Advice required;

[Longbower]

Today the farmer that I  do foxes for  phoned me to say , he had sown a field of corn , and it was covered with pigeons

and could I help?

So this afternoon after work , I went for a look at the place. 

Some birds were on the field , but not many ,and not much corn left by the look of it either . 

Anyway , there is only one hedge higher than 1 metre tall , and right behind it is a public footpath , and two horse paddocks

which have horses in them .

I cant see where I could put a hide , other than said hedge , and the shotgun would definitely spook the ponies.

I could try the FAC Air rifle , but that would mean getting them to land in the deek pattern .

So , any advice would be appreciated.

[oowee]

Make a square hide and stick it the other side. Thats why you buy a 5m camo net.

I have made a 1m square hide before in the middle of a corn field and it worked a treat, even though it stuck out a mile being green in a yellow field. 

[figgy]

That's the sort of scenario you need a hushpower for, now you have an excuse to buy another shotgun.

[Ultrastu]

.410 hushpower .

[aga man]

The Fac air rifle option would work, and if the pigeons haven't already been shot at, they will land amongst dead birds quite readily on drillings.

[ClemFandango]

1 hour ago, Ultrastu said:

.410 hushpower .

I would probably try this. 

Or speak to the farmer, are the ponies his? Is he friendly with the owner? Could they move them for a day when you intend to come and shoot? 

[marsh man]

If you say there isn't much grain to be seen , I wouldn't bother to splash out on a gun you are not going to use that often , if your farmer can drill then so can the surrounding farmers and I dare say your pigeons wont be on that field more than a few days . in the meantime you try your air rifle out and see how you get on , you will then be showing willing and you might have one or two for a meal.      GOOD LUCK 

[yickdaz]

9 hours ago, oowee said:

Make a square hide and stick it the other side. Thats why you buy a 5m camo net.

I have made a 1m square hide before in the middle of a corn field and it worked a treat, even though it stuck out a mile being green in a yellow field. 

he said it was a sown field 

[Ultrastu]

Well he may not use the .410 hushpower loads after .OR he might find he uses the .410 more than his usual gun .i know in the 6 months ive had my .410 hush ive hardly used my 20b hushpower  .

As its so light and easy to carry .gun and carts quieter than the 20b hush and still very effective for decoying  pige and crows .

 

[oowee]

3 hours ago, yickdaz said:

he said it was a sown field 

? Yes I read the post. He said it had one hedge which was not great. I suggested he make a square hide then he wont need a hedge.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, for what is worth and looking at your post, is this the only field near horses?  ? how big is the farm and how long you have been shooting there, so the farmer asked you to shoot pigeon,  what if the farmer put a banger out ? you do not say if you have shotgun cert but if you do my advice is buy a cheap single 12 and fit a hushpower silencer, get advice from the saddlery and gun room, at 100 mtrs you half the sound/300 mtrs no sound, they sell detatchable silencers, you might be able to pick up a second hand baikal hushpower, and as OWEE said put hide in field according to wind direction and distance from footpath and horses, i did read using ordinary cartridges not much different to sub sonic, good luck 

[Longbower]

Thanks for all the advice guys , bagged a few (R10 FAC )from the pop up (tent like) hide ,in a couple of hours ,  but with not much shooting going on

around me once they left the field they just cleared off. 

Farmers reasonably happy , so result without any expense .

Cheers .