wannabe_keeper Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 Do you reckon that certain decoy patterns are actually worth bothering with? Since when do you see pigeons feeding on a field in a regimental horseshoe pattern!? I know that as a general rule pigeons will want to land into the wind and i set my decoys according to that however on a recent trip i decided to change my regular 'pattern' half way through to placing my decoys just randomly scattered about in no formation whatsoever and it didnt affect things one bit!? The pigeons still came round the back of me and appeared from my left into the wind (right to left) but didnt seem bothered about a scattered pattern or by landing amongst my plastic deeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 Decoy patterns aren't neccessarily going to resemble a feeding flock. The 'U' shaped pattern is used simply to funnel pigeons into a general area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 i never put a "standard shape" of decoys out.....if im on stubble i have a few in a line up the tramlines and others scattered randomly roughly facing into the wind ..then one or two tailing off downwind to provide an area where a shy bird might alight....sometimes i put a floater there the only time i see lined up birds is when it is cold dry and windy and all the birds are facing into the wind.......when you are out and see birds ...look at them ...really look at them and remember the scattered pattern they make...as the previous post points out all a "horseshoe pattern does like other patterns is to provide an area for the bird to land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superspark Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 You can do pretty much any pattern you like. They are really only to help guide the pigeons/ crows etc in to where you want to shoot them. I find that horse shoe pattern works well for crows and the like and does "most of the time" take the guess work out of where your gonna shoot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 I am using flex-coys with the stubble shooting as I can drive, I tip 20 out of the sack and chuck them out around 20 yards, half of them land up right so that is a bonus!! They are quite heavy so back to the flock shells when all the ground has been pulled up...I will scatter them in the same method but us a spare pole to flick them up the right way.... Man made patterns are to satisfy the human....not the pigeon!! TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I am using flex-coys with the stubble shooting as I can drive, I tip 20 out of the sack and chuck them out around 20 yards, half of them land up right so that is a bonus!! They are quite heavy so back to the flock shells when all the ground has been pulled up...I will scatter them in the same method but us a spare pole to flick them up the right way.... Man made patterns are to satisfy the human....not the pigeon!! TEH I too use this "random" approach. Also, depending on my mood I sometimes leave a gap of about 15 yards between two random groups to give the pigeons somewhere to think about landing. Seems to work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) I tend to use two groups and expand whichever the one they favour . The idea of the the pattern is to bring them within shot. In some case the two groups can be forty yards apart as the landing birds aim for the gap. NEVER place your decoys like squadies on parade place some facing the wrong way or facing left or right of the oncoming wind.See JDogs latest picture in Sporting Pictures as the shells are pointing different to the stand ups. Edited September 19, 2013 by pigeon controller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I have been doing the usual u shape with no great resultd.Then i thought sod it I will just put them out randomly and they teemed in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12boreblue Posted September 27, 2013 Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 I agree I have never used a horseshoe pattern, I just look to see how the pigeons are feeding locally and copy that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 I agree I have never used a horseshoe pattern, I just look to see how the pigeons are feeding locally and copy that. Me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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