HELP!...With shooting pigeons

[Mattcumbers]

Hi Everybody

 

I'm new to pigeon shooting and to this forum, so I'm a beginner.

 

I've got myself 3 farms to shoot on as part of a local rough shooting club, I went out on Sunday and the pigs were covering this young spring rape field (seedlings). I decided to set up in the hedge bordering the field, I put the 12 sportsplast deeks out in the horseshoe with enough gap at the back etc etc. I had alot of pigeons moving on the flightline to my right and to my left and they were returning from the field behind me, actually over my hide they couldn't have seen me though because of the hedge, trees + camo.

 

They were just not decoying well, hardly any the whole day actually commited themselves to coming in.

 

I was wondering if the pattern needed some more movement or something to make it a little more attractive to our feathered friends say bouncers-any ideas?

[Piebob]

Hi Matt,

 

Welcome to the forum. I'm relatively new too and have found it a great source of info with lots of knowledgeable and helpful guys around so hopefully you will too.

 

As to your problem - did you make sure the pattern was setup in such a way that the pigeons would be landing into the wind?

 

Generally, if a pattern isn't working then there is something wrong and you should make a change. Consider an L-shaped pattern rather than a U to make an easier approach.

 

I've never used anthing with movements other than the shell decoys but others here swear by magnets and bouncers so I'm sure they would help.

 

Piebob

[Cranfield]

Movement in a decoy pattern is desirable, rocking shell decoys can do this and of course, floaters/bouncers.

 

You don't mention wind strength or direction.

I find these factors can have a major impact on pigeon decoyability (new word ? )

It often seems that the more wind there is, the better the birds decoy.

Also any shots you have are masked by the wind.

 

Of course, the "pigs" in the field could have put them off.

[invector]

You must provide for pigeons dropping in AGAINST the wind. Did you check it before setting out your decoys? If you were in the hedge and they were coming over from behind you the wind should be either crossing or directly in your face. This is a difficult situation and you MUST ensure the pigeons can`t see you as they cross the hedgeline. Would it have been possible to get into the opposite hedge with the wind behind you? Could you have moved nearer the flightlines? Did you actually see any pigeons to the front or were they all flying from behind?

 

Spend some time watching the pigeons through binoculars - always time well spent. If you can get a pigeon to drop into the killing zone and actually land there can`t be much wrong with your decoy pattern. Any time a pigeon jinks away you must either check the decoy pattern or find some other reason for the panic. Always look THROUGH the netting and stay there until you mean to kill the bird. Don`t keep bobbing up and down and make the hide large enough to be comfortable, with plent of room to move the gun. Organise some discipline inside the hide. If you load with your left hand place the cartridges to the left within easy reach. Once you have shot a few pigeons carefully place them in the freezer and use them rather than plastics, except to pad out your decoy pattern. Leave the hide as little possible. If there are birds on their backs or lots of feathers and they are still coming in stay in the hide and shoot `em!! The one exception to this rule is when birds are wounded. Go out and dispatch them!!

[hill billy]

after all that mate all i think to sudgest is just experiment move the pattern around face the decoys in diffent directions to the wind move your hide just experiment then it will just click and you will draw in every bird from miles around

[invector]

By all means do what Hillbilly says but then you`ll never know the correct way to decoy pigeons will you? It`s all down to flightlines - feeding - wind direction - hide placement - hide discipline - accurate shooting - respect for your quarry. Unfortunately these can`t all come together by experimentation so you`ll have to do some serious reading or ask someone who knows the ropes to help you. Nothing succeeds like success but lots of blank days may start to depress you. Do you know anyone who will either help you to set up or is able to take you out for a day`s pigeon decoying for practical experience?

[chris lewis]

This is great , All this info , my brain will explode. I went shooting with this old boy once. Lovely chap , We took turns in having a shot at the birds coming in. He could understand why the birds were jinx away or flying start on when it was his turn. I found out later from reading loads of books , that the pigeon sight changes as it comes into the final landing postion . the wings change the flaping rate into the wind. What the old boy was doing was jumping up of his seat and reaching for his gun ready. the bird saw him and was off. were I was standing with the gun still and only putting the gun into my sholder when the wing shape changed . good fun was had by all.

[invector]

Reading books can certainly help you with hide discipline etc. but please don`t take any notice of the pictures in the mags which often show a gun looking over the hide and taking a shot. These are often posed and lit properly for the camera and don`t necessarily show a true picture of proper hide discipline.

 

Stay behind the camo netting all the time and watch the birds through it. When the bird is committed to land just stand up slowly and kill it. If you prefer to shoot sitting down the same applies. Keep low until you are ready then straighten up and shoot. I`ve recently been shooting over lupins and nearly every bird will land in the killing ground so there can`t be much wrong with my decoy pattern. I also use a few crow decoys some way from the pigeon pattern and one pigeon actually landed about three feet from a crow decoy!!

[BIG BILL]

All I can say is they can see you, make your hide better or buy a good one .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BIG BILL