Unusual success stories pigeon shooting

[243deer]

Whilst reading another thread on here about problems attracting pigeons I wanted to share thoughts of a few days that I have had that were unexpectedly successful and possibly suggest how to get a few shots and save a day when you have set up in a place you thought would be good and the pigeons had not read the script.

 

The first was about 15 years ago when I spotted a very strong flight line where all the pigeons were flying into a wood, all using exactly the same route across a place where the treeline dipped by about 10 feet about 20 yards across. I naturally popped over to find a suitable place in the wood only to be met with an impenetrable wall of brambles about 4 feet high going back as far as the eye could see into the wood. Absolutely no point in having pigeons land in that little lot. So I walked back out into the field about 40 yards and simply stood stock still. I cannot remember exactly how many I shot - about a dozen I think - but I inevitably scared some off line by moving even when I thought I was being totally still - it was a good lesson that I have used many times since.

 

The second unexpected success was in the spring when a friend called me up to ask if I could bring the dog as the pigeons were coming in well over some 12 inch rape. He had backed his car up a tramline, put up a whirly and a bit of camo net around the back door and he was sitting on the tailgate as they committed hari kari. Drawing my car up in front of his made absolutely no difference and we both sat happily for a couple of hours taking alternate shots. I think that day we could have been wearing white t shirts and waving a flag and they still would have come in. They took no notice of the dog retrieving and a very fine job she did.

 

Finally the Sunday just gone. I had some friends shooting on the farm next door and said I would take a walk round and keep them on the move from a couple of the day roosts. The side bonus being keeping the bleep rooks off the barley. I headed for a known flight line and this time stood just tucked into a hedge, enjoying plenty of shots most of which missed as I was having one of those days when the switching between rifle and shotgun with little practise showed with only 6 birds shot.

 

Would love to hear of folks other successful field craft tips even if it was only for half a dozen birds.

 

[getthegat]

I've had similar success regarding a vehicle. One of my shoots presents the opportunity to just park up and stand by the truck with only the odd bit of crouching and peering through a windscreen as the birds fly straight towards me, some even landing in small trees, barely more than bushes, perhaps a meer 12 feet above me. At the other end of the scale is how a whirly magnet positively scares them off from a couple hundred yards away, whilst in a hide, camo'd up. The best places can often come out of nowhere, with the least kit and effort. Just getting out there is my problem at the moment, too much work 🤔