crookie Posted August 22, 2004 Report Share Posted August 22, 2004 I was just thinking what a great day i had yesterday (wish i,d stayed to make it 300 but had a meeting with a nice looking roebuck, well he looked good hung up at the game dealer this morning). How many people still use plastics and how many use the real thing ? I normally use about 20 dead birds up on cradles (sorry no sales pitch intended see for sell section) and all the birds i shoot go into a sack with a 4 pint milk container of frozen water to chill them. This saves having to go over all the birds to remove the blow fly eggs this time of year, then the birds on cradles have there feet cut off for easy identification and i freeze them for the next outing, you can normally re-use them about 6-8 times before there past their best, the start again. I think that nothing beats the real thing (comments please). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 22, 2004 Report Share Posted August 22, 2004 I think most people would expect real birds to be the best decoys (without scientific evidence to support the view), but the reason that artificials are so popular, is convenience. Not everyone has the facility to keep lots of pigeons in their freezer. I'm lucky, I have my own freezer for pigeons and fishing baits, I always keep about 6 in the freezer for floaters and flappers. But, if I decide to go for a few hours at short notice, I can't use them as they won't be thawed out. Sometimes I will set out 40+ decoys, its far easier to carry and set out artificials, than real ones. If its a difficult day, I do replace my artificials with real birds, out of habit, but I can't be sure it makes any difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 23, 2004 Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 I agree with Cranfield... I find it difficult to make a judgement between the plastic and the real thing. I would say that my shooting over the years hasnt suffered due to using plastic deeks and the modern flocked deeks are very good. As mentioned in another post last week when JONO and I were decoying a laid wheat field recently a Peregrine had a go at one of my homemade deeks which was on the rotary and this is simply a plastic shell deek with painted plywood wings. It fooled a bird with amongst the keenest eyesight in the bird world so it cant be bad. I think if the birds are feeding confidently in the fields you are decoying, plastic deeks are quite good enough. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 I can,t remember the last time i saw a picture of Archie Coates (the master), Jim Alboune, Peter Swerltzs, or George Digweed (current record holder so say) and a plastic decoy in the same picture. Enough said i think, Proper boys use the proper gear !!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted August 23, 2004 Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 I am in the habit of bringing my plastics in when i have enough dead birds to replace them with. To be perfectly honest though, i can not remember a single occasion when i could say that this improved the number of birds decoying. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 23, 2004 Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 crookie, you asked for opinions and you got them. Its not polite to make rubbishing comments, just because everybody doesn't agree with you. Anyway, if I used loads of dead birds as decoys, I would need to buy lots of dead bird cradles. Where would I buy them from ? Oh yes, I forgot, you sell them. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted August 23, 2004 Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 Crookie, You asked for comments, I am old enough to have decoyed with Major Coates and on occasions he used shoe insoles painted grey, shell decoys, and full bodied, John Batley as used artificials extensively, I personally always use shells because I always travel light. For what it is worth I always peg out my dead birds but I don't know for sure if it helps except it seems to make sense to make the biggest pattern possible because we all know pigeons are gluttons. Salopian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 Ok guys, Lets all just calm down a bit, I know it a touchy subject, I,m sorry i ever brought it up. P.s. still lots of birds on my pea field may shoot it friday if the weathers ok (2" fell here today) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 P.s. still lots of birds on my pea field Crookie... Thats the key to it mate lots of birds... You have just been hoist by your own petard... I dare say I and others on this forum could bring our Plastic deeks to your pea field with Lots of Birds and shoot the pants off you. :yp: If you really are shooting 300 birds in 5 hours sounds like they will decoy to a pair of my old socks.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Dearest Cranfield, I am sorry that i got your goat a bit, and to prove that i am not some mercenary trying to make a fast buck (just trying to pay for a bit if pheasant shooting this season) If you send me your address I will send you half a dozen cradles to try F.O.C., and if you use them and like them, then you can make a donation of about there cost (say £15:00) to either the Countryside alliance or the B.A.S.C. I,m sorry that nobody bothered to think that taking a frozen bottle of water out to chill the birds and save time clearing of blowfly eggs was a good idea (plus as it thaws you can give your dog a much needed drink. Cranfield I await your reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 crookie, as a pigeon shooter of many years vintage, I have more equipment than I know what to do with (some of it flocked, electronic and very modern). Included in this fine selection, are lots of dead bird cradles, so your kind gesture, whilst appreciated, is unnecessary. You didn't "get my goat", but asking for comments and then rubbishing the ones you got, I thought was a bit much, hence my snipe at your cradle making. The bottle of frozen water was a good suggestion, I have used it for years. The only variation is, that it is two 2litre bottles of squash and I drink it. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Dear Fisherman Mike, I always like a bit of a challenge and your comment of "shooting the pants off me" sounds like a challenge. So why dont we meet up at the for-mentioned pea field ( near Salisbury) on friday,and you can pick your spot and use what ever you want and i will watch you, when your finished i will charge you the same as i did the danes (£1:00 for every empty case in your hide) and i will donate half of it to the Countryside Alliance. You had best bring 500+ cartridges because the field is blue, and also i saw your earlier post an the subjact of averages where you shot 75 cases for 8 birds, So it may be a bit expensive for you but the CA will love you. Contact me by e-mail for directions, Cheers Crookie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 (edited) No Bloody Chance.... My post was very much tounge in cheek... not actually a throwing down of the Gauntlet so to speak. What I was trying to say was if the fields are alive with Pigeon I dont suppose (in my opinion) having plastic or real deeks makes a jot of difference. and I took exception to your proper boys jibe, :yp: particularly as you are a irregular poster. I would have you know also that I am a member of the BASC and supporter of the CA and I have ploughed enough money into them already this year.. Edited August 24, 2004 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 I,m sorry that nobody bothered to think that taking a frozen bottle of water out to chill the birds and save time clearing of blowfly eggs was a good idea Crookie...I did think that was a very good idea actually but I didnt post to say so as I didnt want to add to your already large ego... :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 crookie , so the Danes paid you £1815 for two days pigeon shooting ? On the same field you had 380 shots in 345 minutes and killed 287 birds ? It sounds as though Wiltshire has taken over from, The Promised Land. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 It sounds as though Wiltshire has taken over from, The Promised Land. :yp: Should I go ? He might be an anti waiting to ambush me or that demented woman in the Carlsberg ad.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Sounds like **** to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Sounds like **** to me. :yp: I couldnt possibly say that teal.... as much as I would think it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdfish Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 I will have the cradles fOC and settle the arguement. Crookie, have you got any other stuff for free. FM Start an arguement about cars. Me rascal is on its last legs jimdfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Dear Salopian, I am very very very sorry for including the name of Archie Coates within my earlier quote, I would have truely loved to meet The Master as you have. We wonce did some combining on their farm and Pru bless here brought use all out drinks, unfortunatly that was after Archie had pasted on. note to Fisherman Mike, I have been using the site for only about a month less than you but number of posts is not everything and this beginner / hot shot thing confuses me. Teal are you saying my bag and cartridge ratio is ****, my offer to Fisherman mike is **** or what i charge for some bloody good pigeon shooting is ****, please clarify for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Dear Cranfield, Yes i charge them £1:00 per empty case at the end of the day,and they paid happly plus a tip. and yes i went there a few days later and shot but if i had to pay myself it would have cost me £380. You cannot let people see that many birds and fire that many shots and not get your money back, there is a big differance between 125 dead pigeons and 1800 shots. I have to pay rent on most of the land i shot and unfortunatly i have to have paying clients to support my habit ( not drugs just pigeons). and if i can have a good follow up day so be it ,if i had another client lined up that week he would have shot it and i would have earnt more towards my rent bill. now please can we stop this fued. Crookie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdfish Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 WHERES MY FREE STUFF. dont stop this a' fightin' and a fuedin' until I have field tested and donated the cost, honestly, of the items to a worthwhile cause. jimDfish P.S neither of you will be able to settle until it is sorted so I am doing you a favour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookie Posted August 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Jimdfish, Sorry mate its over, all bets are off, and im going to bed, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 crookie, this isn't a feud. its banter. It always happens, when someone posts something truly wondrous. I am amazed that you found someone willing to pay that much for two days pigeon shooting. You did mention they were in their 70's, so perhaps Alzheimer's played a part. No wonder the Professional Guides that visit this Forum regularly, are a bit quiet. They must all be in the Caribbean. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Beasley Posted August 25, 2004 Report Share Posted August 25, 2004 They must all be in the Caribbean. :yp: Crookie ought to be for sure! I'm spending my days with clients up to me knees in MUD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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