Lofting poles

[Mightymariner]

So I am interested in getting some lofting poles and brackets to use with a set of full bodied decoys I have.

Lofting poles seem quite expensive so I was wondering if any PW members had come up with other solutions?

Any ideas welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[Spr1985]

Off the top of my head 20mm plastic conduit with straight through connectors would be my first port of call. Sturdy but have flex, light weight and I’d imagine far cheaper than purpose made product…although could be wrong. Maybe worth some investigating. 

[Centrepin]

I use an old fishing pole

[Minky]

Imho, they are (generally) a waste of time.  I started out when a bloke told me to use dowel rods and copper plumbing.  Usless. Like a kite in the wind.   Then I bought a set of aluminium tubes about six foot long 40mm dia.  These slotted inside the next .  I made a 3 decoy head to fit in the top  Good and solid but I only used them a couple of times.  Reasons.  Although they were very solid it is such a pain carting, and fitting them up.  It is really a two man job.  One to hold and control the poles and decoys and the other to get the poles and fit.  This might sound nonsense but if your trying to hold 3x6ft  poles complete with 3 decoys and the decoy holding head up vertical 6ft off of the ground to try to get the next 6ft pole stuffed into the pole above and fighting the wind you are a better man than Steve Redgrave and Mathew pincent put together.  It might be that you need  4 to 5  poles to get up somewhere near the upper of a decent oak tree.  Several times the wind took control and the whole lot came clattering down. It's a wonder that I  didn't get left with a bent tangle of tubes.  Then if you manage to find suitable branches to support the poles progress up through the branches the whole lot can get tangled up and be really difficult to get back down.  Especially when it's nearly dark.  Nahh,  Not for me.  If the birds are coming over just shoot them.  For those that use lofting poles they are welcome to them.  like decoying you can think, yeah this is a good spot only for the pigeons to flight into trees 100 yards away and ignore your perfect set of decoys.  Just like decoying.  It wouldn't be so bad if you owned the wood on your own land and could leave them in place. Just shoot the blighters when they flight overhead.  There were probably fifty that went over whilst I was messing about with poles and didn't charlie enjoy picking up the birds that I couldn't find in the dark whilst  messing about with the poles.

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, did Tight Choke make some, ? I looked into this last year but the cost of 5 Ally 6 ft poles with connectors it was cheaper to buy some, a fishing pole seems interesting without the top tip,

Edited November 2, 2022 by oldypigeonpopper

[stockybasher]

12 hours ago, Minky said:

Imho, they are (generally) a waste of time.  I started out when a bloke told me to use dowel rods and copper plumbing.  Usless. Like a kite in the wind.   Then I bought a set of aluminium tubes about six foot long 40mm dia.  These slotted inside the next .  I made a 3 decoy head to fit in the top  Good and solid but I only used them a couple of times.  Reasons.  Although they were very solid it is such a pain carting, and fitting them up.  It is really a two man job.  One to hold and control the poles and decoys and the other to get the poles and fit.  This might sound nonsense but if your trying to hold 3x6ft  poles complete with 3 decoys and the decoy holding head up vertical 6ft off of the ground to try to get the next 6ft pole stuffed into the pole above and fighting the wind you are a better man than Steve Redgrave and Mathew pincent put together.  It might be that you need  4 to 5  poles to get up somewhere near the upper of a decent oak tree.  Several times the wind took control and the whole lot came clattering down. It's a wonder that I  didn't get left with a bent tangle of tubes.  Then if you manage to find suitable branches to support the poles progress up through the branches the whole lot can get tangled up and be really difficult to get back down.  Especially when it's nearly dark.  Nahh,  Not for me.  If the birds are coming over just shoot them.  For those that use lofting poles they are welcome to them.  like decoying you can think, yeah this is a good spot only for the pigeons to flight into trees 100 yards away and ignore your perfect set of decoys.  Just like decoying.  It wouldn't be so bad if you owned the wood on your own land and could leave them in place. Just shoot the blighters when they flight overhead.  There were probably fifty that went over whilst I was messing about with poles and didn't charlie enjoy picking up the birds that I couldn't find in the dark whilst  messing about with the poles.

Agree with Minky.  Was a waste of time for me, almost impossible to use in any kind of wind, and very heavy/difficult to carry.  Gave mine to son but don't think he makes much use of them.

[Minky]

I don't know if it would be legal to use them now because you aren't exactly protecting a crop when you are shooting fighting pigeons.  Perhaps this could be clarified.  Ì tried to use the poles to set decoys into an oak tree near to an area of fallen wheat. The idea was to atract birds to come from other fallen parts of the field.  I had to walk 200 yards around the crop  from the vehicle with gun,cartridges, food, drink, water for dog, nets, stick poles, bag of decoys, bundle of about 10x6ft long lofting  poles, decoy head.  These are without the shot birds that have to be carted away. I needed a weekend to recover from the days shooting. 

[Good shot?]

17 minutes ago, Minky said:

I don't know if it would be legal to use them now because you aren't exactly protecting a crop when you are shooting fighting pigeons.  Perhaps this could be clarified.

Not again please. 😇This has been clarified umpteen times on here.

[Minky]

I don't  know enlighten us.

[JKD]

25 minutes ago, Minky said:

I don't know if it would be legal to use them now because you aren't exactly protecting a crop when you are shooting fighting pigeons.  Perhaps this could be clarified.

 

5 minutes ago, Good shot? said:

Not again please. 😇This has been clarified umpteen times on here.

This was my thought as well 🤣

Scully will be along soon to explain and clarify 😉

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Gordon Bennett!

Here we go AGAIN!

Why some of you lot don't just give up shooting I will never know!

[Centrepin]

43 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Gordon Bennett!

Here we go AGAIN!

Why some of you lot don't just give up shooting I will never know!

Who says they're shooters to start with🤔

[TIGHTCHOKE]

13 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

Who says they're shooters to start with🤔

Fair point!  

[Good shot?]

7 hours ago, Minky said:

I don't  know enlighten us.

 This link may help. But follow it up by re reading the General Licence to further understand it. 

https://basc.org.uk/gl/england/

Edited November 3, 2022 by Good shot?

[enfieldspares]

I had some lofting poles and sold them. It was as others says just pain to cart them about. Now, if someone could invent a set of hide poles that you could slot together (like a fishing rod with overjoints) to loft a decoy with a hook on its back to hang from a branch and the take the assembled pole to pieces to use as hide poles they'd be on to a winner?

[Hayman]

I use support pole/tubes from an old tent that was throne out

[Centrepin]

 

10 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

I had some lofting poles and sold them. It was as others says just pain to cart them about. Now, if someone could invent a set of hide poles that you could slot together (like a fishing rod with overjoints) to loft a decoy with a hook on its back to hang from a branch and the take the assembled pole to pieces to use as hide poles they'd be on to a winner?

 

On 02/11/2022 at 18:23, Centrepin said:

I use an old fishing pole

I leave the poles behind one of my permanent hides usually. Carbon doesn't rot just gets moss growing on it. (I also leave a seat and sometimes decoys too).

They can loft a hooked full bodied decoy to around 13 - 15 metres. Not that heavy if you need to carry them and all fit inside each other or in a carry bag like hide poles. Wouldn't take much imagination to make/cut a spike to use them as hide poles. Nowadays I either use a permanent hide or cut a branch for hide poles as although not heavy they're too much for me.

 

[marsh man]

Sorry to you lofting poles devotees but I am in the team who say it's not worth the effort involved , no doubt on the right day , on the right tree , in the right wind and at the right height , yes it MIGHT be an advantage , but lets face it , the majority of pigeon shooting is done from early Summer until the end of September , throughout this period the trees are in full leaf and you would need to find a high branch where incoming or oncoming pigeons can see them to even give you a chance , as already said you need to carry as many to be able to put the decoys on the top branches as it would be pointless in carting all your gear and then finding you are one pole short .

I you are in a area where perms are hard to come by , pigeon numbers are low and you are looking for every way you can increase in your chances when you do get the chance to go out then yes go ahead and put it to the test , you might well be lucky and pick the right tree on the right day and have a nice bit of sport , but the chances of that can be a bit remote .

I dare say the ones who do use them and find they work are the ones who have been doing it for a fair time , know what trees are the best ones to use , pick the right day and with the right weather conditions , mind you , even these people don't always get it right .

We are in the lucky position where we have got some single trees in the middle of the field , these are the ones I like , shoot in any wind direction , decoy well out and shoot the pigeons that overfly your set up and make for tree that you are sitting just underneath the edge of the bottom branches so you can shoot at stuff nigh on above you , as I said , I wouldn't bother with lofting pigeons but a lot do and good luck to those who give it a go .

 

[Centrepin]

11 minutes ago, marsh man said:

Sorry to you lofting poles devotees but I am in the team who say it's not worth the effort involved , no doubt on the right day , on the right tree , in the right wind and at the right height , yes it MIGHT be an advantage , but lets face it , the majority of pigeon shooting is done from early Summer until the end of September , throughout this period the trees are in full leaf and you would need to find a high branch where incoming or oncoming pigeons can see them to even give you a chance , as already said you need to carry as many to be able to put the decoys on the top branches as it would be pointless in carting all your gear and then finding you are one pole short .

I you are in a area where perms are hard to come by , pigeon numbers are low and you are looking for every way you can increase in your chances when you do get the chance to go out then yes go ahead and put it to the test , you might well be lucky and pick the right tree on the right day and have a nice bit of sport , but the chances of that can be a bit remote .

I dare say the ones who do use them and find they work are the ones who have been doing it for a fair time , know what trees are the best ones to use , pick the right day and with the right weather conditions , mind you , even these people don't always get it right .

We are in the lucky position where we have got some single trees in the middle of the field , these are the ones I like , shoot in any wind direction , decoy well out and shoot the pigeons that overfly your set up and make for tree that you are sitting just underneath the edge of the bottom branches so you can shoot at stuff nigh on above you , as I said , I wouldn't bother with lofting pigeons but a lot do and good luck to those who give it a go .

 

Absolutely,  I always forget that when I'm posting on here my perm is a good 80% Crow sometimes more. When lofting I never use more than 5 more often just 2 and an Acme crow caller to bring them in. I have just 4 or 5 decoys on the ground and quickly replace with dead birds. When after just Pigeons I never loft more than 1 and then as high as possible with the rest in whatever ground pattern I think will work, wind permitting.

It's hard work in a good wind getting pigeon decoys high enough to be be seen and in a position that looks realistic. Better a decent pattern on the ground and a good recce beforehand. 

[Bigbob]

My hide poles came with metal adaptors so you could put them all together as lofting poles and a clothes hanger adaptor came so you could raise 2 decoys with that . They are years old ow and are from that long debunk company was it Sporting Devolvement's from Leslie say what you want but reckon these guys where years ahead of other companies 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

43 minutes ago, Bigbob said:

My hide poles came with metal adaptors so you could put them all together as lofting poles and a clothes hanger adaptor came so you could raise 2 decoys with that . They are years old ow and are from that long debunk company was it Sporting Devolvement's from Leslie say what you want but reckon these guys where years ahead of other companies 

They may have been, but they didn't catch on or the company might still be in business.   

[ditchman]

some of the best days ive had ....have been under a bare sitty tree which was partially covered in ivy....having lofted about 6 or so deeks onto the branches.....choice of where the tree is important.......

[Westley]

Some of my best roost shooting days involved erecting a WAGBI/SEEMARK dead bird flapper on top of my lofting poles. Pull the cord, flap the wings and watch pigeons turn and come straight into the tree I was sitting under. I was just on a small line of Oaks, which were situated on a field in the middle of 4 very large woods. Birds would get shot at from these woods and seeing my flapper would pitch straight in.

[Old Boggy]

10 hours ago, marsh man said:

Sorry to you lofting poles devotees but I am in the team who say it's not worth the effort involved , no doubt on the right day , on the right tree , in the right wind and at the right height , yes it MIGHT be an advantage , but lets face it , the majority of pigeon shooting is done from early Summer until the end of September , throughout this period the trees are in full leaf and you would need to find a high branch where incoming or oncoming pigeons can see them to even give you a chance , as already said you need to carry as many to be able to put the decoys on the top branches as it would be pointless in carting all your gear and then finding you are one pole short .

I you are in a area where perms are hard to come by , pigeon numbers are low and you are looking for every way you can increase in your chances when you do get the chance to go out then yes go ahead and put it to the test , you might well be lucky and pick the right tree on the right day and have a nice bit of sport , but the chances of that can be a bit remote .

I dare say the ones who do use them and find they work are the ones who have been doing it for a fair time , know what trees are the best ones to use , pick the right day and with the right weather conditions , mind you , even these people don't always get it right .

We are in the lucky position where we have got some single trees in the middle of the field , these are the ones I like , shoot in any wind direction , decoy well out and shoot the pigeons that overfly your set up and make for tree that you are sitting just underneath the edge of the bottom branches so you can shoot at stuff nigh on above you , as I said , I wouldn't bother with lofting pigeons but a lot do and good luck to those who give it a go .

 

Good evening John. Being one of the lofting pole devotees I slightly disagree that they are not worth the effort involved. That may be the case if using a standard set of poles with those metal hooks hoisting 5 individual decoys and attempting to hook each one over various branches and then having to reverse the process in trying to take them down again. A standard set of poles hoists a decoy up to approximately 25+ feet, which in my opinion is nowhere near high enough to show up sufficiently even on bare branches.

I am fortunate that the small woods that I shoot either in, or alongside, are in areas where no syndicates or pheasant shooting exists, so I am able to shoot throughout the winter months and only use lofters against bare branches. I have found that by using just two lofted pigeons on a spreader bar (as very kindly made for me by Dave AKA Tightchoke) on top of almost two sets of lofting poles, I can quite easily progressively hoist them up resting against branches on the way up adding each pole section as I go. The pole with spreader bar and pigeons are left in position. Knowing the likely `sitty` trees, I`ve found that this method of raising just two decoys to a height of say 40 -50 feet is far more effective than five hoisted to just 25 feet. Last time out, It took me just five minutes to hoist them up and three minutes to retrieve them. This is in comparison to about 15-20 minutes (if not longer)using a conventional set to 25 feet with metal hooks with all the problems that they can involve especially if it`s windy.

I`m also fortunate that the sets of poles etc I use can be left in one of the woods I shoot as there`s only two of us that shoot it, so there`s no chance of them `walking`.

See attached the spreader bar kindly made by Tightchoke and then after I had added some camo tape and a couple of decoys. Not quite sure what happened with the black marking on the first photo !!

 

I would therefore say that in the right location, they are definitely worth using and have helped in achieving a reasonable bag.

Thanks again to Dave for the spreader bar.

OB

[TIGHTCHOKE]

You are most welcome, planning on taking mine out next weekend, been a bit busy with work, clays and of course pheasants.