tody27 Posted December 7, 2003 Report Share Posted December 7, 2003 I am planning on decoying in a field next to a large roost wood. The reason why I have chosen this location is because there are loads of pigeon flightlines over head. I am wondering if this is a good place to shoot? Cheers :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 7, 2003 Report Share Posted December 7, 2003 What are the crops in the field next to the wood ? Are there any suitable fields a bit further away ? As a rule, I don,t like shooting too close to woods, that pigeons use to roost in, unless I,m "roost shooting". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Boy Posted December 7, 2003 Report Share Posted December 7, 2003 If you have to shoot close to the wood make sure you dont stay on too long as you dont want to stop the birds going to roost this is because pigeons have to be confident about there roosting wood and if you stop them getting in then they will lose their confidence and that could cause them to move to a different roost wood and maybe off of the land you have permission to shoot over. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tody27 Posted December 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2003 Thanx Cranfield/Wonderboy Reply to Cranfield: the crops are cereals, either corn or barley. About 200m from the wood is a large patch of weeds (mostly young grass) in the middle of the field, i was planning on shooting them over this. Is that a good idea or not? Unfortunatly all the land I have grows cereals. Are these any good?- I have decoyed over them occasionaly but its never been that successful. There is another field that I can get permission to shoot over, it is near the roost wood and is just a grass field, with clover. Is it any good? Thanx. Any advice will be useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 7, 2003 Report Share Posted December 7, 2003 I wouldn,t spend too much time decoying on cereals, apart from when they are first sown, or just before harvesting and on the stubbles. The exception is, on particularly windy days ,when the birds will "rest" on the ground, in the lee of a wood, hedgerows etc. The shooting may not last that long, but it can be hectic. If the large patch of weeds and grass you mention is "set aside", it would be worth watching to see if the pigeons are feeding on it. However, it does seem strange to have set aside in the middle of a field of cereal. While the cereal is growing, it may be that your pigeon shooting on that particular farm, is going to be restricted to roost shooting, or shorter periods of trying to intercept the birds as they fly to and from the woods. I don,t use decoys, when shooting like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Boy Posted December 9, 2003 Report Share Posted December 9, 2003 The best shooting you should get is just before the cerials are about to be harvested and you should hope for some strong winds to blow a patch of the barly/wheat over and then as the grain is starting to get milky the pigeons might hit it. You might get a bit of shooting on clover but the shooting is normally patchy and the birds come and more than often go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 The field with some clover in can work as it comes through, but agree with the others dont shoot too near the roost wood if you are going to set up, and cereal as its in its early growth is not much of a draw for them, i have sometimes had a little sucess with early short crop with a good decoy pattern and the addition of movement, magnet , peckers, bouncers and the like , but the importance as always getting under or as close as you can to the flightline , they wont decoy as well as a feeding field but can bring them in for a look see on some days . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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