pigeon master Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 Hello all, I am aware that this has been mentioned before but I will comment on this again and that is what a difference it can make to a days shooting when you decide to pack the magnet up and stick with the standard decoys. I was shooting the other day and after bagging my first woody I set the magnet up and retreated back to my hide. I sat there for some time and watched bird after bird fly up the field and suddenly gain some height as they passed my decoys complete with magnet. These birds have brains and must be treating them just as they would if they bumped into a goshawk or peregrine. I have no doubt that in areas that have seen a lot of magnets used these birds are very wary of them, soon after I packed my magnet up and within 5 minutes pigeons were falling from the skies wings closed fully committed on joining their plastic friends. I understand its not always like this because the day before I shot a farm which has not had a gun on it for two months, and the movement from the magnet was making birds bank round from the distant pine plantation some 500 yards away. Wow there’s lots of I’S at the start of my sentences. Although new to this game I have observed that if the birds are showing caution then pack the magnet up for an hour to see what happens, you may be pleasantly surprised. Happy woody shooting. The PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 One day its brilliant and another you wondered why you bought it. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene molloy Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 PM, You may be a new boy but there's nothing wrong with your powers of observation and willingness to work things out for yourself. Well done. Right from when first using a Magnet, I noticed that whilst it drew birds in from ways off, as they got closer they'd have second thoughts and peel off. Not always, mind you, but very often. It made for quite challenging shooting, very different from a traditional decoying shot. I think the other guys in here have had similar experiences to you, but no one has an explanation; we are only at the start of understanding how the Magnet works in differing circumstances. You sound like the sort of bloke to make some sense of it. Regards Eug PS I've noticed (I think) a tendency for the pigeon to get jumpy over the magnet in bright sunshine as opposed to dull days. Anyone else have a theory?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 You are all correct gents...in bright sunshine especially, any glint from the magnet will put the birds off from a long way out. This is a major problem with the machines that use fibreglass arms, these glint badly. As already stated, in areas where the machines are heavily used by large numbers of shooters, the birds do get wise and avoid them. The answer seems to be to leave the machine in the truck for a few weeks until the birds confidence improves (or their memory worsens!) Deako. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sniper Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Well this topic has given me food for thought. I went out the other day, on swathed rape, and put the rotor out, with a few deeks on the top of the rape. There were a few birds flying about but they all veered away from the magnet. I took the magnet in, and they started coming in. As people say, different days etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon master Posted July 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Hello fellow shooters, First I will thank eugene for your remarks and yes although new to the game, gaining as much info as possible about these birds when out shooting will only benefit us and improve our bags. These birds are not only adaptable hardy and beautiful to look at but obviously learn very quickly about the possible threats to their lives from the ground and air. I have a lot of respect for these birds even though I have taken up the sport of shooting or controlling them because there is no doubt that these birds are here to stay, and more than capable of maintaining high numbers even though they are shot in great numbers. They seem to have taken over the rabbit as the main agricultural pest so lets hope that some horrible disease, equivalent to mxsy doesn’t take these birds out, because they are not only great sport for shooters but they make a lovely meal. As regards to the pigeon magnets we all use, I wouldn’t leave the house without one, because I know now that the first few birds will let me know whether I should have it deployed or not. As for the comments about the sun shining on the magnets, yes this must have a contributing factor but what do we do……flock coat the arms, maybe we could but I’m sure Deako will have thought about that already. Happy woody shooting guys and long live great big bags…just not under the eyes yet please. The PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 I read with interest all comments.PM's observations are spot on.I was shooting on a nearby field on that day using my magnet.Pigeons were coming but not with great enthusiasm.After I packed i joined PM in his hide and noticed that pigeons were decoying extremely well.An important detail is that both fields were shot quite hard 4 days before we got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stirky Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 I always like to set up with a basic kit that consists of 10 flock coated shells and a flapper, if i am strugeling to pull pigeons into range then i will go back to the car for my rotary, but like you say, some days that wont improve things either On the point of flashing arms on your rotary, i wrapped mine with old sacking, and then wrapped string in the opposit direction to secure it, so far its held in place and works fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishandshoot Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Nice to be back, I've got some good pictures of Antiguan pigeons but I'm afraid there was NO shooting what so ever!! With regards to shiny rotor arms, I have wrapped mine in advantage timber tape. It was about a fiver for 5m, I think its cotton, Duct tape do one but I think that more shiny than the original arms!! When I get sorted I'll post some pics of the Caribean Pigeon!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 When the pigeon are not decoying well with the magnet out. The general concensus is pull the magent in, and on quite a few occations things seem to improve. Food for thought there! If you had not put the magnet out in the first place it seems that shooting would have been good from the start. I wonder has anyone been having a good day with a magnet out, and pulled the magnet in to see if it made any differance? Personally i dont like magnets(give me one of deeko's flapper's any time) or any flapper come to that. Over the last couple of years this thread has been flogged to death,by the very nature of the site you will get repetitive threads. What it boils down to is if you are happier sitting all day looking at a whirly gig spinning around in front of you, then all the power to you, that is your choice. But i will promise you this you wont learn a dam thing from it. All you will learn is that some days it works others it does'nt. Well those are my thoughts on the subject, i suppose i will be torn to shreads, but i might just get through to one or two of you that its not all numbers all any cost. A good bag of 10 to 20 pigeon worked hard for is worth more than any of the easy 100 bag days any time.(ask any roost shooter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete k Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 how right you are about the magnet , went out today and had the worst day ever not only was it near zero visibility until 11 but when i do set up the pigeons avoided me like the plague with my new rotory which spins like a rotor blade on a helicopter if not faster , so pulled it in and for the next 6 hours just sat there and watched the clouds and at the end of the day only got 10 but was worth all the stress and from now on will most likely not use it and just the deks and flappers and bouncer. pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon master Posted July 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 Pete your thoughts are shared by many of I'm sure. What I'm going to try is just stick the magnet maybe 150-200 yards away from my main decoys because I have witnessed the pulling power of my magnet somedays, but they can be shy of it when mixed with shells on the deck. My method will hopefully make them interested but the decoys a short distance away will pull then down I hope. I will test this out this week and post results. Bye for now The PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete k Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 good idea pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Shuter Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Invest in a cheapo rotary and use it to your advantage(apologies to pinewood) Swathed rape and rape stubble - build your hide in a suitable place and set out a smattering of shell deeks, maybe a bumstick or two (later on you might have to to juggle these about or bring them in when things get going) then as far away as poss but still in the same field take out your rotary, switch it on then go back to your hide and conventional deeks, and the birds will come nicely to yo from 'tother side of the field! Rotarys - very effect bird scarers!! Next month I will tell you how to use rotarys effectively on autumn drillings, and why there are times when more than one rotary should be employed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete k Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 why next month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon master Posted July 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 That make me chuckle Pete, good point though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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