pigeons on rape

[saunders.shoots]

hi there

 

i am going shooting on a rape field for the first time in a week or so

 

just wondering if anybody has any tips on how to set up and general

stuff about shooting on rape.?:blink:

 

cheers

louis

[kev 1]

On the PW home page there is a bit about tips and tricks,Just try that and have a nice day.....

[MerseaDavid]

Dont put your decoys too far apart.

 

use a bouncer or 2, they will stand out better than the decoys.

 

But it is basically the same as setting up on any other crop.

 

If you have got lofting poles then get a couple of decoys lofted in a tree.

 

But that is about it.

 

Hope you have a good day.

[saunders.shoots]

cheers

i have 2 bouncers and a magnet

others have told me that it is about the amount of grey they see not about the pattern.

because it is big field they might tend to venture to another part.

any ideas on how to stop that.

[proTOM1]

stick some flags in other parts of the field or put some banger ropes out . flags work well for me ! good luck :blink:

[MerseaDavid]

As proTOM1 said, put some flags out or if you have got a hawk decoy you could put that out and that will keep birds away but it will draw the crows in :blink:

 

But that is about all you can do, if birds want to go to that part of the field you will struggle to stop them.

[Cranfield]

Even on a big field there will be parts the pigeons favour, look for the well eaten areas, they should look quite bald about now.

These are the areas the birds have been visiting and as the plants recover and the new shoots appear, they are even more attractive to the pigeons.

This is where I would set up.

 

On large fields I use as many decoys as I can carry, plus floaters and the rotary.

Give the birds something to see and they will come and take a look.

You don't need them to land, just to come and see.

[Tis1979]

I guess i would spend the next week or so giving the field a good Recce looking for bird movements & in what direction @ different times in the day, As for Patterns can't go go far wrong with a horse shoe to start, if you find the birds peeling off one side move the decoy's to match making them come into the Killing zone better, I know everyone will have had differant results but I'm finding that the birds are coming in more confidently whithout using the magnet at the moment. I am favouring a few birds lofted in a sitty tree near by and just a battery Flapper in my pattern to give some movement, Maybe a floater to one side of the pattern if needed. Good luck with your trip out hope it's a good un.

 

Kind Regards Tristram

Edited February 4, 2009 by Tis1979

[Warlock]

I was out on the rape Tuesday, am still new to decoying.

Could anyone offer advice on the following teething problems?

The wind direction was changing every 5 mins and kept dropping to nothing, i had out 4 full body decoys with feet and 5 shells on spring sticks, the pigeons would come in drop abit then make the typical pigeon squawk then veer off, any ideas what could cause this?

i had the horseshoe set facing me as the wind was from that direction most of the time but the pigeon flightline was from my left following the edge of the woods i was setup on, could that cause a problem or should they just see the pattern on their way over the come into land after turning? should i turn the pattern to suit where they were coming from?

Edited February 4, 2009 by Warlock

[Mec 9000]

I think too many of us are so desperate to set up if we see doos, it pays to watch them for a wee while, see how the come in and how they join the feeding group as they use the wind to fly and land. You will notice that they tend not to land at the back of the group but within and leafrog so as the wind changes open up landing areas and close others.