barrie0 Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 I have only decoyed the pigeons once before with FM and he set everything up , before that many years ago it was only a walk around with the gun . Anyway got my woodland camoreal scrim today and have attached it to my 3 hide poles (extending washing line props spray painted brown , they blend in quite well) , also got 8 half shell decoys . Going down to the new permission again tommorow (been once before but with no deaks or net ) and I am thinking of a small horseshoe pattern into the wind about 30 yds out , and setting up the net next to the hedgerow which is only about 4 feet tall . Does it matter if the net is about a foot higher than the hedgerow and do you guys think a horseshoe pattern is best with 8 deaks or should I try something else . I will be shooting on the border of a setaside and an osr field and think I have sussed out the flightline from my last visit . Any more last minute tips and tricks would be more than welcome . I plan to get down there around 7.30am and stay till dark (forecast is sunny and around 9mph northley wind) . Cant wait Barrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millo2 Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Well good luck mate. Let's hope you have some good news for us tomorrow. Just play around with the pattern mate. You will soon find out if your setup is right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete k Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 barrie0 , a bit of advice is dont set up straight away but wait for an hour or two so you can see if the flight line has changed and also not always a good idea to be shooting to early as you run the risk of killing off the field , with regards to your net being higher than the hedgerow try and get a net behind you aswell to break up your sillouette which is most important or the will see you moving . hope you have a good day. pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrie0 Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Cheers Millo and Pete and also not always a good idea to be shooting to early as you run the risk of killing off the field Thats going to be easier said than done as I am also going to be having a pop at the crows as well . I only have one net so will have to watch my background ! I was also thinking if pigeons actually get wary of horseshoe patterns ,as they can get wary of pigeon magnets so I am to believe ? Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Following on from pete k's comments, I wouldn't have my hide higher than the natural background and definitely avoid a sillouhette. As I shoot sitting down, this would not be a problem with a 4ft hedge behind me. If you are taking 8 shell decoys, make sure the pigeons can see them. I would place them in the clearer areas and put them in groups of two (making them more noticeable). Hopefully you will soon have a few dead birds to increase the layout. Its all trial and error. Have a good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Barrie mate... Relax and enjoy.... FM. PS make sure you can be ***** to get up of the seat and swing through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrie0 Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 I would place them in the clearer areas and put them in groups of two (making them more noticeable). Would that still be in a horseshoe kind of shape Cranfield ? Thanks Don't worry Fm I will be a standing and swinging ,as an aside with the stupid fluorescent bead on my lanber distracting me from the clays etc , I have took the bead off and will be shooting bare barrel so to speak using nowt but my eyes and hand coordination a la bidwell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pointer Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Barrie, don't worrie to much about the horse shoe pattern, as Cranfield said stick em in the clearer areas in groups of two and make sure the majority are facing into the wind. If the birds are shying away from the deeks then get out there and chop and change, also don't be afraid to move position, but talking of movement remember to stay as still as possible untill you are commited to taking a shot. All the best of luck mate, but most of all enjoy the day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb5037 Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 All the best buddy. I went out today and got a whopping total of........... Wait for it......... 2 Crows not good Hope you have a better day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrie0 Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Thanks guys Some good points to look out for , will watch the background and start off like Cranfield suggests and then if I get some, will experiment as Pointer says . Will let you know how I get on , Hopefully a bit better than rb5037 Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrie0 Posted January 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 Just got back 20 mins ago . Anyway got down there around 8 am and set down in front of a large tree , I put the hide as close to the tree as I could and made sure it was no higher than the hedges each side of the tree . Put the 8 deeks out in a rough U shape with 4 deaks in a group of two and two and the rest to fill out the u shape (only small u approx 15*15yards) Settled down with a cig and coffe , 20 mins later a flock of around 10 woodies came by about 40 yds from the deeks , they all turned in and headed straight for them , The first one went down but I poked the barrels at the second and missed . Another 20-25 mins later a woody from the right hand hedge saw the deeks , diverted to them blam he was down as well and ended up joining the deeks . I started to get picky then as a bit later 2 ferals came in and I decided not to shoot them and they landed in the deeks , looked around for 30 seconds then flew off . This happened again with a single feral as well not long after . Then it all went dead with nowt about . Got to about 11.30 and decided to hump all the gear over to the other side of the field as there were a few woodies flitting about the trees . This time there was a brook between me and the trees so I had to put the hide against a fence and I also made the deak pattern a standard horseshoe pattern around twice the size as before with them all in line against the wind . They did'nt seem to like this setup as it was either the deaks or hide or both . Had 5 woodies coming in but diverting off around 60 yards away . 2 ferals landed in there but soon flew off , a couple of rooks also diverted off as well . 1 woodie landed in the tree behind me and was staring at the deeks for about 5 mins I was tempted but thought I would give him a sporting chance , Any way off he went missed with the 1st barrel but got him with the 2nd . A magpie also flew straight towards the hide but I missed the ****** with both and also missed about two great chances as I was pointing percy at the time . By this time it was getting for about 1.30 and I could see all the woodies where I was before flitting about , but could'nt be bothered to hump it all again , so I stayed put then nothing happened till about 3pm when world war 3 sounded like it was going off . It was'nt me it sounded like major roost shooting going off in all directions . I stayed till it was dark but again it was still dead . So thanks guys for the tips as I have learnt to keep the hide against a hedge or tree and shall be using the U shape and paired up decoys as said by Cranfield as this really worked well for me and it was nearly as enjoyable to watch the birds fly by then turn and go straight to the decoys as the actual shooting was . A truly fascinating sight to see especially as it was my own handywork . Thanks also to FM for introducing me to the art of decoying , I can see it becoming addictive . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted January 15, 2005 Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 I may be wrong but I think it was a mistake setting up the hide next to a tree because if a pigeon lands on the tree to inspect the decoys it may be able to spot you from above, unless you have a roof on the hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted January 15, 2005 Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 .....but you could just shoot it where the sun don`t shine!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted January 15, 2005 Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 Glad you have had a confidence booster, because thats what its all about. ollie, I probably set up under, or very near a tree, 80% of the time I pigeon shoot. I usually shoot any bird attempting to land in the tree, but if one or two sneak in, they just act as extra decoys. They don't really cause a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millo2 Posted January 15, 2005 Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 Well done mate. It's all experience Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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