Longchalk Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Farmer text me yesterday (how very 21st century!) to say he had just drilled two more fields of wheat, and they are pulling in lots of pigeon. I nipped out in my lunch break for 20 mins and had a look today, so admittedly not the longest recce, but there were several groups of 20-30 odd, in different areas of a fairly large field that forms a hill in the middle, and slopes gently down to either side. Hard to spot a definite flight line as they were lifting off and circling round all directions. Mostly spooked by me hiding in the hedge in a shirt and tie no doubt! Gonna have a go at it this weekend if they are still feeding there, but I can forsee I might just end up pushing them over the hill to the opposite of the field to wherever I set up.... With a big area how effective is it to try and flag it off?... I was thinking of some white bin liners or something, tied onto canes - cheap and cheerful - But am wondering how close together you'd have put them, and if it is really worth the effort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 If the field is that big it is worth putting flags out (supermarket plastic bags, or farmers fertilizer sacks are good) , I will often put out a string banger if its not practical to walk all over the crop. Remember, that your shooting is going to move birds for quite a distance, that may be enough to keep them on the move, especially if you are shooting with the wind at your back, which will spread the noise across the field.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 If the field is that big it is worth putting flags out (supermarket plastic bags, or farmers fertilizer sacks are good) , I will often put out a string banger if its not practical to walk all over the crop. Remember, that your shooting is going to move birds for quite a distance, that may be enough to keep them on the move, especially if you are shooting with the wind at your back, which will spread the noise across the field.. Make sure if you have the wind on your back that you are not shooting down the flight line as it will dry up quicker than a puddle in the desert... Try to position your self so you shoot across the wind then the noise will not rattle back to where the birds are waiting to come and feed.. Simple but effective... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longchalk Posted October 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 Make sure if you have the wind on your back that you are not shooting down the flight line as it will dry up quicker than a puddle in the desert... Try to position your self so you shoot across the wind then the noise will not rattle back to where the birds are waiting to come and feed.. Simple but effective... TEH Thanks Essex, good advice. It was blowing a gale when I was there today, so you'd have heard me all the way to Basildon! LOL.... Can you clarify though, (my brain must still have got the air in it).... Surely any gun report is going to blow downwind, regardless of what direction you are facing? Are you saying that if your pattern of shot is launched crosswind, the noise of the report is lessened, compared to fire directly downwind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Thanks Essex, good advice. It was blowing a gale when I was there today, so you'd have heard me all the way to Basildon! LOL.... Can you clarify though, (my brain must still have got the air in it).... Surely any gun report is going to blow downwind, regardless of what direction you are facing? Are you saying that if your pattern of shot is launched crosswind, the noise of the report is lessened, compared to fire directly downwind? Yes.... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 As said before , canes with one black bin liner plus two supermarket white bags in twine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 I yous old milk containers tide with string on garden canes blow in the wind and do a good job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Make sure if you have the wind on your back that you are not shooting down the flight line as it will dry up quicker than a puddle in the desert... Try to position your self so you shoot across the wind then the noise will not rattle back to where the birds are waiting to come and feed.. Simple but effective... TEH I'm not too sure about that theory, Tim. I have often shot constantly towards the best flightline on good days and the birds have still come. Maybe the pigeons within a couple of hundred yards may be put off, but ones coming from further away won't even hear the shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 I'm not too sure about that theory, Tim. I have often shot constantly towards the best flightline on good days and the birds have still come. Maybe the pigeons within a couple of hundred yards may be put off, but ones coming from further away won't even hear the shot. Around here we have loads of holding woods and they come out to feed in the winter with the follow the leader style and I have ###### up a couple of potential good days by shooting down the flight line…. In the winter they are chased around by every farmer with rockets, bangers and gas guns. How many times do you see a flock that you did not know were there lift up after one shot… Also for me a quartering or side on wind makes the bird swing across the hide for a nice crossing bird and if I miss it then my gun in following for the second barrel.. Just the terrain my way I guess…always good to have a extra trick or two. TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 my son bags off all the time, even puts magnets out with bags on. it pays dividends for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael170874 Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Don't bother mate bagging off doesn't work .ive seen fools spend an hour going round putting white sheets flags,scarecrows,spinners,etc .only to pass the same field next day with pigeons eating the rape underneath the bags,if you can afford buy string bangers not cheap but sometimes they work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Don't bother mate bagging off doesn't work .ive seen fools spend an hour going round putting white sheets flags,scarecrows,spinners,etc .only to pass the same field next day with pigeons eating the rape underneath the bags,if you can afford buy string bangers not cheap but sometimes they work. Tosh. Bagging off can and does work, but not always. I note your comment about pigeons eating the rape underneath the bags the next day. Whoever put those bags out, and you obviously, have failed to realise that you only bag off other fields or other parts of fields when you are actually decoying. They are never left out, even overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Tosh. Bagging off can and does work, but not always. I note your comment about pigeons eating the rape underneath the bags the next day. Whoever put those bags out, and you obviously, have failed to realise that you only bag off other fields or other parts of fields when you are actually decoying. They are never left out, even overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longchalk Posted October 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Looks like the Great British Weather is going to rain on my pigeon parade anyway... Pub anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Around here we have loads of holding woods and they come out to feed in the winter with the follow the leader style and I have ###### up a couple of potential good days by shooting down the flight line…. In the winter they are chased around by every farmer with rockets, bangers and gas guns. How many times do you see a flock that you did not know were there lift up after one shot… Also for me a quartering or side on wind makes the bird swing across the hide for a nice crossing bird and if I miss it then my gun in following for the second barrel.. Just the terrain my way I guess…always good to have a extra trick or two. TEH Also, what would you do if you have 3 lines into the field? Where do you fire then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Also, what would you do if you have 3 lines into the field? Where do you fire then? Go in the middle!! http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/256910-257-pigeons-2-crows/ TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert manchester gun Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 Yes.... TEH Looks like the Great British Weather is going to rain on my pigeon parade anyway... Pub anyone? This is the reason we all love the british weather just going shooting love and I'm taking my wallet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pesky pigeon Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 Take a mate to shoot another part of the field Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael170874 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Tosh. Bagging off can and does work, but not always. I note your comment about pigeons eating the rape underneath the bags the next day. Whoever put those bags out, and you obviously, have failed to realise that you only bag off other fields or other parts of fields when you are actually decoying. They are never left out, even overnight. Tosh. Bagging off can and does work, but not always. I note your comment about pigeons eating the rape underneath the bags the next day. Whoever put those bags out, and you obviously, have failed to realise that you only bag off other fields or other parts of fields when you are actually decoying. They are never left out, even overnight. . Tosh you talk ******** your obviously a novice I have been at this game for 30 yrs pal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue smokey Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 hello i put bags out in a pea field which i wasn,t able to shoot hence a hotel stuck at the end of it .shot the pea field next door to it got a mad pile of shooting itworked for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 . Tosh you talk ******** your obviously a novice I have been at this game for 30 yrs pal Touched a nerve did he. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 . Tosh you talk ******** your obviously a novice I have been at this game for 30 yrs pal I am sorry that I missed this post on 18th October when Michael170874 called me a 'novice'. It is quite possible that he is more experienced than I am and I freely confess to knowing very little about pigeon decoying. However I have been decoying for forty years now and I estimate that I have shot something over 50,000 pigeons. It would be nice to know when my apprenticeship ends and I could be described as 'experienced'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I am sorry that I missed this post on 18th October when Michael170874 called me a 'novice'. It is quite possible that he is more experienced than I am and I freely confess to knowing very little about pigeon decoying. However I have been decoying for forty years now and I estimate that I have shot something over 50,000 pigeons. It would be nice to know when my apprenticeship ends and I could be described as 'experienced'. Come on JDog 40 years and 50000 pigeons, and know very little the apprenticeship never ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Come on JDog 40 years and 50000 pigeons, and know very little the apprenticeship never ends. True. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 . Tosh you talk ******** your obviously a novice I have been at this game for 30 yrs pal , That told you JDog you novice I was in a mood until i read this Blumming novice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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