Nial Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 I've got most of the bits together to shoot pigeons although I need to sort decent hide poles and a seat. I also don't have a magnet. How much is this going to affect the amount of shooting I get if I can get all the other aspects of decoying right ? Thanks for any opinions, Nial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 At this time of year on winter rape.. I think you will strugle. That's not to say you'll blank - but I'd try to beg, borrow or steal one if you can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taff Mason Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 i had my best day ever with out a magnet, managed to shoot 100 with just 7 borrowed sillosock decoys. it seems a lot harder in the winter and i've bought a magnet now but you can still get by without one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Nial, I'm 1 year new to the sport and like you was desperate to get a magnet having read loads of posts here especially when I wasn't having great days out in the way of numbers and big bags. The magnet is obviously a good tool to have, it's proven by the sheer number of good reports by fellow shooters. But like anything else in the world of pigeon shooting, it is not a magical tool. It has good days and it has bad days. I remember when I got mine I thought as soon as I put the thing in the ground the woodies would kamakazi into my pattern; I even went out and bought a whole lot more shells than I would normally take. It didn't happen Do get one if you can, but don't expect anything miraculous to happen just because you put one out in your pattern. Good field craft, a good decoy pattern, a well made hide, and some movement in your pattern in the way of wobblers, bouncers and flappers are just as important; Above all else the most important bit is for the woodies to want to feed where you are placed on the day....because without them it's just you and the whirly thing going round and round and round and round...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 (edited) At this time of year on winter rape.. I think you will strugle. TIP: If you're garyb, you'll struggle with any opportunity to shoot a sitting left and right Yeah, try and get yourself a magnet, it'll pull them right it. Shootwarehouse will do you a top notch one for £65. Plus you get discount! Just remember you have to shoot 2 to put on there if you've not got any in the freezer. Oh and before gary comes back to slaughter me, I'm in no way saying I'm a good shot, I just like winding him up! haha Edited December 16, 2008 by harfordwmj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 TIP: If you're garyb, you'll struggle with any opportunity to shoot a sitting left and right Yeah, try and get yourself a magnet, it'll pull them right it. Shootwarehouse will do you a top notch one for £65. Plus you get discount! Just remember you have to shoot 2 to put on there if you've not got any in the freezer. Oh and before gary comes back to slaughter me, I'm in no way saying I'm a good shot, I just like winding him up! haha I know what you mean Will A magnet is a must especially over winter rape, although its not like waving a magic wand. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Ohhhhh come on !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Magnet magnet magnet,i must have a magnet....NOT They do help sometimes and other times they hinder.A flapper,floater and a dozen deeks will get you some shooting dont get hung up on gadgets if you are in the right place you will get some shooting,so a good reccy is worth more than a magnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Magnets and flappers and all the electronic aids are not the be all and end all to pigeon shooting . I have shot pigeons for more years without these aids than i have with them . I wouldnt go out with out my magnet in the car ,this dosent mean that i use it all the time ,i most certinly dont . you need to be able to tell on the day if the magnet is helping or hindering you .At the slightest sign that the birds are jinking off to soon ,get the damed thing in . Never be afraid of moving the magnet or the flappers ,more than once if necessary ,if your not sure get them in . A nice pattern of shot birds pricked up on prickers are better than any of the electronic aids . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 There is no doubt magnets are a great help on their day , but we used to bag a few pigeons before their apearance. Bouncers are a good alternative and lofters in a hedgerow tree can work wonders. If money is short sell your pigeons and put the money into a pigeon shooting fund. Thats what i do and then replacing equipment does not make such a big hole in my bank balance. 250 pigeons should give you enough money for a magnet off ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Agree with the sentiments with bouncers, cheaper and as effective in good winds(mine were broken BTW - now replaced) and shot birds will always out perform shells. However on their day a magnet will out perform all other aids to shooting woodpigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 It's 01:30, I'm tired and bored so here's my input before I go to bed. I actually wasted a good half hour of my life making this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 That's very sad Will, I thought you said your girlfriend was about this week - nothing better to do..?? Your spin speed's a tad fast, get yourself a speed controller. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 (edited) You're right Cat... I'm interested as to where he obtained the shot birds from too... because my freezers packed up - and he sure as hell didn't shoot them Edited December 17, 2008 by garyb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tosspot Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Magnet magnet magnet,i must have a magnet....NOT They do help sometimes and other times they hinder.A flapper,floater and a dozen deeks will get you some shooting dont get hung up on gadgets if you are in the right place you will get some shooting,so a good reccy is worth more than a magnet :lol: Managed to get some decent bags pre-magnet days didn't we? Yes it may have been a tad harder especially over large fields of rape, movement is the key here. If i were only allowed one aid it would be two or three bouncers Magnets can be great of that there is no doubt but they are not the be all and end all of pigeon decoying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 You're right Cat... I'm interested as to where he obtained the shot birds from too... because my freezers packed up - and he sure as hell didn't shoot them Yeah, but at least it hasn't been through three batteries so far! Credit where it's due though Gary, once you finally get that charger delivered your magnet will basically be running off a nuclear reactor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 I walked around rape fields this morning from 8.45am to 11 am, stood in hedgerows and shot 18 pigeons with no help from a mechanical device. The first one came out of the hedgerow and became my decoy, I then added the rest as they came for a look. I shot from 6 locations and took my dead birds with me as decoys. Not a great bag, but I couldn't spend time setting up due to the size of the fields and the fact I have to be somewhere else this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 I walked around rape fields this morning from 8.45am to 11 am, stood in hedgerows and shot 18 pigeons with no help from a mechanical device. The first one came out of the hedgerow and became my decoy, I then added the rest as they came for a look. I shot from 6 locations and took my dead birds with me as decoys. Not a great bag, but I couldn't spend time setting up due to the size of the fields and the fact I have to be somewhere else this afternoon. Yeah but Cranfield, that's because you are a magnet for the 'birds' :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welsh Stinger Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 Boy I must be getting old , I didn't know what a magnet was until I read right through this thread but I have got a good idea what it is now . I have seen photographs of them but never used one . The only modern thing I use is a pop up blind and it beets the heck out of carrying all those poles and netting. You may well laugh at this but when i was a boy and there was no money about ( like it is getting now ) we would roll wet empty milk bottles in the cold ash of a camp fire and set them out on the field and use them as decoys and believe it or not it worked . once you shot a few birds you could do away with the bottles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted December 23, 2008 Report Share Posted December 23, 2008 Boy I must be getting old , I didn't know what a magnet was until I read right through this thread but I have got a good idea what it is now . I have seen photographs of them but never used one . The only modern thing I use is a pop up blind and it beets the heck out of carrying all those poles and netting. You may well laugh at this but when i was a boy and there was no money about ( like it is getting now ) we would roll wet empty milk bottles in the cold ash of a camp fire and set them out on the field and use them as decoys and believe it or not it worked . once you shot a few birds you could do away with the bottles. I used to go one further than that by painting the milk bottles blue and then painting the white wing bars and neck bars on . We also used the old blue paper suger bags and painted them as well . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welsh Stinger Posted December 24, 2008 Report Share Posted December 24, 2008 pigeon shooting seems to have come a long way since I started . High tec carbon rods to spike your dead birds on , we had the same idear but we would cut lengths of hazell from the hedge . Before the magnets were about we used home made flappers made from a 4" length of battern , some stiff wire , a couple of elastic bands and of course a ball of string and once it was set up a few yanks on the string would cause the wings to open and close and was enough to turn a passing bird. Maybe pigeons have evolved along with the gadgets , maybe they were more stupid 20-30 years ago . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancashireunter Posted December 24, 2008 Report Share Posted December 24, 2008 I think the problem with all the modern gadgets is people who only shoot pigeons at harvest time when decoying is at its least challenging use all the latest kit, magnets etc. and get the birds wise to them to soon. Birds at harvest time with a good number of young birds about, dropping in to the first cut field in the area, would decoy to a milk bottle but Ive seen people in this situation have two magnets set up. Its no wonder pigeons jink away from magnets later on in the year! If a large part of your shooting is on massive winter rape fields the consider a magnet but the rest of the year id recommend practising your field craft first and defo buy some floaters as a main part of your armoury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted December 24, 2008 Report Share Posted December 24, 2008 I think the problem with all the modern gadgets is people who only shoot pigeons at harvest time when decoying is at its least challenging use all the latest kit, magnets etc. and get the birds wise to them to soon. Birds at harvest time with a good number of young birds about, dropping in to the first cut field in the area, would decoy to a milk bottle but Ive seen people in this situation have two magnets set up. Its no wonder pigeons jink away from magnets later on in the year! If a large part of your shooting is on massive winter rape fields the consider a magnet but the rest of the year id recommend practising your field craft first and defo buy some floaters as a main part of your armoury. I'm definitely in agreement here. Magnets have their place and time but a few good floaters can do as well if not better in some circumstances. Has anyone else noticed that you get more young birds in the bag when using a magnet, I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz2202 Posted December 24, 2008 Report Share Posted December 24, 2008 My dad laughs his pants off when he sees me lugging all the gear accross a field,(magnet, bouncers, batterie, hide poles, netting, etc etc) He takes his gun covers his face with a balaclava and leans against a tree, his decoys are bits of grey carpet that fit in his pocket. His answer is that for £10 he gets a few sq mtrs of grey carpet and that makes 30 or so deeks that are all flocked !!! Must admit we shoot to the same standard and we always end up with close results. difference is my set up prob costs £500 his about £15. (but i do look far better)!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootnfish Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 went out monday on rape loads of woodies about but they showed no interst until i bought my magnet in . got 18 after that . will still take it again just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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