Craig83 Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 I'm sure this has been done to death, but when is the best time (of day and year) to shoot pigeons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 start off in the "talk from the field section".....and read the CROP WATCH PINNED SECTION.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) Regarding time of day I think it varies from location to location, I'm not sure there's a hard and fast rule? Personally I've had zero joy getting up at dawn and setting up early. I'll now go late morning, recce for at least 30 mins then try and get set up for 11-12 and enjoy the afternoon. This is just me and the next person may well say set up at dawn, they'd be right as that might work best for them where they shoot. In the winter you don't really have any choice other than starting early due to the short days. Edited August 21, 2016 by Muddy Funker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 Regarding time of day I think it varies from location to location, I'm not sure there's a hard and fast rule? Personally I've had zero joy getting up at dawn and setting up early. I'll now go late morning, recce for at least 30 mins then try and get set up for 11-12 and enjoy the afternoon. This is just me and the next person may well say set up at dawn, they'd be right as that might work best for them where they shoot. In the winter you don't really have any choice other than starting early due to the short days. +1 I would add that you may get a bit of a lull between 12 and 2 o'clock but will often pick up again after. GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 +1 I would add that you may get a bit of a lull between 12 and 2 o'clock but will often pick up again after. GH hello, plus 1/ winter is most of day light high summer is most early afternoon till 1/2 hour before dark so they head of to roost, it is the case if you have time to check your land/ crops/ for a pigeon activity or ask farmer to keep you posted, find out what crops planted so you have an idea of when pigeons might feed, 500 acres is a fair size but a few trips round in motor and some good binos and maybe note down a few details to. if your new to pigeon shooting get a copy of archie coats book, less than a fiver, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldfeller Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 many many years ago one member of the old club insisted on leaving at 6 am and finishing up at 3,30 on the dot,,, needless to say bags were not too big . now leave tween 11 and 12 , time for a little snooze and wait for the hoped for action . works better than crack of dawn. and certainly endorse the Archie Coats book. one of the best ever no bull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig83 Posted August 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Ha ha, OK tonight I think I saw 7 pigeons.....I shot at them. 14 cartridges and 0 pigeons. I feel like a human scarecrow. Are there any good instructional books on pigeon shooting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Ha ha, OK tonight I think I saw 7 pigeons.....I shot at them. 14 cartridges and 0 pigeons. I feel like a human scarecrow. Are there any good instructional books on pigeon shooting? I imagine the pigeons you shot at may have been out of range, and certainly too good for your ability. Start off taking close pigeons. Maybe get a few hundred clays under your belt if you haven't done so already. There is plenty of good advice to be gleaned from this forum - plenty of fairly successful pigeon shooters here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beagle boy Posted September 11, 2016 Report Share Posted September 11, 2016 I'm sure you're like myself and quite a newbie to decoying pigeons, I've seen lots of mottys posts and there very interesting with lots of good advice from a guy with a lot of experience. I found the hardest thing for me was selecting which bird to take and I think that comes with experience of watching birds you can tend to see which are committed to the pattern and which arnt. Setting up decoys can be a funny thing some days the love you pattern other days they dont. Horse shoe I find works most of the time with the whirley at the bottom of the shoe, I had my first decent day yesterday taking 50 birds on beans stubbles just off the flight line, today I'll be under the tree they landed in so often yesterday. As per time I've found set up for 11 and shoot through till about 5 ish depending on how many I see. Hope this helps Cheers rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adge Cutler Posted September 11, 2016 Report Share Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) I have always found in spring and summer months pigeons feed twice a day early morning and late afternoon then they go to roost. All the big bags I've had on standing crops in the last 20 years have been between 7am and 10am and 4 pm 6pm. Chances are if you get to the fields too late in the morning you will have missed the first feed, you often read reports where the poster says "set up at 11 am but had to wait 4 hours before the birds started pitching in." or "they were all in sitty trees" Flight line shooting is different again and Winter feeding can be sporadically any time during the day in my experience. I'm sure you're like myself and quite a newbie to decoying pigeons, I've seen lots of mottys posts and there very interesting with lots of good advice from a guy with a lot of experience. I found the hardest thing for me was selecting which bird to take and I think that comes with experience of watching birds you can tend to see which are committed to the pattern and which arnt. Setting up decoys can be a funny thing some days the love you pattern other days they dont. Horse shoe I find works most of the time with the whirley at the bottom of the shoe, I had my first decent day yesterday taking 50 birds on beans stubbles just off the flight line, today I'll be under the tree they landed in so often yesterday. As per time I've found set up for 11 and shoot through till about 5 ish depending on how many I see. Hope this helps Cheers rob The bird to take is the nearest !!! Edited September 11, 2016 by Adge Cutler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beagle boy Posted September 11, 2016 Report Share Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) I think you maybe right, yesterday shooting over pea stubble shot 50 in about 3 hours in the afternoon, got here at 12 today and only had 6 so far, most just pass over high or in sitty trees. I'd still rather be outside than in I suppose Cheers rob Edited September 11, 2016 by Beagle boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adge Cutler Posted September 11, 2016 Report Share Posted September 11, 2016 I think you maybe right, yesterday shooting over pea stubble shot 50 in about 3 hours in the afternoon, got here at 12 today and only had 6 so far, most just pass over high or in sitty trees. I'd still rather be outside than in I suppose Cheers rob that's what its all about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beagle boy Posted September 12, 2016 Report Share Posted September 12, 2016 Got 33 in the end, the didn't decoy aswell as the day before mainly ended up taking high birds on the flight line. Still was a decent day really it could have been much worse Cheers rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart james Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 On 23/08/2016 at 20:35, Craig83 said: Ha ha, OK tonight I think I saw 7 pigeons.....I shot at them. 14 cartridges and 0 pigeons. I feel like a human scarecrow. Are there any good instructional books on pigeon shooting? A human scare crow 😅😅😅 I know the feeling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrowning2 Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 Think after seven years as a scare crow he has given up 😂😂😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrepin Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 9 hours ago, rbrowning2 said: Think after seven years as a scare crow he has given up 😂😂😂 Nah, Dorothy rescued him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN749 Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Roost shooting in woodland 3-4pm in November as they sail over the tree tops! Best if a gang of shooters are covering several woods for a few miles around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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