When lots of birds drop into the decoys I get too excited

[Si-Bore]

Just had my first experience of being bombarded by pigeon today whilst decoying. It lasted for about 10 mins when the flocks came back from 'sitting up' about 3.00pm. I had been shooting well (for me) and rarely missed a bird using 1 shot per bird over the decoys shooting at 1 or 2 birds at a time. Then, from behind birds were piling in and landing and flying around in front on the hide. I kept getting confused which bird to shoot at and often changed my mind mid shot - which resulted in a few missed birds (that shouldn't have been missed).

I realise the errors of my ways and in future will lock onto 1 bird and take no notice of the rest of them, even if they fly in front of my muzzles (hopefully)!

Has anyone else gotten over-excited when massive amounts are dropping in?

Si

[codling99]

i allways find it hard when decoying crows or pigeons if they come in bunches,1 or 2 is fine,but when you get a flock of crows,ferals or woodies in one go,i allways end up letting off 3 shots for 1 or no birds,confuses me and dont know what bird im aiming at cos their moving about so much in a flock.must be the norm i reckon.

[Si-Bore]

Ha! Its rather funny really. It was like Alfred Hitchcock 'The birds' at one point and I was blasting like a man posessed! Killing lots of fresh air and flies but no birds. I wish I could have seen the look in my eyes.

Si

[Cranfield]

It can be difficult to stay calm, but I pick the nearest birds and wait until one lands and then shoot the next one dropping in and then the landed one as its taking off.

If you take the early birds, you can often keep the flock milling around for a while, which gives you a chance to reload.

By waiting too long you get the, "the next one will be better", "that ones better than this one", etc., nadgers.

Ending up either not getting a shot, or missing everything.

 

It is fun though.

[Mutley]

"Kid in a sweet shop" Syndrome ....Stay calm and stick to 1st. choice ....Easier said than done

[Harnser]

confusious says , abird in the bag ,is worth two up a tree in the next county . Harnser .

[doof205]

Imagine it being you're first shoot at something that isn't a clay when hundreds swoop in....the first few times i didn't even shoot and my heart was racing like you wouldn't believe....i hit nothing

[bignoel]

i am the same forget the safety is on or i sometime shut the wrong eye bit like a chicken on a hot plate great fun thou

[ferretman]

YES MATE I GET THAT SUMTIMES MY DAD LEARNT ME TO PICK A BIRD OUT N STCK WITH IT TILL U HAVE KILLED IT SO I HAVE ALWAYS DUN THAT MATE

[ditchman]

It can be difficult to stay calm, but I pick the nearest birds and wait until one lands and then shoot the next one dropping in and then the landed one as its taking off.

If you take the early birds, you can often keep the flock milling around for a while, which gives you a chance to reload.

By waiting too long you get the, "the next one will be better", "that ones better than this one", etc., nadgers.

Ending up either not getting a shot, or missing everything.

 

It is fun though.

 

 

 

EXCACTLY

[Melonfish]

mine the field you'll get more that way as they land around the decoys, also consider some grenades. if they're going to come at you with numbers perhaps a tripod mounted belt fed?

 

 

excellent that your in a target rich environment though m8

pete

Edited April 3, 2008 by Melonfish

[Si-Bore]

mine the field you'll get more that way as they land around the decoys, also consider some grenades. if they're going to come at you with numbers perhaps a tripod mounted belt fed?

 

 

excellent that your in a target rich environment though m8

pete

 

Its the 3 hour wait I have to occupy myself for after the flock has gone - thats the hardest part!

 

Si

[Cosd]

Si bore you think you have problems, at the moment I get

excited when I see 1 coming at me ???

[Sundowner]

Si-Bore, if you find a cure for RMS (Red Mist Syndrome) PLEASE let me have it too ?

[henry d]

Its the 3 hour wait I have to occupy myself for after the flock has gone - thats the hardest part!

 

Si

 

How about trying this, don`t shoot at 50 birds coming into the deeks, just stand up or wave a hand over the net. This will scare a few bird and the rest will follow, but, and this is the biggy, they won`t be as scared as if they`d been shot at ! They will return and hopefully in smaller flocks of 5-10, if you shoot at 50 birds you may get up to 3 birds, but you will scare the rest off for the whole day.

[Country Boy]

Si

How about trying this, don`t shoot at 50 birds coming into the deeks, just stand up or wave a hand over the net. This will scare a few bird and the rest will follow, but, and this is the biggy, they won`t be as scared as if they`d been shot at ! They will return and hopefully in smaller flocks of 5-10, if you shoot at 50 birds you may get up to 3 birds, but you will scare the rest off for the whole day.

 

 

Well Hd thats a load of old eye wash, an old wives tale or perhaps an extract from John Bately's book.

Which planet are you on, it don't matter how a flock is disturbed, if they are sure of food elsewhere, and this is the biggy, clap em off - walk em off - shoot em off, they won't be back period

[Cranfield]

I have to confess that I would be unable to resist trying to drop a couple out of a flock of 50 pigeons coming in to the decoys and wouldn't have the restraint to wave them off.

 

However, I do think that "silently" pushing birds off a field means there is more likelihood of them drifting back, than if you fire a few scare shots at them.

 

I don't shoot high passing birds if there are other pigeons in the area, as these high birds often circle round (albeit a couple of fields away) and then return to the decoys, plus you could be scaring off other birds that are on their way.

[Country Boy]

I don't shoot high passing birds if there are other pigeons in the area, as these high birds often circle round (albeit a couple of fields away) and then return to the decoys, plus you could be scaring off other birds that are on their way.

Surely Cranfield this is a contradiction in terms and could apply at anytime!

C.B.

[henry d]

Well Hd thats a load of old eye wash, an old wives tale or perhaps an extract from John Bately's book.

Which planet are you on, it don't matter how a flock is disturbed, if they are sure of food elsewhere, and this is the biggy, clap em off - walk em off - shoot em off, they won't be back period

 

 

Perhaps for you but not for me, I do it whenever necessary and it works for me.

Also that would mean gas guns would work every time, which they don`t. Many people will testify to seeing 100`s of birds on a rape field and the gas gun goes off and the birds lift, circle and drop straight back in !

[dusk2dawn]

Well Hd thats a load of old eye wash, an old wives tale or perhaps an extract from John Bately's book.

Which planet are you on, it don't matter how a flock is disturbed, if they are sure of food elsewhere, and this is the biggy, clap em off - walk em off - shoot em off, they won't be back period

 

 

Perhaps for you but not for me, I do it whenever necessary and it works for me.

Also that would mean gas guns would work every time, which they don`t. Many people will testify to seeing 100`s of birds on a rape field and the gas gun goes off and the birds lift, circle and drop straight back in !

 

 

Its certainly not old eye wash, as most experienced pigeon shooters will tell you to walk the birds off the field and set up asap, they will return if thats the field they have been feeding on, and you will know it is IF you have done your homework, in smaller groups providing far better sport than if you had barged onto the field firing both barrels at rapidly never to be seen again birds.

 

D2D

[Leo S.]

That's exactly the reason that birds flock - to confuse predators... didn't realize it worked on humans though I've never had that happen to me as you probably guessed!

[Country Boy]

Perhaps for you but not for me, I do it whenever necessary and it works for me.

Also that would mean gas guns would work every time, which they don`t. Many people will testify to seeing 100`s of birds on a rape field and the gas gun goes off and the birds lift, circle and drop straight back in !

 

Exactly - gas guns don't prevent pigeons returning qucikly so why should it matter if you shoot them off or W.H.Y; bearing in mind I think (well I am) we are talking the months when pigeons are flocked up, AS I have said previously on this subject it does'nt matter how pigeons are moved off a rape field during the winter months - they are only keen to return when no-one is set up to ambush them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cranfield]

I don't shoot high passing birds if there are other pigeons in the area, as these high birds often circle round (albeit a couple of fields away) and then return to the decoys, plus you could be scaring off other birds that are on their way.

Surely Cranfield this is a contradiction in terms and could apply at anytime!

C.B.

 

There is no "contradiction" in what I posted.

 

My comment was that I do not speculate on the chance of shooting high passing pigeons that appear to be going elsewhere, as its my experience that these birds will often turn round from some distance away and return to the decoys, which gives me a much surer shot.

Also, my speculative shot could scare away birds that are approaching where I am, that I can't see yet.

 

If shooting at birds over the decoys scares away other incoming birds, then thats unfortunate, but acceptable.

Hopefully, there are some dead pigeons on the ground as ample compensation.

 

We can only comment from our own experiences, if others have had different experiences, then thats fine.

[anser2]

Country Boy pigeons usualy know the difference between a gas gun and the real thing. In the area where I shoot the pigeons often do not even rise off the field unless the gas gun is close to the birds. However fire a shot and they are up and gone. The pigeons are more scared of a gas gun if the field has been shot recently.

 

As for them returning after being put off a field , that all depends on the weather conditions and the local environment. If they fly up and sit in a wood close by shooting will push them out of the area. However if they fly to a sitty wood thats far enough away for them not to be disturbed by shooting they will often trickle back , though you may have a bit of a wait before they do so. And of course the disturbance distance of a shot will be less on a windy day than a still one.

 

If it looks as though a flock is going to decoy I ignore single birds as there is a chance of a right and left and often in the confusion the odd pigeon will circle back to the decoys and offer a third chance. However there are times when by letting a single bird go over it will see you and spook any following birds. All I can suggest take each shot on its merit.

[Country Boy]

My answer to anser2:

I don't think pigeons do know the difference between gas-guns discharging or a shotgun being fired.

What they do know about is a human presence and lead shot whistling about there hearing 'oles.

Have you never been decoying (with a good wind) on a large acreage in sight and sound of a mate at 'tother end and both of you knocking 'em down regardless?

 

Brian, I can't imagine there are many pigeon shooters who manage to show the same sort of hide discilpine as you say you have.

There won't be many folk who pass up the chance to squeeze off a shot at any pigeon inrange, I bet

I have never heard anyone say, when asked how they faired pigeoning, well I shot three but I should have had 25 IF I had shot at them

 

Cheers, C.B.

Edited April 6, 2008 by Country Boy