camojohn Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I was thinking of going out shooting tomorrow but they forecast 17 mph winds with gusts of 28mph. Is it still worth a try or should I just leave it for another day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Definitely give it a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooooper Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I get my best bags on wind days, dont like hot still sunny days, birds seem to be on the wing more on a wind day, but there`s no guarantee with birds so one tip IF you don't go you will hit sweet fa, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I generally dont like days that are overly windy , but at this time of year when the birds have flocked up a good wind can help split them up a bit which in turn improves your chances of getting a few shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 pigeons love high winds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I have only ever known winds too strong to decoy in and that was because the hide kept blowing down rather than pigeons being unable to fly in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 pigeons love high winds Do they? How do you know? I get my best bags on wind days, dont like hot still sunny days, birds seem to be on the wing more on a wind day, but there`s no guarantee with birds so one tip IF you don't go you will hit sweet fa, I find the opposite is true for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Sounds perfect to me, providing birds are feeding there any weather will do, but a wind can help muffle the shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 (edited) Movement of decoys is very important and a good wind helps this. Floaters and springers look really good in wind but are next to useless on a still day. Edited December 10, 2014 by birdsallpl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I get my best bags on wind days, I dont. I find if its very windy the hide is a nightmare and any birds that see you can use the wind to their advantage. But i will be out in the morning and try to find a spot out of the worst of the rain and hope it don't rain either. I have to be out as the local farmer called and i want to build the contact otherwise would stay in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy bingo Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 pigeons hedge hop when its windy keeps them low Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 And of course the day brings other problems:::: !!!!!!. Your Cartridge Ratio will go through the Roof. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 2 things high winds do 1 is split the flocks up a bit 2nd it keeps them on the move well that's my opinion of course it can be too strong at times as jdog said and its impossible to keep a hide up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 im not a fan of decoying on windy days , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 same hear my wig keeps blowing off,but I have found a lot more birds fly down wind, may be to save energy. ....kenbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 thats the trick wait down wind and bag them as they go past!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 I love windy day shooting as the birds tend to commit to the lower flight lines or valleys and if you position you hide in the right position you can get high crossing shots and lower passing shots as they pass below you. As we use real birds as decoys they tend to be robust enough to stay put in the wind but the angels have to be tethered. A spooked bird in the wind can be a tremendous shot that you will take to your grave . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 (edited) 2 things high winds do 1 is split the flocks up a bit 2nd it keeps them on the move well that's my opinion of course it can be too strong at times as jdog said and its impossible to keep a hide up So how do you keep your hide up in strong winds? If the wind is behind me I use a ground sheet and attach it to the back drop (hedges etc.) This does two things, stops the wind blowing through the hide, it also keeps the wind off your back ,and keeps you a little warmer. Peg the front of the hide with bailing string and tent style pegs, and a couple of Thumb sticks inside the hide at an angle into the wind, either taped to the hide pole's or the height adjusters. I am sure others will have more suggestions, these can only help all of us so send them in and let us all see what we do to overcome this most annoying of problems. Edited December 11, 2014 by bakerboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 So how do you keep your hide up in strong winds? If the wind is behind me I use a ground sheet and attach it to the back drop (hedges etc.) This does two things, stops the wind blowing through the hide, it also keeps the wind off your back ,and keeps you a little warmer. Peg the front of the hide with bailing string and tent style pegs, and a couple of Thumb sticks inside the hide at an angle into the wind, either taped to the hide pole's or the height adjusters. I am sure others will have more suggestions, these can only help all of us so send them in and let us all see what we do to overcome this most annoying of problems. Guide ropes and supports between the poles, works a treat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 I was thinking of going out shooting tomorrow but they forecast 17 mph winds with gusts of 28mph. Is it still worth a try or should I just leave it for another day? Ideal conditions IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 When I started pigeon shooting I read every scrap of article and books I could get my hands on, three things have stood out for me as very different to my own findings. 1) You can easily find out what birds are feeding on by opening the crops I found birds crops almost invariably empty 2) Birds often alight on nearby trees surveying your pattern before gently swooping in all of a sudden do they b........ 3) Windy days are better as it keeps the birds low not in my experience, I've had my best days on relatively still days, some wind is better than none but strong winds are horrible to set up in, horrible to keep decoys tethered and horribly difficult to shoot. I have also often found birds are stratospherically high ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 When I started pigeon shooting I read every scrap of article and books I could get my hands on, three things have stood out for me as very different to my own findings. 1) You can easily find out what birds are feeding on by opening the crops I found birds crops almost invariably empty 2) Birds often alight on nearby trees surveying your pattern before gently swooping in all of a sudden do they b........ 3) Windy days are better as it keeps the birds low not in my experience, I've had my best days on relatively still days, some wind is better than none but strong winds are horrible to set up in, horrible to keep decoys tethered and horribly difficult to shoot. I have also often found birds are stratospherically high ![/quote My experience 1) Opening the crop does indicate what the bird is feeding on but not where! 2) they do alight into nearby trees and survey the pattern but then usually fly off in the opposite direction 3) Windy days are better than still days because in gives movement to the decoys which is important. However if blowing a gale it can be difficult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camojohn Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 I was thinking of going out shooting tomorrow but they forecast 17 mph winds with gusts of 28mph. Is it still worth a try or should I just leave it for another day? I should have gone another day. Stared badly and didn’t get any better. I text the farmer who was late getting back to say it was ok to shoot. Then found I’d forgotten the big battery for the magnet. Sat and waited for hour, not one bird came in, they’d all gone to another part of the field. Went and put out some flags, which didn't help much as they just when anywhere else except where I was set up. So my grand total for the afternoon was 1 dead 2 missed. I shot the same field on Monday and shot 25. The only good thing was the weather men got it wrong and the wind was not half as bad as they forecasted. It’s days like that when I could of just walked round the field and shot more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 I went out and sat in the landy looking at the field drinking my coffee and thinking ............ is there enough action to venture out?? After 30 mins drove back home. Hoping that the weather is better in the morning and the birds are back. I have a field just planted with winter wheat (very late) and I think the birds are on it as its a fresh till rather than for the seed. On all my fields with the new growth the birds are not holding. If there are no crows or its raining then I will take the air rifle round the barns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 days with wind work well...it keeps the birds low and the sound of the gun shot is disapated........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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