Just how good are pigeons eyes?

[12gdaz]

Hi all going decoying tomorrow and was going to set my stall out in the middle of the field. I have four hide poles and and some cammo netting. Will the birds be able to suss there is an orrible man in it with a gun? Just how good are there eyesight? will they see me through the holes in the netting? Oh well i'll find out tomorrow if the pigeons start laughing and taking the pi.. out of the daft *** sat in some netting eh?

[ozzy518]

No two days will be the same mate, though I have found that pigeons see movement very well and also pink skin tones, so cover your face and hands. Only move at the last minute to take a shot. As for being in the middles of a field, me and a mate recently stuck this in the middle of the field and still shot 140 odd before running out of cartridges.. Good luck.

Edited December 19, 2008 by ozzy518

[David BASC]

They certainly will not be able to see through the netting – as the netting will break up your outline, this is one of the principal objectives of camouflage- to hide the shape by breaking up the outline, and make it blend into the background.

 

One thing that ALL prey species and indeed predators are very good at detecting is movement – so keep still as long as possible.

 

Also, do not forget to camouflage your face and hands, both, particularly the hands, move allot and if they are not covered you may as well flash a high powered torch about in the hide!

 

Remember also that the pigeon will be seeing you from an elevated position, so it is often a good idea to put a bit of a roof on your hide.

 

Hope that helps

 

David

[Imperfection]

Sticking the hide against a similiar looking backdrop like a hedge helps to break up its outline,but also wearing a green or camo coat,baseball cap and staying still is just as important.Pigeons arent excally bright,but dont under estimate em'.

[chrispti]

Sitting in the middle of a field will make you naturally, want to keep looking about in all directions checking for any ''incomers''. Moving about is what the birds will notice more. Try to set up with a back drop, like a hedge or even a vehicle like pictured above

[magman]

Never in my life have i shot from a hide with a roof on it , keep still till the birds in range and there shouldn't be a problem

PS, never shot from the middle of a field either as i would be trampling over the farmers crop which he wouldn't be happy about

[ozzy518]

oops, should have clarified that bit. Only go onto the middle of the field if the farmer ok's it. The field where we parked the landy in has not been planted and had just been left after the previous wheat crop had been cut. If in doubt it just takes a quick call to the farmer to check

[Harnser]

I remember reading that pigeons eye sight is 9 times better than humans eyesight . Its like looking through 9 times mag binnos . Harnser .

[6shot]

like magman never used a roof or shot from the middle of a field. sometimes on rape if its not going well i will move my decoys but not the hide, and just stand tight to the hedge and see what happens. and if it looks as if it will be worth moving the hide i will.

 

keeping still is the key for me

Edited December 19, 2008 by 6shot

[Zapp]

A few here have mentioned that the most important thing to do is to sit still. If you faff about as the birds are still on the flight line they will see you and veer off.

 

If you can get them to start coming in with that purposeful loping flight, you could probably get out of your hide and start doing the runnning man and still shoot them afterward.

 

As for shooting in the middle of a field, as long as the farmer is happy this can be a deadly tactic. As has also been stated though, you will need to know your flightlines well or be a good snapshooter to avoid looking about all over the place and spooking them. I have found that it is a good tactic when there is more than one of you covering different arcs, or when there is a little bit of wind so you can predict the birds approach and channel them in.

 

Let us know how it goes!

 

ZB

[seisobs]

I alway's put a roof on my hide sometimes!

[jonevo]

Just how good are pigeons eyes?They have beady eyes that can see you a mile away

 

 

With Camo netting or a Hide you will be ok I always use the natural hedges or find A hedge row and then camo up using the natural area to break up my sillohuette.

Getting your hide or camo right will pay dividends to your shooting.Once a pigeon,duck,goose etc... sees your white face hands etc... you may aswell go homeunless they are blind or starving and the field your on holds some good food source

[anser2]

Just how good are pigeons eyes?.............. Very , very good in the right conditions , quite poor in the wrong conditions.

 

I think the weather conditions have a big impact of pigeons seeing you. On a bright sunny day ( especially low winter sunlight ) the birds will pick up your face and hand movement very quickly. On a dull day I often do not use a face mask and the birds do not seem to notice you if you have a well made hide. On a windy day when the leaves and branches are swaying about you can get away with some movement in the hide , but pigeons are very quick to notice any movement if its still. In fog they seem to hardly notice you and last year I went out in driving snow to gather a runner and the birds ignored me. I shot 14 in a few minuets just standing in open by the decoys , next to the magnet.

 

It can also depend on how the birds approach the decoys. On a very windy day I have had low birds coming slowly up wind that twig the slightest movement . I think they have the time to check out the area around the decoys for danger. On the other hand I have often had birds that have come fast over my head from behind ( from an angle where I am quite exposed ) lock onto the decoys and never have the time to notice you.

 

Movement in the hide is probably the most important factor in the birds seeing you.

 

If you are roost shooting the pigeons in an area where the birds are regulary shot at dusk they will quickly spot your pale face against the woodland floor , so I always wear a face mask.

[Cranfield]

Large straw bale hides out in the open don't put pigeons off and I frequently have to set up a net hide right out in the open with no natural back drop like a hedgerow, or trees.

 

The advice about covering face and hands and keeping movement to a minimum is very , very important.

[Baldrick]

Pigeons are meant to see in monochrome, and with greater sensitivity to the UV spectrum than humans' eyes. So shades of white are very visible (bare skin, dead birds lying belly-up, reflected sunlight from gun barrels). I never use a roofed hide, almost always wear a face veil and use a gun with a matte finish. I don't look up or move until it's necessary. My new Peltor SportTac ear defenders are so sensitive that I can hear pigeons flying up behind me several seconds before they're visible.

 

The 'Five Ss' as taught to soldiers (Shape, Shine, Shadow, Silhouette and Spacing) are useful to consider when building the hide, and just for general fieldcraft.

[Catamong]

Sensible advice from Baldrick, I'd second what he's said, he's dead right about roofs over hides, any pigeon shooter with any sense would never put a roof over his hide.

 

Cat.

[markbivvy]

Never in my life have i shot from a hide with a roof on it , keep still till the birds in range and there shouldn't be a problem

PS, never shot from the middle of a field either as i would be trampling over the farmers crop which he wouldn't be happy about

 

Never in my life have i shot from a hide with a roof on

It wasn't until you met your wife you lived in a house with a roof on.

[magman]

Never in my life have i shot from a hide with a roof on it , keep still till the birds in range and there shouldn't be a problem

PS, never shot from the middle of a field either as i would be trampling over the farmers crop which he wouldn't be happy about

 

Never in my life have i shot from a hide with a roof on

It wasn't until you met your wife you lived in a house with a roof on.

 

Who needs a roof ? blocks out the stars and moon

[anser2]

I do not know where this idea that pigeons see only in monocrome came from. Its not true.. Pigeons can see colour and more colours than humans can.

 

Below are a couple odd links on the subject and a quote from the second link

 

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pigeonwatch/r...s-about-pigeons

 

http://ehrweb.aaas.org/ehr/parents/Pigeons!.html

 

Pigeons As Rescuers

Because pigeons have better eyesight than humans, they have been used to help in search-and-rescue missions. Pigeons have been trained to spot the orange life jackets of people lost at sea. The pigeons are carried by helicopter over the ocean. When they spot a life jacket, they peck a keyboard, which sets off a light. Then the helicopter moves closer and more slowly over the waves until the humans are able to see the life jacket.

[Baldrick]

I stand corrected, anser2. Interesting reading.

[Jim Sarakun]

Pigeons As Rescuers

Because pigeons have better eyesight than humans, they have been used to help in search-and-rescue missions. Pigeons have been trained to spot the orange life jackets of people lost at sea. The pigeons are carried by helicopter over the ocean. When they spot a life jacket, they peck a keyboard, which sets off a light. Then the helicopter moves closer and more slowly over the waves until the humans are able to see the life jacket.

 

Where do you find this stuff. I'm not saying I don't believe it, it just sounds so comical to me. A Pigeon on a key board.

 

Now I have to admit that I MOSTLY shoot with a roof, and have a 180 degree field of view that I shoot in, due specifically to the movement thing, as I am partial to making chocolate soup, rolling fags and doing my nails.

 

Then I only shoot at what flies over or lands on or near my decoys. I often walk up the tram lines too and sit or lay in the corn, rape or peas when it is about knee high, fully cammed up and have had some good bags this way too. They just don't seem to expect you to be there. I have done this many times while my mate stayed in the hide, not for long though, as once he sees me bringing them down like this, he soon legs it out to join me.

 

It's good fun too and certainly loosens up those stiff joints and aching muscles.

 

I read that link anser2, and at last, now know how to tell the difference between a male and a female, quote..."a male’s hackle is more iridescent than a female’s". Keep posting the links when you find them as I have many, many more questions that need answering...

Edited December 21, 2008 by Jim Sarakun

[12gdaz]

Well the camo netting worked and i managed to bag a few birds. I must say the roof did get in the way a bit so next time i'll try a roofless screen up against the hedge at the edge of the field. Thanks for all the tips and views this thread has made very interesting reading, cheers.

 

Daz

[smokeyoakey]

Hi 12gdaz

 

I've shot out in the middle of a field loads of times, and quite a few times with good success.

The main thing is to be sure thats where the pigeons want to be.

I wouldn't advise just to set up so you can be seen more easily by the pigeons, but if thats where they want to be by all means go and join them.

Some of my hides out in the field have looked like a lighthouse, but the old woodies and crows have come straight in.

What i normally do, to be honest nearly always do now is to build my hide around a fishing umbrella, throw a net over it give yourself plenty of room out the front and away you go, not only does it stop the pigeon seeing any movement, even though i still dont move about too much until they are committed, but it also keeps the wind of your back and you can always dob under to miss the showers.

I was going to send you a picture but it seems to have changed and i can't find the browse feature Smokey