Jump to content

Decoying barley stubble


anser2
 Share

Recommended Posts

I have been keeping an eye on the few stubbles around me for the past week. 3 adjacent fields of barley had been cut and up to 20 pigeons at a time had been seen using them. Not expecting a lot I set up about 4 pm in the middle of one of the fields against a big bale. The joy of shooting stubbles is that you can drive right up to where you want to hide , no lugging gear miles across the fields. A dozen shell decoys and 3 H&H rubber closed winged decoys on the magnet and bouncer. The hide was a bit smaller than I would have liked for me and the two dogs and later gave be a bit of trouble.

 

 

I had just loaded the gun when a singleton came into the decoys and was quickly downed. The shots disturbed birds from over the hill and a right and left followed . These birds were quickly put on the bouncer and magnet. For the next quarter of an hour a steady stream of birds came into the decoys , but my shooting got worse and worse. . I have recently had an operation and I was finding it difficult to shoot from my seat. It was much too low. I had also made the hide much too low to shoot standing up. Still the birds trickled in for a while and then started to swerve off at about 40 yards out. Out with the dogs for a quick pick up , but the pigeons were still shy of my position. So I turned off the magnet. Result the pigeons started to drop anywhere on the stubble. I started up the magnet again , but moved it slightly upwind on the hide. Result the pigeons kept well off to my left , hardly offering a shot. So I moved the magnet 10 yards to the right of the hide and presto the birds came in just right

 

 

The cartridge bag was getting quite empty by 6 30 so I headed back to the car to get more ammo. I decided to put the old dog in the car for a rest ( she is 14 ) but she had other ideas and before I was half way back to the hide she had jumped out of the window and rejoined me. A rain squall threatened from the south and the pigeons were determined to get a last feed before it came. 7.30 it was time to pack up and I knew I had a lot of birds down , but was surprised when the final pickup was dead on 90 , plus one lost hung up in a high hedge. Again the luxury of driving up to the hide to load the gear and bag up and then off to the farm chillier to off load the pigeons.

 

Following comments in other parts of the forum on shot sizes if might be worth noting I was using Rio 30 gr 6s plus a couple of Express steel 32 gr 4s I found in my pocket from last spring. 138 shots 2 wounded birds made a nearby wood , 90 birds picked up , one unreachable in a high hedge and I had to dispatch about 5 wounded birds. All the others clean kills. Most birds were in the 20 - 40 yard bracket , but a couple of cracking 50 yard birds killed too. I doubt if I would managed that with the 7 1\2 shells steel some seem to be recomending on here.

Edited by anser2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done mate. Its nice when the birds turn up, especially if your not expecting it. Very good shooting too mate!! :good:

I was out yesterday on laid wheat. It was not ideal as the wind was in my face and strong so the birds hooked into the decoys (which I had to place further out perhaps 40-50yds) and left for some long tricky shots. Only with excellent pattern placement did they crumple and I had more winged birds than I normally do (which I very much dislike). That was using 1/2 choke and 32g of size 6 diamond shot. End bag was 42 for approx 60 shots (including the shots to dispatch wounded birds which was approx 4). I wouldn't even attempt that with 7 1/2 shot. :) The strange thing is Archie Coats and John Batley used shot sizes along those lines. They do tend to wing a few though. :good:

I would think the only time that can be consistently viable would be at a max of 30yds shooting, close over the decoys.

Regards

Si

Edited by Si-Bore
Link to comment
Share on other sites

good shooting matey. i was out yesterday aswell. and had a good day. was there from 9 in the morning till 6 that afternoon and had shot 73 i was using a mix of carts used up my last box of DnJs, black golds num 6, clear pigeons 30grm 6. but the carts i prefer to use are compak 24grm 7.5 as the majority of the shooting i do is close range as i put my deecs out bout 15 to 25 yard out and i manage yery clean kills the odd one i have winged but i dispatch them by hand. which is how i was taught maybe not to humane i know but i dont feel happy shootin a bird twice dont know why. but execelent shooting pal. :good::)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason I shoot steel is nothing to with the price. It's because all my pigeons go to feed birds of prey. I cannot use lead. I kill 90% of my pigeons inside 35yds and i get 50p each. fresh or frozen with no grading.

My buyer came yesterday and emptied my freezer, 428 birds, thats £214 cash. enough to buy another 1,750 shells.

Lead is more effective on longer birds, but i was fed up with dealers offering 10p for frozen birds, and i have to deliver.

Now i can shoot as often as i like, knowing my costs are covered. I pay £3 a box for shells, so i only have to shoot 6 birds to cover the cost.

Wonderful

Rich g

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...