Out of touch with the game

[Big Dog]

Its a view years since I have been shooting pigeons over decoys. The modern coys and approach to shooting seems very specilised to what I am use to. What would you say are the top 6 tips for a good day shooting over coys? I shoot 12g, 410 and 22 air and LR :thumbs:

[Fisherman Mike]

Hi Mate...

 

My advice would be.

 

1. Do some field work before hand and identify where the birds are feeding and the lines of flight to and from the field. Ideally your hide is best positioned under one of these flight lines.

 

2. Spend some time building the best hide you can to conceal you from the birds I used to keep racing and ornamental Pigeons and believe me their eye sight is as keen as mustard.

 

3. Assuming you are using plastic shell decoys, again take some trouble setting them up facing the wind space them out in a random horseshoe pattern about 30 to 40 yards from the hide. Dont leave too much of the support stake showing as the birds will quickly veer off if they suspect the slightest abnormality. Dont make the pattern too tight feeding Pigeons like a bit of space between themselves.

 

4. Make sure you are warmly dressed and as comfortable as possible. It is important to remain as motionless as possible and there may be periods of inactivity when you are waiting for birds to pitch in. You dont want to be jumping up and down stamping your feet. If you take a dog make sure it is well out of sight. I went about a dozen trips before I realised they could see my old Liver & White springer in the hide.

 

5. Dont rush your shots. One of the biggest failings when pigeon Shooting is to get too excited when the birds pitch in to the decoys. I like to let them circle once and they generally turn into the wind to set to land and I take the shot. Only experience will tell you when to shoot. Very often a lone bird is best left if you can see other birds coming in behind it which may present a better shot.

 

6 Finally and perhaps more importantly. Win, lose or draw, thank the landowner or person who gave you the permission to shoot on their land. A simple thing that sadly goes overlooked. A bottle here and there will guarantee your shooting for years to come.

 

Enjoy..

 

FM.

[Wilts]

No 6 is spot on Mike, and may I had use felt wads and pick up your shells then you will always be welcomed back to try again

[Big Dog]

Hi Guys. Thanks for the reply to "Out of Touch...". I have been on holidays for a view weeks. As I have just move house and to a new area, it gave me time to get to know some new landowners. I have gained access to some potentially great shooting land. Lots of ploughed fields for barley and one place has a lot of rabbits destroying the winter wheat. So I am shooting some of the bunnies.

 

Didn't give him a bottle but my wife is a great baker and so I use cakes. Most farmers love sweet stuff.

 

2 things

- I am thinking of buying some poles for supporting the hide net. Anything to look out for??

 

- As I also shoot rifles have you ever had success decoying with a rifle? I tried it last year with crows but the bird wouldn't land?

 

Thanks.

Have a good season

[Shotgun Mike]

Corvids won't usually land close to a pattern of decoys so I find it easier to take them with the shotgun.

[Teal]

Hi bigdog, two suggestions for the hidepoles, get ones with kickplates or you will be kicking yourself! And I would seriously recommend ukshootwarehouse (see banner at the top) ring your order and mention your pigeonwatch user id and you should get a discount on them which will take them to the cheapest priced poles out there.

[hill billy]

Hide poles - if you are like me and don't have a fortune then get off down to wilkos and buy four washing line poles there about £3 each with hooks on top and ocasionally kick plates

 

crows-If you want to get a few crows then place a crow decoy about 40 -50 yards from your pattern

 

Rifle- i would not advise you taking a rifle because accidents happen to the best of us

 

Pairs- when i am out shooting i always think of the saying a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - meaning that don't worry about trying to get a left and right but just make sure you take the easiest bird

 

Transport - if you don't have transport near by just remember pigeons waigh a lot and dragging them by hand is horrible so take a bag

 

The two thinks to remember is do you home work before going and have fun

[natman]

Hi Big Dog,

 

Makes two of us.Just started after 13 years lay off,now back to it with me lad Nat.

 

I can give you some additional tips added to our forum chums;

 

1) Make sure there is some camy at the back.The birds can see straight through if you have'nt good cover behind.

 

2) Get camy tape for the barrels.Again if you got shiny barrels like my lads Miroku,the blighters can see it thru quality camy netting.

 

3) Get a crate with cushion.Its about the right height and it saves you wasting valuable time in trying to get up.Especially if you are an old **** like me.

 

All the best mate

 

Bazza

[Big Dog]

Hi Natman. Your right getting up in a hurry isn't as easy now when you sit is one position for a while. Did you ever think you would be an old ****??

 

Have you use camo tape? Does it leave a sticky gum on the gun when you remove it?

 

An alternative. When I rifle shoot I have a shinny stainless steel barrel. Last week I got some hesian (I think that spelt right). It like the tan mesh fabric that the old farm meal bags were made of. I got a large role of this at a Play Resource Centre in Belfast. It was free and very clean. The truth is it is to be used with charity groups working with young people but for all I will need I think my integrity can stay in tack.

 

Using it I was planning to cut about 3-4" wide strips long enough to rap aroung the gun from the bolt to the muzzel. I will dye some green into this to camo it a bit. I will just put it on and fix it at either end with a strong rubber band. 2min to put it on and 2 to take it off. The finish will be very natural, not uniformed so less noticeable. I saw this used very effectively in an old war movie. It may not work with shotgunning as you are swinging.

[Shotgun Mike]

I was out this early this morning over drilled barley and shot 7 rooks, 3 jackdaws and 1 crow. I was only using the single camo net but with a fairly thick shrub behind me, the gun had no camo on it either. As long as you sit perfectly still until they are quite close (20 yds or so) then stick your barrels over the net you can take them as they turn away. Although I had some that didn't spot me and were just looking at the deeks.

[ronny]

Hi All

Had a call from the farmer that lets me shoot on his land, said loads of pigeons on a field he has just planted with corn and should come and have a pop at them, cant get out till friday though, this is within 18 miles of Bristol, does anyone else shoot pigeon in this area, I know we dont get the numbers that you get further north......

Hill billy, what is wilkos, would like to get some of these poles for hide?

[Gemini]

Ronny, Wilko’s is Wilkinson’s the hardware store, but you can buy these extending washing line poles from almost any store.

I had some years ago, and found them to be ok if you had transport up to where you are shooting, otherwise they add a hell of a lot of weight to your decoys/cartridges/gun/nets/seat/ etc.

I now take half-a-dozen bamboo canes and simply push them into the ground and tie the net on. If the ground is very hard I use a hammer and a large old “Philips” screwdriver to knock holes in the earth and then just push the canes into the holes. Takes @ 10lbs of weight off the load. :thumbs:

If you are young and fit then it won’t make much difference to you, but if you are a decrepit old **** like me……………….. :*)

G.M.

[ronny]

Thanks for info Gemini

I think i will go for the bamboo option as i am well on my way to old **** territory (46), I use a couple of hollow steel poles six feet in length at present, and tie off each corner to hedge at rear but could somtimes do with center support if hide is a bit longer to accomodate my son... happy huntin

Edited April 20, 2005 by ronny

[Big Dog]

Have you ever though of using old tent poles?? Something like the old Vango Force 10 ten. They have 4 poles that are split into 2 but link together with a small spring so that both pole parts stay together. Apart about 2.5ft long, 5ft together. There is a wee foot on the bottom that could be replaced with a spike. They will they normally come in a bag :thumbs:

[BunnyBasher]

HI GUYS, I AM NEW TO THIS SO EXCUSE THE ETIQUETTE. :thumbs: REGARDING HIDE POLES

I SPENT £12 AT WESTON LAST YEAR ON FOUR ROD RESTS FROM FISHING STAND BRILL EVEN HAD ENDS ON FOR HOOKING THE CAMO NETS ON, AND YOU CAN EXTEND THEM UP TO ABOUT 8ft IF YOU NEED AND THEY ARE EXTREMLEY LIGHT . AND ANOTHER MONE SAVER ITEM ARE CHEAP FISHING POLES GOT 3- 8mtr whips AT ONLY £7 EACH.

JUST THOUGHT IDE LET YOU KNOW

[ronny]

Thats it!!

Somthing made of alloy, where one fits inside the other and you can lock it off with a thumb screw, Ive had them all along without realising it, old tent up in the loft, like Big Dog said.....

[BunnyBasher]

Thats it!!

Somthing made of alloy, where one fits inside the other and you can lock it off with a thumb screw, Ive had them all along without realising it, old tent up in the loft, like Big Dog said.....

Didnt quite type all i should have. the 8mtr fishing whips are used for lofting the decoys you loose one section because its to flimsy. lift up the whip an extra few feet tie to the tree if you want and thats it, cheap and light.