Setting up the day before and hide position...

[BenA]

Hi there,

 

we are shooting over peas tomorrow (that have been harvested).

 

Is it worth setting up the hide the day before to minimise disturbance on the day, or does this not make a difference?

 

Similarly is it worth setting out decoys the day before? given that there is no risk of additional crop damage as it has been harvested already.

 

Also the flightline seems to be diagonally across the field but the best place for a hide would be against a small copse in the opposite corner away from the diagonal flightline. the alternative would be to set up the hide near or under the flightline but it will be difficult to get it to blend in as there is not much natural cover.

 

So.... would you go for better cover and hope the magnet draws them over or under the flight line but with a more obvious hide?

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Setting up the hide will save you a while but I wouldn't put the decoys out before you turn up to shoot.

 

As long as you can draw the birds from the flightline to your pattern, hopefully they want to be in that field.

 

Good luck.

[JDog]

The flight line is the flight line. Set up on it everytime. It may also vary from day to day and if you set up a hide the day before it may not be anywhere near the line you want. The disturbance thing is an irrelevance.

[motty]

In my experience you can't really plan too much before the day of the shoot arrives. The wind direction etc may be completely different and this can have a bearing on where to set up.

I'm now going out on to a barley stubble. I have a rough idea of where to set up (somewhere in the middle of the field) but i'll wait until i get there to sort out the details.

[Cosd]

I don't think either are required, in fact my opinion is that you want to disturb them and walk them off, I'll explain my theory.

 

If you set up the night before for argument sake and you sneak into the hide in the morning unnoticed whilst there are 300 birds feeding, when you take the first shot you will make all 300 scarper and almost certainly not come back.

Birds are used to seeing people in the field, be them farmers, dog walkers ect, so when you get there, they will fly off but hopefully they will start to trickle back in dribs and drabs once you are set up in your hide. This would give you a better chance of a decent days' shooting.

 

Also remember that a load of birds on the ground isn't the be all and end all and doesn't guarantee a good day; a constant stream of birds in the air is in my books a better sign for a decent day. I often walk the birds off or drive round a field lifting birds, then sit somewhere with the binoculars to watch where they start to return to, that's how I choose my spot.

 

There's no right or wrong in pigeon shooting, I'm sure some will disagree with my methods, it's up to you to try various ways, but remember every day is different, so what works wonders one day may not be so fruitful the next.

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

 

Cos

[pigeon controller]

Each day is different so view the the field in the morning you are going to shoot and walk the birds off if any are there. View any birds returning and see the flight line and wind direction decide on hide position and set out decoys. If none of this works and birds return in a different direction / flight line , move and regroup. All the very best and let us know.