JONO Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi all, I'm really looking forward to beginning my renewed endeavours with my gun come the new year and have decided that decoying and roosting will begin my return to rough shooting and so on. I haven't got any land as yet but am building up my equipment prior to a big effort to secure some land come January. I've read some good historical posts about hide poles and both decoys and patterns. I haven't seen any "how to build a hide" posts though... I've been looking to buy that basic bit of kit - the net - and don't know really how much I need or should be spending on it to cover most hide situations... I've seen prices as high as £60 for a large bit to the below... 4.5m x 4.5m £20.00 7.5m x7.5m £40.00 9m x9m £60.00 (PM me if you know of any cheap websites though!) I also don't know what dimensions, features or shapes should be sought. Has anyone got a minute to clarify and help a newbie in this fundamental aspect to the sport? Thanks JONO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyni Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi Jono If you have any contact's in the T.A. or Army etc see if they can get you some old (or new) camo netting. A lot of the netting you can buy is good to hide you from the birds but is difficult to see through to watch for birds when you are behind a hide. The army netting is very cood camoflage thats why they use it. You can add foliage/bits of stubble from the surrounding area to the netting also. Hide poles are a must to be able to set up a good hide in minutes the telescopic ones are a bit pricy but they are good. The best advise once in the hide is keep still and wear some form of camo head net to keep your face covered. Another tip is get some form of a seat which is cheep and easy to carry (saves your knees). Find somewhere in the field where you will be shootin away from the road/houses/farms/cattle etc. Up against a high hedge or under trees, make sure you are comfortable with your swing when the hide is done e.g. no obstructions in your line of fire. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Good advice on the "ex Army Cammo nets". I have tried all different makes over the years and I don,t think anything beats the ex Army nets. I suggest you buy as big a one as you can afford and cut it in half, (or buy two small ones). It easier to put up in two bits, rather than one long piece. There have been many posts in the past, recommending using extending washing line poles, for hide posts, do a "search" for the details. The priority when building a hide is, "to see, without being seen". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flightline Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 John Batley in his book on pigeon shooting (also in his video) recommends a 5 pole hide with a roof of cammo and a vee shape in front - both features are said to hide the shooter better and the roof cetainly works though you don`t always need it if you have natural cover. The vee also prevents the gun getting caught in the cammo. In plan it would look like a square with the hedge one side and a triangle tacked on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest charlie Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Try army surplas or supplies shops and dont get hung up on the camoflage, some people use any colour. the important aspect is the ability to keep still, pigeons eyesight must be similar to a sight hound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JONO Posted December 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Thanks guys... What sort of size net should I be looking at though? 1.5m a side plus some for a roof? Or is 1m a side big enough? There's one shop selling bulk packs of 5 nets (4.5mx4.5m) with the squares on mesh rather than solid net pattern for £50... is this a good enough deal on its own? I s'pose I could always join/cut one or two nets to fit and maybe sell on the others... I s'pose I don't want to be lugging an immense load of camo netting across Wessex but want to ensure any hide is big enough for two and does the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyni Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 The army ones are ideal and work for me try to get a look at one if you can but as already said don't get to concerned about the net. Wear camo gear yourself while in the hide, I don't use a 'roof' just keep myself close to the net and still. Don't make the mistake of cutting the net too short (in hight) sometimes you might have no choice but to stand. Better looking at it that for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 JONO, I,ve sent you a PM. I don,t put a "roof" on my hides, as there is usually a bit of overhang from the hedge, or trees , I am set up against. However, I do like the back, to be higher than the front. This reduces the risk of being silhouetted. Why have two in a hide ? Make the other person buy their own net and set it up somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JONO Posted December 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Cheers Cranfield. There's wife and/or dog to consider as well as me being a bit of a lardy ***... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 Jono, how do you manage to talk the missus into going? i have tried without success for ages and have just about given up, that is unless you want to take yours shooting maybe mine knows I've got something else planned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul hart Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 You should take the wife for when theres nothing in the air therse plenty in the hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JONO Posted December 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 I'm almost embarrassed to say.... She kind of has a thing for that "Hugh Fernley-Wittlewhatsit" from that Tales from River Cottage programme. He went pigeon shootin' and she's into "honest" food. Don't think she'll be too keen once she's done it though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest charlie Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 If you wanna get rid of the trouble and strife Jono, make her prepare the birds. That should do the trick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JONO Posted December 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 Thanks lads. Have now bought an ex-army net (mesh and scrim squares) from an online AS shop - 4.5m x 4.5m for £27 which was the best value anywhere. I'll halve it and cannabolise it to ensure I have about 6m of fully covered net and a roof section. I'm getting there... now for some cheep (sic) decoys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.