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Latest decoying session


motty
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I wasn't going to post about my day out on Saturday, but after being prompted by PC, I thought I would. So I have found some time and here we go.

 

I had noticed a fair few pigeons building up on a barley stubble next door to a farm that I shoot. This was a few weeks back. Last week there were literally thousands of birds in the vicinity of this field, and I wondered how I could go about putting a few of those in my bag. I decided that I would try and decoy the field next door. My field was beans and is now sprouting a couple of inches of fresh wheat growth.

I invited our very own Catamong, who had picked out a raffle prize at the PW charity shoot, to have a day on the pigeons with yours truly. Unfortunately, due to game shooting commitments, he could not make it.

I was set up before 10am Saturday. There was a decent wind blowing and the skies were cloudy. I had already shifted a few hundred pigeons from the barley, sitting less than 100 yards from my intended hide position. I dropped my gear off, parked the truck up and got everything set.

My hide was put in front of a clump of bushy trees. I set out fourteen flock coated shells on spring sticks (for a change) and awaited my first customer. First pair in - pair down. Second pair in - pair down. That was as far as my 100% kill rate went. I shot fairly well for the most part of the day. The birds decoyed well, especially after I added the magnet and a few dead birds (which were frequently put out as they were shot).

I could have quite easily accommodated an extra gun. In fact, someone else in the hide would have been most welcome, as lots of 10s and 15s came into the decoys at once (I can only shoot so many). At one point, I'm sure I knocked down 4 for 3 shots. It was difficult to tell, but I think I did it.

Big swirls of birds were seen in the distance, possibly indicating a switch of feeding grounds. Later, checking the crops of the slain, showed that the pigeons had been to several different diners. There was old barley and wheat found, along with beans and also some drilled wheat.

A fellow decoyer was also enjoying some sport close by. He wasn't having as many shots as me, but he would stir things up, which certainly helped.

I really was having a good time, but it wasn't to last. Usually a day such as this gently tails off. On this occasion, the action ended rather abruptly. I crept past the ton and that was pretty much it.

I was contemplating packing up when the other decoyer came walking across the field. He gave me the 11 pigeons that he shot.

At just after 3.30pm I gathered up 105 pigeons. This may be my last session of the year. If that is the case, then I reckon I've had a decent one, all things considered.

WP_20151017_002_zps8evfhkf7.jpg

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great write up :yes:

I don't understand why you hesitated to put that post on if a 100 bag isn't worthy of a post I don't know what is

I agree. It is always good to hear from Motty whatever he is up to, shrinking violet that he is.

 

Last year I posted about getting four birds in a strong wind and there were more responses to that than for most of my other posts.

Edited by JDog
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all beautifully laid out i see ..................

I'm glad you appreciated it, it took a lot of effort to get them 'just so'.

Good write up. Did you film it?

No. As soon as I started shooting I regretted not having the camera with me. I really need to make sure I take it with me more often, then I can decide whether I wish to film or not.

 

great write up :yes:

I don't understand why you hesitated to put that post on if a 100 bag isn't worthy of a post I don't know what is

I suppose you're right. I don't know what's up with me lately!

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Thanks motty thats a cracking report of a good days shooting well done, its nice to read of others shooters exploits and see the results . its not the numbers that make a good day its the sense of satisfaction, remember if you only have fifty on the field and you shoot fortynine thats brilliant.

It was certainly a satisfying day. I think I just wanted to prove to myself that I could get the pigeons to decoy well, despite being quite flocked up and on a field they weren't feeding on.

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Excellent report on a brilliant days shooting , one thing I did notice with your report was how it dried up fairly early considering the amount of pigeons in your area.

 

It was the same the last few times I was out , around 3.30 to 4 o clock it more or less came to a complete halt , yet in P Cs report they seem to carry on that much later , in my case once the wood where they come from is empty then that is more or less it . maybe P C have more woods spread out at different angles and the sound of gun fire is less noticeable to the ones against the wind . only guessing though , could also be weather conditions on the day .

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A great read motty.

I have also seem some very big flocks of young pigeons in our area recently. They are just as you described, swirling around in a mass.

Not so easy as some may think to get them decoying properly and make a bag.

 

You did very well to shoot your ton :good:

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well done motty , I do like your reports , there's no smoke and mirrors , just good honest down to earth pigeon shooting ,however I like to watch your videos more , SO SORT IT OUT !!

 

one day in the future I WILL have a day in the field with you , and ill show you how we do it in bandit country :good::whistling:

 

once again well done mate ,

 

just need fenboy to get his **** sorted now haha

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No. As soon as I started shooting I regretted not having the camera with me. I really need to make sure I take it with me more often, then I can decide whether I wish to film or not.

 

 

Shame. I take mine on all outings. If it's a bad day I can delete the footage or compile it with another day.

 

Good bag all the same.

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Excellent report on a brilliant days shooting , one thing I did notice with your report was how it dried up fairly early considering the amount of pigeons in your area.

 

It was the same the last few times I was out , around 3.30 to 4 o clock it more or less came to a complete halt , yet in P Cs report they seem to carry on that much later , in my case once the wood where they come from is empty then that is more or less it . maybe P C have more woods spread out at different angles and the sound of gun fire is less noticeable to the ones against the wind . only guessing though , could also be weather conditions on the day .

I think the feeding period is determined by the light conditions , if the cloud starts and the day darkens the feeding stops . With you in the east that starts before the Midlands so our feeding spell is later. I keep going on about the "Forest ofArden" which is a great area for birds so when they are on the Oaks we have a large number of birds when the acorns are about and they stay for the Rape.

Re Motty's presentation that's good for Norfolk and I would term it a " Norfolk Shuffle" , here's to the next one.

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I think the feeding period is determined by the light conditions , if the cloud starts and the day darkens the feeding stops . With you in the east that starts before the Midlands so our feeding spell is later. I keep going on about the "Forest ofArden" which is a great area for birds so when they are on the Oaks we have a large number of birds when the acorns are about and they stay for the Rape.

Re Motty's presentation that's good for Norfolk and I would term it a " Norfolk Shuffle" , here's to the next one.

Thanks for your reply P C , we have got some big holding woods in mid Norfolk but not that many on the coast , as you say , light and weather conditions on the day is one of the main reasons in our case , and not forgetting the amount of birds and food supply.

 

Re Mottys presentation ....... I am really pleased as being one of Mottys fellow countrymen to see him carry on with the Norfolk tradition of laying out his bag to such a high standard with not a feather out of place , and his care and welfare for the bag should be an example to all the pigeon shooters out there :good::lol:

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well done motty , I do like your reports , there's no smoke and mirrors , just good honest down to earth pigeon shooting ,however I like to watch your videos more , SO SORT IT OUT !!

 

one day in the future I WILL have a day in the field with you , and ill show you how we do it in bandit country :good::whistling:

 

once again well done mate ,

 

just need fenboy to get his **** sorted now haha

Now I have taught motty everything I know I consider my pigeon shooting duties over :)

To be fair I have had a very poor year so I am glad the wildfowling season is upon us at least that seems to have got off to a good start.

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