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Not been out for Six Months


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Due to the downsizing move of house I’ve not been out shooting for six months. So at 07.30 Wednesday morning I had a call from a farmer can I meet him at the farm at 09.00 with my kit.

So a quick rummage in the freezer and managed to find six blocks of frozen pigeon to act as decoys.

As I pulled into the yard he ushered me to his pick up and he proceeded to show me the three hundred acres of rape, all with pigeons either down or sitting in the trees. We returned to the yard and he said it’s all yours to sort it out and left me to it.

I decided to set up on a field on which the birds were hard down either side of a central spinney and birds were joining from all direction. As I set up the birds were still going in at the far end of the field. It was a sharp wind so I used the brolly as a wind break also rain was forecast. I was backing onto a small spinney to my left which had lots of Poo on the ground so I knew they liked the position.

As it was a steep walk up the field I left the magnet and battery in the Disco but took four flying frames and twenty normal frames to lift the decoys above the rape. I put out the six frozen decoys and waited for my first customers it was now 10.30 straight away two birds came within range and paid the price. I mounted them on the flying frames and angled them as if they were dropping in. The first two shots lifted approx 100 birds from the field and two further fields. I soon had all my frames out on the field.

At approx 12.30 the heavens opened and with the sleet and wind it all became sodden so I decided to call it a day, I picked up 41 birds.

The picture was taken at home in the garage trying to dry out all my gear.  

I went back to the farm on Saturday and drove round all the fields and the only one with a good number on was the field I shot on Wednesday. I decided to set up in the same position and the wind was blowing left to right. I took the magnet and frames as before and had twelve decoys from the previous shoot. The sun was very low and bright and again the birds stayed on the far side of the field as I set up. I started shooting at 10.00 and it was steady up to 13.00 when for an hour nothing came in. I presumed they had found another field to feed on, this land is close to a housing development and you get a lot of dog walkers etc but they tend to disturb the birds to you. At 14.00 they started again and at 15.00 I found I had birds returning to a local wood to roost and some would decoy.

The one concern with this shooting is that the birds tend to return in numbers so twenty return you shoot two and spook eighteen. I finished the day by picking up 75 birds.

It was great to be out again.

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What a great way to get back into decoying after a six month absence , age might be catching up with you when you call it a day after a few shower's and a strong wind with pigeons still about , :lol:

Two questions , How is your young dog coming on ? , and how is your shooting buddy  nowadays ? , keeping well I hope . 

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1 minute ago, marsh man said:

What a great way to get back into decoying after a six month absence , age might be catching up with you when you call it a day after a few shower's and a strong wind with pigeons still about , :lol:

Two questions , How is your young dog coming on ? , and how is your shooting buddy  nowadays ? , keeping well I hope . 

Hi MM, my young working cocker is as mad as a box of frogs!!!! 
DB my shooting pal was down the road on Saturday with TopGunners and ended up with 140 between three of them.

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11 hours ago, the hitman said:

Nice read - thank you for posting .

I am always encouraged to see pigeons on the wing heading to feed rather than just a load down feeding. Well done picking the right place for your hide on both occasions.

 

Hi Hitman, that’s the first basic of pigeon shooting, birds joining or returning to the field after being walked off. The only other method is to be aware that they feed at a specific time ie the afternoon. You can only find this out by knowledge of your ground at all times of the day.

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