Getting into a newbie flap...

[Longchalk]

Spent all day today decoying over drilled wheat, but with very little success. There have been birds feeding on the field on and off all week (I drive past it to & from work) and I put a few up when I arrived with the kit.... Thereafter...very little action at all.

 

I had a text book horseshoe pattern of deeks, and changed it twice to take account of changes in the wind direction. Only had three birds try and drop in all day (Nailed one, missed one, third one I was pouring a cup of coffee!) The rest of the time I was reduced to optimistic pot shots at passing crossers. Hide seemed fine to me from the field, and the few I did level on didn't seem to see me until I fired.

Thing is there WERE plenty birds overflying the pattern though, on all sides. Sometimes small flocks of half a dozen, but mostly pairs or singletons. ....But not remotely interested in the bloody decoys!.... Not spooked or veering off, just seemingly on mission going somewhere else and not interested. Moslty too high and too far out for sensible shooting.

 

I'm guessing that as there is still plenty of natural food around, and it is still very mild, so they are not starving hungry yet and not reacting to the stimulus of other birds feeding like they will later on.... Or are they just not seeing shell decoys, on dark soil, from crusing altitiude?

 

I'm now wondering if the movement from a flapper might have helped pull them down a bit ?? ... As usual, any advice is gratefully received....Getting some perms was relatively striaight forward.....Getting into the ******** pigeons has been altogether more tricky so far!

 

Longchalk.

[remmyman]

Hi there, I feel that you are getting a little hung up on 'patterns' and their 'pulling power'. In my experience all a pattern does is to draw birds in to range in such a way that birds are presented as crossers, incomers etc. Basically the shots that you find easiest, or the most testing, in short whatever brings you the most enjoyment. Patterns in my 30 odd years experience don't make the difference between birds 'coying or not(there's plenty that will disagree). I feel the same of floaters. flappers, magnets etc, when birds want to feed on field A, and they are flying over field B to get there, you can have all the 'coys and gizmos you like but they wont really 'come' as they should. Sure we've all 'pulled' birds down from flightlines on occasions, sometimes spectacularly, but these times are the exceptions to the rule.

 

 

From the way you describe your day I have no doubt that the birds in general were intent on feeding somewhere else, at this time of year particularly, birds can 'switch on/off' fields in a matter of hours! Trust me when I assure you that when you have a field that birds are really using your horsehoe pattern with/without all the 'extras' will do just fine, all things being equal IE hide position,wind direction etc. Wishing you more success on your next trip.

 

Regards Remmyman

[foxy bingo]

just keep trying different things you can go to the same spot another day and do what you did yesterday and you wont be able to load the gun fast enough there will be that many pigeons coming in

[Cranfield]

Birds passing by are usually going somewhere more attractive, there may be nothing wrong with your hide, layout, etc. they just want to be somewhere else.

The ideal is to find where they are going and go there, but thats not always possible.

 

On Friday afternoon I shot 55 pigeons passing over a bean stubble field, on their way to fresh drillings I can't get a hide near.

I watched and saw they were passing over the middle of a thick willow/bramble hedge, which is where I put my hide, set out 6 frozen birds and added shot birds.

None of the birds I shot attempted to land among the decoys, but they did divert to take a look.

When shooting over a decoy layout, often the passing birds are the ones that get shot.

Birds don't see a decoy layout and automatically try to land among them, but they will usually come and have a look.

 

Next trip, spend some time watching where the birds are going and try to set up under them, if necessary, move your hide during the day.

Keep still and move and shoot at the same moment.

[Longchalk]

Thanks guys. I must admit that I have tendend to view getting the decoys and method just right, as a dark art that stands between success and failure.

 

Sounds like what I really need is just a bit more patience..... And field full of rape.

[pegasus bridge]

I would give a flapper ago though mate, I am a firm believer that they bring more birds in for a nosey than just decoys and are far more consistent than a rotary. In fact I've not used my rotary for months, as I find it can be hit and miss. (No pun intended!).

Edited October 6, 2013 by pegasus bridge

[Longchalk]

Pegasus....Do you use a continously flapping one, and if so how long does the battery last? Or one where you just push the button when you see birds approaching?

[pegasus bridge]

I use one with a remote control , have it running a lot of the time, I use it paired up with a. 7ah battery and this lasts a good 3 days (6 hrs a day)like this, the standard 1.2 ah it comes with is good for 4 or 5 hours like this.

[Longchalk]

Sounds like the ticket. But first I'm gonna go back and reposition under the main flightline I watched yesterday, instead of being at 90 degress with it passing in front of me, take Pigeon Controller's advice from another thread about using my bouncers more effectively, and also widen the gap bewteen the arms of the horseshoe. From reading the sticky thread above I may be a setting it a bit too narrow. All this I can do for free and see what difference it makes to how the birds behave. But the flapper sounds like a decent investment... After I've taxed the car, and replaced the bloody washing machine! Sigh.

Edited October 6, 2013 by Longchalk

[motty]

Sounds like the ticket. But first I'm gonna go back and reposition under the main flightline I watched yesterday, instead of being at 90 degress with it passing in front of me, take Pigeon Controller's advice from another thread about using my bouncers more effectively, and also widen the gap bewteen the arms of the horseshoe. From reading the sticky thread above I may be a setting it a bit too narrow. All this I can do for free and see what difference it makes to how the birds behave. But the flapper sounds like a decent investment... After I've taxed the car, and replaced the bloody washing machine! Sigh.

Remmyman's advice is spot on. Don't worry too much about the shape of the pattern - you were simply on the wrong field. If you're in the right place the birds should come in to a 'poor' pattern.

I'm convinced that Pigeon Controller doesn't do anything too special to get the pigeons to commit, just that he does his homework and gets in the right place on the right field more often than not.

 

Never make the mistake of thinking that just because you see a good amount of birds on a field,that will be the place to be - you need to check that there is pigeon traffic to and from the field.

[ayano3]

I was once told many years ago that the pigeons wont come to you, you have to go to them. That's far more important than any gadgets or gizmos on the market.

[NickB65]

FLIGHT LINES.... many a time i have been in the same field as hundreds of the blighters but they where one side and I was the other...... study where the flight lines are, where they are landing and set-up under, close to or near a flight line or lines. That way they will see the deeds and should come close. Dont be tempted to go for the Digweed 100 yards specials..... unless you can hit them.

[motty]

FLIGHT LINES.... many a time i have been in the same field as hundreds of the blighters but they where one side and I was the other...... study where the flight lines are, where they are landing and set-up under, close to or near a flight line or lines. That way they will see the deeds and should come close. Dont be tempted to go for the Digweed 100 yards specials..... unless you can hit them.

I don't really think that Mr. Digweed shoots 100 yard pigeons.

[The Essex Hunter]

I don't really think that Mr. Digweed shoots 100 yard pigeons.

+1

 

TEH