VINCED 686 Posted August 7, 2013 Report Share Posted August 7, 2013 I was out over rape stubble the other night and had decoys set out 9 a mixture of dead birds and shells along with a magnet. The birds kept veering off as they got closer so I took down the magnet. The same kept happening (I stayed dead still in case it was me but no change). In the end I got fed up and started packing up with only one 50 yard shot. I packed the shells up first and as I was putting them in the bag two pairs came in without hesitation !I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE MEK Posted August 7, 2013 Report Share Posted August 7, 2013 plastic shells sunlight flashing off them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted August 7, 2013 Report Share Posted August 7, 2013 theres no doubt you can't beat dead birds as decoys, but for pigeons to flare it has to be something like THE MEK has said and your shells are shining in the sun. other than that it must be a problem with your hide/silouhette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VINCED 686 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2013 plastic shells sunlight flashing off them? plastic shells sunlight flashing off them? Don't think so .. the shells are flocked . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 It impossible to conclude from a pair of birds that did decoy after taking the shells out; what's to say they wouldn't have decoyed with the shells!! On days where there isn't much in the air it really can be hard trying to work out why they don't commit. You need to keep watching them and see if there is a pattern developing in the birds reactions and adjust accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 It impossible to conclude from a pair of birds that did decoy after taking the shells out; what's to say they wouldn't have decoyed with the shells!! On days where there isn't much in the air it really can be hard trying to work out why they don't commit. You need to keep watching them and see if there is a pattern developing in the birds reactions and adjust accordingly. Spot on. I think it is far too easy to jump to conclusions when decoying. I never change things too quickly when things are not going as i want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 As cosd say,s one pair coming in don,t mean much, but put dead dead,s next to even flocked shells and you will see that there is a big difference in coulour and texture. As i have said on previous threads breast out you birds then roll them up in newspaper and bag them, keep in fridge or freezer depending on your next session. they keep in fridge for about 10 days befor getting smelly. the decoys I'm using at the moment are at least 5 weeks old been frozen and thore,d at least 7 times and yesterday decoyed 58 birds strait in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lg1 Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 For trail and error you may it may of been beneficial to have stuck it out a bit longer! Removed all shells to see if that helped. If not! Take the rotary in. Just double check the hides lay out and concealment. Check the ground for any broken glass to see if anything is shining away. Have a play with your spread insuring there's plenty of space between them etc. Agreed its a chew on but you may just of solved the issue and shot on, if not then you could leave the field at least knowing it was probably just the birds on that day. # extra mile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 For trail and error you may it may of been beneficial to have stuck it out a bit longer! Removed all shells to see if that helped. If not! Take the rotary in. Just double check the hides lay out and concealment. Check the ground for any broken glass to see if anything is shining away. Have a play with your spread insuring there's plenty of space between them etc. Agreed its a chew on but you may just of solved the issue and shot on, if not then you could leave the field at least knowing it was probably just the birds on that day. # extra mile Really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VINCED 686 Posted August 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 Thanks for all your thoughts guys . lots of useful stuff to chew over. I would have waited it out if I didn't have to get home. I set up on the same field tonight for a couple of hours. Spent lots of time on the hide so I was totally concealed. set out the pattern (not much different from before). I moved the van out of sight and as I was walking back I could se birds flying into the pattern and decoying beautifully. I switched on the magnet and got set up in the hide and the same thing started happening again. Long story short ...... the magnet arms were reflecting the sun !! Switched it off .... switched on the flapper and shot 27 . Not a massive bag but it was steady and consistent so happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin&Oakley Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 I've seen a video on youtube, where it looks like he only had a rotary and they where coming in all day long. The rotary was about 30yards out and in front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 In the recent sunny weather I have taken in my rotary when the pigeons appeared to shy away from the flashing arms. Provided that the decoy pattern has plenty in it and that is where the birds want to be I see no harm in managing occasionally without a rotary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 Ditch the rotatory at the moment not needed good display of dead birds and a flapper 25 yds in front of you will do the business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superspark Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 I would not put real ones too close to shells or full bodied decoys as they will look different. as far as hides go I have never found it a problem on how good it is but more important not to move. Its movement that will give you away. Once you have one committed to your pattern it wont see you very easy. I was wondering about hides and the like so I sat on the edge of a field dressed in blue jeans and white tee shirt to prove a point. I sat perfectly still and watched bird after bird fly in to my pattern. After shooting a few not many actually turned away as I moved to lift the gun to shoot. From my findings it would seem that they don't see me or cannot change their flight line once they have committed. Many people use camo and face masks, ive never done either. Crows, well that's a different matter, they will fly off if you so much as open your mouth to yawn. with these little ******* stealth is the only way to go.great fun though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterse Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 I had the same problem years ago, solved it by putting camouflage tape on the rotary arms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 (edited) I would not put real ones too close to shells or full bodied decoys as they will look different. as far as hides go I have never found it a problem on how good it is but more important not to move. Its movement that will give you away. Once you have one committed to your pattern it wont see you very easy. I was wondering about hides and the like so I sat on the edge of a field dressed in blue jeans and white tee shirt to prove a point. I sat perfectly still and watched bird after bird fly in to my pattern. After shooting a few not many actually turned away as I moved to lift the gun to shoot. From my findings it would seem that they don't see me or cannot change their flight line once they have committed. Many people use camo and face masks, ive never done either. Crows, well that's a different matter, they will fly off if you so much as open your mouth to yawn. with these little ******* stealth is the only way to go.great fun though. They look very different to us, but i don't think pigeons are too fussed if their dead mates are placed next to their plastic imitations. I have never had a problem mixing the two together. Edited August 9, 2013 by motty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 I was out over rape stubble the other night and had decoys set out 9 a mixture of dead birds and shells along with a magnet. The birds kept veering off as they got closer so I took down the magnet. The same kept happening (I stayed dead still in case it was me but no change). In the end I got fed up and started packing up with only one 50 yard shot. I packed the shells up first and as I was putting them in the bag two pairs came in without hesitation ! I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this ?? maybe the birds didn't want that field, maybe there wasn't enough birds to set up on to start with, maybe you was in the wrong position, etc etc the list is endless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkj7176 Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 I had the same thing yesterday, in the end I decided to pack up at 4 as bird just were not decoying. I took down the rotary and full bodied decoys and most of the dead birds and put them just inside my hide, leaving a dozen shells and maybe 5 dead birds. I then and went to get the car but chatted on to a farm hand for half an hour en route. Just drove back onto the field and saw bird coming in like planes at heathrow (one or two every couple minutes), I stood in the hedge 20 meters from my hide as that seemed to be the flight path now with my amended decoy pattern. Then over the next hour and a half added 50percent to the bag that took me all day to get. The decoy pattern was no conventional pattern, basically lumps of pigeons with big gaps between and one random floater. I came to the conclusion to a) experiment with this higgldy piggledy pattern type and b) sometimes less is more ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted August 10, 2013 Report Share Posted August 10, 2013 I have never found mixing shell decoys and dead birds in a pattern makes any difference.I do eventually bring in any decoys and leave dead birds out but that is just my preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordiemick Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Had a days shooting up on the borders on Saturday, shooting on barley stubble with a hay bale hide, pigeons not that interested in my deeks but had 6 crow fuds off to the side and they came into my pattern great, strange how the crows did and pigeons didn't. hey hoe just one of days I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 I was out over rape stubble the other night and had decoys set out 9 a mixture of dead birds and shells along with a magnet. The birds kept veering off as they got closer so I took down the magnet. The same kept happening (I stayed dead still in case it was me but no change). In the end I got fed up and started packing up with only one 50 yard shot. I packed the shells up first and as I was putting them in the bag two pairs came in without hesitation ! I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this ?? They ALWAYS come in when you are packing up/adjusting decoys etc!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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