Martin&Oakley Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Firstly I'd like to say a big thank you to Jody for offering to lend me his magnet as he couldn't make it out. Got set up about 9ish in a hedge row. 12 decoys in a U shape/sideways with the magnet out to the far right. In the first 2 hours I had dropped 6 'blacks' that decoyed in using the hedge as some sort of cover, fail. they were added to the pattern, just in front/right of the hide as a small group. Over the next 6 hours the pigeons came in small groups. the ones that decoyed, decoyed text book style. However the birds that flew over were so quick, like mini cruise missiles. I've added a picture of one the birds that was coming at me, slightly left of the hide. Hit it in the wing and it very kindly helicoptered into the tree above my hide I was using gamebore clear pigeon 30g 6 AND hull sport fast 27g 7.5 (clay). Both worked a treat. Ended with 18 wood pigeon (picked) and 8 mixed blacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imissalot Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Well done mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 (edited) could someone confirm 'black' species please? top 4 were massive and bottom 4 quite small but looked very differrent. Edited April 14, 2013 by Martin&Oakley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 That's a good bag, very encouraging for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Small ones are jackdaws I cant see the beaks of the larger ones , if they are pale then rooks , if black then they are crows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 crows then, thanks. just a quick note I took one of those crows down at 25-30 yards with the 7.5, clean kill?!! guessing lucky shot. oh and they are nasty, one even grabbed the stick i was using to dispatch it with then screamed at me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 crows then, thanks. just a quick note I took one of those crows down at 25-30 yards with the 7.5, clean kill?!! guessing lucky shot. oh and they are nasty, one even grabbed the stick i was using to dispatch it with then screamed at me. Well I guess I would get nasty if someone was trying to beat me to death with a stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Well I guess I would get nasty if someone was trying to beat me to death with a stick. very true. Is there a preferred/better way to finish them off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 very true. Is there a preferred/better way to finish them off? Shoot it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 I tried that with a pigeon today, didn't work. Hard as nails it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 crows then, thanks. just a quick note I took one of those crows down at 25-30 yards with the 7.5, clean kill?!! guessing lucky shot. oh and they are nasty, one even grabbed the stick i was using to dispatch it with then screamed at me. You would be surprised at the number of gundogs that just will not pick up a wounded crow, many have been pecked at and don't forget. Well done and good shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside1000 Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Hold it by the head and spin it around until you feel the neck break, watch it with pigeons though as the flesh is very soft and if you twizzle too much the head will come off, takes a little practice to get it right but its really quick and easy once you get it. watch the 'blacks ' though, they will peck anything within reach. if you have a dog don't let it retrieve live blacks as they have been known to take a dogs eye out whilst being carried, which will put a dog off retrieving for life, and who could blame it. as to the bag, well done, very good shooting, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 No disrespect but shouldnt you know what you are shooting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBS Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 (edited) No disrespect but shouldnt you know what you are shooting?Exactly! Why the hell would you shoot at birds all day long that, a, you can't identify an, b, you don't know how to dispatch when wounded? Makes my ******* blood boil, try reading up a bit before you go out killing things :( With your ID skills I feel very sorry for the stockie population in your area And spinning anything round until you feel it's neck break is the worst way after beating it with a stick :( Edited April 14, 2013 by JBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchsan51 Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Tip top shot/s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjm160 Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Good view from that ivory tower of yours digger and JBS? Perhaps other members would be more willing and able to help with more constructive advice? 1. What sources would people recommend for learning how to identify the respective corvids? 2. What other means of dispatch are there other than; a) shooting again b) hitting over the head with something hard c) holding head and spinning until neck breaks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Exactly! Why the hell would you shoot at birds all day long that, a, you can't identify an, b, you don't know how to dispatch when wounded? Makes my ******* blood boil, try reading up a bit before you go out killing things :(With your ID skills I feel very sorry for the stockie population in your areaAnd spinning anything round until you feel it's neck break is the worst way after beating it with a stick :( So because i dont know every type of corvid species, i some how dont know what a stock dove looks like? Maybe you shouldn't post anything, if you cant identify someone new to shooting 'general license' birds. As for beating them round the head, I dont think they much like being chased by lead/steel shot. Thanks to all that posted positive/constructive comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Can't believe that some don't feel knocking corvids on the head as a way of despatch is fine. In the real world it is fine and we all have to start somewhere, stock doves aside the corvids are all on the licence unless you have ravens about which are quite different. So well done on a good days shooting first of many I'm sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Well done on shooting so well on your first day out solo. My only piece of constructive advice would be about your decoys. It may be the camera but some look to be a long way out and could do to be closer in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjm160 Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Well done indeed M&A, quite unnerving setting out on ones own for the first time. Great write-up and whatever you've learn't so far appears to have been put well into practice, nice bag And for what it's worth, I also can't presently distinguish every member of the corvid family from each other and so am also very interested to learn of the best sources for improving identification. Meanwhile, I won't be asking them to hold on while I consult the 'Spotters Guide to Corvids' if any come into the pattern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Well they really aren't that hard to tell apart, jackdaws are smaller with charcoal coloured heads and small beaks, rooks are raggedy looking crows with whitish long beaks, crows have dark beaks and ravens look like large crows and tend to have a diamond shaped tail. They fly and behave differently so spend some time out in the field watching them and you'll soon see the difference. We have all species here and it is important to know the difference, and it really is better to know what you are shooting, and why. Personally I don't see the point of shooting rooks unless there are a large number of them, as they will do more good than harm - crows are a different matter. Good shooting by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjm160 Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Thanks Falcon and totally agree we should all know "everything that needs to be known" and after all, ignorance does not excuse a crime. Equally, which is worse; not knowing it's a 30mph limit, or doing 31 mph in a 30 mph limit. Which of us are also NEVER guilty of either. Rather than continually shooting 'transgressors' down in flames, perhaps those who know better could be a little more supportive and constructive. Thanks for the callout about rooks, can you explain a little further how unless in large number shooting them will do more good than harm? The farmer on my primary permission has asked me specifically to shoot "anything black". A quick goggle has revealed this which may be helpful to others: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Well done on shooting so well on your first day out solo. My only piece of constructive advice would be about your decoys. It may be the camera but some look to be a long way out and could do to be closer in. It's my camera phone. The 2 furthest away birds are on the magnet. Though I will be bringing it slightly closer next time, to many had to be finished off. To be honest it was more of a J shape pattern, if there is such a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Rooks eat a lot of invertebrates in the soil, leather jackets and wire worms and the like. The do eat cerials as well but on the whole they will go for invertebrates first. If the population is too big they will not find enough natural food and will eat crop seeds, the also poo everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted April 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Forgot to mention I found a crow decoy in the woods, can I add that to my kill count? Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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