Dyl003 Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 As a newbie I have a couple of questions with regards to roost shooting. I get the concept, but wanted a few pointers. Do pigeons tend to use the same trees, so for example looking for signs of droppings etc would be a good thing to do? Is the idea to get yourself hidden in the trees and pick them off coming to land in the tree and maybe flying across the open field in to the tree line? I'm guessing a good time is just before the sun starts going down? Any titbits of advice would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Yup - That's about right. Find a tree with poo under it and that's where they'll roost. Get there around 2 hours before dark and get yourself cosied up. Keep still and cover your hands and face. Enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Go there a day before in similar conditions to the ones you are expecting on your day and watch where the birds are coming from and where they are preferring to land. A good wind keeps them low and easier to shoot. Allow a good couple of hours to shoot. Try and find a spot with a clear shooting area in front and where you can back up against a tree to help keep concealed. Cover your face as it becomes very obvious from above as you look for the incoming birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Dep on the wind /weather mate ,I find won't always use the same area of wood so we tend to cover the areas that we assume they are going to land.Experiance usually pays dividends once you get how they behave.Some nights they will drop in in the hundred,some nights you might only get a dozen.Dont over shoot it either we tend to shoot 3 diff woods on a rotary system. Enjoy it mate and beleive me when that big black cloud comes in the feeling you won't forget,best shooting ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Always reccie. I have some woods that pigeons hardly ever use and others they definately favour. Tend to like a mixed woodland (conifers and deciduous). Look for the poop and look for a nice open canopy. Get you back against a tree and look up.... need to have a open canopy above you as well as in front. Try to shoot on a Saturday night in Feb as other folk out then as well and this keeps the pigeons moving looking for a safe roost. Pigeons main roost time is about 1 hour before dusk but good to get in place early. This time of year a few pigeons feeding on ivyberries so can get a few early on before the roost starts. You can also find a good flightline into a wood and shoot this. Birds tend to be higher (unless windy) but can be more shooting as focussed in a narrow flightline. I shoot a flightline along a river into a big wood beyond my permission. If the birds are feeding in a ceratin direction this can be a busy flightline at either dawn or dusk for about an hour but at other times is very quiet....so again need to reccie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Yup - That's about right. Find a tree with poo under it and that's where they'll roost. Get there around 2 hours before dark and get yourself cosied up. Keep still and cover your hands and face. Enjoy!! I agree to an extent, but there will also be **** underneath trees that pigeons have sat in during the day, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I was in a spinney with Steveyg last Friday and the floor was carpeted with pigeon droppings. This spinney was quite definitely not a roosting wood but one used by pigeons to digest rape gleaned from the adjacent field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Best to be mobile so you can move as new flightlines become apparent. Personally I have found roost shooting to be a dead loss this year compared to previous ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moley101 Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 some really useful advice on this thread as I'm fairly new to it too and this is definitely what I've experienced! Some days hundreds and some days nothing! And definitely take the advice about keeping still and covering face! they spot you from a bloomin' mile away! 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.