Shooting Tom Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I need some tips, as there was 100's of pigeons but not one decoyed they went to decoy then flew of. Out of range. i had some shoots at pigeons just over, but they where really to high. I had 11 decoys, and two cradles with plastic birds on. I DIDNT have my magnet as it was to far to carry it all, do u think it would help alot. Was in a straw hide in a rape field. Any Help....? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboy1 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 the chances are that in this situation a magnet probably would'nt make any difference, because you said that the birds were coming in but flying off again, which means they were being spooked by something i.e seeing you in the hide or your pattern was putting them off . Try changing your pattern remembering to leave a clear landing area or kill zone for them to confidently come in to. I'm not a great lover of bale hides, i know a lot of people use them and have great results but i like to use cammo hides and full cammo clothing and make sure they can't see me until it's to late! Cheers jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 686 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 hi ya have your pigeons in a big horse shoe patten.. with the open end away from you so the pigeons can land in the gap.. have a look on google pics and put in < pigeon decoy pattens > don't forget you must must must have a good thick back ground behind you... eg thick bush, big trees, or a camo net. good luck and bring on the peas :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Tom Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 the hide is in the middle of the field so there is nothing behind me lol only a big fields lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 686 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 hi tom is the back of your hide open :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Tom Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hi, yes it is. it is about 4 high at the font and only two high at the back. I use the U Shape decoy patten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I have but one thing to say "Silhouette", because you have no back to your hide it will show your outline up alot more. This alone will spook pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboy1 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 put a screen across the back and lay some over the top to make a roof if possible. When i make a hide out in the open i use my oval shaped carp fishing umbrella with my camo net across the front, it looks mad to humans but pigeons don't bat an eyelid at it. I definately think your problem here is being seen by the birds. Someone suggested having the open end of the decoy pattern facing away from you, that's fine if the wind is blowing from your back but you'll obviously have to change this if the wind is in another direction, good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Another thing, you say you are shooting from a straw bale hide, What camo are you wearing?? i assume you are wearing desert camo as i find this works well with straw hides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12borebanger Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 try your decoys in two groups with the birds bout two foot apart and with a clear landing zone between the two groups as they tend to feed like this over rape and it also makes them more visable from a distance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheasent plucker Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 THINK YOU WILL FIND EVERYBODY WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PREFERENCES AS TO PATTERNS AND HIDES, I TRY AND MAKE A RELITIVLEY LARGE HORSE SHOE AS MOST WILL AGREE FACING THE POINTY ENDS DOWN WIND TAILING OFF TO A FINE POINT BUT KEEP THE GATE QUITE WIDE AND AT THE THICK END OF THE PATTERN HAVE A COUPLE OF VISABLE GAPES THAT YOU CAN SEE AS THE GATES WILL NATURALLY GUIDE THEM IN AND THE BIRDS WILL THEN SEE THE HOLES YOU HAVE MADE AND I BET THEY TRY AND LAND THERE,DON'T CROWD THE PATTERN SO THE BIRDS CAN'T SEE ANYWHERE TO LAND CUZ THEY WON'T,ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF LOFTED BIRDS ON THE EDGE OF THE GATES SO THERE CAN SEE YOUR PATTERN AT DISTANCE AND ALSO HELP AS A GUIDE TOO. DON'T BE AFFRADE TO CHANGE THE PATTERN IF ITS NOT WORKING OR MOVE YOUR PERSITION IF THE FLIGHT LINE CHANGES. HOPE YOU HAVE SOME SUCCESS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Nobody's stated the answer to this one, it's quite simply that the birds will generally ignore static decoys on rape, you MUST use a magnet. On recent outings I've left the statics in the motor and only used a rotary with 2 dead birds, provided you're in the right place on the field, it will draw them in a treat. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboy1 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 yes i agree catamong about the rotary and i always use one over rape, but shootingtom did say the birds were coming in without one and then shying away, so i'm assuming he's visible to them or they don't like the decoy arrangement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 A pigeon magnet will help abit but it is more important to make a better hide. The back of your hide should be higher than the front. Try taking some undergrowth (evergreen bushes) with you to try and break your hide up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MK38 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Your decoy's may be 'not quite right' for them to comit to land..... but more likely it's your hide or your movement. As has allready been said , make sure you have a decent background to stand in front of, cover your hands and face .... and don't move !..... until you are ready to shoot. On the farms i 'm shooting on at the minute, the birds have been shot at alot, seen lots of decoy patterns , been gas gunned ,been bombarded by airiel rockets and thunderflashes and are very wary of anything thats not right. Alot of the guys are saying that magnets just aren't pulling them in anymore...... though they had success with them before... the birds have been hounded to much to get a decent day on the decoy's. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Tom Posted March 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Going out at 10, i will bear in mind your tips. I also spoke to the game keeper he said just what the last comment said, the birds have been shot at in a diffrent place a lot at long distance (Not kill able) so that has been making the pigeons more careful. He also said to put the decoys out more in the field, 40 Yards. And put the decoys about 8 Ft apart. Using the pigeon magnet and run a camo net around the top of the hide to blend in my face mask to the camo. Thanks for your help, will let you know how i get on. If you dont here its cus i didnt get any LOL Thanks again guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malamus Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Hi, I'm really new to the game also, about 6-7 weeks in, so bear that in mind when taking this advice. I use a camo net at the edge of a field so there is a dark back drop which i find works and find the horse shoe pattern works the best for me, (always head-in to the wind, (i think the theory is, this is the way they land( I' ve been skydiving for many years and and if you land with the wind behind you, man you have an undignifyed landing, unless you can run at 30+ mph)) But my biggest tip has to be a piece of advice from my gunsmith last week and it increaced my "catch" by over 400%. Every time I shot a pigeon, I would go get it thinking if I left it, it would spook the birds. The gunsmith told me to just leave them. Well, I was shocked just how little they cared about all the dead pigeons that just lay where they were shot. leaving your hide really spooks them birds. With that piece of advice, I got 22 birds in 2 hours, compared to 5 max the previous weekends hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orkney Gun Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 (edited) Spot on jonboy 1 well said comments there..You have hit the prob spot on. This is I.C.S.U. or (I Can See You) allowing the birds to see you is as we all should know a definate No ! No! How many times do we hear this all because you are not in "camo" enough or the hide background is wrong. YES it happens to the best of us, even I have fell for that one But then again as said on this thread and other thread/links etc.You can ..... dowload patterns.... can put out a magnet ...Aye and even leave out their mates where they lay shot ..YOU can do all the things you have learned and read ...But you will get nothing if THEY SEE YOU and you are in the position of....... I.C.S.U. even when the birds are doing what we call sometimes"Having a feeding frenzy" (each flock/bird following the next) A.J. Edited March 9, 2009 by Orkney Gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Another thing to bear in mind is shoot sitting down, i was a clay shooter for 6 years and started going pigeon shooting over the last year, i always had a habit of standing to shoot as sitting down to shoot was very alien to me, it`s only over the last couple of months after finally finding a decent seat that i have started shooting sitting down and it has improved my numbers no end. It was quite amazing how long it takes for you to rise and mount the gun then shoot by which time you have lost your second barrel shot and even a first barrel shot is a long one. Also you can recover alot faster sitting down to shoot so that any following birds don`t see you sitting down again, also your profile is smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Its a good idea to leave shot birds in the decoy patten , but beware they will often spook if the dead birds are belly up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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