Best Birds for the Magnet

[FreshFace]

Hi guys, I have done a search and couldn’t find anything current relating to my question.

Having just dusted down the pigeon shooting kit and carried out a few repairs to crappy wing nuts etc, I thought I’d ask as to what you guys recommend for starting off the magnet without having real birds to hand.

I have a couple of flocked full bodied decoys but the wings are static and some Sillosocks that add plenty of movement but seem extremely fragile with the easily lost or damaged wing bar.
What are your recommendations, the enforcer mk2 look good but from my limited search, I’m unsure if they will work with my magnet. Looking for movement and a quality product.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Old Boggy]

I find that when I don't have real birds (normally keep two breasted birds in the freezer) or when I forget to defrost the frozen birds, then sillosocks hypa flap work for me. I think that the bit of movement of the wings seem to do the trick. 

Not tried any other type of artificial so cannot comment on their suitability.

Whilst the sillosocks appear fragile, mine get stuffed in bags, thrown about etc and appear none the worse for it.

OB

[FreshFace]

Thanks OB, I don’t manage to get out as much as I like, but with number one son now showing a keen interest, it was time to make sure the kits ready when needed.

My sillosocks are a few years old and both have developed the same knackered wing nut issue, of which I made a bit of a hash of repairing one yesterday as the bolt would actually unscrew from the brass ferrule... hence why I was looking to replace.

Thanks again.

 

[Shotguneddy]

I just painted some Tyvek roofing felt , stapled some supports underneath for my flat plastic wing spreaders, added the white wing bars with glue-onto a flocked full body from a spinning decoy, hours work for 2 to go on my magnet

[FreshFace]

Thanks Eddy, they look pretty robust have you actually used them on the magnet yet? How did they go.

[Shotguneddy]

They work ok I was only able to test them down the field due to space, there not obviously as good as store bought ones but it past a tiny bit of time for me during lockdown I’m going to have a bit of a better fiddle and see what I can come up with, I will be using them tomorrow again will let u no how they hold up on a strong wind tomorrow thanks

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, pro flap decoys from A1 decoys work OK, just make sure you assemble correct and I strengthen the wings with grey duck tape, they are quite bulky to carry, or you can get some Eva foam wings a whole body decoy and a screw on rod holder gadget from A1 like in edds top photo, just need to make a slot for wings and screw on rod holder in correct position

Edited July 27, 2020 by oldypigeonpopper

[WalkedUp]

This is an Enforcer flying decoy (used on a bouncer) the right hand wing is temporary cardboard and the left is the real EVA foam version. These were a birthday gift for me that my boys have had hours of fun playing with and I’ve used to start the bag on shoot days. Any wind and they swoop convincingly. Once a few fresh birds are killed and are on the magnet I spread the floaters wider as ‘approaching birds’. Not sure if it is more for me or the pigeons....

As for a repair wing cardboard (cross ply PVA laminated) makes a reasonably robust wing set. 

Edited July 27, 2020 by WalkedUp

[Old Boggy]

1 hour ago, WalkedUp said:

This is an Enforcer flying decoy (used on a bouncer) the right hand wing is temporary cardboard and the left is the real EVA foam version. These were a birthday gift for me that my boys have had hours of fun playing with and I’ve used to start the bag on shoot days. Any wind and they swoop convincingly. Once a few fresh birds are killed and are on the magnet I spread the floaters wider as ‘approaching birds’. Not sure if it is more for me or the pigeons....

As for a repair wing cardboard (cross ply PVA laminated) makes a reasonably robust wing set. 

When I first opened your post, I thought, crikey, that decoy is massive, then realised it was your young lad holding it 

Mind you, in comparison, that goose decoy by his right foot is a bit small 

OB

[WalkedUp]

11 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

When I first opened your post, I thought, crikey, that decoy is massive, then realised it was your young lad holding it 

Mind you, in comparison, that goose decoy by his right foot is a bit small 

OB

🤣🤣🤣

[Balotelli]

Anything wrong with the Air Pro spinning wing decoys?

[alros01]

I picked up some enforcer floaters cheap some I’ve fitted brackets to them so I can use them on my magnet just need to try them out 

[lakeside1000]

On 04/07/2020 at 07:51, Old Boggy said:

I find that when I don't have real birds (normally keep two breasted birds in the freezer) or when I forget to defrost the frozen birds, then sillosocks hypa flap work for me. I think that the bit of movement of the wings seem to do the trick. 

Not tried any other type of artificial so cannot comment on their suitability.

Whilst the sillosocks appear fragile, mine get stuffed in bags, thrown about etc and appear none the worse for it.

OB

Likewise, I have used my two sillosocks for several years, they work well even though they have been repaired several times, when not on the magnet I often set them up on some 3 foot rods and when the breeze is strong enough they look good as floaters , set out about 50 yard from the pattern like a couple of sign posts, 

I have started to leave the magnet in the car recently and prefer a set up with two flappers on timers, set down in the middle of the pattern. but whatever works best on the day. 

[marsh man]

When I was in love and totally devoted , no not with my wife , I am talking about my magnet , I would take the wing spreader's off the end of the arms and set two pigeons up and put them in the freezer , if I went on the spur of the moment all I had to was take them out of the freezer fully frozen and set them up on the arms and way you go , now we are separated and only get together now and again I no longer freeze a couple to use on the arms , if I fancy using it , I either thaw a couple out the night before , or leave it near the hide until I have shot the first two .

Many years ago I found it easier to give up the dreaded fags than I did leaving the magnet at home , now after suffering a few with drawl symptoms and having strong willpower I am nearly at the point where the magnet will be put in mothballs and spend the rest of it's time hibernating in the back of the garage , watching the chap shooting pigeons with an airgun on the P W video site  convinced me it is more to do with field craft than relying on your magnet to do it's work .

[captainhastings]

Only had a magnet this year and had the ff6 before hand. On Saturday me and my mate were out and did not have two birds. I used the old manual flapper to started with the string and birds were not that forthcoming. Then eventual got one for the flapper and still very wary. Then eventual got two and cranked up the rotatary and it was a whole new ball game with distant birds changing path and setting there wings. The improvement was huge. Of course it can vary day to day. But I now have a pile of dead birds in the freezer so I don't get caught out and I am reading this thread with interest 

[WalkedUp]

I was recently given some old and well used Hyperflappers. They do not really look like a pigeon but when moving they are brilliant. Initially used them to get the first two for magnet, now I noticed they do not drain the battery anywhere near as quickly so happy to leave them up. 

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, captainhastings said:

Only had a magnet this year and had the ff6 before hand. On Saturday me and my mate were out and did not have two birds. I used the old manual flapper to started with the string and birds were not that forthcoming. Then eventual got one for the flapper and still very wary. Then eventual got two and cranked up the rotatary and it was a whole new ball game with distant birds changing path and setting there wings. The improvement was huge. Of course it can vary day to day. But I now have a pile of dead birds in the freezer so I don't get caught out and I am reading this thread with interest 

What also makes a big difference is, we are now in the peak of young birds coming into the decoys , last week when we were shooting on some fresh wheat stubble we both had youngsters come in that we left for another day , a lot of these had never seen a magnet and are not put off with the arms glinting in the sun or other problems some of the older and wiser pigeons would  notice , after many years of the magnet / rotary being in service and millions of hours going round in circles in fields we can still only guess why it work one day and the next day it have reverse effect .

[captainhastings]

4 hours ago, marsh man said:

What also makes a big difference is, we are now in the peak of young birds coming into the decoys , last week when we were shooting on some fresh wheat stubble we both had youngsters come in that we left for another day , a lot of these had never seen a magnet and are not put off with the arms glinting in the sun or other problems some of the older and wiser pigeons would  notice , after many years of the magnet / rotary being in service and millions of hours going round in circles in fields we can still only guess why it work one day and the next day it have reverse effect .

Yes as you say some days the rotary can be taken as a warning as it basically means I am going to get shot at and they turn tail