Trevor_Noad Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 Managed to get a day off last Friday from both work and the kids so couldn’t resist getting out. Got up fairly early and arrived at my permission at around 6.30am and drove around the farm to see if there was much activity. The various stubble fields were covered with groups of 10-20 birds so watched for about 30mins and noticed a flight line coming from a nearby wood across the middle of the field and then along the far hedge row. I set up my hide tight to the hedgerow with a reasonable wind blowing from left to right. Set up 20 shell decoys in an L shape and before I had even got back in my hide 2 decoyed in beautifully (or it would have been if I had got my gum out of the slip case yet!!!!!!!). My first shot came 5 mins later when a Magpie came from the far corner of the field and was dispatched with pigeons coming in fairly consistently all day. Frustratingly I was nailing the full crossing birds but winging or missing ones that decoyed in (if anyone knows what they of been then please let me know). Unfortunately the day was cut short as the farmer was cutting back the hedgerow that I was sitting in but I finished the day with 22 pigeons and 2 magpies (Couldn’t retrieve a few of the pigeons that were deeply imbedded in the bramble bush in the far corner. Had the family round for a BBQ on the Sunday so knocked up some pigeon kebabs which went down a treat. Tried to up load the pictures but they are too big! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superspark Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 On crossing birds I expect you are shooting well in front of them. Being further out your shot pattern will be much bigger. Decoying birds can come in very close so you only realy need a quarter choke and smaller shot size. If the bird if comming in right at you and dropping in, pick your target, follow it and push through just under it and fire. Chances are you are shooting over the top of it. If your choke is to tight and the bird decoys right in it will be like trying to hit it with a single projectile. Don't let them get to close before pulling the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor_Noad Posted August 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 Thanks mate Im using 1/2 and 3/4 chokes so I will definetly give that a try next time im out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck Hunter Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 Hi, I use half choke seems to work well for me on most birds and shooting situations. Thanks Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 No need for such tight choke when decoying in my opinion, you're only making things harder when it comes to the closer decoying birds....try quarter choke in the first barrel, should start hitting more birds square in the pattern. You'll be amazed how effective it is at longer birds too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 cylinder and a 1/4......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted August 28, 2014 Report Share Posted August 28, 2014 one must pattern one's gun one must don't be shy give it a try you might have a better idea ....... kenbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 cylinder and a 1/4......................... Dead right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 in my pump i use cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Great result for a short session due to hedge cutting. Well done for the kebabs , did everybody enjoy them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 in my pump i use cylinder. in my a303 semi..i have gone for skeet which is 5 thou up from cylinder....but i use 30gramm( as opposed to 28gm in the little boxlock)....which gives me a few more pellets in the pattern when the birds are getting out...........it still amazes me after all these years of shooting how far cylinder choke will reach out on a 26" barrel.......in the last few years i have been using 6 shot.....and im toying with going back to 7 shot which is what i used for more than 30 years...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor_Noad Posted August 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Even the most sceptical of family members loved the kebabs and thanks for all the advice regarding which chokes to use. I always used to shoot ¼ and ½ but found myself missing loads and so changed to ½ and 3/4 . Realistically it was a lot more likely to be me miss mounting or not following through than the choke size so I will revert to ¼ and ½ and see how that goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Why not use whatever gun you are happy with and adjust the decoys to the range you are happy with, you are never going to get every pigeon that come in to the decoys perfect for whatever choke your using , stick to the same gun using a choke that suit whatever you use the gun for .In my case I shoot pigeons , game (when I get a invite) and wildfowl and use the same gun all the year round . The choke on mine is 1/4 and 3/4 ( I think ) Holding the gun straight and putting the shot in the right direction is more important than how tight the choke is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt 205 gti Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Quarter choke is ideal for nailing em as they turn into the pattern in a strong wind almost stopped ,or are just floating into the deeks slowly , but the all round option is half and three quarters i would say gives a bit more variation on range all round , surely you guys agree who have tried this ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 (edited) Quarter choke is ideal for nailing em as they turn into the pattern in a strong wind almost stopped ,or are just floating into the deeks slowly , but the all round option is half and three quarters i would say gives a bit more variation on range all round , surely you guys agree who have tried this ! I certainly do agree! Although I don't agree that quarter choke is limited to easy decoying shots floating in, the opposite in fact. I always used to fire half choke in the first barrel but since using a new gun reverted to quarter first barrel and am staggered even now how far I can consistently nail long flighting shots with it! The tighter choke obviously gives an edge in hitting long shots cleanly, but in my opinion far more important is how accurate your shooting is than what choke you use....people seem obsessed with full choke etc because it's what George Digweed uses. The same goes for excessively heavy loads and big shot size but that's another debate Edited August 29, 2014 by Wilts#Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superspark Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 I usually take 1/4 & 1/2 chokes with me for my semi auto. I start with the half choke but if most of the shots are very close I pop the 1/4 in. All depends on the day realy. 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.