Is it worth going out decoying in strong winds?

[JDog]

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 .

 

You may have one or two of those then.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Interesting to see so many of you struggling with your hides in high winds!

[ShropshireSam]

My favourite sport decoying pigeons has been on windy days. As pigeoncontroller said...a pigeon making a quick exit in a strong wind can make for an awesome shot. Need to take care to find a good hide position with a good thick hedge at your back and not to worry about the cartridge count.

[Whitetail]

I've found in the winter on rape you pretty much need a decent wind to get any shooting , the birds flight on to the fields in smaller flocks and tend to stick to a flight line, whereas on a still day I've found the birds tend to get in large flocks and either move two or three fields over or be quite content to sit in the trees . I've had much better luck setting up later in the day than being on the field for first light like I used on rape. At other times of the year like spring drilling or on stubble you can have good luck on stiller days but I always try to choose a day with some wind, I think it helps with muffling the gun shot

[Blackpowder]

A moderate wind up to 20mph is beneficial to decoying especially if it is possible to set up in a sheltered location, as on other posts the wind can deaden the sound of gun shots. Gale force winds I find that at times pigeon will sit tight at their roost rather than face severe conditions. Again at seed time have had good sport in warm calm conditions.

 

Blackpowder

[JDog]

Last April on a very windy day I set up tight to a large Oak tree which broke some of the wind but not all. I had to let a fair bit of wind through the hide by leaving a large space in the middle. I used all eight poles to keep the hide up.

 

The set up must have looked very strange. I did however shoot exactly 200 pigeons that afternoon.