muncher Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 some people put themselfs under so much pressure right from the off to go and shoot 2:1 . Like others have said and the end off the day it means nothing , to all the new pigeon shooters out there , there is only one way to become a successful pigeon shooter , You need to have lots and lots of rubbish days but........ always try and come away from that rubbish day having learnt something , no matter how small . there is NO reliable kwik route . the top shots will only tell you about the good days! Exactly, and a lot lie about their average I have shot pigeons and other quarry with some very good shots and they all have bad days . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 (edited) When I was in my thirties I used to be out decoying every spare moment and my general average got down to around 1.8:1 but it depends on how you get set up and how they come in. Some days I shot like a Wally and the birds didn't present and I shot to kill ratio went straight out of the window. Just enjoy being out in the field and don't worry about how many cartridges you go through. Edited September 9, 2016 by fortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 Exactly, and a lot lie about their average I have shot pigeons and other quarry with some very good shots and they all have bad days . Do tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 Some good points made. I agree that the main objective is to enjoy what sport we have. Most people don't enjoy missing, and I admire anyone who makes it their goal to improve themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 It all depends on where you want to kill your bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasher Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 Buy yourself a silenced .410, that way no one knows how many shots you've fired and you can always fall back on the old card of "its only a .410" if some one sees the number of empty cartridges, but best of all is the amount of enjoyment it gives me being in the field without the pressure of worrying about what other people think about shot to kill ratios! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 It don't matter how good a shot you are before you start pigeon shooting , to get a decent average you will need to spend a lot of time in a pigeon hide so you can study the birds behaviour then after a while you will learn to read the pigeons intention and mentally you will know when to start raising the gun up to take your shot , also you can place your decoys to suit your style of shooting if you shoot from your right or left arm . in the meantime enjoy it and learn by your mistakes . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 i was out yesterday and hit 16 out of 37 shots only 2 birds came into decoys rest were just havin a look,but i was useing a 28g with 23gram 6 so i was pleased with result cos it was windy as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuy Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 Some good points made. I agree that the main objective is to enjoy what sport we have. Most people don't enjoy missing, and I admire anyone who makes it their goal to improve themselves. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 I don't do ratio if I did I'd pack up , I go out as often as I can and enjoy my self Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BinaryB Posted September 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 Some great replies there gents. Thanks very much - very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel b3 Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 My worst ratio was a day early last year , id had a neck and shoulder injury and was making sure that I could still shoot , for 50 shots I hit 0 birds , not even a ruffled feather , by the time id driven home id decided to give up shooting completely . My best ratio was also last year and it was on a partly combined field of barley , at one point in the day , I was at roughly 95 birds for 90 carts , its never happened before and I dont suppose that itll ever happen again . My usual average that im happy with is two for one , I generally limit myself to 30 yards as im no george digweed , the important thing is that you enjoy yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 Just because I'm saving the hulls for reloading into subsonics last weeks haul of 308 was shot with 450 carts as that's how many we had in the hide. I do not normally count them just empty my cartridge bag into the bin on returning home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 A fairly good day for me is 1.5-1, if I go past 2-1 I get increasingly disappointed but 3-1 isn't unknown when it just isn't going right. I can also start by nailing pretty much everything then have periods where I'm shooting like a clown all in the same session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 A fairly good day for me is 1.5-1, if I go past 2-1 I get increasingly disappointed but 3-1 isn't unknown when it just isn't going right. I can also start by nailing pretty much everything then have periods where I'm shooting like a clown all in the same session. Snap, me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 (edited) I've had the good and the bad ...I don't want to talk about the bad.............. The best day ..well hour, I have ever had was on crows coming into laid wheat. We worked all morning preparing the release pens and I was watching these crows hammering that wheat and after a cuppa and a sandwich someone said, "what you going to do now". I replied I was going to shoot crows. One hour, just sixty minutes exactly, later, witnessed and timed by my wife in the hide with me I had 100 crows shot for 106 shots. 16 gauge Remy 1100 three shot and at times I was shooting the last to land then downing two more as the others lifted. I had one morning on so maize which was just showing through and they were going down the rows pulling them up. Without going to my record book I think I had 148 that morning and used six boxes of shells, again with the Remy 16. I think I was there about 3 1/2 hrs and again they were suicidal. Then you have the days when you feel like going home and burning the decoys and sawing up the shotgun. 2 1/2 - 3 to 1 is pretty solid shooting. I managed 2.4 to 1 over two seasons ...40 days of driven game last and previous year mainly with a 410, but if you saw me shoot on Thursday this week you would have thought I had only just taken to the sport. As said, scores really mean nothing, just enjoy the good days and the bad ones because believe me this ain't a rehearsal. Edited September 17, 2016 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBS Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 Some good answers there and I like JDog's take on things too. Thank you very much. I remember watching Jack Hargreaves on TV but I saw that particular episode on DVD. Thanks to Stuy too. Great info to benchmark against. I almost wish I hadn't discovered pigeon decoying as finding it truly addictive sport. My ratio is averaging at 2.25 to 1 which I thought is ok but I would agree to what Stuy says ref a knack to being consistent. Thanks again all. You must be an accomplished clay shot if you have just started and are getting 2.25:1 ? Pigeon shooting is not easy and when I started I was happy with three birds for a box of shells, these days 3:1 is annoying and 2:1 I'm happy. Like most though I can easily hit five on the bounce followed by missing the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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