Tomo-1 Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 Hi, imagine this......you have done your recce and homework the day before you go out, decoys out in a classic pattern. All set on what was an active flight line and where you have seen birds feeding. Then you wait and wait....for say two hours. No sign of birds today anywhere! How long do you give it before you call it a day and either move or go down the pub? Thanks for your comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 You still check for traffic before you set up. I would maybe give it an hour if I've nothing better to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 If it's a nice day , when I wake up . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 It really depends. I have had good bags of pigeons after waiting 3 hours for the flight to get going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 I am impatient and never give it more than 30 minutes before packing up. However if the field is one which I have watched and I know that there are good numbers of pigeons feeding on it I may return later the same day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 just being out is enough for me...we never shoot big bags round here....so i stay and enjoy the day and all around me........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 I am impatient and never give it more than 30 minutes before packing up. However if the field is one which I have watched and I know that there are good numbers of pigeons feeding on it I may return later the same day. Is the right answer, if you haven't fired a shot within half an hour then the chances are it won't develop into much but of course there are exceptions as you could simply be there at the wrong time of the day. If you have nowhere else to go and look it's always worth firing a couple of shots into the air as this often stirs things up a bit but usually you should be able to at least bank on a few shots providing you see some bird traffic before setting up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 If I go an hour without a shot then it's time to pack up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 it's always worth firing a couple of shots into the air as this often stirs things up a bit We saw this once on a field next to our land. We heard series of shots. we were intrigued as to what they were shooting at because we couldn't see anything in the sky at all. we found a vantage point and got the binos out. Then we could see what they were doing. the field was 36 acres and they had three gun positions around it. The bloke on the far side had the odd pigeon going along the field behind him about 70 yards out. About every 20 minutes or so a pigeon would go past and he would let fly up in the air with a double in the hope that the bird would change course over him. Needless to say that the shot made the bird veer away further. Upon his shots the other two gun positions would open up towards the empty sky over them and the field. It took us quite a while to work out what was happening and why because by the time the shot sound got to us the event was nearly over. We were so interested in this weird behavior that we must have watched them for nearly a couple of hours upon which time they had, had enough and drove round picking up the birds that they had brought with them as dead bird decoys. they only shot 3 birds when we were watching them. Now when we had a chat with the farmer next door he said that he had blokes on the field and they had told him that they had shot over a hundred birds. He said that he could hear them shooting the birds all afternoon and he had seen the birds in the back of their truck when they left. Now we know what we saw and the two things didn't match. whilst we were watching them they must have fired off 30 >> 40 cartridges at the sky for 3 kills. If they what to be unpaid bird scarers then that is their business but it ain't my idea of pigeon shooting. It would have been more efficient to walk about out in the field with a flag. The farmer was pleased anyway it aint cost him a penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 If you viewed the field at 15.00 and it was well covered, you could set up at 10.00 and not see a bird. If you set up at 15.00 and spooked birds off they should return within an hour if not move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 I am never in a rush to set up nowadays , if I get there and a few pigeons are on the deck I will walk them off and sit in my motor and have a coffee while I wait to see what is on the move , if I convince myself it is worth carting the gear across the field I expect to get a pigeon within 15 to 30 minutes , if the half an hour pass without any action I start wondering if I have got it right then if the hour looms up and still no action I will call it a day and go and look elsewhere . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo-1 Posted May 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 That's great advice everyone thankyou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 I am always torn wether to pack up and move or to stick around a bit longer .....and rarely does sticking around pay off. I once found a good flight line into a rape field at mid-day and took the next day off work to shoot it. Set up early and very little traffic for the first 3 hours but I stcuk it out as the flightline the day before has been a good one and was at mid-day. Traffic picked up around lunchtime and I had a busy couple of hours and finished with 70 odd. As opposed to this, last harvest I moved twice before I hit the action and ended with a PB of 219. This happened after my second hide was on a hilltop and I could see birds heading to a neighbouring farm .... a quick reccy followed by a quick phone call and I moved again. If I have a hide with a good view then happier to stay put longer as I can see what pigeon traffic about and watch for new flightlines, if traffic is slow I will often leave the hide in place but have a drive round to look at other options before I decide to move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunnin21 Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 I would change pattern if birds were overhead but not coming in maybe a diffrent field Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I normally give it a couple of hours changing the pattern every half hour. If nothing then move as much of a ball ache this is. Pointless sitting there looking at an empty sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I have a two rules if they are not there when I set up I don't and when in doubt move out. If only I stuck to the rules I would no doubt waste less time waiting in hope for nothing to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredwalton Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I tend to sit there far too long convincing myself more will come. As others have said if it's raining or too cold I just love being out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exudate Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I have the choice of 5 fields to shoot on. As usual, I spend a little while with the binos before setting up, but if none of them has any obvious pigeon traffic, I'll set up somewhere where I know there'll be chance of the odd passing shot. I'll happily spend about 3 hours like this. There's a simple pleasure to be had by just sitting in the hide unwinding and soaking up the countryside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I rather like a little kip in the open air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exudate Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I rather like a little kip in the open air. Then you wake up to discover a load of pigeon strutting about amongst your decoys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 24 hours ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Walk them off, if they don't come back simply don't even bother getting stuff out the car. Go straight home and swap the gear over for the fishing tackle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exudate Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Walk them off, if they don't come back simply don't even bother getting stuff out the car. Go straight home and swap the gear over for the fishing tackle. How long until you call it a day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 30mins max or as long as it takes to neck a cup of tea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exudate Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 30mins max or as long as it takes to neck a cup of tea Sorry mate, I was trying to be amusing and (as per usual) I failed! What I meant was how long do you fish for without a bite, before you pack up and go home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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