JDog Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 I've been promising two friends for some time that I would take them out decoying and today was the day. Neither was an experienced shooter but they had all of the right kit and made all of the right noises about how much they enjoyed a day's shooting so I bit the bullet. The fields were wheat stubble with plenty of unharvested areas. I had been watching for a week and I knew the likely numbers which would be around the fields and the best places for the hides. I set up the hides for them, put the rotary between the two and arranged the decoys so that hopefully they would get equal amounts of shooting. I first sat in with one of them who fired 20 shots with no kills. It creased me up that so many chances went begging but I restrained myself and let him continue to shoot with some words of advice. I then moved to the other hide where almost the same number of chances had been missed but I was able to correct a few faults in his position in the hide and his gun mounting and he began to shoot a few. Birds came at regular intervals for three hours and between them they fired 225 shots for less than 20 picked. They enjoyed themselves which, apart from the obvious pleasure they got, was more than could be said for me as I found it excruciating to watch such poor shooting. 'Never again' I said to myself driving home but I suspect that I will take other novices out just to experience the joys of pigeon shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecooper1 Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Nowt wrong with taking novices out mate they have to start sometime, as long as they enjoyed themselves thats all that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Mongrel- Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 I can hit a few clays, but would bet I'd be equally as rubbish on pigeons as I've never shot at them. Good on you for getting them out there I say. They can only get bettter with practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 You'd hit more if you just shut your eyes and pulled the trigger randomly. They must have been very frustrated at their own lack of success. At least the birds will still be there for you on another day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rizzini Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 if you class them as a novice what do you class yourself as ? If I hit 20 birds on my first ever day Id be feeling like digweed lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) I always rate a days shooting by the opportunities I had rather than the kills . It seems they had lots of opportunities ,so must have had a super day out . To put it into perspective a good pigeon shooter would expect to kill about 180 birds for 225 shots . Harnser . Edited November 10, 2012 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highbird70 Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Jdog.... Why never again?? I fully understand the torturing shooting...lol......BUT look at the otherside of the coin.. You have made to chaps very happy...priceless You have given them advice and help priceless You have took them pigeon shooting for free..priceless And you have introduced them to our great sport. I think its very admirable what you done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiffy Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 i understand why you may think twice about taking out people who may have trouble with a barn door but everyone has to start somewhere. im in that exact position myself and know how important it is for experienced guns to take people like me under their wing and share their experience.. so please guys, dont give up on us newbies... your far more of a help than any of you realise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyshooter Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Jdog.... Why never again? ? I fully understand the torturing shooting...lol......BUT look at the otherside of the coin.. You have made to chaps very happy...priceless You have given them advice and help priceless You have took them pigeon shooting for free..priceless And you have introduced them to our great sport. I think its very admirable what you done :good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 well done on taking the newbies out , as long as they enjoyed themselves that's all that matters , pigeon are very difficult birds if you don't have the experience of shooting them on a regular basis and I can understand your frustration at watching shootable birds exiting the pattern , I have a mate who comes along now and again who really is a poor shot but he enjoys it a great deal and puts up with my constant ribbing with a smile on his face , what I do is have my gun on standby and shoot some good birds after he has missed them with both barrels which then means the ribbing gets even worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tis1979 Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 I'm all for taking people out that are new to pigeon shooting and have done myself, but maybe some more practice on the clay ground is an idea for these fellas. 225 shots for less than 20 picked how many pricked birds got away. Good on you for taking them out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Personally I rarely need more than the 75 cartridges I carry and would have been gutted to see such a good day go to waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted November 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Had I been on my own I would have fired considerably less than 225 cartridges but I would have expected to shoot beteen 80 and 100 pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolphin Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 well done on taking them in the first place many a time i will sit with newbies all morning no problems just to see their faces when it all clicks makes it worthwhile to me atb dolphin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rizzini Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 If I go out with someone who is a complete beginner, We just take it shot about and that way everyone is getting an equal chance to drop birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchie the white hunter Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 I always rate a days shooting by the opportunities I had rather than the kills . It seems they had lots of opportunities ,so must have had a super day out . To put it into perspective a good pigeon shooter would expect to kill about 180 birds for 225 shots . Harnser . No chance, that's all well and good if its a good light breeze and decoying well but even the best of pigeon shooters our there would struggle with that ratio if it is down to the weather conditions !, an average ratio is 2 shots to one so if you fire 225 carts that's around 117/118 that's being more realistic don't you think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Trouble Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 JDog firstly, fair play for taking them out to experience it. There certainly is a knack to pigeons as opposed to clays. Did the chaps take home and prepare the pigeons they'd shot aswell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiffy Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 JDog, your doing your mates a favour and other guys on here who i know do the same reminds me of an old proverb... better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a gifted teacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 I can hit a few clays, but would bet I'd be equally as rubbish on pigeons as I've never shot at them. I haven't forgotten fella Other than one outing this year its been my worst sporting year ever and I've seen no point in sharing the glum! Hoping 2013 will be better all round and we can get out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted November 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 JDog firstly, fair play for taking them out to experience it. There certainly is a knack to pigeons as opposed to clays. Did the chaps take home and prepare the pigeons they'd shot aswell? I did insist that they took birds home and demonstrated in the field how they were to be prepared. Whether they do the ones they went home with is uncertain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyshooter Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 I'm all for taking people out that are new to pigeon shooting and have done myself, but maybe some more practice on the clay ground is an idea for these fellas. 225 shots for less than 20 picked how many pricked birds got away. Good on you for taking them out though. If this guy can put up with me he can he can put up with any one, thanks Tis, you may not know it, but I had a cracking good time, and learnt a lot, a real gent' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tis1979 Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 No worries mate, anytime, you been out much? Lots of birds about at the minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 if you class them as a novice what do you class yourself as ? If I hit 20 birds on my first ever day Id be feeling like digweed lol what for 225 shots don,t know about thatfair play to yer for taking them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highland Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 CAN I COME PLEASEEEEEEEE LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rizzini Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 what for 225 shots don,t know about that fair play to yer for taking them out 225 between two people and 20 birds got, I took a guy out and he never got any birds so I would say the feeling they had that they got 20 was amazing. If they shot both barrels thats 113 (roughly birds so 20 wouldnt be bad for someone shooting for the first time with a gun that prob doesnt fit etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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