Pylons

[Farmboy91]

Is there anything to stop you shooting from under a pylon? 

Obviously not straight up nor at the lines, I mean say setting up your hide then out across the fields? 

I spent a bit of time watching while out walking today and found what might possibly be the only flight line on one perm, no good to me at the moment but in the future who knows. 

Other than one post on here from 2008, I'm struggling to find an answer.

[strimmer_13]

What wooden or metal tripod pylons? I've set up under a wooden one in the middle of a field, I thought the hide stood out like a sore thumb, but i stayed low and got a few. Like you they only went along that route. 

[Farmboy91]

The metal type, I think with the hide poles all the way up it should provide a fair bit of cover, from memory the net I've got must be getting on for 5ft tall. 

There's a big block of trees at one end that would provide a lovely natural cover but it's a good 60+ yards from there to where the pige like to fly. 

[strimmer_13]

I'm confident as long as you ain't casting shadows and doing a rendition of Michael Jacksons thriller behind the net you'll be ok. See what motty and pigeon controller say. Probably better places to set up, but when nothing else suits give it a go 👍

[Farmboy91]

😂

At the moment they are dropping on a bare patch in the tram lines, obviously come harvest they could be anywhere on the field. 

I just wasn't sure if they actually owned the ground the the pylon stood on or the above ground structure.

[Westley]

I have shot on many an occasion from the base of a large metal pylon. As there is usually a lot of growth inside the base, I put my hide on one of the corner posts. I used the large bolts that are at around 1foot intervals to hold my net on one side and put my other hide poles out to make a four sided hide, I then filled out the net with some of the quite tall grass from inside the base. Be careful when putting in your hide poles, some of the concrete comes out a fair way.  One word of warning though, make SURE you are using hearing defence because the metallic ringing from your fired shots is a real pain (literally). I used 3 different pylons situated around the permission and shot a lot of birds in this way. Try and avoid shooting straight up in the air over your hide, I do not know, but I suspect a lot of damage could be done to the insulators.  Good luck and just use common sense.

[Farmboy91]

4 minutes ago, Westley said:

I have shot on many an occasion from the base of a large metal pylon. As there is usually a lot of growth inside the base, I put my hide on one of the corner posts. I used the large bolts that are at around 1foot intervals to hold my net on one side and put my other hide poles out to make a four sided hide, I then filled out the net with some of the quite tall grass from inside the base. Be careful when putting in your hide poles, some of the concrete comes out a fair way.  One word of warning though, make SURE you are using hearing defence because the metallic ringing from your fired shots is a real pain (literally). I used 3 different pylons situated around the permission and shot a lot of birds in this way. Try and avoid shooting straight up in the air over your hide, I do not know, but I suspect a lot of damage could be done to the insulators.  Good luck and just use common sense.

Cheers Westley 👍

Definitely wouldn't be shooting straight up, I watched this field for 2/3 hours at a time over the last week or so, all the pigeon I've seen seem to fly fairly low, between the speeds of crawling along to mach1. Hopefully there will be a good days shooting there in the future.

[Westley]

I used to take a sharp billhook, it was very good used like a scythe,  to cut some of the long grass for blending in the hide to the background. Forgot to add that I once got caught in a thunderstorm whilst shooting under a pylon. I just grabbed the gun and cartridges and got the heck out of there pretty damned quick  !  I retrieved my gear the following day.

[Farmboy91]

That's not a bad idea either, I'll bear that in mind 👍 

I definitely won't be hanging around if it starts to rain 😂

When I first started shooting this particular farm someone had previously who had previously shot it had made a hide further along out of bales, hoping that's sign that it's produces a good day in the past if they went to that effort.

[Westley]

If it works for you, maybe ask the farmer if you can build a bale hide in the pylon base  ?   Put it in place after baling has been done.

Edited June 8, 2020 by Westley

[Farmboy91]

I don't think it would be a problem but I don't think I'd be able to hump them up on my own, guess I'll have to rope the missus in. 

[Dougy]

How long are your barrels  

[Farmboy91]

Not worried about actually touching them, was more a question of do they own the ground underneath them, as in I don't want to be committing armed trespass setting up there 😂

[Stonepark]

Steel/Lead shot will not damage the tower but will damage the glass/ceramic insulators and the conductors.

The insulators are relatively robust but a direct strike can cause them to shatter (and resultant falling glass/ceramic is dangerous) or chip, neither of which is healthy as they rely on their smooth surfaces and non-porus coating to enable water to run off and insulate properly.

The conductors are annealed aluminium and formed from multiple wires and will deform and absorb shot which strikes it and may cause a wire strand to break but will not cause the conductor as a whole to fail (a rifle bullet might), but this does cause a weak spot on the conductor which then becomes a hot  spot under heavy load (electrical or ice)and is where a break will occur in the future.

13 minutes ago, Farmboy91 said:

Not worried about actually touching them, was more a question of do they own the ground underneath them, as in I don't want to be committing armed trespass setting up there 😂

Usually Transmission compnaies have a wayleave (annual licence to have equipment on the farmers land) or a Servitude (permeneant right attached to land) but normally don't 'own' the land as such.

Transmission substations are normally owned and I would not advise anyone to set up against one.

As to shooting around Towers/Transmission lines, no general issues (or restrictions in licences/servitudes) as long as you don't shoot them as repair costs start at £10k and go upwards.

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by Stonepark

[Farmboy91]

13 minutes ago, Stonepark said:

Steel/Lead shot will not damage the tower but will damage the glass/ceramic insulators and the conductors.

The insulators are relatively robust but a direct strike can cause them to shatter (and resultant falling glass/ceramic is dangerous) or chip, neither of which is healthy as they rely on their smooth surfaces and non-porus coating to enable water to run off and insulate properly.

The conductors are annealed aluminium and formed from multiple wires and will deform and absorb shot which strikes it and may cause a wire strand to break but will not cause the conductor as a whole to fail (a rifle bullet might), but this does cause a weak spot on the conductor which then becomes a hot  spot under heavy load (electrical or ice)and is where a break will occur in the future.

Usually Transmission compnaies have a wayleave (annual licence to have equipment on the farmers land) or a Servitude (permeneant right attached to land) but normally don't 'own' the land as such.

Transmission substations are normally owned and I would not advise anyone to set up against one.

As to shooting around Towers/Transmission lines, no general issues (or restrictions in licences/servitudes) as long as you don't shoot them as repair costs start at £10k and go upwards.

 

Wonderful, Top information, thank you 👍

[Vince Green]

I had a friend at school who lived in a house under a pylon, he used to come to our house to watch TV because they couldn't get a signal where they lived so I knew him vey well as a kid.

He and his brother both died of leukaemia, Andy in his 20s and his brother in his 40s. It makes you think doesn't it?

Would I sit under a pylon? - no way

[Farmboy91]

Just googled that and there seems to be alot of studies that conclude there is a link between power lines and pylons in childhood leukemia. 

 

[WalkedUp]

Any links? 

[Farmboy91]

18 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

Any links? 

Sorry I'm hopeless with that, just stuck leukemia and pylons into Google.

[Stonepark]

1 hour ago, Farmboy91 said:

Just googled that and there seems to be alot of studies that conclude there is a link between power lines and pylons in childhood leukemia. 

 

Electrical fields and Magnetic fields obey the inverse square law in that a 132KV HV line at 25m is no different to the TV  at 2m. The larger 275KV/400KV are similar at 50 and 100m respectively.

Whilst I wouldn't want to live under a line (and they are not built over houses as the planning guidance is 100m away at a minimum unless impossible, people choose to build houses 'under' the lines (within 100m)), modern living is all a risk with regards elctronics, but the very low chance of them causing an issue is accepted due to their usefulness.

[la bala]

Just get yourself up top and shot down on um  Preferably when the power is off.

[Old Boggy]

10 hours ago, Westley said:

I have shot on many an occasion from the base of a large metal pylon. As there is usually a lot of growth inside the base, I put my hide on one of the corner posts. I used the large bolts that are at around 1foot intervals to hold my net on one side and put my other hide poles out to make a four sided hide, I then filled out the net with some of the quite tall grass from inside the base. Be careful when putting in your hide poles, some of the concrete comes out a fair way.  One word of warning though, make SURE you are using hearing defence because the metallic ringing from your fired shots is a real pain (literally). I used 3 different pylons situated around the permission and shot a lot of birds in this way. Try and avoid shooting straight up in the air over your hide, I do not know, but I suspect a lot of damage could be done to the insulators.  Good luck and just use common sense.

I too have shot many times from the base of metal pylons and have always found plenty of weeds etc giving cover and with the addition of a net the shooting can be good. The bonus being that they are in the middle of the field where pigeons may prefer to feed.

My shooting diary records a day 4 years ago on sprouting peas shooting 55 pigeons in just 2 1/2 hours which is a good bag for me and my short sessions afield. A timed flapper was used to great effect on the day.

It's best, for obvious reasons, to leave the lofting poles at home on such occasions 

OB

[Farmboy91]

8 hours ago, Stonepark said:

Electrical fields and Magnetic fields obey the inverse square law in that a 132KV HV line at 25m is no different to the TV  at 2m. The larger 275KV/400KV are similar at 50 and 100m respectively.

Whilst I wouldn't want to live under a line (and they are not built over houses as the planning guidance is 100m away at a minimum unless impossible, people choose to build houses 'under' the lines (within 100m)), modern living is all a risk with regards elctronics, but the very low chance of them causing an issue is accepted due to their usefulness.

I won't worry overly about it, think it will hurt my brain more trying to understand the maths behind it 😂

Thanks for posting the scientific answer though 👍

6 hours ago, la bala said:

Just get yourself up top and shot down on um  Preferably when the power is off.

They'd never see it coming!

1 hour ago, Old Boggy said:

I too have shot many times from the base of metal pylons and have always found plenty of weeds etc giving cover and with the addition of a net the shooting can be good. The bonus being that they are in the middle of the field where pigeons may prefer to feed.

My shooting diary records a day 4 years ago on sprouting peas shooting 55 pigeons in just 2 1/2 hours which is a good bag for me and my short sessions afield. A timed flapper was used to great effect on the day.

It's best, for obvious reasons, to leave the lofting poles at home on such occasions 

OB

Thanks OB, I'm sure a few hours won't do me any harm.

Fingers crossed for a bit later in the year.

[Old Boggy]

18 minutes ago, Farmboy91 said:

 

 

 

Thanks OB, I'm sure a few hours won't do me any harm.

Fingers crossed for a bit later in the year.