's a few around is the difficulty, though there generosity in calling is always appreciated. Those rare moments though, when they're coming in, there's little better - except perhaps flighting them on a windy February day into some woods. Mr Eley must love February. LOL

 

I've had a few paid for days over the years and they've always been a disappointment, certainly no better chance of a bag than I can arrange for myself.

Edited by Tim Kelly
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