Old style decoying

[crowcaller]

Have been looking at some stubble that was harvested this week ,first one a lot of crows walked them off waited 25 min not one came back as other fields were being harvested, went to another farm 60 or so pigeons on the field watched and had a weak flight line coming in so wind at my back set up on the stubble,put 16 she'll decoys on spring sticks a good wind had them moving nice birds committed from the off and I decided not to use a flapper as they decoyed perfect.it made a change to have no gadgets out shot some good birds and missed some easy one's had 7 right and lefts .as the day wore on the flight line got stronger, I picked 53 and lost 6 in over grown ditch.

[JDog]

That is a good session.

[skye]

Sounds like a good days decoying. It's interesting that you've had success without flappers etc, I've tried that myself recently with limited success. I'm out tomorrow but will take the rotary or flapper.....you never know!

[ditchman]

well done ...ive had several short sessions without flappers...just decoys....not as good as that sort of 10-15...like you just picked the end of a flightline ...it just pulls them into you so you can get a shot...ive had a play with my decoys over the last 3 mths trying to get the paint right...which has helped no end

 

well done ..old skool !!

[kenholland]

just lately If the birds come in to the decoys I don't bother with the flapper, I only use it if I start to struggle will I put it out .

[jam1e]

Well done. Never really thought of the full benefit if spring sticks. I will now!

[ShropshireSam]

A good session and they must have decoyed well to get that many doubles from 53 birds (...or your an ace shot?). They didn't decoy too well for me yesterday and I shot 53 but only had 2 doubles (or am I a c**p shot?)

The shell deeks on a spring stick with a good wind look really good....problem is if wind that good then normally have the odd gust of wind that blows the odd shells off the sticks.

[pigeon controller]

Well done , great result .

[Columba Grey]

60 there when you arrived..... You shot 59 1 lucky pigeon😃

[crowcaller]

More birds flying as day wore on and combine on another farm plus good wind kept them moving. Shropshire Sam I let 1 bird land and shoot other birds coming in then take bird taking off. Not a crack shot more a **** shot at times.ha ha

[lakeside1000]

Keeping it simple is always a good idea, having decoys pecking, bobbing,flapping and whizzing round in circles you can easily overdo it, I have had birds flare away at the sight or sound of magnets and flappers, but what's important is what works best on the day, I always try to start with a dozen dead birds on frames and sticks, plus just one flapper set well out as the attractor, I find it better to keep mechanical devices slightly apart from the main decoy group especially when birds are reluctant to commit, what is important is getting the layout right with good decoys, some of the shells available now are useless as the colours are so far out, I am in the process of repainting all my shells and treating with flock so there is no shine or reflected light from them, In the last 10 years I have never managed to shoot a 50 in one session, there just are not the numbers around here to get that many, not on my perms anyway, a couple of 40+ and several 30+ are my best, but to me its not a numbers game, If I only had 3 birds over but they all committed into the pattern I would consider that a good day, to me its about getting out in the quiet countryside and enjoying everything around me, I used to fish a lot and had the same attitude with that, enjoy the day, don't get upset if you don't get a record breaking result.

Edited September 3, 2015 by lakeside1000