dead-eye-dick Posted July 29, 2002 Report Share Posted July 29, 2002 :0 While doing some reccis in my area I noticed a guy shooting and being a freindly sort of a chap I when for a chat... Even from 100 or so yards I could see his hide against the wooded back-drop, he said he had found the birds 'spooked'. This prompted me to look at my own hide...... In my area we don't have hedges as such, only trees, its not very easy to hide away, and still be able to see. So most people build the hide proud of the tree line.... When I stood back and looked at my hide I thought it stood out like a sore thumb, (I use some army cammo netting which doen't give much cover, and some gauze like sheeting in realtree colours) When I thought about it, alot of the birds that come into shooting range come from the sides and not from straight on, I wonder if they see something unusall and avoid me......... if so would I be better to set the decoys 20 yards up wind so they don't see me but are blown into range..... :0 :0 or kneel down with better cover.... Your thoughts please gents... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave15 Posted July 29, 2002 Report Share Posted July 29, 2002 I dont use anything fancy just some of that cammo netting that you were on about but thats only if I have a wood behind me If not I make a wall out of Bails dad does't seam to mind and the land owner somethimes puts them out just for the pigeon shooters. cos I dont do that much pigeon shooting I have a lot of time to prepare hides in fields ready for my next trip. The pigeons dont always vear off when they see something unusal my mate wears a blaze Orange hunting cap that His dad got from the U.S I think the pigeons wonder what it is and come in for a closer look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 29, 2002 Report Share Posted July 29, 2002 I like to make my hides as "invisible" as possible. Ideally a hedge, bushes or trees type background. I use the darker green/brown ex Army style cammo net in Spring and Summer and the Realtree lighter cammo net in Autumn and Winter (depending on the background colours). I will also use any available natural foliage to enhance my "invisibility". I try to avoid building large hides that stick out too far from the background cover. I frequently make them "wedge" shaped, which breaks up the outline. High at the back and sides sloping down to a low front. More important than "invisible" hides is, no visible movement. One thing I am careful about, making sure the background is "solid", if in doubt, put a net there. I set up a hide along a patchy hedgerow once and from the outside it looked perfect. It was...... until I got in it. The pigeons spooked as soon as they saw it. Fortunately the farmer visited me at lunchtime and said that he could see my outline moving through the net, against a hole in the hedge. Despite taking all this time and effort, one of the best days I ever had ,was leaning up against a seed drill left at the end of the field, no cammo net and in almost full view of the birds. There have been experiments with bright orange netting supposedly, not putting the birds off. Bale hides in the middle of fields don,t exactly blend in, but I suppose the pigeons get use to them eventually. Some days the pigeons are fussy, other days they ain,t. Hopefully, some of the other lads may have some answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 30, 2002 Report Share Posted July 30, 2002 Any comments from the Pro,s ? You,re the boys that do this for a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted July 31, 2002 Report Share Posted July 31, 2002 We use standard camo nets, harvest coloured with a very 'gappy' green/brown net draped over the top. In swathed rape we'll set clients up in the middle of the field just using a harvest net and a few dead birds on cradles on the tramlines. A solid background is important, hiding your mush from incoming birds even more so.......... The smaller and 'tighter' the hide, the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 Im just back from holiday today.I found a pigeon shooting video called Jacks Game (some of the oldies maybe remember it on tv) Presented by Jack Charlton and The late and great Archie Coats. He used the armys cammo net to graeat avail avraging to 20 thousand birds a year. He also said totry and use natural cover and be sure to see throught the hide not over it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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