kitchrat Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 OK, so lots of you ridicled my posting on "scouts." Yesterday it was quiet so I did a lot of watching and not much shooting. As JDog also found out, " Lots of birds had a look at 60 - 80m", high up, no folding of wings, no intention of coming in, did a 180 degree turn behind me and went off back where they had come from. No flaring away, not scared, maybe just not that hungry? I was Mr Invisible, cut right back into and under a dense hedge. But why had they come 200m off their original route, just to have a look?? Sorry, but I can't be sure that they later came back with a couple of pals but you never know? I only shot 20 and can't tell one from another. The real reason for this post is what I will call "The stool pigeon" as opposed to scout. On this perm there are a few Stock doves, slightly smaller than a woodie, darker, faster wing beat and no wing or neck bars. They are not on the General Licence so don't get shot. Therefore, they decoy very readily and generally get in the way. However, they are not stupid and, on arriving, untroubled, in the killing zone, soon notice that all the birds are either plastic or dead and that the magnet goes round in circles (and almost hits them in the beak) They then fly off in a hurry. On 10 or 15 occasions yesterday, 1 or 2 doves came in as if they were on a string (like pigeons used to) but drifting about 100m behind were a couple of woodies. When the doves read the situation and took off, the woodies also flared away. This was too common to be a coincidence. Now tell me they don't use scouts, even if it's a different species!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Just a natural reaction to the evasive/flight (as in run away) response by the stock doves, no more no less. All the Wildebeest run away when the Zebra takes flight at the sight of a lion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 OK, so lots of you ridicled my posting on "scouts." Yesterday it was quiet so I did a lot of watching and not much shooting. As JDog also found out, " Lots of birds had a look at 60 - 80m", high up, no folding of wings, no intention of coming in, did a 180 degree turn behind me and went off back where they had come from. No flaring away, not scared, maybe just not that hungry? I was Mr Invisible, cut right back into and under a dense hedge. But why had they come 200m off their original route, just to have a look?? Sorry, but I can't be sure that they later came back with a couple of pals but you never know? I only shot 20 and can't tell one from another. The real reason for this post is what I will call "The stool pigeon" as opposed to scout. On this perm there are a few Stock doves, slightly smaller than a woodie, darker, faster wing beat and no wing or neck bars. They are not on the General Licence so don't get shot. Therefore, they decoy very readily and generally get in the way. However, they are not stupid and, on arriving, untroubled, in the killing zone, soon notice that all the birds are either plastic or dead and that the magnet goes round in circles (and almost hits them in the beak) They then fly off in a hurry. On 10 or 15 occasions yesterday, 1 or 2 doves came in as if they were on a string (like pigeons used to) but drifting about 100m behind were a couple of woodies. When the doves read the situation and took off, the woodies also flared away. This was too common to be a coincidence. Now tell me they don't use scouts, even if it's a different species!! When you have a day when every bird decoys from a long way away your scout theory may take a back seat. Only last week I posted about an afternoon out with a friend when pigeons set their wings from a great height and possibly 400m from my decoys and came straight in. I said at the time that I hadn't seen decoying like that for a long time. Yesterday I had the other end of the decoying scenario. I am not sure that I can sense ridicule from others about your scout theory. It's just another of the 'great unknowns' about pigeon decoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moor man Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 (edited) All the Wildebeest run away when the Zebra takes flight at the sight of a lion. Sort of 'cat among the pigeons' situation then, hope I dont see any lions while im out ....... and whats all this about flying zebras? Edited August 23, 2013 by moor man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Sort of 'cat among the pigeons' situation then, hope I dont see any lions while im out ....... and whats all this about flying zebras? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Just a natural reaction to the evasive/flight (as in run away) response by the stock doves, no more no less. All the Wildebeest run away when the Zebra takes flight at the sight of a lion. Maybe so but the number of times that a little bunch of mixed birds came into view, then the woodies hung back while the doves went in, made me think it wasn't chance, but planned. Did annoy me though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitey10765666 Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 is this a scout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 untitled.png is this a scout Good one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 As i've posted before, there are no such things as scouts in the woodpigeon world. Anybody who honestly thinks that there is such a thing, in my opinion, needs their head testing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Sitting on the fence I see Motty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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